Hog tips

[03mossy]

So it's official I am going on a hog hunt to Arkansas this winter!!! Can any of you more experienced hog hunters offer up some tips to a first timer? My thinking is My Savage in 30-06 will get most of the action I think. Backed up by my 870 slug gun and .45 smokeless muzzleloader.

[barrel-nut]

Shoot for the head if at all possible. They are incredibly tough animals. I wasn't thinking and instinctively shot a big one behind the shoulder a few weeks ago. It was broadside, standing still at about 110 yds. I was using a 7mm Rem Mag with pretty stout handloads, with 160 gr. Nosler Accubonds. I felt very good about my shot. Until the hog just soaked it up and trotted off like I had shot him with a Red Ryder BB gun. No reaction to the shot, no squealing, no blood whatsoever. Just trotted away like nothing happened. This was right at the end of shooting hours, and it was dark by the time I got down and looked for him. Not fun trying to trail a big one in the dark. Long story short, could not find him.
Talked to my Dad today and he said they could smell something dead yesterday in that huge thicket that he ran into that night. Probably died quickly, but not before running off a couple hundred yards into a jungle with no blood whatsoever to follow. I hate losing any animal like that. It's a waste. Moral of the story, the same bullet behind the ear would have put him down immediately. A follow up shot would have insured that. That's what I usually do with hogs (never deer though), and it works great. I just was shooting instinctively like I would have done with a deer, instead of slowing down and thinking it through. Cost me a good animal.
Shoot em in the head. Then shoot em in the head again. That's the best advice I can give.

[barrel-nut]

The .30-06 will work well. My brother puts them down regularly with his. He uses 150 gr Sierra Gamekings, preferably behind the ear.

[03mossy]

Thanks barrel-nut! I will be shooting 168 grain Barnes ttsx out of the 30-06. Should do the trick. Thought about bringing the AR but on my fist hog hunt I want more than enough gun not just enough lol.

[barrel-nut]

Great choice 03!

[Rick_W]

Thought about bringing the AR but on my fist hog hunt I want more than enough gun not just enough lol.

Look into the .50 Beowulf upper. No other modifications needed.

It's enough, LOL.

[ebrown]

Make sure you know the kill zone. Hitting behind the shoulder guarantees a slow death miles away. A pig's lungs are a lot lower and farther forward than you'd expect.

Repeat this mantra five times daily:
Shot placement counts more than caliber

[03mossy]

ebrown- I have been looking into this a lot lately. I am glad I did because if I would have aimed like normal on a deer it would be ugly. Lots of different theories on where to aim, lower shoulder to go for the heart, in the ear to go for the brain... I think I like the idea best of drawing a line from the eye to the top of the shoulder and aiming in the middle. Sound about right?

[Zoomworms]

How are you going hunt, dogs, spot n stalk or stand? I prefer AR in 6.8.
What part of Ark?

[03mossy]

Southeastern part of the state, father in law set it up so not sure the name of the town. And it will mostly be out of a stand.

[Zoomworms]

Anything you would deer hunt with will be fine. I deer hunt in central Ark. But we don't have any hogs
yet, I would like more info on where your going. My 9 year old would love to shoot a hog

[txbdyguard]

Shooting anything over 125# in our part of the world and having it run off and die is a blessing. Any boars they don't get eaten. Sows 125# or less then it's butcher time. 62 gr sp in the ear works great.