Wild hog hunt

[T Kehl]

Anyone go after wild hog?

In Missouri, they are considered invasive and not wildlife.  No permit is required, there is no limit, and very few method restrictions.  Basically as long as it is outside deer or turkey season, and allowed on the land, it is acceptable.  This includes baiting, dogs, lights at night, etc. 

I've never gone before, but I plan to give it a go.

[Claymore]

Prime time fun stuff.  Here piggy-piggy-piggy!  Have a ball!

[Tyrannosaurus]

When I was a teenager, my dad, brother and I  would go hog hunting (bowhunting) in the pine forests of East Texas.

Hogs have a magnificent sense of smell, and they eat things that are underground. With a pot-hole digger, we would dig a fairly deep hole, and fill it with fermented corn. This was mixed days/weeks before, with some yeast, if I remember right. I didn't make the mash. (I've heard that diesel fuel works really well, but nowadays that would be a waste of money  )

Next step, find a place to hide until it gets dark.

They make all kinds of noise coming up to the bait, so there's no moon necessary. As soon as they've got their face planted in the ground grubbing out, switch on a red light, which is screwed into the threaded stabilizer hole of the bow, and they can't even see you! With night sights, it's an easy shot.

After sticking one, look for something to climb, quick! In East Texas, that's no problem at all, there are tall trees everywhere. Not as much fun in South Texas, where you've got to choose from a thorny mesquite or a prickly-pear cactus!

Good times. Have fun out there!

[Dirt Rider 3006]

How good are wild hogs when it comes to putting them on the dinner table?
How do they taste when compared to a domesticated pig?

[Lawyerman]

I kill 20-40 of them a year personally, just depending on how often I get out to hunt, usually on the higher end of that number. We eat probably 3 of them. They are decent eating. The meat is much different from tame hog. These pigs are not confined, they run and root their whole lives- very lean meat.

I prefer them slow barbequed or as loose sausage. Hams are worthless- they use these to run with and are tougher than a two bit steak. The bacon....ah bacon, you only get it rarely with wild hogs- not alot of flank....but when you do.....It's literally the food of the Gods. Imagine a strip of bacon two inches wide and 8 inches long that was still that big after frying!

[ModernSurvival]

We always shoot a few each summer fishing and floating the Trinity River.  We fish and bank camp and always see some, a quick pop in the ear and it is hog for dinner.  I only take about 2-3 small ones on a trip, they are much better eating at about 50-90 lbs then the big ones are and easy to quarter and put in a cooler to boot.  There are more hogs in the Trinity Bottoms in Texas then most people realize.  I would say just in the bottoms there are probably honestly a million hogs. 

The only thing pigs do is eat, fight and make more pigs.  They have several litters a year, they are very smart (smarter then deer in my view) and breeding season is when ever they get done raising the last litter.

The river is a great place to pick up a few, while stalking them can be tough you can float right up on them in boat.  Mmmmmmm, chops!

[tammons]

I hunt them all the time in SW Georgia. They have become a real pest there.
In the last 5-6 months I have killed around 10 hogs.
A lot of fun to hunt. A lot more fun than deer hunting IMO.

I like to find some sign and scout along the edge of creeks and swamps.

They are prolific smellers, but they cant see worth a darn, and when they are rooting
they get totally engrossed and you can usually drive up in a truck within 50-100 yards of them without them even noticing.

If you are going to stalk them, (which is what I prefer, more fun) make sure you get up wind and work your way along and listen.
You can usually hear them grunting from about 40-50 yards away if you listen carefully. They can hear pretty well, but not even close to as alert as a deer. When rooting, they dont seem to pick up sounds as well, unless its a sharp noise or a snap. I have managed to stalk within about 15 yards of pigs several times, without them seeing me.

Forget eating boars, unless they are about 30-40#.
Nasty.

The sows are good up to about 150# or more as long as they are fat and not drawn down by feeding.

Personally I dont freeze anything over about 40-50#. Smaller the better.
The rest is population control or given away.

Best way I can describe the meat is if its a good one it tastes mostly like a non cured pork roast.
The sows that are drawn down are stringy.
The larger boars are just rank.

