Hog durability question

[CBH Australia]

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The .17 surprises me, I guess it works.

The .410 with slugs makes sense close range. Big hole, soft slug and a bit of oomf at close range , less likely to ricochet than a high velocity round.
Same reason I used .38 special to destroy cattle in the yards.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

I have killed two hogs that previously had been shot "behind the ear" where the hogs had survived and the wounds healed. Here is one example...


I have downed at least two more myself where the hog was obviously just stunned from the shot and I still had to put it down with another shot that did a little more actual CNS damage.

 

[Trooper1]

Yep, They are one tough critter, I always try to pin them between the eye and the ear

^x2 I've shot a dozen of them, and the only two that dropped on the spot were between the eye and the ear.

 

[HRM Johnny]

I have downed at least two more myself where the hog was obviously just stunned from the shot and I still had to put it down with another shot that did a little more actual CNS damage.

What did you shoot them with? In particular, what round and what bullet?

 

[Huntfly]

I've got a question for all you experienced hog hunters: Is there a spot on the neck of a hog that is possible to temporarily drop them in their tracks but is not fatal? Twice now, out of over 100 hogs killed, I've had a hog get up and take off after being shot in the neck between the back of the head and front of the shoulder. The second one being this past Saturday night. I shot a medium sized boar dead center in the neck, at least that was my POA, at 454 yds. This is my usual POA and it always drops them DRT, but this time it didn't. Granted....I must not of hit the hog exactly where I wanted but I'm shooting 220 gr Berger out of my 300 Win mag. This dropped him immediately and he didn't move, which was kind of odd to me because they normally twitch and kick for about 2 mins or so. I shifted my rifle off of him just for an instant to try to pick up another boar, in my scope, that was feeding off to the left under a lighted feeder 300 yds away. When I shifted back to the first hog it was gone. I searched Sunday morning for him with no luck. Has this ever happened to anyone else?

BTW....my rifle is a custom built rifle that easily shoots 1/4-1/3 MOA groups with my load. I don't miss at this range.

I had this happen to me on one occasion. .243 sierra 85 grain bt. It was less than a 100 yards and weighed 125 lbs. After the shot he laid on the ground for 15 minutes and did not move. Then out of the blue his right hand leg started moving. I put the scope on him and before I could shoot he was up and gone. I have been hunting these things all my life and was taught that you draw a line down from the ear hole and another from the eye back. Where these lines intersect is where you want the bullet to go. This works every time. No tracking.
The hog that got away was shot in the neck. I never recovered him. 45 minutes later I killed a sow that weighed on the scales 235 lbs shot the way I described. It is easy to miss something vital in the neck and have it get away. I have seen good shooters shoot a hog with a 300 Weatherby behind the shoulder and get away. Now, where I hunt if a wounded hog can make it 50 or yards through the swamp you will never find him.

 

[Brett Bracken]

Just had it happen to me again the night before last. 454 yd shot with a 300 WM ....shot just behind the head (I think).....hog dropped like a sack of potatoes.......then begins kicking and twitching violently and disappears into the brush before I can get another shot into him. Gone

 

[HRM Johnny]

Have you tried 378 Weatherby mag? I've never hunted hogs. On the other hand, I keep reading about people shooting these hogs and they get up and get away. I've been wondering if a bigger heavier bullet traveling fast would do the job.

 

[Northkill]

A little hammer goes a long way

Greetings all. I got to try out the 22 cal 52 grain hammer hunter yesterday on a 200 pound razor back and I must say that for that size bullet I am impressed with the damage it did. Impact was just below the right eye and the exit was on the point of the left shoulder, the right side of the...

www.longrangehunting.com

 

[Huntfly]

Just had it happen to me again the night before last. 454 yd shot with a 300 WM ....shot just behind the head (I think).....hog dropped like a sack of potatoes.......then begins kicking and twitching violently and disappears into the brush before I can get another shot into him. Gone

If you are shooting them in the head and they are still getting up you need to get you some less fragile bullets like the hammer.

 

[Huntfly]

A little hammer goes a long way

Greetings all. I got to try out the 22 cal 52 grain hammer hunter yesterday on a 200 pound razor back and I must say that for that size bullet I am impressed with the damage it did. Impact was just below the right eye and the exit was on the point of the left shoulder, the right side of the...

www.longrangehunting.com

Hammers are hard to beat, plus you shot him just right!

 

[Northkill]

Hammers are hard to beat, plus you shot him just right!

The credit goes to stovepipe, not me - but good shot all the same. Those little Hammerburgers definitely do some show and tell.

 

[CBH Australia]

Have you tried 378 Weatherby mag? I've never hunted hogs. On the other hand, I keep reading about people shooting these hogs and they get up and get away. I've been wondering if a bigger heavier bullet traveling fast would do the job.

Can't hurt anything, except the pig

But, don't forget good shot placement with a mid bore will drop them at desire ranges. I have shot quite a few.

Even the .378 Weatherby Magnum will take more than one shot if you hit it in the back leg. And ammo won't be that common inmost parts.

A decent .308 round wildrop hogs at 200 with good shot placement.

 

[Huntfly]

Can't hurt anything, except the pig

But, don't forget good shot placement with a mid bore will drop them at desire ranges. I have shot quite a few.

Even the .378 Weatherby Magnum will take more than one shot if you hit it in the back leg. And ammo won't be that common inmost parts.

A decent .308 round wildrop hogs at 200 with good shot placement.

I hunt mostly with my 270 win or my 280 AI, most ranges are under a hundred yards. 130 grain sierras in the 270, 140 grain noslers in the 280. I specialize in 150 to 175lbs hogs, my butcher should have his own TV show with smellavision. He is the best. I live in the south and when the water oak acorns start falling it puts a layer of the sweetest fat on a hog you have ever seen. We have a walk in kooler and I make an effort to get anything I kill in there as soon as possible. Skinned I hang them whole for 5 days minimum and quarter it before taking it home and to my butcher. There he does his magic, sausage, pork chops, butts and hams. Sometimes I grind the whole hog. This is the best of the best properly done. Your wife will fall in love with you all over again!!!! Good thing. Hogs have poor eye sight, great sense of smell, no need to shoot them at 800 yards. Go huntin!

 

[CBH Australia]

@Huntfly I wanna go Huntn.
Bloody Wu Flu has finally found its way in Western NSW and impacts my town. Stay at home orders except essential workers and essential services etc.

I wanna take my new .280ai Huntn. Ive put some rounds down range but haven't hunted it yet.

I have Nosler brass and projectiles but we don't eat the hogs, they mostly eat anything in dry country so likely to carry disease. And I only eat processed pork, taste s better smoked or as salami.

Most I've shot are under 100 , a few around 200 cause I saw them and a couple that charged. One dropped at feet, smaller but was coming at me. Times like that that .300 wm was just too much.