Susquatch

Archery stalk at night is definately the best way to go. But, the rifleI now use is the Marlin Cowboy in 45/70 pushing a 405 gr. Idaho Territory hardcast at 1900 fps. Really drops 'em. Backup is, of course, Ruger Vaquero in .45 LC, loaded hot. Course, I hunt in heavy brush (East Texas' big thicket).

Rebel Hog

Gosh partner, a 30-30 is more than enough!

Susquatch

You know, I am told that all the time. And, I agree for the most part. I was raised on a hog farm (600 hogs, plus dairy and beef cattle, chickens, sheep, goats, 30 horses, ducks, geese, rabbits, ect...), and have killed a lot more of them then I care to think about. Smaller pigs we just stuck, but larger hogs were shot in the head at close range with a .22 LR. 95% of the time, drops them where they stand. The other 5%, may take 3 or even 4 shots to bring them down. Split them afterward, and it is apparent that the first shot or two scrambled the brain. How the heck were they still going?

Hogs have some tough protection from a front shot. Even from the side, a hog bone is a lot of protection from a 30-30 bullet. My 45/70 will, I feel, drop the stubborn 5%. In the event that I stumble into a mess of pissed off porkers on some moonless night in the backwater swamp, I want a weapon that will afford me a margin of error, and still yield a happy ending.

Strangely, I really do prefer hunting them with a bow. But, I like to tote along a little back-up (.45 LC).

JeffS

I agree with Susquatch. Most of the time you can drop them if you hit them right with a .22, but I"ve had too many get up and run off when we shot them with a small caliber gun. We hunt them at night a lot and when you flip the light on you don't have a lot of time to shot so you don't always have time to take careful aim and try to shot them in the head. We end up shooting a lot of ours behind the shoulder and I've seen several of them we shot that had several scars from being shot in the shoulder where it didn't kill them. Now I shoot them with a .450 Marlin. I've crawled through the brush too many times after shooting one before and having it get up and run off. We can normally find them but it is not much fun crawling through brush on your hands and knees after a pissed off boar. We've had them run after being shot with everything from a .223 to a .300 WM. If you shot them with a small caliber bullet in the shoulder the shield on a large boar can stop the bullet or have the wound close over making it hard to track. When we shot one with my .450 there is a large hole and plenty of blood to follow though we've never had any run more than a few yards after shooting one with it.

Rebel Hog

Jeffs, I have been hunting hogs with dogs for over50yrs and have never had to use guns that big. The biggest I have used is 1911 .45, but 95% of the time I use a .357.
I have never hunted hogs at long range. We don't like running after the dogs with loaded long guns, cause someone can trip and the guns can go off and hit the person in front. Side arms only!!

I have lost count years ago, but I quess I have killed atleast 4 or 5 semi truck loads.

JeffS

There is a big difference between hunting them with dogs and shooting them in a pasture. With dogs you don't want a large gun because you don't want to shoot through them and hit a dog, also you have the dogs holding them or having them bayed where you can get in close. When we hunt with dogs we don't even use a gun we tie their legs and take them live.

Susquatch

I see you are from my neck of the woods, Jeff. Do you hunt WMA's or private? I would LOVE to find a private day-lease for hogs where the action was fairly steady. Just have to be a good rate for me to be able to afford it.

Rebel Hog

Hey guys, I'm not trying toput down the way others hunt, every one knows what and how they like to hunt.
We have Zerexpilot on this forum from Texas, that is telling us he puts them all down with a .243 and he does'nt hunt with dogs. There are others on here from Texas also with other opinions on shooting hogs.
That's what I like about this forum, it shows me what and how others are using thier skills on hunting. Jeffs mentioned about tieing thier legs and bringing them back alive. I just bought a scanner for all the pictures I want to post onhog hunting and truck loads of live hogs we brought back alive over the years.

Susquatch

I feel the same, Rebel. My way isn't right for everyone. But it is for me. At least right now. I used to hunt hogs at night, alone, with a bow, and no back-up weapon. Several other hunters had mentioned to me that it would be a good idea to gat a hunting pardner, and to carry as handgun for backup. These are not domestic pigs. Wound one, and he might prove hard to stop. When I kill one, it is usually at night, and alone. But, now, I like to make sure I can put BIG holes all the way through 'em, if need be,

Rebel Hog

I know what you mean partner! I have seen many guys over the years cut-up by boss hogs and alot of good dogs killed.
When I started hunting hogs back in the early 50'swithoutdogs,Iwas using a Rem .35cal "Woods Master" Mod 81 which I still have in the safe.
I'm to old and heavy these days to chase them dogs,so 5yrs ago I started hunting deer and if I see a good 60 to 75lb porker, I'll pop him for the pit.Good eating!!