hog hunting

[duc]

I posted a couple of weeks ago about trying to get wild hogs on my land to show theirselves. These are really big hogs. Well my brother encountered one of the big boars yesterday. He was hunting deer and a boar showed himself about 75 yards. Well my brother shot and the boar fell in its tracks. He laid in one spot spinning in circles squelling and then got up and run towards the swamp until he disappeared. He shot this boar with a 50 caliber muzzle loader. Shouldn't this put this hog down. These hogs we've got are 450+ easy. We caught one last year that weighed 450 and my brother said this hog was bigger. When i arrived we trailed the hog for 200 yards and found drops of blood the whole time. We decided to go and get a hog dog of my buddies and try to trail him and turn him loose if the hog was still up in front of us. Well we never found the hog but found where he went into someone elses land. We had to stop there. We went through the thickiest mess you could imagine.

My question is what should I shoot to take one down. The blood we found on this hog was dark red. I'm not sure what kind of shot this is. I just hate that this hog will probably die, from what blood lose I've seen. I found out also that there are alot more hogs in my property also from all the sign i saw trailing this hog.

 

[Hunter29]

How many grains did you have behind that bullet? Where you using sabots or minie balls? I would think a .50 cal muzzleloader would be adequate in taking a hog, assuming the pig is within range.

 

[duc]

I'm not sure what grain my brother was using. I don't know too much about muzzle loaders, but i do know they are powerful.

 

[SDHNTR]

It all depends on what load he was using. Makes all the difference in the world.

 

[Arrowslinger]

I've taken plenty of deer w/ a muzzle loader w/ great success..... if you have an inline, be sure you're using 150 grns of powder....the 50grn pellet type works best for me. Use a big bullet, preferably a sabot & hit 'em good. Shouldn't have any problems.

 

[bubba]

Pigs are tough. Some drop, some don't. Same with all big game animals. I shot a 300 lb pig with a 300 winmag. Obliterated his heart and both lungs. He ran for 75 yards before he decided he had no heart or lungs and should fall to reduce the labor of me dragging him out...

 

[Speckmisser]

I'm hearing a lot about the gun and loads, and not much about where he actually hit that pig. With even an "OK" load, that .50 cal should have been plenty if the bullet was put in the right place.

As the guys said, though, if you don't hit them right, even a .50BMG isn't going to take them down on the spot. Heck, I've seen deer run off after what I thought was a solid hit with a 30-06, and I'd rank hogs as 10 times tougher than a whitetail.

I'll also add that if you were pushing that hog and finding blood the whole way, it's a good bet he dropped as soon as he was clear of you and could lay down for a little while. Firearms hunters seem to forget that simple rule that bowhunters live by... Don't push a wounded animal. If you're not sure of the hit, give him a couple of hours at least. If you jump right out on the trail and start chasing, the pure adrenaline can keep him running.

Anyway, just to be clear... that .50 cal smokepole is plenty of rifle, but you need to make the shot count.

 

[barel74]

Originally posted by Speckmisser@Oct 12 2004, 07:32 PM
I'm hearing a lot about the gun and loads, and not much about where he actually hit that pig

I agree, it is'nt the size of the bullet or the amount of powder, but the placement of the shot. If you hit a pig in the shoulder, he'll run off. Two inches behind the shoulder, and he's bacon.

 

[quigleysharps4570]

Real dark red blood is usually a liver shot. May be wrong, but I'd about bet if you'd went on in to that other property you'd a found him.

 

[PIGIG]

i shot a pig with a 7mm mag and droped him in his tracks for about 30 seconds we never found him!~ be sure of the placement of the shot

 

[boarhunter67]

It does depend largely upon placement. I've taken down a pig with a 22-250. I've shot other hogs with a 300 win.mag. that I also shot in the head twice and still had to wait 15 minutes for the pig to stop trying to get up. It sounds like you have a good spot. If you ever need someone to hunt with drop me an email.

 

[fairchase]

I'm shooting a 50cal. this year for pigs, deer and elk same gun, same load for all.
100gr. FFg 777 and a 300gr. Hornaday SST.
When I'm on, It will shoot 2in. at 100 yds. off a solid rest, with open sights.
Iv'e chatted with a guy who has shot a couple of moose in Canada with the 250gr SST so I think I'm good to go.

 

[boartuff]

Again, shot placement is number one key. I have shot them with a little ole 357 handgun, and they've only gone a short distance.

Also, I have gotten them with a muzzleloader as you spoke of. 100 grains of Pyrodex and a Hornady 250 grain XTP.

Once shot, make sure you give them plenty of time to expire. Don't push them, esp. if you can not see where they lay.

Good luck on finding more on your place!! Hogs er fun!