Since I live in KS, we don't have hogs locally, so I'm not much of a hog hunter, but I've been on a few trips while visiting friends/family. I have hunted hogs in both regions in question, in TX and OK, and in NC and SC. On my SC trip, I used a .44mag Ruger Super Blackhawk, in NC I used a .223rem AR-15. In OK I used the same .223, and in TX I used a .30-06 Ruger M77... Granted I've killed less than a dozen hogs in my life, but in each trip I HAVE made, I've never used dogs, and I've never had a hog argue with the .44mag or .223.

Moral of the story, the .44mag has PLENTY of punch out to at least 100yrds on hogs. I've used that .44mag Ruger Super Blackhawk for over a decade on Kansas whitetail deer, and my experience on hogs with the .44mag was very similar to my whitetails, your accuracy is the limiting factor, not the power. A rifle is a different story, since it offers improved velocity/energy, and improved accuracy, but it will have PLENTY of punch for hogs, without a doubt.