Biology & Shot Placement

[jrifenbark]

I gutted my first hog this weekend and noticed that the lungs were considerably smaller than the picture on the Boar Bilology page.  The heart was the size of my fist and the lungs weren't much bigger at all.  I understand that they weren't full of air.  The heart was also further up in the chest than I had expected.  I was left witht he impression that if you want to hit the heart you would have to put the bullet through the shoulder.

Thoughts on this?

 

[spectr17]

I fixed that hog anatomy pic to better show the lungs. There is a long thread on the Bowsite on this very subject and everyone agreed the lungs were too high and too
far back. We did all agree the heart is down low between the shoulders, just like on a deer and bear though.

How high up do you think the heart is from gutting your pig?

Some also stated the spine is a bit lower????

Hogging Hank, you have any input from opening all those hogs of yours? Anybody else?/

 

[One Track]

All I know is that their leg joints, (knees, elbows,) are an awesome biological example of animal engineering.  Next time you skin a hog, check out the knees.  Although, don't piss off your butcher by hacking up the rear leg tendons. That's how they hang 'em in the cooler.

In my experience of gutting two hogs, the heart seems to be litterally resting on the botton of the abdomen. I have yet to hit the heart. The lungs are a plenty big target, and make for a good kill.

 

[SDHNTR]

That looks a lot better and close enough for government work.  I would also agree that the spine is a bit lower and the heart does seem to rest on the bottom of the abdomen.  

 

[jrifenbark]

I also agree that the heart rests as it does in the picture, but I thought it was a little further up towards the head.  I felt that one would have to shoot through the leg bone to hit the heart.  Then again, I was concentrating on not cutting my self and what I was supposed to do next.

 

[jrifenbark]

When I skinned the pig I remember being able to see the spine.  I don't see how it could be any lower.  It's right underneath the skin and fat.