RE: hunting hogs in the winter
We hunt at night all the time and used to use a .223 until we had some hogs run off after shooting them in the head. We normally use a bigger gun now because they learned once to light comes on what it means. So we shoot them behind the shoulder since we don't have much time for a shot. If you hunt on a night with full moonlight and you have a good scope on your rifle you can shoot without a light. I set up a .450 marlin just for hog hunting and with a Zeiss Conquest I don't need a light. You don't need that big of gun though it is nice to know they won't run anywhere. It is no fun to track a wounded pig at night in heavy brush.