Sidearms

[ksberry209]

I was wondering how many of you carry a sidearm when hunting. I have heard mutiple stories about goin in the bruch after a injured hogs and have seen videos of charging hogs too. I can a 40 cal usually but have never had to use it...but never had the opportunity to chase a injured hog either.

During my last outing to FHL I was walking through some heavy cover following tracks and if something jumped and charged I dont think I would have had a chance with the rifle. I know a 40 is probably light for pigs but it is better than nothing IMO.

 

[One Track]

I hear ya. After my first hog hunt, I bought a 44mag. I carried it on a few hunts. Then, I started leaving it in the truck. Just to bulky and heavy to pack around all day. However, I might consider it on a hunt this weekend, with my wife. I'll be bowhunting, without a qualified huntin' buddy to back me up. However, I almost feel better with the Glock 17 9mm, istead of the single action 44mag. Seems I could put ten into a hog real quick with the Glock. Or, I could just piss him off even more. The Glcok is nicer to carry as well.

 

[SDHNTR]

No need for one. I thought I needed to carry one too several years ago as a relatively new hunter. It was just a nuisance.

 

[bobcatman04]

Hogs don't "attack" they just want to escape, step to the side and let him escape. follow him to get a clear shot. Better than caring around extra weight.

 

[BDB]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bobcatman04 @ Mar 14 2007, 12:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Hogs don't "attack" they just want to escape, step to the side and let him escape. follow him to get a clear shot. Better than caring around extra weight.

[/b]

I know a few folks who would differ with you on that assement. If you stated "they don't attack OFTEN and USUALLY just want to escape" I'd agree with you

I usually do not carry though as most times I am in an archery only area or hunt. When I can and if not planning on humping the hills all day long, I'll carry my .44. I have only ever had to chase a wounded one through the piug tunnels on my hands and knees once. I sure wished I could carry the .44 then!!!

 

[Backcountry]

Too much hassle... too heavy, too inconvenient, etc... I'm as handy with my rifle from 250 yards down to 2 yards. I can't see a situation where a handgun would be a benefit if I also had a rifle handy.

 

[Rancho Loco]

I bring a .44 mag Taurus Tracker loaded with 300 gr. hard casts for crawling into tunnel and beds. It's light enough to not notice on the belt.

 

[Flatbroke]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bobcatman04 @ Mar 14 2007, 12:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Hogs don't "attack" they just want to escape, step to the side and let him escape. follow him to get a clear shot. Better than caring around extra weight.

[/b]

I have seen several hogs charge hunters. Hogs, especially boars, will and do charge you. when I was a kid I shot a hog but did not kill it when we drove up to it the hog charged the pickup and dented it when it rammed it.

I saw a hog charge a friend of mine and flipped him over.

another time We caught a 150 pound sow, with dogs, and were going to release it. my brother-in-law had it by the back legs while we tied up the dogs. when he released the hog the hog made a u-turn and started attacking him. we were in a small creek bed and my bro-in-law tried to grab a branch but it broke. It was a pretty funny sight. the hog was rooting him. In the process of trying to get away his pants slid down to his knees. glad he wasn't hurt.

Another time- My our dogs, which are pretty good by the way were chasing a big boar through a large brush patch. my brother who was about 23 at the time was standing on the other side of the canyon when the hog broke out to his side with the dogs in hot pursuit. the hog saw him and made a turn toward him from about 150 yards away. My brother shot the hog with a 243 rifle as it came closer. the Hog finally died and slid to a stop about 5 feet away from him.

A friend of mine shot a hog with a bow and after waiting he approached cautiously. the hog attacked and he almost died from the injuries sustained to his legs.


Hunting with dogs is a lot of fun but you have to be careful as you make your approach because when the hog sees you he will usually charge you or break and run if it is not caught real good. I no longer run catch dogs mostly due to vet bills incurred with them. we all carry 44 mags pistols. in the brush I like to carry a 44 rifle or 30-30. they are a pain to carry but well worth it for safety sake.


I used to use a 357 mag with hot loads. One time in a canyon I had a hog charge me several times. had to jump out of the way and nearly missed getting hit. the hog finally died on the last shot.



most hogs run but some like to stay and fight. just my 2 cents.

 

[Flatbroke]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (One Track @ Mar 14 2007, 12:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I hear ya. After my first hog hunt, I bought a 44mag. I carried it on a few hunts. Then, I started leaving it in the truck. Just to bulky and heavy to pack around all day. However, I might consider it on a hunt this weekend, with my wife. I'll be bowhunting, without a qualified huntin' buddy to back me up. However, I almost feel better with the Glock 17 9mm, istead of the single action 44mag. Seems I could put ten into a hog real quick with the Glock. Or, I could just piss him off even more. The Glcok is nicer to carry as well.[/b]

I would stick with the 44 mag. you can cock hammer back on the first and place it pretty accurately. I do that with my S&W 44 629. I have shot a deer with a 9mm S&W before hit it several times and it did not do the trick (the deer was moving at a fast walk). the deer was injured from coyotes biting it and I was trying to dispatch it. I finally killed the deer with a shot gun with 00 buck.