Got a friend that killed a 250# boar and had the entire thing made into sausage,
and it was so bad he threw all of it out.

I did read somewhere that you can soak boar meat and it will taste fine, but never tried it.

[Sister Wolf]

Welcome, tammons! Nice first post there!

[Roswell]

Any other tips for wild hog hunting? I have never been and I plan on trying this year.  I live in North Georgia by the way.  Thanks

[DeltaEchoVictor]

Learn the anatomy.




Their heart & lungs are farther forward & situated lower than what might be considered typical on larger animals like deer, bear, etc.  The typical shot from the side (like what you'd take on a deer) may hit the lungs or it may not, it would miss the heart entirely & would more than likely result in a wounded & dangerous animal.

The safest shot is just above the bottom line of the animal, slightly quartering away & in the pocket of the front shoulder when the nearest leg is forward (as in stepping forward).  That way you have a higher percentage of hitting the heart & if you miss the heart entirely you have a better than average chance of getting a piece of both lungs.  A double lung shot typically takes the animal down much quicker than a single lung or a wounding shot.  At least that's the way it works when you're up close & personal with a longbow...

If you're hunting with a rifle just shoot it in the ear.  (the longbow is more fun)

Also note, the spine doesn't quite travel along the apex of the back.  It dips down to the level of the hogs shoulder & travels thru the middle of the neck before terminating in the skull.

[Roswell]

Thanks DEV!  great pictures

[TXL0ngsh0t]

There's a huge TX hunt organized by a bunch of ex military guys on another site I belong to and the debate over what gun to use has reached epic proportions. Keep in mind, some of these guys have the capability to literally shred a wild hog into tiny pieces depending on what they choose to shoot with.

I planned to hunt with my Assault Rifle and Aimpoint / iron sights and heard the typical "5.56 won't bring down a wild hog". My POV is that it's all about shot placement. I've heard of guys using .22 long rifle tack drivers (to each his own but I wouldn't do it) so I stopped a couple of my local game wardens and asked them. In their professional opinions, it is all about shot placement and penetration. They said using an AR should be fun and the only caveat they had was to have a decent pistol or long knife for backup in case you wound a hog and suffer a malfunction you can't clear in a big hurry.

It's nice to know if the SHTF there's probably enough wild hogs in TX to keep everyone in protein for a while.

[cohutt]

556?

60gr Hornady Vmax over Varget worked pretty well the last time i tried it. 

Roswell, this is a north Georgia Cohutta wilderness boar that was trashing my BOL with a couple dozen of his friends and family

[DeltaEchoVictor]

556?

60gr Hornady Vmax over Varget worked pretty well the last time i tried it. 

Roswell, this is a north Georgia Cohutta wilderness boar that was trashing my BOL with a couple dozen of his friends and family

Nice rifle & pig. +1

I never really understood the whole "enough gun" argument.  If you were hunting elephants or something comparable I could see it, but I think hogs share one of those places in mythology that some people have a hard time getting beyond.

it is all about shot placement and penetration

These are always the two most important factors when hunting anything, IMO.

[coyotekiller56]

Here is the communitst state of CA, Hogs have the most tags sold for big game.
Fish and Game figured this out and ran the price of a tag to about 16 dollars each, used to be 5 tags for 6 dollars.
I take a couple hogs a year and they are great eating.
They are a ball to hunt.
Vic

[cohutt]

Here is the communitst state of CA, Hogs have the most tags sold for big game.
Fish and Game figured this out and ran the price of a tag to about 16 dollars each, used to be 5 tags for 6 dollars.
I take a couple hogs a year and they are great eating.
They are a ball to hunt.
Vic

Here (GA) they are an invasive species and for the most part you can hunt them using about any methods and equipment you want on your own land.   

My brother in law emailed to tell that two young 40 lb were in the trap this morning. (He called a local to come get them- missed out on a good eating size).  It is a $40 trap made from 3 16' hog wire panels staked with a dozen metal fence posts. 

[Roswell]

Thanks, Cohutt.  I don't have any land myself so, I hunt at WMAs.  The Cohutta WMA was one of the main places I was looking to hunting at.  It is good to know that they have such good boars up there and a big number.  Nice Boar and gun by the way.  See much turkey up that way?   Or been to the gun range at the Cohutta WMA?  I was thinking of checking it out and do a scouting tripat the same time.

