Huntin hogs

[CO_Kid]

I've not been much of a hunter since reaching adulthood. I used to deer hunt with my dad as a teen, but to be honest, my idea of fun has never been sitting static in freezing cold temps and snow (all of my hunting was in western PA).

I have decided that I really want to go wild pig hunting with a 357. Supposedly we have wild hogs here in Colorado, but not many and only in one area, so I'll probably have to trek to Texas or Arizona.

I'm excited of the idea of actually tracking the pigs instead of letting a deer come to me, and using a 357 handgun as opposed to a rifle (never been a long gun guy). I'm also excited about hunting an animal with an element of danger that can and will fight back. I doubt I'll use dogs.

Anyone have any experience with it? Did you go with an outfitter or au natural? Handgun or long gun? Hows the meat for eatin? Any close calls?

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I have taken a couple of feral pigs. They are very tough critters, extremely wary and incredibly fast. I am not sure that tracking them would be a very effective hunting method.

As for the .357 magnum, I think it will probably do the job with the right bullets. Penetration is one of the key requirements, and pigs are built like a tank. One man, on foot and in the brush with a wounded porker could be an experience to avoid. Personally, I would prefer a rifle, probably .30-06 with heavily constructed bullets (I have some FN-NATO 173-grain FMJ ammo that comes to mind for the purpose).

There are a number of ranches in south Texas that offer wild pig hunts, primarily using elevated blinds in areas where the pigs are active. Probably the best chances of taking one. Also nice to have help with handling the game when taken, skinning, dressing, icing it down for transport, etc. The animals will vary considerably, with live weights between 200 and 300 lbs. fairly common.

The meat is generally excellent. Much leaner than market pork. Great for a pig roast done in a pit, or Hawaiian-style. If you have access to a good smoker you can have some real treats with good long slow roasting.

I have heard reports of some pig populations showing up in southeastern Colorado (Lamar and Eads areas), with some land owners welcoming help in controlling the beasts. They are very destructive, tearing up fields as they feed. They are also a serious hazard around roadways because when struck by a car they usually go underneath and tear the heck out of the undercarriage while the car goes completely out of control. Largely nocturnal feeders. Best times to hunt are usually early mornings and late evenings.

 

[zzzippper]

I hope you've been corn fed. I hear that hogs prefer that sweeter, more tender meat.

 

[3dots]

I think stalking pigs with a .357 is a death wish. Think more of at least 120gr JHP at over 2400fps

 

[Rangerpat]

The best eating wild hogs are gilts in the 100 lbs. or less size, or else a bar (barrow) hog, a boar that has been cut.

The .357 mag out of a revolver is doable up close but I would opt out to use a long gun; LoboGunLeather has given excellent advice.

Make sure you wear rubber gloves when processing the game meat, feral swine carry diseases that are transferable through their blood to open cuts on human hands.

 

[CO_Kid]

I guess I should clarify, I wont be alone.

Tracking may or may not be the best way. Im just starting to research, but Ive read that during the daytime, good results can be had finding a trail and following it to where they bed down for the day. Probably depends on the terrain.

Idon't know the herd size near Eads, but I've read it's not too big. Not like Texas where the things are everywhere.

 

[Jinglebob]

I don’t make a sport of wild hog hunting, only to control the population. I’ve had them destroy crops, tear up pasture land and even trample and root a spring fed water source so badly that the water stopped flowing.

My weapons of choice: If I’m sitting in a blind I prefer a 30.06. If I’m moving through heavy underbrush, a lot of it in the woods here, I use an old style Ruger Bisley Vaquero in .45 Colt loaded hot with 300 grain bullets.

Best time to hunt in my opinion is dusk. Stake out an area where you see activity, rooted ground and tracks. In brush you will find tunnels through the undergrowth and the hogs travel these trails.

Wild hogs are migratory. One week they will be on one property, tearing up everything, and then move on to someone else’s land.

I don’t eat wild hog, I let the buzzards do the clean up.

 

[CO_Kid]

Perhaps the 30-30 should come with me as well. I was thinking of putting 158gr jacketed soft points in the sixgun.