 

[larrysogla]

One of the big hogs(approx. 300 lbs.) we hunted in Houston, Texas had a .22LR bullet stuck between the skin and the bone on the bridge of the hog's nose. Whoever shot the hog probably used a .22 LR pistol and the thick hog skin and the thick bone stopped the .22 LR bullet just under the skin. As Rancho Loco said, you want a soft nose(NOT a hollow point, you want penetration NOT expansion, a .44 caliber bullet is already expanded) full power .44Mag. bullet with at least 240 grn. or heavier bullet as insurance that a close quarters shot on a big boar with a thick gristle plate(the thick ligament like armor shield on their shoulders) will penetrate to the vitals.
There is always a chance that a 300+ lb. hog will show up and with a fighting mad attitude to boot. Our Assistant Pastor likes to hunt back in the Philippines and our native wild pigs are small(80 lbs. are normal). Their hunting party cornered an 80 lb. boar and when one of the dog handlers came close, the boar leaped forward and at the same time made a quick slash to the stomach of the man. The man was severely injured. These are wild animals with powerful muscles and sharp tusks. I shoot 'em with boomers with heavy tough construction bullets, so I minimize the chasin' in the hog tunnels part. Never had one get away from me yet. Boomers work. Oh!!! Handguns are just another anchor to drag around all day. Don't want 'um. Too heavy. Just use boomers with heavy tough construction bullets and smash the shoulder bone or shoot the armpit and you should not need a handgun, hopefully. 'Nuff said.

 

[bobcatman04]

All you guys with sidearms just want a gun fight. When was the last time a pig took out a hunter? if you have dogs shoot the pig with a handgun to protect your dogs. or carry a small handgun to finish off a wounded animal, humanly. Oh well just my:two cents:

 

[Duknutz]

Just use the handgun to hunt the hogs with, and leave the rifle at home.I bought a Ruger .480 with a 9 1/2 inch barrell and put a scope on it and it's a blast.Iv'e shot hogs from 14 paces to a hundred with this gun,just bring some good shooting stix's.The 325 gr. hornady bullet does a job on them and the recoil on the 480 is a lot better than the .500 S&W.Good luck and have fun...

 

[Speckmisser]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bobcatman04 @ Mar 14 2007, 06:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

All you guys with sidearms just want a gun fight. When was the last time a pig took out a hunter? if you have dogs shoot the pig with a handgun to protect your dogs. or carry a small handgun to finish off a wounded animal, humanly. Oh well just my:two cents:[/b]

Easy there, Bobcat... that's a pretty big brush you're swinging there. A lot of us don't fit that stereotype...although I'm sure there are some that might.

KS...there are several very good, and rather lengthy threads on this same topic. I won't repeat everything that came from them, but if you'll do a search you'll get a lot of thoughts and opinions.

I carry a .44mag, but I don't mind the weight. I don't carry it to protect myself. I carry it because I like it better than the scoped 30-06 when I'm in the thick stuff, and as some people can attest, I don't mind hunting in the thick stuff.

Give me a good shot inside 50 yards, and I'll probably use the pistol instead of the rifle... but that's just because I like using it and it's proven deadly. I've killed one and missed two with it so far, and have used it to finish off several.

If I'm being charged at close range and without warning, I'm more likely to cap the critter with my rifle rather than dropping the rifle and drawing the pistol. However, I generally approach a downed hog with the pistol in hand. Never know... if you're too close to get out of his way...I've seen what they can do to a dog.

So there's two more cents' worth...

 

[NatureDriven]

Well said SpeckMisser.

When hunting with my .300 WSM I always carry my S&W Model 29 .44 Mag "Mountain Gun" - Short Barrel, not too heavy IMO, and plenty of stopping power. Never leave home with out it. What's a couple extra pounds for a lifetime of life?

When hunting pistol: S&W .460XVR

 

[rke]

Hi there, I don't have as much hunting experience as most of you, but where I hunt hogs up here in No. CA, there are also quite a few mountain lions; I carry a Glock 32, compact 357 sig at all times. To me, those big 44's are just that, BIG. The Glock is light, carries well, and best of all, it has 13 round mags.

 

[Jean]

If I am hunting by myself, I tend to carry a pistol as well as my rifle. It is not a hard and fast rule for me to carry or not. The calibers I carry are 45ACP or 460 Rowland. I can shoot revolvers just fine but a 1911 frame fits my hand better.

Sometimes I just like having another "Piggy Go Nite-Nite" device with me. Can't explain it beyond that.

Jean