Back on topic: I am looking forward to breaking in a mosin, b-day present from the wife  , on my first boar.

[tammons]

I hunt in SW Georgia, but we hunt on private land. I was going to say if you hunt out of a stand bait them with
Mash. They love it but you cant do that on a WMA.

If you have access to a place you can drive around, then set out about 5-6 baited areas and check them regularly.

You just cant tell when you will see them. I have seen them running down a gravel road, beside highways,
in peoples front yard, laying down in the middle of a field in broad daylight.

Other than that try scouting along the edges of swampy areas any time of day.

You will probably see more pigs when its so early or late that you can barely see or at night. Then
again I have seen them at odd times too. They dont seem to have such a  regular pattern like deer
but they do seem to move more according to the solinar table feeding times.

You can use just about any caliber, but you want a premium bullet, especially if a small caliber.
Barnes tipped TSX bullets are best IMO or a bonded bullet with a min SD of .25.
Personally I dont like to use anything less than a 6.5mm caliber unless I am going for a head shot.

Hunting with a 223 or a 22 is okay, just shoot them in the head.
If its a really huge animal, like 500# a 223 isnt going to drop one with a body shot.
Myabe a barnes 224 70 grain in a fast twist would work on a big one.

Personally I prefer a bigger round. I tried out a 375 ruger lately. Nice round, and drops them,
Best round I have used lately was a 338/284. Just a little more umph than a 338 federal, but it bowls them over.

I use a 7mm-08 for long range with a 162 gr bullet that has a SD of over .3.

As far as general shot placement for a body shot, you want to shoot just above the elbow.

Thanks, Cohutt.  I don't have any land myself so, I hunt at WMAs.  The Cohutta WMA was one of the main places I was looking to hunting at.  It is good to know that they have such good boars up there and a big number.  Nice Boar and gun by the way.  See much turkey up that way?   Or been to the gun range at the Cohutta WMA?  I was thinking of checking it out and do a scouting tripat the same time.

Back on topic: I am looking forward to breaking in a mosin, b-day present from the wife  , on my first boar.

[Roswell]

Thanks Tammons. Looks like 7.62x54r from my mosin ought to be perfect.   

[tammons]

That will do it. Just load it up with some Barnes bullets or maybe heavy partitions.

Cant remember where I read it, but a story, about a guy using a 308 shot a big hog, good shot,
ran into the woods, they chased it in, and emptied a 9mm into it, and it was still pissed.

Shot it several more times with the 308 and it finally died. He must have been using some
sort of cheap factory ammo. They found all the 9mm bullets just under the skin.

With the tipped barnes bullets, they usually dont make it very far until they keel over dead.

Even our neighbor hunts with a 270, but uses remngton ammo etc, and most of his run off too.

They are tough animals

I shot 2 on the run at 100 yards not too long ago. Both about 120 #.
Shot them with the 338 loaded with barnes tipped 210 grain bullets and both of them dropped
on the spot.

The 375 ruger was cool though.
They would usually do some aerobatics when shot on the run with that thing.

I guess any big diameter bullet would work for the gynastics effect.

I really want to try a big 75 caliber lead ball out of a muzzle loader on one.

[Moremyk]

I have my first hog hunt scheduled for April and will breaking in my first rifle.  How picky do I really have to be in placing my shot?  I am using a .270 150 grain and have been to the range a couple times, but am having problems getting the scope dialed in just right.  I have tight groups, but I am still inches off the bulls-eye at 100 yards.

This will be baited ambush hunt, with most shots taken at night at less than 100 yards.  During the day we'll be stalking some to kill some time.

[tammons]

Like I said my neighbor shoots a 270 and his scope was off and shooting low, and almost every Hog he shot ran off and he never recovered them.

Probably died later.

Perfect shots everytime just dont always happen and the reason I mentioned barnes tipped bullets.

I have been lately using a 6.8 spc (.270 diam bullet) with barnes 110 gr tipped bullets.
Devistating on Hogs.
In the 6.8 you get about 2600-2800 fps.

