Are ear shots ideal for hogs?

[03Shadowbob]

I shoot them in the neck. DRT.

 

[Keg]

The author is trying to help out deer hunters under the auspices that a hog's anatomy is significantly different from that of a deer and so deer hunters who hunt hogs in the off season are losing hogs because their shots that would have worked well for deer won't work well for hog.

My SIL's buck from last season...U can see the entrance..About same place for exit on the other side....It took out both lungs and top of the heart....I learned the hard way not to put it here on a large hog....

 

[thallub]

i sometimes shoot big hogs in the ear or behind the ear; usually while hunting with a .22 magnum in small game season. Ear shot hogs often do not bleed out. IMO: Bloody hog meat ain't so tasty.

 

[Flintknapper]

DNS wrote:

It does work well, but isn't where the brain stem connects with the spinal chord. Directly behind the ear puts you either in neck muscle or hitting the occiptal

DNS the following is not for your benefit, I know you know your hog anatomy (its your business after all), but for others less familiar.


Exactly right…and that is the “area” I always seek to hit (where possible).

I don’t have anything against “head shots” PROVIDED you are good marksman, the animal is relatively still and the angle is reasonable.

But, if I have a choice…I always take a neck shot. However, what I mean by “neck shot” is shot placement designed to hit (or nearly hit) the Occipital, Axis or Atlas.

In the picture below the simulated cross-hairs would be about right (for the head position of this hog).

If the shot should land a bit farther back….I would still connect with the Cervical Vertebrae, but you have to be careful not to shoot too high on the neck.

All too often a hog hit in such a manner will drop, only to get back up and run off. The reason of course…is that the spinal cord itself was not hit (usually just a dorsal spine).

My advice is to take a neck shot anytime the circumstance permits, it’s a highly effective shot and allows a bit more room for error than your typical head shot (ear canal).

 

[603Country]

Mostly I shoot em in the lungs and that works just fine at any range with my 260. With my 223 however, you need the right bullet if you lung shoot em. Before I switched to the 65 gr Sierra GK, I used mostly the 55 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip and that really isn't a great bullet for pig blasting. I had a big one quartering away from me at a medium trot at about 100 yards and I had the Ballistic Tips in the rifle. Well...not the time for a lung shot, but I had an angle shot available right behind the ear. I guess I sent it about an inch high, because there was this big cloud of vapor above his head. No, not the red mist, but more the mud and pig bristle mist. He didn't speed up or slow down at bullet impact. He just kept trotting. That's when I switched bullets. Later, I switched calibers. I was seeing pigs from 60 to 400 yards and the 223 just didn't have enough horsepower to anchor the big ones. The 260 does. So yes, the ear shots are fine, but I think the lung shots allow more margin for error.

 

[tws92E05]

I usually have a couple different rifles in the stand with me. If all the hogs that come out are small I will usually use my 204 Ruger and I always take ears shots. I haven't had one take a step with the biggest being about 100 pounds. If I have bigger pigs out I use my 270 and I try to take a shoulder shots and line up another pigs head for the exit. I ended up killing three doubles and one triple last year. Its not real hard here in Texas when you have 20 or 30 coming out at a time.

I got a new 50 cal muzzle loader at the end of the season last year and have been mainly hunting with that and having alot of fun. I have killed a couple hogs but have only taken shoulder shots but since it is so accurate I do believe I will put a few in the ear hole.

 

[rickyrick]

Interestingly, I was Thumbing through the hunting regulations and a pellet gun is a legal weapon for hogs. It even specifically states pellet rifle.

 

[jstgsn]

I'm surprised.

I would have thought that the proper shot would be the chest, hoping for lungs and heart, but based on shooting at center mass instead of the head or neck. True I don't know much about pigs, but if they are anything like other animals, the head and neck move around, looking for threats or food. I can see the ear or neck shots to finish them off, but thought the chest shot was the most ethical and offered a higher percentage of kill shots. Guess it's from practicing on shooting people and deer all my life.

