Butch523
Member
Read and appreciate the posts. My hunting is in thick woods in the mountains here around Knoxville, TN. I hunt wild boar. Only use BP front loaders. Out-of-state hunting is in VA, GA and North FL., but overwhelming the majority is in TN.
In E. TN mountains abound. While other game here, Whitetail, coyote, Elk and sometimes Black Bear and others often present long-range shots across open fields, across valleys and the like, hunting boar is close-in. Most of the boar I've killed were in the 10ft. - 100ft. feet, not yards range.
In these later years, I have come to appreciate the smaller, younger hogs in the 90-125 pound range. Easy to drag out of the woods and are considerably better eating. I shoot them when they come along.
However, in the hunting conditions here, when you head into the woods for boar, you must be prepared to kill whatever size boar you encounter. They can weigh up to 600 pounds. No experienced hunter or guide will ever say "these are the woods where only small boars are found." Hunting from a stand is allowed, but you usually wind up in the woods anyway.
Boar, as you all know I am sure, are dangerous big game that hard to kill quickly. Sometimes you must kill one quick. They attack hunters and their tempers incline them that way. The substantial boar tusks are at work for hours a day in eating, digging and "rooting". Being worked daily keeps the edges of their tusks sharp and they can rip flesh open and kill.
In getting "loaded for boar" I want my gun to be adequate to the task that I may encounter. Developed strong loads in a .50 cal. are, to me here in TN, a minimum and I usually elect to carry my .58 Pedersoli Kodiak double loaded up to where I begin to fear loosing teeth or breaking a jaw; and, of course I can still place my shots.
For back-up I advise, and carry, the 20 gauge double Howdah with balls topped by three .24 buckshot propelled by 60 grains of BP. It's a little awkward in the holster/sling I've rigged up, but I think it worth the bother in a pinch.
I wanted to introduce myself and a little about the sort of narrow focus hunting and shooting I do. Butch
In E. TN mountains abound. While other game here, Whitetail, coyote, Elk and sometimes Black Bear and others often present long-range shots across open fields, across valleys and the like, hunting boar is close-in. Most of the boar I've killed were in the 10ft. - 100ft. feet, not yards range.
In these later years, I have come to appreciate the smaller, younger hogs in the 90-125 pound range. Easy to drag out of the woods and are considerably better eating. I shoot them when they come along.
However, in the hunting conditions here, when you head into the woods for boar, you must be prepared to kill whatever size boar you encounter. They can weigh up to 600 pounds. No experienced hunter or guide will ever say "these are the woods where only small boars are found." Hunting from a stand is allowed, but you usually wind up in the woods anyway.
Boar, as you all know I am sure, are dangerous big game that hard to kill quickly. Sometimes you must kill one quick. They attack hunters and their tempers incline them that way. The substantial boar tusks are at work for hours a day in eating, digging and "rooting". Being worked daily keeps the edges of their tusks sharp and they can rip flesh open and kill.
In getting "loaded for boar" I want my gun to be adequate to the task that I may encounter. Developed strong loads in a .50 cal. are, to me here in TN, a minimum and I usually elect to carry my .58 Pedersoli Kodiak double loaded up to where I begin to fear loosing teeth or breaking a jaw; and, of course I can still place my shots.
For back-up I advise, and carry, the 20 gauge double Howdah with balls topped by three .24 buckshot propelled by 60 grains of BP. It's a little awkward in the holster/sling I've rigged up, but I think it worth the bother in a pinch.
I wanted to introduce myself and a little about the sort of narrow focus hunting and shooting I do. Butch