That bullet in a 270 is coming out of the barrel at 3400 fps.

Every pig either me or my dad has shot with out 6.8's, no matter where in the body, either dropped on the spot or
went about 20 yards and keeled over. Even very bad shots.

These bullets open up like a flower and provide a massive hydrolic shock to the entire system. They also exit.
Even the 85 grain . 270 bullets fully penetrate in the 6.8 spc.

If it were me I would keep the normal ammo for backup and load up some of these for the 270 win.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=946059

That said, shot placement is still key, which for a body shot should be just above the elbow if you can.

[Moremyk]

Wow, those look a little more dangerous than what I have.  Ok I am sold.

Now I am using a savage 110 with the .270 caliber.  These will work with my rifle fine?  I am new to the firearms also, so I don't want to take anything for granted before I start ordering things.

As far as the scope goes I think that spending more time on the range is going to pay off and i'll be able to bring that over where it belongs.  Some more trial and error are what's called for.

*edit - on back order, doh!

[mysurvivalkit]

Hogs can be tough.  I shot one with a 357 mag with 158 grain flat points and it blew up on the fat girtle only went about 2 inches and just blew up.  He turned I shot again really the same shot on the other side it went in and dropped him pretty quick. 

I agree hogs have an over stated toughness but it can be easy to underestimate them too,

[tammons]

I also have several Savages. Good rifles.

What scope and mount ??

Best thing you can do is put a SSS trigger on one. Cost about $80.

Yep, those 130 gr bullets will work in your rifle.
Actually the 110 grainer will work, but the 130 would be better suited for larger Hogs.

I dont have much experience with extremely large animals, like in the 400-500# and up range, but I have read a lot of stories.
They have a sheild around their vital organs that is a very thick layer of gristle. I have even read of it stopping shotgun slugs
Up to about 100-150# it seems like most ammo will drop one with a  good shot.
Still tough little bastards though.

Wow, those look a little more dangerous than what I have.  Ok I am sold.

Now I am using a savage 110 with the .270 caliber.  These will work with my rifle fine?  I am new to the firearms also, so I don't want to take anything for granted before I start ordering things.

As far as the scope goes I think that spending more time on the range is going to pay off and i'll be able to bring that over where it belongs.  Some more trial and error are what's called for.

*edit - on back order, doh!

[jabo53]

We always shoot a few each summer fishing and floating the Trinity River. 

Jack,  What caliber do you usually use on them?

[CountryRootsCityJob]

I planned to hunt with my Assault Rifle and Aimpoint / iron sights and heard the typical "5.56 won't bring down a wild hog".

WARNING- RANT IN PROCESS: While I understand what you meant, don't you mean "High capacity hunting rifle"?  At the very least, we could come to a compromise and call it an EBR, or "Evil black rifle", yea?  ~Sorry, I just don't like the term "Assault rifle"... using that seems like giving candy to the gun grabbers... [End of rant]

Well I can't say that I've had the privilege of hunting wild boar, I know my brother in law has plenty near his place in OK.  However, I have had the privilege of hunting coyote, and EBR's work beautifully! 
(I used a double-star (www.star15.com), made here in the great state of Kentucky, shooting some el-cheap-o HP wolf ammo... and it worked perfectly!  - Okay, it worked perfectly, except when I missed  )

But to bring it back to the topic, the South isn't the only place to find wild hogs anymore!  I heard at one point southern Indiana had a bounty out on hogs!

[tammons]

Watch the program "Pig Bomb"
Supposedly pigs have spread thoughout almost the entire USA.

They have gone from 2 million in the late 90s to 6 million tody.
We are the cause.
With our taling over the planet for food production we have given Hogs a great food source wherever they go.

To just keep the population in check you need to kill 7 out of 10 so there is no way to stop them as long as there is food, but I am sure going to try.

I hunt them in SW Georgia and the farmers there are having a really hard time with them. They are trying everything from electric fences around 80 acre fields with a few poison which I really do not like.

They are smart and they learn and adapt.

I have even heard from one friend in TX that he has seen them adapt and change their time table due to hunting pressure.