 

[Flintknapper]

rickyrick wrote:

Interestingly, I was Thumbing through the hunting regulations and a pellet gun is a legal weapon for hogs. It even specifically states pellet rifle.

Since hogs are classified as "exotics" in Texas nearly any means are legal to take them (I.E. any legal rifle, Pistol, Bow, Knife, Spear, snares,Helicopters,Rocks, Pipe wrenches, what have you). They can be hunted at night with the aid of lights (private property) there is no bag limit or season (hunt them anytime, as many as you like).

If you can kill one with a pellet rifle, sling shot, blow gun or with your bare hands...the State of Texas doesn't care...and encourages land owners to reduce the number of Feral Hogs.

 

[MLeake]

RE: Center mass and hogs

This link from about.com has a cross section diagram of a hog's vitals. http://hunting.about.com/od/deerbiggame/a/wheretoshoothog.htm

Center mass is actually aft of the liver.

Note how low the heart is, below and just behind the shoulder. Hogs also have a lot of hard cartilage around the shoulder.

Good odds a bullet will have to go through upper leg bone, and possibly rib bone and / or shoulder cartilage, depending on angle.

I've seen hogs run a good distance after a "center mass" hit from a 12ga slug.

Vitals on deer are arrayed somewhat differently. http://wildgameprocessing.tripod.com/deeranatomy.html

 

[Flintknapper]

I would have thought that the proper shot would be the chest, hoping for lungs and heart, but based on shooting at center mass instead of the head or neck.

Its a viable shot and depending upon circumstance might be the best thing to do. But experienced hog hunters will often target the neck in order to anchor the animal on the spot.

True I don't know much about pigs, but if they are anything like other animals, the head and neck move around, looking for threats or food.

The head can move around quite a bit (mostly up and down when feeding) and is capable of articulating on the Atlas and Axis, BUT for the most part hogs tend to move their heads laterally....very little.

It has to do with their field of vision which is something on the order of 270° or better. Additionally, their tendency is to turn (the entire body) to face anything they perceive to be a threat or want to investigate.

As a result...the neck (besides the Atlas and Axis moves very little...so makes a good target (the larger the hog the better).

I can see the ear or neck shots to finish them off, but thought the chest shot was the most ethical and offered a higher percentage of kill shots.

The thoracic region...as you would expect, does make the largest target...so depending upon the shooters level of accuracy (and other factors) it might be a good place to aim, but it is by no means the "best" place IMO.

If you do choose to take that shot, remember to aim no farther back than the middle of the shoulder. The classic "behind the shoulder" shot that is appropriate for (most) ungulates, does not work as well on hogs. The vitals are situated somewhat differently.

 

[Flintknapper]

This link from about.com has a cross section diagram of a hog's vitals.

In the link provided the rendering of the hog is anatomically incorrect in a number of ways. BUT, the central point....(aim closer to the shoulder) IS a valid point.

Thank you for helping to point that out. The reputation of wild/feral hogs for being "tough" is largely undeserved and is owing in no small part to poor shot placement (read too far back).

While those shots ultimately kill the animal, more often than not, the hog will run a long distance or require several "follow up" shots (usually similarly placed). The hunter is then left thinking "man these things can really soak up the lead"!

Any reasonable bullet/cartridge combo accurately placed in the neck will drop almost any hog....almost every time. IF circumstance permits, take that shot.

 

[rickyrick]

Did yall mean like this?

 

[Saltydog235]

If I thought a pig woudl get gangrene and die I'd shoot one in the butt with a Red Ryder. Dang vermin is what they are.

 

[rickyrick]

Exactly

 

[Double Naught Spy]

This link from about.com has a cross section diagram of a hog's vitals.

In the link provided the rendering of the hog is anatomically incorrect in a number of ways...

Specifically Mleake, go back and look at post 17 in this thread. Note that the images is to help teach deer hunters about hog anatomy, but the guy got so much wrong that I would not trust it for correctly displaying anything.