 

[DR505]

I usually carry a .350 Remington Magnum or a .44 Magnum lever action. Always have a 29 or a 629 on my hip when I hunt them. They can get really big! I use a stout 270-300 grain bullet loaded at just about maximum.

 

[armadillo]

First off - in Texas almost all land is privately owned and posted. You would have to have access to a very large spread to track and stalk hogs here.

Second - the hogs I have encountered have highly developed smell and hearing. I have seen them circle a blind and catch my scent from 60+ yards away.

In Texas there is no season on hogs and you can hunt them at night (except during deer season) as long as you have a hunting license and permission from the land owner.

I agree with what previous posters have said about firearms - the bigger-the better.

 

[fat tom]

A .357,huh? Good luck with that!



f.t.

 

[mrrick]

No hogs, in Arizona that I've heard of.

Hogs should be treated as dangerous game and the appropriate hard hitting, deep penetrating rifle/ammo combination should be used. They are very smart, (more so than dogs), can be aggressive and seem to know that the best ways to attack you is to run their sharp tusk up you leg to sever your femoral artery.

I like a Marlin guide gun in 45-70 with 405 grain hard cast bullets, or 350 grain soft points. Sounds like overkill, but better the hog than me.

I wouldn't rely on any handgun less than 454 casull and only if I were a master. Rifle backup with skilled rifleman is important if you're using a handgun.

Have you heard the expression:"Bring enough gun".

 

[BearBio]

Next to bears, there are more tall stories about pigs than any other N.A. game animal.

I have taken 20 or more wild pigs for my own use. We have eaten every one. Those have ranged from 80 lbs or so to big boars with 4"+ tusks. I have used everything from 357 up in a handgun and 7mm Mauser on up in a rifle. Also hunted javelina down around Tucson.

While in grad school, I worked part time as a hunting guide. As such, I have seen over 200 hogs shot with everything from 22 Magnum up to 45-70.

Eating wise, cook the meat well. It makes good ribs, sausage, hams (if smoked) and chops. It is dry and tough, so you want to cook it slow and moist. The fat, in particular, can be strong and overbearing. If you make sausage, etc, add beef fat or fatty ground beef (my preference). Do NOT parboil==it won't tenderize it and will stink up the house. I do ribs by slow cooking in the oven over a mixture of 50/50 acid and water. Vinegar or orange juice work good. Cook over several hours at 200-250 deg on a roasting rack and tented with foil. THEN slather on the BBQ sauce and caramelize over coals. A spicy dry-rub overnight helps.

Cook the chops by trimming the fat and cover with Campbell's Golden Mushroom soup, bake at 350 deg for 90 minutes or so. Serve over white rice (sticky).

Marinate with garlic, soya and ginger & use in a stir fry.

Calibers: Not as important as using a good quality bullet. Pigs, especially older males, have a gristly cartilage plate around the neck and shoulders. I personally have had it stop three 357 soft points (180 grain silhouette bullets) from six feet away. I've seen it turn 240 grain 44 magnum on a shoulder shot or a head shot. It is imperative to get through that plate (which can be 1/2 inch or so). Also, vital organs are small and lower in the body than on a comparable deer.

Calibers: I used pretty much a 300 win mag. Mostly because I use it for everything else and I'm accurate to over 400 yards (I've taken several deer and pigs at that range). Basically, anything from a 270 up is fine. I've seen 30-30 fail a couple of times. However, I took a 200 pounder at 300 yards with a 35 Rem in a Contender=1 shot.

Have fun!

 

[Double-O-Dave]

I've not yet hunted feral hogs, but they are a huge problem here in Texas. One young hunter my son and I met during a deer hunt told of killing a feral hog that was over 6 ft. long (no scales, so no weight was obtained). When someone asked him how the meat tasted, he made a face and said that when they cut the hog open, the meat was gray. It doesn't take a rocket surgeon to surmise that fresh, raw meat from a mammal shouldn't be gray in color.

