I thought I'd report back after the hog hunt and report my findings.
When we last debated the subject I was using 30-06 to shoot hogs and finding little success. The hogs would run for long distances and were almost impossible to find or retrieve. I switched to magnum buckshot (#1 Buck) and changed tactics. I built a quasi-deer-stand over their wallow, and sat quietly for about two hours.
The hogs appeared. I ran through all 5 shots and ended up with 4 kills and a maybe. The distance was about 20 yards and one of the shots was on a boar that weighed approx 300 lbs. He ran 30 yards and died (buckshot hit with his neck and shoulder), and the rest made it about 5 or 10 yards and dropped nicely. BUCKSHOT WORKS! I just wish I had more ammo capacity with my 870 or I would have been able to drop 2 or 3 more pigs.
I gave the big boar away to friends who processed the carcass and bbq'd him the next day (that musta tasted aweful). I kept the smaller pigs which was nice since they all weighed under 60 lbs. I'm roasting one now as I write this and the house smells awesome!
I'm about to swear off the whitetail since you go through twice the trouble (and $) for half the meat, and start hunting hogs exclusively (I am strictly a meat hunter). I think the hogs now outnumber the deer anyways at our ranch and the pastures show it. I am simply amazed at the return on meat on even a small hog compared with a whitetail. I couldn't work fast enough to cut them all up (that's why I gave the bigun away).
Anyhow, the hunt was successful, the after hunt fishin' was great, and the meat tastes mighty good.
When we last debated the subject I was using 30-06 to shoot hogs and finding little success. The hogs would run for long distances and were almost impossible to find or retrieve. I switched to magnum buckshot (#1 Buck) and changed tactics. I built a quasi-deer-stand over their wallow, and sat quietly for about two hours.
The hogs appeared. I ran through all 5 shots and ended up with 4 kills and a maybe. The distance was about 20 yards and one of the shots was on a boar that weighed approx 300 lbs. He ran 30 yards and died (buckshot hit with his neck and shoulder), and the rest made it about 5 or 10 yards and dropped nicely. BUCKSHOT WORKS! I just wish I had more ammo capacity with my 870 or I would have been able to drop 2 or 3 more pigs.
I gave the big boar away to friends who processed the carcass and bbq'd him the next day (that musta tasted aweful). I kept the smaller pigs which was nice since they all weighed under 60 lbs. I'm roasting one now as I write this and the house smells awesome!
I'm about to swear off the whitetail since you go through twice the trouble (and $) for half the meat, and start hunting hogs exclusively (I am strictly a meat hunter). I think the hogs now outnumber the deer anyways at our ranch and the pastures show it. I am simply amazed at the return on meat on even a small hog compared with a whitetail. I couldn't work fast enough to cut them all up (that's why I gave the bigun away).
Anyhow, the hunt was successful, the after hunt fishin' was great, and the meat tastes mighty good.
!