How much Energy is needed to take an hog ?

[HARPERC]

I don't really put much stock in minimum energy numbers, what kills animals is disruption of vital organs. Shot placement is paramount, but citing the 22LR as having killed hogs overstates the case. First there are countless types of ammo out there that perform differently. Second even in controlled conditions (slaughter) they will fail at times. The fellow that processes ours is very reliable, but this year 5 shots for 4 hogs. I can't say how many before that worked perfect. A bullet has to penetrate to the vitals to matter. I might choose the 22-250 over some of the larger calibers dependent on the type of bullet chosen, but if all the choice is mine a well constructed bullet in bit more caliber would be preferred. A bit more margin for error.

 

[Kcmarullo]

I have shot plenty of hog's here in texas the 22-250 is plenty of gun to get the job done !! use what ever caliber you feel comfortable shooting and have fun good luck.

 

[Just_James]

I just got a 200lb boar a couple weeks ago with a 30-30. Plenty of people around Georgia shoot right behind the ear with 5.56's and .243's. I've only had trouble punching through the shield with a 25-35 (obsolete caliber, I know) on a huge boar.

 

[dust]

Need? 15 ft/lbs or less. Thread in the ear. How much do you want? Enough to drop the animal that may come charging for your femoral artery.

 

[CA48]

IMO of the biggest problems with killing 200 lb hogs and being able to find them up to a reasonable distance is when the shooter places his shot to close to center of the shoulder. These larger hogs have a much thicker and tough layer of cartilage than smaller hogs. I don't know how many hogs I have shot with a 30-06 and .308 usually 150 gr core lokts ( I know not the best hunting bullet ) in the shoulder at less than 100 yds and the bullet never exits or even makes very far in the other shoulder even on hogs around 150lbs. These shoulder shot hogs usually on make it 75 yds or less before they drop, but placing the bullet slightly farther back and getting into the vitals is your best bet. I have killed hogs with .22LR,.223,.243,25-06,.308,.30-06,.338 EDGE AI, and .357. Several of the hogs taken with the .22LR were 180-200lbs all these were head shots close to the eye and had some luck involved and sometimes more than one shot. 25-50yds close to the eye there seems to be a weaker part of the skull were the bullets will penetrate, anywhere else on the skull even the ear the .22LR seems useless, unless you are point blank. Lots of hogs caught in traps have got their .22LR headshot death this way. Every hog I have ever shot with the .223 that I can remember has been a head shot and all DRT. Anything bigger cartridge that I have tried will get the job done, shot placement is key. But as it goes in any situation, the larger the cartridge the more shot placement error is reduced.

 

[CA48]

 

[jeff 300]

the guys I know in Texas say a 165 to 180..they are tough in a .3006, I have used a 165gr in a 7mag it worked the only problem as soon as the shooting started they went hiding.
What calibre are you using?
if you plan to take out the .22-250 stay home, all you will do is **** them off.
I am loading some 165 accubond, some bullets won't go deep enough to do any damage.
I don't remember the town in Texas but they have signs asking hunters to kill there wild hogs.

You most not shoot many hogs. I'm not saying big isn't better but not necessary. I use a 223 with 55gr soft point for about 90% of the hogs i kill and it puts them on there ***. i kill around 100-300hogs a year depending on the year. we just got done shooting a bunch with 12ga with #4 shot out of the chopper and #4 rolls them up as well. I would have liked to have a heavyer loads for the 12GA but thats what we had in the chopper at the time for shooting coyotes.
this one was shot with a 223 one shot dropped in his tracks. He is well over the weight ask about cutting close to 400#

 

[stxhunter]

same here i use my AR with 55gr soft points for 90% of the hogs i shoot.

 

[Trickymissfit]

any round with a thousand pounds of energy on impact is good enough, but every once in awhile you might run into a really big porker. Nothing drops a hog like a good old Marlin .444 with solid nosed bullets (265 and 300 flat nosed solids). You hit him, and he's right where you hit him. But even a generic 30-30 will get the job done
gary

 

[Catwhacker]

It's been said in this thread and I suspect most other threads dealin' with how much is enough. Shot placement, shot placement, shot placement!!!! My family has a fairly good sized ranch in the rolling plains of TX. We shoot hogs year round, so I think I can give a qualified answer. 223's & 22-250's will slay em if the shot is good. I shot a big boar head-on right under the eyes @ 75yds with a 300WM & all it did was break his nose & royally chap his ***. I've also FLATTENED em with an AR15. I shoot 150-200 hogs a year that aren't trapped. We also trap a bunch. Our traps are ovals that are about 30yds long. We use 1 1/4oz 12ga #4 pheasant loads to kill trapped hogs because they're deadly up close & they're relatively cost effective.Caught 380-385 hogs in 2 1/2 months last winter. My point is it doesn't take a howitzer to kill hogs if you can shoot.Just my experience & my 2 cents

 

[Trickymissfit]

It's been said in this thread and I suspect most other threads dealin' with how much is enough. Shot placement, shot placement, shot placement!!!! My family has a fairly good sized ranch in the rolling plains of TX. We shoot hogs year round, so I think I can give a qualified answer. 223's & 22-250's will slay em if the shot is good. I shot a big boar head-on right under the eyes @ 75yds with a 300WM & all it did was break his nose & royally chap his ***. I've also FLATTENED em with an AR15. I shoot 150-200 hogs a year that aren't trapped. We also trap a bunch. Our traps are ovals that are about 30yds long. We use 1 1/4oz 12ga #4 pheasant loads to kill trapped hogs because they're deadly up close & they're relatively cost effective.Caught 380-385 hogs in 2 1/2 months last winter. My point is it doesn't take a howitzer to kill hogs if you can shoot.Just my experience & my 2 cents

Just a thought, but a good east Tennessee hog might weight in at 350lb. They can move a lot faster than most folks realize. Shots are often in the brush and thickets, and if you wound him you might be in trouble. A generic 30-30 will do the job plent well. But as I said a 265 grain slug will anchor him right there. Even a deer slug works very well. I know more than one guy that walks with a limp over a wounded hog. So I think of starting with something like a 35 Remington and moving upwards
gary

 

[knc1105]

We hog hunt alot and yes I have killed a bunch with a AR-15 but they were Green Tips and head shots close to the base of the ear. Since we started hog hunting alot, I have fallen out of love with the 223. All these guys talking about exact shot placement are hunting in a blind over a feeder. When we hunt out of a Jeep and walking, you have to take alot of running shots and 22's and bolt guns go out the window. I usually hunt with a HK-91 or PTR-91 G.I. and I'll use a RPK. The smallest I'll go with now is a 6.8 SPC and Accubonds. A hog wounded with a 223 will run a long way and then you have to go after him on his terms. I prefer DRT. I have had a 62 gr. 223 round not even get thru the shoulder, just saw a puff of pink when I hit him. He stumbled and I got a quick head shot because I had a semi-auto, but the first shot just blew a big chunk out of his shoulder but did not get thru to the vitals. I got 3-hogs last Saturday morning and with my late season does I had boned out in the freezer, I picked up 365lbs of smoked sausage this morning.

 

[nateisw]

What do you do with 365 pounds of smoked sausage?!?

 

[knc1105]

WELL YOU EAT IT. Our family loves it, and if you let the kids, they would eat it 3-meals a day. We had 242 lbs made in August 2011 and had to start rationing it after Christmas to make it to March. I'm going back in a couple of weeks and am trying to get enough for a couple hundred lbs of pan sausage. Wild pork or deer is some of the leanest and healthiest meat you can eat. And it sure justifies the hunts when you keep 3-freezers full, the bride never gripes about me going hunting.