Regards,

Dave

 

[Farmer17]

I have a young relative that hunts hogs with her boyfriend near Comanche Oklahoma at night with dogs. Apparently that's how they make their income by selling the meat. It is illegal to use a gun at night but dogs are legal, so they tell me. They have some videos on Youtube and their little dog(it kind of looks like a Blue Healer but its some weird name) sniffs the pig out and catches it by the mouth. It is fast as lightning and latches on to the pigs face and the pig whips it around like a rag but it won't let go. They also have a Pit Bull for backup, after the little dog catches the pig the Pit goes for the throat, but they hardly ever need to use it. The little dog just wears the big pig out and they get rope on the pig then slit its neck. Its pretty sad to watch the dog catch the pig, I would have never thought a pig with great big tusks would get eaten up by a small dog like that.

 

[Damn Yankee]

I'M with Jinglebob;

Let them nasty looking things lay where they fall. The only thing I'll be taking home is the empty rifle cases.

 

[jrd1976]

I ate wild hog yesterday for dinner and supper.
I cut the backstrap up just like I cut up vension and fried it the same way, after soaking in salted water about 3 hours. We had some left and put it in a slow cooker with potatoes and some gravy mix for supper. I finished off the left overs at noon today.

There is no way I would hunt hogs with a 357 mag as my primary gun. I was the new guy on a hunt in east Texas, with a bunch of experienced hunters. There were 5 with 308 Win; 2 with 30-06; and 2 with 270 Win. I took my hog, about 150 lbs, with a 308. My 8 3/8 " Model 29 with 240 gr hard cast bullets was in a Safariland shoulder holster.

Most of them had tried the smaller calibers. They said you had to have something to penetrate the shoulder gristle plate for a one shot kill.

 

[TXSWFAN]

"In Texas there is no season on hogs and you can hunt them at night (except during deer season) as long as you have a hunting license and permission from the land owner."

There is no prohibition against hunting hogs at night during deer season in Texas.

10mm upper on an M16 lower on the top and a 9mm upper on an M16 lower on the bottom. Shot placement is key.

Thermal and night vision are nice tools to have. It's almost not fair. Almost.

 

[reddogge]

Tons of them killed with bows and arrows each year. They have a very different anatomy than deer so you must learn where to shoot them. Their vital are low and forward compared to a whitetail. Here is some information on that.

Trad Gang.com: Animal Shot Placement Pics

 

[X Ring Ranch]

I've not been much of a hunter since reaching adulthood. I used to deer hunt with my dad as a teen, but to be honest, my idea of fun has never been sitting static in freezing cold temps and snow (all of my hunting was in western PA).

I have decided that I really want to go wild pig hunting with a 357. Supposedly we have wild hogs here in Colorado, but not many and only in one area, so I'll probably have to trek to Texas or Arizona.

I'm excited of the idea of actually tracking the pigs instead of letting a deer come to me, and using a 357 handgun as opposed to a rifle (never been a long gun guy). I'm also excited about hunting an animal with an element of danger that can and will fight back. I doubt I'll use dogs.

Anyone have any experience with it? Did you go with an outfitter or au natural? Handgun or long gun? Hows the meat for eatin? Any close calls?

GET A BIGGER GUN !

We have hogs ,hogs, and more hogs here in Texas. Years ago they would run when they saw a human but they have changed tactics. Hogs can't see very well but they do have excellent hearing and smell. Now instead of running about 50% of the time they come after you. Recently a cowboy shot one off a horse and got off to see if it was dead. It was just grazed and just up and started after him. He made it to his horse but the hog got him on the leg and ripped it open.

Another hog hunter shot a 300lbs sow at 100 yards with a .243. She was hit but whirled around to see where the shot came from and spotted him. She came after him and he finally got her down at his feet.

The Texas game wardens tell us that they are getting aggressive and now usually will not run from a human. Two years ago I shot one at 75 yards with a .44 mag carbine and hit her three times before she went down. Body shots are hard to bring them down. A .22 will kill one if you hit in the head or behind the ear. The game warden who hunts from a helicopter shoot a .300 Winchester Magnum. They shoot from above and it has to penetrate the thick layer of fat and grilse on it's back.

If you stand very still when they are around chances are they will move off and never find you. They usually run a groups of 3-4 or more. Occasionally you will find an old boar by himself.

Never seen one over 450lbs but I have seen pictures that they look like a big bear.

