Hog hunting...

I was watching the news about a week ago and they did a piece about feral hogs and the fairly loose restrictions on hunting them. Ive seen stuff here or there and thought about it in the past. It seems since seeing that bit it's really been on my mind. Been up all night watching YouTube clips and scanning forums... I think I'm in!

So where are the hog hunters on the Yard???

Pics, stories, info, etc...???

What do you use and where do you hunt?

Bear Grylls used a 5 inch combat knife to take one once, I believe in the badlands of Montana or something like that. Personally, I would use my .308 to take one, myself. wouldn't want to get too close to a Feral Hog.

I just finished watching an episode of "Dual Survival" were Dave Canterbury builds a snare trap in the jungle and gets a pig.
He cracked it over the head to finish it off.
Here's a link to the first part of the episode that has it.
Panic in the Jungle (part 1)

Never hunted them myself but I understand any deer/black bear cartridge works fine.

There is a legend in hog hunting on this forum, its been awhile since he has posted. Those who know him, know exactly who I am speaking of. Hopefully, he will chime it!

Yeah,wasn't long ago he put some pics up.
If we're talking about the same person.

I enjoy feral hog hunting. I really enjoy beating the brush and running the creek beds and channels to flush them out. I go a bit over kill and use a Marlin 45/70 guide gun.

well the rifle is chosen and on it's way. going with the FNH FNAR! I think I'm just going to get a inexpensive scope to start out with. hopefully can get after some hogs and build up until to deer season.

not sure who you guys are referring to but I did a search and found one other hog hunt thread earlier today. lost the link now though.

I hunted them for years in the swamps. That's a young man's game. You need to be fit to hunt them. My weapons were the Winchester 94 in .375 Win and in .44 magnum. Big hogs can be very hard to bring down without a good head shot.

Everything you need to know: http://www.texasboars.com/phpBB2/

My dad and I were hunting together a couple years back....me with my AK open sights. This bastard stopped out at about 150yds...further that I am willing to shoot wild game with the AK (even hogs), so I grabbed his old Sako 308 and let the lead fly. My dad had shoulder surgery and was using the Remington "reduced recoil" loads...this guy didn't seem to like it. Took two steps backwards and dropped.

Don't mind the ugly MUTT.



crappy picture referencing the tusk vs .308 shell

Wow, some monster teeth on that sucker. That is why I won't use anything smaller than .30 cal, lol. that thing gets too close, and I'd be in a world of hurt.

Cool pics
I've always wanted to hunt hogs

nice smile!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

my fnar deal feel through. I'm gonna spend all of tomorrow (my birthday) looking for a rifle. hopefully i will find something I like. I'm not all to particular now as long as it will job and nor break the bank. may do a lever action or bolt rifle. hopefully still .308... whatever I get is for hog and deer.

If you go bolt action, the Browning BLR carbine is great.
Older winchester model 88's or Sako finnwolfs are nice as well but the rifle version is a few inches longer then the carbine.
I have experience with the 3 above and I liked them all, I also know a lot of people speak highly of the Savage model 99, but I never cared for them

I've got an older Remington 600 Mohawk. Light weight short .308. Mine is accurate and a good little boomstick!

My mohawk in 308 replaced my win 88 in 308 as my favorite deer gun.
It is as easy to carry as my marlin 30/30 or 44 rem mag,with better reach

makes a mess on skunks though

Yeah, but I'm so good that all I need to use is a .177 pellet rifle. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> My 20 year old RWS Diana model 45. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

The successful Skunkhunters motto:

Stink free Guarantee!

P.S. The .308 is just a little loud to bet shooting in town. Tends to scare the chickens! (the pigs do ok though!) <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

lazi, Larry Harley, a custom knife maker from Bristol Tennessee stages Hog Hunts with a KNIFE! (or at least he used to). If you don't have one he can provide one for you to use.

hmm... don't think I'm ready to do the knife thing yet.

but I did get to hold the fnar and m1a at the same time thanks to a local store. man I was mulling over the choice for about a hour when I went to pick up the 22" m1a again and noticed this one way to the back. so perfect that I walked oh with it.



gonna hit range and try out the iron sights a couple times. holefully start get more info on hogs.

Nice Selection! Now you need an Aimpoint and some 20-rnders...

Fair warning...Semi Auto .308 + hunting Ammo = Expensive <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I use Corbon DPX in my 5.56 for hog hunting sometimes...sure makes you be slightly more selective in choice of shot and control.

Excellent choice!

Congratulations on the M1A purchase. You will love it! Sometimes you get what you pay for and in my opinion that is certainly try for M1A’s. Not cheap, but well worth the extra cost.

Nice job !

I remember seeing that episode. He took a smaller pig that was tied up to a tree IIRC. Now me, a 5.56mm will work with right placement, 7.62x39mm or .30-30 is a lot better, .308 is grand, and anything larger will work too.

