Hog Bullets

[Jack O'Conner]

Its been my experience that hogs are typically shot while feeding. Their heads bob up and down quite a bit while feeding which in my opinion rules out a head shot. A broadside shot into the chest organs is quite effective indeed assuming a decent cartridge is used. My daughter has taken big mulies in South Dakota shooting the 64 grain bullet (.223) as loaded in Winchester ammunition. Penetration and expansion were adequate. I prefer my 30-30 carbine for hogs shooting 170 grain Winchester ammunition. I have toppled them out to distances of approx 125 yards or so.

Jack

 

[Boarhunter]

A 556 can be perfectly adequate for Russians. My youngest daughter celebrated her 19th birthday by killing a 250 pound Russian with her birthday Ruger AR 556. One shot between the eyes at about 20 feet. One excited kid and one proud Dad.

BOARHUNTER

 

[Danoobie]

A wild boar isn't considered a game animal. It's an invasive pest. You are basically doing an extermination, not a hunt. So you are not constrained by game hunting laws.
I would go with 55 GR FMJ 5.56.

 

[BumbleBug]

It’s a hog, y’all are overthinking it. You put lead in the vermin period, if it dies right in its tracks or a mile away, you did the job. Nothing humane about eradicating vermin.

I've got to agree with Saltydog here. Where I live hogs are vermin. You shoot them with whatever gun is near at hand. We almost always aim for the head or neck because if you miss, who cares. As a matter of fact, if it's around a food source they'll come right back if you wait a few minutes. If you just nip 'em a little, who cares. If you want an "eater" head or neck still the best shot.

 

[Dusty Rivers]

convert your 223

Convert your 223 to a 6.8 SPC and use 120 grain SST. Hit them in the center of the neck=D.R.T. good 6.8 chat room with all your information.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

A wild boar isn't considered a game animal. It's an invasive pest. You are basically doing an extermination, not a hunt. So you are not constrained by game hunting laws.

You sound like the funny guy who commented on some of my hog hunting videos, proclaiming I was not a hunter, but an exterminator. I am sure it was meant as a put down, but the alternate title works for me.

Last I checked, the reason for putting down the animal does not affect whether you are hunting or not. I use the same techniques and tactics used by deer hunters, predator hunters, elk hunters, etc. for hunting hogs. I have a hunting license. Hunting laws pertain to my hunting of hogs. I am a hunter, LOL, by law. I don't have an exterminator's license, however.

In fact, I don't know of a single state with feral hogs that doesn't have hunting laws pertaining to their procurement. Some states have seasons. Some states have tag restrictions. Many states may have less restrictive laws than they have for other animals, but they still have

Convert your 223 to a 6.8 SPC and use 120 grain SST. Hit them in the center of the neck=D.R.T.

If you can hit them in the center of the neck, .223 will work just fine. The problem is that so many folks can't hit in the center of the neck.

 

[GeauxTide]

The problem is that so many folks can hit in the center of the neck.

I'm sure you meant CAN'T hit the center of the neck.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Oops, yep. And they can't, not intentionally or repeatably.

A lot of things will work under ideal circumstances, but are much less effective or are ineffective under circumstances that are not ideal.

 

[zipspyder]

Shot this week. Ruger American 7mm-08 and 140gr Remington Core-lokts. Pass through and got both lungs plus top of heart. Stumbled about 20 yards and fell dead. Butcher said clean kill, not much meat damaged at all. My guide said he hates seeing these guys come up and use 223 AR's, not because it doesn't kill but if they don't hit them right in the boiler room it's a long time tracking. While we were scouting we found a boar that was shot the previous week to far forward with one in the leg/neck area frozen solid and a waste of a pig.

 

[Don Fischer]

I saw that happen a lot with deer and my 25-06 with 117gr bullet's. I went to them because 100 gr bullet's were dropping them right there but really making a mess inside. Much happier with the 117gr bullet's. The majority go a short way but not far. Most get hit, walk in a circle them lay down dead.

Sounds to me like the bullet is working well!

 

[Saltydog235]

If the vermin is dead, it’s not wasted nor did the bullet fail to perform. Hogs are NOT game animals, they’re a pestilence and need to be eradicated by any means necessary. I’ve said this a dozen times on here, I’d shoot a hog in the ass with a B.B. gun if I thought it would get gangrene and die. Shoot the big ones with whatever you got and bash the little ones heads in with a stick or against a tree. They are a cancer and detriment to your native species of wildlife. They’ll eat your turkey, quail and other ground nesting birds eggs and kill and eat any young they find. They’ll ruin forests and farms alike. Dead pigs no matter how they get that way are the only good pigs.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Actually, a game animal is any animal hunted for sport or food. Hogs are a game animal. Many states have reduced regulations for hunting them as they are non-native. In some states, they are considered game and/or wildlife, such as Florida and California.

For zipspyder's guide, they are a game animal. For you and me, they are a pest. Some guides get to work it both ways, dealing with the hogs as pests via the landowner perspective and as game via the client perspective.

 

[Don Fischer]

Game animal or not, they deserve a quick death. Either that or simply don't shoot them! While stationed in Germany I helped kill a couple hogs our landlord raised. Guy came out to kill and butcher them. The first one he got between his legs and actually popped it in the head with a hammer, went right down. The second time he came out he brought a tool he pressed to the hogs head and fired. 22 blank drove a rod into it's head, just fell down. Some of the things I read about killing pest's and that includes hog's drive me nut's. I don't care what it is if your going to kill it it deserves a decent death. I've only hunted hogs one time, never saw one but took my 6.5x55 with 140gr bullet's, I'm certain I was well armed. I've eaten them several different time's and they are great eating. I'm told by the local rancher's if they are up around 200 lbs, just leave them lay, bad meat. But under that they are good eating. Oregon won't let rancher's sell hunting for them. Sad as I think they'd get a lot more killed that way. None of the rancher's around here want them! God forbid they should make a few bucks selling them. Much better to wait for the state to fly over hunting them.