Hog hunting question

[Blackdirt Cowboy]

I hired a helicopter to eradicate hogs back in the spring before the trees greened up. I was able to go up and shoot with the guys who owned the helicopter. We killed 250 hogs in a matter of four hours. Hard to find someone willing to clean and take that much meat. We got rid of a pickup load of them. The rest of them, the buzzards and coyotes ate well for a while.

 

[J E Custom]

morning, in south Tx. the persons that hunt from
helicopters shoot a lot of hogs. the copters r in contact
with a ground crew to pick up the shot hogs. take to
a meat house for cleaning and given to needy persons.
I raised hogs in my youth. I know how destructive
the animals can b. ME for 1 can not shoot an animal
and waste the meat. i eat alot
of pork. i do not shoot hogs during the summer season.
I despise coyotes. justme gbot tum

We don't have the luxury of a helicopter to help control them so we have to hunt them all year round just to keep them under control. During the summer, we cull the big hogs, and keep the small ones to eat. If we stopped taking them during the summer, they would take over.

Like you, I was brought up not to wast anything we hunted, but with hogs, we make the exception. I do make an effort to give any hogs we don't keep to needy people if they want them. Some do and know how to make them edible.

J E CUSTOM

 

[talltexanrancher]

I've had the pleasure (and displeasure) of guiding a lot of hog hunters who have used every caliber imaginable. My take is this: if the hunter is in a stand allowing for a very precise shot and that hunter can show a little patience before shooting, a 223 is just fine. If the hunter I'm guiding is doing a spot and stalk with me, I like them to carry a 26 caliber or larger as shots situations can often be less than perfect and as many of you already know, hogs, particularly big ones, are notoriously poor bleeders.

 

[just country]

morning, yes the 223 has killed many hogs. in the answer to
the above reference to hunting depending on the range of the
shots 3" 00buckshot, #4 buckshot 41 pellets and shotgun
slugs. all will kill hogs. justme gbot tum

 

[biff's reloading]

what is the smallest calliber you would hunt hog with?

I've killed a hundred or so on my farm with everything from a 22lr (solids, never hollow points) to 475rum. 90% of it is "where", not "what". I use the 22mag with hornady critical defense most of the time. Pop n drop, then a 6" blade straight in above the sternum, pointed toward the tail and swept forward along the spine (click click click on the vertabrae). This sticks the heart and cuts the y pipe in the neck, pumping him dry. I Lift em by a rear leg and let their nose touch the fence which hits like a defibrillator, causing the heart and arteries to pump until the oxygen is exhausted in the tissue. Then load up and off to freezer camp.

Wait for a quartering away shot, standing alert and still. I aim directly for the hole in the ear near the bottom/front of ear. Bang flop no matter what gun you use. With anything bigger than a 22 with expanding bullets, the eyeballs pop out from the hydraulic pressure induced. stick em quick. Pork tastes much better without the iron-y livery taste of blood in the capillaries.

 

[California hog hunter]

I would say it depends a lot on distance and size of hog. Also how good of a shot you are. When I run dogs I use a 500 JRG 300 GR nontraditional bullets at 1150fps but I don't shoot over 20 feet normally. I wouldn't shoot a hog at 200 yard with that though. Pick the right tool for the job. They are tough animals but not as bullets proof as the internet leads you to believe.

 

[WildRose]

what is the smallest calliber you would hunt hog with?

Depends on the range and size of the pig.

20-40lbs pigs can easily be taken at 50yds with a .22Lr or .22wmr, or even the 17hmr.

If you're shooting 100-300lbs pigs and can put it into the spine between the base of the ear and point of the shoulder a .243, Needmore, 6.8spc or 7mm-08 is plenty to 300yds.

If you're shooting really big hogs and especially if you have to try to shoot through or behind the shoulders something like the 7RM or 300wm is a really good idea.

I've seen an angry really large boar soak up shoulder shots with a 45-70 or 12g slug and keep fighting. Unless you put one in the spine on a really big boar you won't be likely to get a DRT shot unless you put it into the spine in between the ear and shoulder.

On a big boar the "shield" that is over the shoulders and comes around the base of the neck can be 3" or more thick and can soak up a lot of rounds without serious damage if you are the least bit under gunned and try a shoulder shot. Then you have a really mad boar to deal with.

 

[Rooterpig]

Lots of calibers will kill the pigs but not all will leave a blood trail. I would start at a medium fast 264 cal and go up from there.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Leaving for SC in a few weeks to hunt hogs again. This time I set up a .308 bolt rifle with a switchable optic. I've got a Pulsar for night hunting and a Leupold 4-14x50 which easily takes me out to 400yds in the daylight.

I have an exceptionally accurate load with the Barnes 130gr TTSX bullet at 3,130 ft/sec. That should give enough smack for most hogs providing that my shot placement is good. And .... I'll bring along my 20" Encore in 500 S&W just in case I see a bore like is pictured above in post #61. LOL :>)

I can almost smell the pulled pork already.

 

[scrmblr1982cj8]

Leaving for SC in a few weeks to hunt hogs again. This time I set up a .308 bolt rifle with a switchable optic. I've got a Pulsar for night hunting and a Leupold 4-14x50 which easily takes me out to 400yds in the daylight.

I have an exceptionally accurate load with the Barnes 130gr TTSX bullet at 3,130 ft/sec. That should give enough smack for most hogs providing that my shot placement is good. And .... I'll bring along my 20" Encore in 500 S&W just in case I see a bore like is pictured above in post #61. LOL :>)

I can almost smell the pulled pork already.

What part of SC? I lived in Florence for 10 years and absolutely loved that part of South Carolina.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

What part of SC? I lived in Florence for 10 years and absolutely loved that part of South Carolina.

South-west quadrant

 

[Laguna Freak]

what is the smallest calliber you would hunt hog with?

5.56 is good low at the ear.

As mentioned before 30-06 with 150 Accubond will kill quickly from multiple shot angles. Just avoid the armor.

Pigs also have a tendency to run after neck shots not well enough placed.

 

[RidgeTop]

what is the smallest calliber you would hunt hog with?

For me, a 30-30. I hunted them in the Middle East and saw a guy get sliced by one he shot with a 12ga. Can't have too much gun for hogs IMO.

 

[LCI16]

We shot one with a 25-06 right in the boiler room, hog ran away, nowhere to be found. Will be upping the cartridge choice next yo around.