Nothing like a 405 gr!

Scout, now throw an Aimpoint T1/H1 on it! Congrats.

For ammo look at the Hornady 168 gr A-Max. Great accuracy in most rifles, the A-Max is a literal killer in itself, and you can always keep the brass to reload at a later date.

Looking forward to the range report on this bad boy. I've never owned / shot an M1A....but have always wanted one. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

The stock sights on that rifle are amazing. I love the larger aperture on the Scout and SOCOMs, and still accurate enough to really reach out and touch someone. Even the mil aperture on my Standard M1A is good for rapid acquisition. Much better than the aperture on the F2000. I remember handling one in a gun shop, I could barely even make out the front sight post through the peep, much less see my target.

M14s are interesting in the way they operate. I couldn't find a SUPER slo mo video, where you could see it better, but this video shows it, the front reciever bridge around the barrel extension actually flexs during firing. It's almost imperceptible, but if you look closely you can see it just before the extraction cycle begins. Camerawork is a little shaky though, doesn't help much in picking it out. They have some fun with some geysers at the end too.

as much as I would like to put a aimpoin on this bad boy I don't think I'm stickin anything with batteries on it. I may replace the front sling attachment with a rail so I can put a flash light on there if I should decide to someday. after that I think a decent scout scope will be good. if ammo was cheaper and a 100 yard range was close by I would probably just go with iron sites for a long time.

I think I picked out 4 types of ammo to try. black hills, federal, Corbon, and hornady. I may also pick up some bulk ammo. I keep seeing german and south African pop up so I may get both just to see how thy stack up.

man this is turning into a really nice chunk of change!

+1 I love the stock sights



100 yds.

Watch out for the Cupro-Nickel ammunition, and DON'T shoot it through that rifle! The jacketing on the projectiles comes apart easily and fouls the bore REALLY BADLY, and it takes a lot of work with a good bore brush and powerful solvent to get that crap out of the rifling. It's dirt cheap, but I wouldn't shoot it in anything other than a throwaway .308. It's just not worth the trouble in such a nice rifle, IMHO.

another good thread

I used to use a Ruger .44 Mag carbine back when I hog hunted.

Mna, all this hog hunting has me wanting to go! Now that the weather is cooling ff a bit it would be enjoyable.

REPOST: Posted this in the gear thread...I keep forgetting about the "outdoors" forum <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />
Spent the weekend up in Longview, visiting my Dad. We had planned on implementing our own feral hog population control program....in a vain effort that we might see a few white-tail deer this year come November. Well...we were a day late and a dollar short...but we made some slight headway.

Saturday morning we setup in the stand, hoping to "spot" a group of hogs so that we could stalk them. Dad and I were both running our MRP platforms. Group of about 8-9 shoats came out about 150 yds away....we got out of the stand and hit the treeline. Our stalk didn't last long, as it was early in the day and we were highlighted by the sun. We only got within maybe 90 yds or so. I was kneeled down with my muffs on, dad behind / above me. I laid out the first one, then missed with two running shots (went high)....my shoat got up and bolted for a death run, I dropped her at full speed with a little more trigger control. I looked up and my Dad had this "look" on his face....apparently he hadn't fully chambered his round and the rifle gave him a nice "click", so he missed out on the fun.



Sunday morning I was in no mood to go hunting....but my Dad drug me out of bed regardless. Today we we had taken his Sako .308 (Bofors!) and my mom's .243 Model 7. We set up and were not seeing much, but the area was suspiciously quiet. Out pops a good sized boar...very light tan color with black splotches. My Dad said, "take him"...I responded "hand me the Sako!". He handed me that Bofors hunk of steel and I let lead fly...big pig down! It took a bit of wrestling to get him in the truck...but we managed. I left the truck picture to give reference against the 3 50lb corn bags. We estimated him at 200'ish.




Nothing like hitting the woods with family and sending a few hogs to porker heaven while you're at it. Good weekend, no doubt.

Bacon, ham and beans, ham and fried potatoes, sausage and eggs, all come to mind right now!

Quite the debate going over on BF about hog hunting with a knife

Looks like a great time, and excellent pics guys! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

My dad nailed one last night. Nice razorback lineage on this one....had real short legs with a very tall mane and thick chest. Shot was taken at 150yds, dropped in his tracks, got up and skittered about 10 yds....impressive with a .308 hole in his heart. My Dad radio'd me...he had "buck fever" and couldn't settle down to make the shot....I had to walk him through calming down a bit. He settled in and put one in the ticker...go Dad! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Hog hunting can get physical. I am no longer in shape for it, but back in the day, that was my favorite "Big" game to hunt. Nice shot with the .308.

Whooo Doggie thats a nice Hog!