The State of Texas has issued warnings on eating wild hogs.

They carry Tularemia. Tularemia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[30-30remchester]

I have only shot one Russian boar so have no experience to rely on. I would have no qualms about using a 357. Most pigs I have seen shot on shows were no bigger than a small man. Is it the best caliber? I seriously doubt it. If you are squeamish about seeing your own blood, get a big rifle. For me personally, I live for adventure. I have many scars from bad judgment, and am proud of every one of them. If you are lucky you will have a close encounter with a few battle scars to share with your grandsons in the future. Now you got me wanting to wrestle a pig.

 

[Damn Yankee]

To you gentleman who have hunted and shot hogs, what is your choice of bullets? I was thinking a heavy round nose for deep penetration. I have read that just behind the ear is DOA.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Don't shoot them with #2 steel. It just makes them squeal and run off. But it does chase them across the canal so they can root up the other guy's ponds.....or at least so I've heard

 

[X Ring Ranch]

To you gentleman who have hunted and shot hogs, what is your choice of bullets? I was thinking a heavy round nose for deep penetration. I have read that just behind the ear is DOA.

Ruger #1 45-70 with a heavy cast lead bullet. Trail Boss powder

 

[BearBio]

To you gentleman who have hunted and shot hogs, what is your choice of bullets? I was thinking a heavy round nose for deep penetration. I have read that just behind the ear is DOA.

I have seen heavy (round nosed Core Lokt) do good. I always used Nosler Partition but I used a 180 Nosler in my 300 mag for EVERYTHING so I didn't have to learn a new trajectory. Wife dropped a 265 lb sow (on the run at 200+ yards=one shot) with a 140 gr Nosler in her 7mm Mauser. A friend's son did drop a 125 lb with a 22 magnum solid.

I have heard behind the ear is good but I almost got ripped up by a 230 lb sow that I put 3-4 357 180 grain in a 3" group behind her ear (My buddy was holding my 300 mag and
dropped her with that as she ran past him at me).

Pistols (as a guide): I used heavy for caliber soft points or, as they became more available, hardcast, is a 45 Colt or 41 mag.

 

[Damn Yankee]

BearBio;

Thank you for the info, Looking around the internet I found this site with some more great info.
TEXASBOARS FORUM ? View topic - BULLETS FOR BOAR

 

[Rpg]

I've shot javalena with a 45acp: but they are relatively small.

Your 357 will make a fine backup - to a rifle for the larger ferrel hogs you intend to hunt, if you are hunting without dogs or guide.

If you are hunting with a guide and dogs, your 357 will be fine: some folks use a knife or spear.

Your guide will tell you what to use.

Your guide will also back you, so you can probably use whatever you want.

 

[Faulkner]

I've taken a lot of south Arkansas ferel hogs with a number of different firearms including a .30-30, .30-06, .357 lever action carbine, 12 gauge with sabot slugs, and several with a .30 M1 carbine.

To me I found a my Marlin .30-30 lever action to be just about the best tool for the job. The ones I took with the .357 lever gun where hit with 158 grain semi-wadcutters and seemed to do the job well at close range (50 yards or so).

The most fun I've had taking ferel hogs close in is with a M1 carbine using 110 grain soft/hollowpoints. I've had a number of one stop shots at 20 yards or less but you got to be on your toes.

 

[CGhelofxr]

30-30 is a good choice, .357 has a back up is doable. Go for 110 or less sows or piglets.

 

[JM4151]

Wild Boar Hunting

I have been on 6 wild boar hunts, in as many years, both in TN and FLA. The pigs in TN are larger and TN is a closer drive to where I live in PA. If you go to FLA you can ride on an air boat which is fun. The last 4 times that I went I only took my 44 mag, that is more than adequate to kill a pig. I heard that the Texas pigs are larger and I might consider a rifle there. My largest pig was about 350 pounds. The smaller ones are good eating, taste like the meat that you buy at the super market. My wife cooks them in a crock pot. To get them home we have them butchered and frozen. Put them in a cooler with dry ice, and duck take the seam around the lid. They are still frozen when you get home. Its a fun sport.