I can bring home the bacon....duh na na na...... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/loopy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/loopy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

He used a gun, that's cheating...dogs and knives only !!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Only messin buddy, give the old guy a pat on the back from me, that's some nice shooting ! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Nice Shootin'!

Awesome Hog, tell him Congrats for me!

Man, that is a nice looking hog.

I took this bad boy this Feb with my M1A Squad Scout. Shot him at 60 yards with a 160 grain trophy bonded bullet and never came out the other side!!! Tough SOB's!!

Nice size Pig! Man I like those Teeth!

I've been chased by one of those before. I was in a state park, no firearms allowed, all I could do was find a tree or a rock I could get up on. Somehow, I miracled my big hind end up on a rock and sat there till they got bored and went away. Possibly the most I've ever been scared in my life.

Thanks and it is pretty freaky getting chased by those things....I walk within 10 feet of a sow bedded down with piglets and she as not very happy I was that close. Didn't want to shoot her so I took off with her in chase.....thank God she was more interested in just getting me gone...only had to truck it for about 50 feet.

They have a MAJOR problem here at MINGO NWR with Wild hogs. I THINK they allow hunting them year round, but I would check the website beforehand.

Years ago I preordered a cane from Cold Steel that had a Wart Hog tusk handle. Never got it, don't know what happened to my order or if they were even able to import them. Oh well.

When I was stationed up at Shemya AFB (Island is named Shemya also) in the Aleutians a couple of supply guys found a dead seal washed up on the shore. They skinned out the head and removed the brains and then commenced to boil it until they finally got all the junk off and out of it. I got one of the large teeth but somewhere over the years I lost it. It was really neat and was about 3 inches long.

nice work! looks like .308 is the right round for those big jokers.

figure I will be busy for a few months but when it starts to warm back up I'm planning to free up some time and make a few trips out.

I have heard some folks swear by 12ga slugs and sabots as well.

really any caliber 223 and higher will work with proper shot placement.....I still prefer to have the stoping power of a 308 behind me. I also carry a pistol and large pig sticker when I am out looking for these bad boys!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I have seen hogs dropped with everything from a .22lr to 12ga. I do feel better with a larger caliber but the 5.56mm placed right will do a number too. I have a friend who put 18 rds of 5.56mm into a big hog, followed up by 25 rds of .40S&W for good measure--oh yeah, that was on top of a .243 Win that a friend of his put into it first.

They are tough and the sweet spot is pretty small and cover by lots of bone and muscle.

I'd swear by a 12 gauge slug for just about anything, including an engine block...

5.56mm placed multiple times works great. I think it was designed to be shot multiple times.

IMJ, I agree.

Dogs taking hogs.. I see some trough rivalry coming up <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Nice shots guys <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

I may have a chance to go hog hunting in Alberta later this year.
Keeping my fingers crossed as it is something I would like to try

Well...got home today and had a nice present in the mailbox. I received my Feederlights! Going to put together a portable system this week (try)...will post pics when it's up and running. I took the lights out front with the wife...did a quick test with a 12V battery...all I can say is AWESOME! The night will no longer be their advantage!! BRING IT!

The "PUNK" should arrive from UGSW within a few weeks. It will be time for pig death come early March. I won't have any excuses about being unprepared...

Hi all I will post sme pictures when I figure out how <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
I went Russian boar hunting five years ago. We went out and the guide had two tracking dogs. We had a hog on and I was the first up from our group. We ran through the swamp and thorns to where the dogs had the hog. I brought up a 30/30 and took aim as the dogs were called away. I notice something wrong and saw the barrel was muddy and the small scope knocked off from the run through the swamp. I heard the sound of the boar clacking it's tusk and it started coming toasted me. I held the rifle in my weak hand and drew my ruger 44 and got A quick front site picture and fired one shot. The hog disappeared. A guide ran up and yelled that I missed. I thought oh no, the first one up and I missed, I'll never live this down back at camp. A minute later, which seemed like eternity a guide on horse back yelled dead hog dead hog. I got it and it made it about ten feet in the brush and dropped. It was one of the best hunting trips I have ever taken. My back up to my back up 44 was a cold steel recon scout.
If any of you have the chance to go hog hunting I recommend it
Take care

Sounds kind of.....intense! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

SAR5, one of those oh schnit moments! Glad you made it out ok.

I'm just glad he had quick reflexes and THOUGHT of the 44 instead of OH S*&#! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Kinda like getting between my ex-wife and the buffet at Shoney's <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Ha ha ha, you funny man, you make me laugh!

Thank you! I'll be here all week! Be sure to tip your bartenders and waitresses!

It was a good break away...to visit my dad this week. Dogs abound!!

First up...a big boar. Estimated at about 230lbs based on a 43" chest


The next day...ran into this Sow. Hit her kindof far back...but she was angled away. Ran about 30 yds or so.


Same day, later in the afternoon. I was on the stalk towards a group of about 30 hogs (most just piglets), when my dad had a good sized boar step out:


Proof that the DOGS arose triumphant!

Nice worl Ishi -- looks like a great time with your Dad too! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Excellant! Looks like good times and a great way to spend time with your Dad. I would love to try Hogs sometime. Much bigger than our Javalina.

Looks like we are having some hog trouble around Christina lake here in BC.
Very minor now but we need to stop it quick

Hey ish, I didn't notice earlier but nice new aviator!

Nice Ish! looks like a good time.

been nice weather here and thinking it would be a good time to get out. it's going to be too hot here pretty soon.

love those pictures Ish

Ok here are a couple pics of the skull once I got it back from the taxidermist. I will post a pic of the mount when I can.




Sorry for no Busse Kin in the pics, but I did not have any at the time <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

thanks for looking

Cool photos
I must do this one day

Yote, it's a blast. One of the best hunts ever.

That is a great looking skull.

Thanks even though today is mommys day I will try and get a pic of the mount to show you all <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

One knife, a skull and hand gun, looks to me that life is good.

Ok, here you guys go, I took him out to get some air and snap a few pics for you,

full front


side views



and an extreme close up


thanks for looking and I hope you enjoyed them

NICE pics SAR! Made even better by how you got him. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Thanks skunk, it was a blast, the first time hunting something that can hunt you! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I went once with my Uncle in South Carolina. We hunted in thick cover in some swamp and lots of briars. I used a .44 mag rifle. I didn't have any luck. The dog we were using had one cornered and we could hear him snorting but we couldn't see him. After a couple minutes the dog stopped barking and the hog left. The dog still had 70 stitches in his stomach from an encounter with a boar a few weeks earlier. It is very unusual for the dog to back down but we figure that's what happened. I guess the injury from the previous boar was still fresh in his mind. It is a lot of fun.

Heck that would be motivation for me to not mess with a big boar. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

When we heard him snorting it sounded like it was only 15 feet away. It sounded huge and I expected it to come crashing thru the briars any second. Unfortunately he slipped by. My Uncle had killed one which weighed 498lbs. He got the head mounted. I would hate to have that thing coming after me.

I wish the Yard would make something more like the Recon Scout. Thinner and taller blade than the Reg bowie.

Great Thread. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Some pig catching in Australia, Western NSW.





Ian.

Great thread!

City boy here
Can you eat those wild hogs?
I see on tv many many areas are over run with them,
seems to me if they are edible,and they are so
destructive,why not have open season on them
and provide food for those who are hungry?

FuGaWee, Yes they are edible. And Yes, MANY places have open season (open for year around hunting) and are treated as a nuisance animal.

man I typed this post a few hours ago and forgot to post it...

it is always open season on wild hogs in quite a few places. you can hunt them here all year around which is why I started this thread. maybe before or right after I made this thread i saw a local news story recommending hogs be hunted as a sport. im mostly a city guy myself but I'm still making plans to get out and do some hog hunting when I can. I just ended up getting busy and my resources got a little slim. met a couple guys I who offered me a place to go but i got pretty busy so never made it out.

if you are interested in hog hunting it's probably a good bet that you can find a guy willing to let you come shoot some if he's got em.

If you watch YouTube you will a lot of different types of hog hunting and it looks like fun to me. The destructive nature of hogs pretty much sets any hog you see in the "clean kill is a good kill" category. The only real rule I have seen on them is to shoot them. I have read about some guys who hunt to sell them locally and others who do it for sport and give them away. Traps, arrows, dogs, knives, night vison snipers... Its on Youtube! There are even some cases where they are just a serious problem and must be killed no matter. If I had a yard full of pigs every night like some of these guys I would go out and invest in lot of ammo and a big grill.

I don't think a homeless shelter or and other established organization can use wild game for legal reasons. I will most definitely be eating any hogs I can shoot. I would like to get to where I can even process them myself.

Wild pigs and domestic pigs gone wild aren't too fussy what they eat, that can range from a diet of grains to rotten carrion.

I used to often pen up wild pigs we'd caught with dogs, young sows and boars, we'd cut the boars then drench all of them with a horse wormer and swab them all over with kerosene to get rid of the ticks and lice. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/barf.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

We'd feed them up for s couple of weeks with grain, mainly barley before we killed them.
Just cleans their system out and packs some condition on them and makes them far better to eat.
Ian.

Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry can use wild deer if it is butchered by a qualified butcher and taken to a food pantry. Checking on this in my area this week. I recently got offered a chance to hunt them this year and will shoot more than 1 if the fod pantry can use them.

I Live in Ohio and never really heard much a about this in till this thread.
This sounds like a great hunt. I like deer, bird, and every other hunt I have tried. Just another thing to put on my to do list.