Hog Hunting

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He hit that boar on the top of the scapula. Even without the shield, the scapula would have likely stopped the arrow.
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Right, even deer hunters have this problem.
http://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/b...whitetail-wisdom/bowhuntings-worst-curse-word
http://www.outdoorlife.com/node/45330

Yeah, that video is misrepresentative. That arrow did hit the scapula, backed up by the ribs and vertebrae right there. To claim that it was all shield is just bogus. Shield can and does cause some problems, but more often than not, such problems are the result of hunter issues and not performance issues, such as claims of rounds bouncing off various parts of the hog when in fact they are missed shots or bad shots.

Reminds me of this video where the claim is made that shots are bouncing off the head and the guy is just missing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI0l29YGA-c

This guy does an interesting and flawed test, shooting two arrows through and claiming the heavier did better after the scapula was broken up by the previous arrow, though I don't doubt the heavier arrow would have done better regardless of location.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfpzDYogmnM
 
We all go by our own personal experience and this is what informs our opinions to others on this forum. I would consider myself to be an experienced hog hunter in California's somewhat different hunting environment. More open country; longer shots sometimes and more hilly than the Texas hog country. I've killed hogs with everything from a bow to a muzzleloader, 45/70, .243, 22-250, 7mm mag, 30-06, .300 win mag etc. to the tune of hundreds of hogs. So I feel qualified to offer a couple of general observations.

The fighting plate will deflect lightly constructed bullets. Seen it and am a believer. Monolithic solids like the Barnes, or bonded core bullets like the Accubond are a great choice IN SMALLER CALIBERS (.30 cal or less). A head shot is risky for two reasons: one is that hogs don't turn their heads like deer. They turn their whole body instead which can make for pretty abrupt movements of the head. That can mean the difference between screwing it in their ear or bouncing it off their noggin. Again; seen it happen using enough gun and bullet. I have pictures of a big hog (208 lbs. gutted) shot angling into the plate using a 7mm mag/160 gr. Accubond which bounced off and then struck it behind the ear bouncing off again. The shot was at perhaps 50 yards.

Also; wounds to hogs tend to close up that on deer would bleed copiously, particularly smaller caliber wounds. The hide/fat closes the wound and there can often be no blood trail to speak of. I've broken both upper leg bones on a big hog; shot clean through and they've still taken off at 30 mph! Mostly 'though, it's one shot and the lights are out. My advice is to be prepared for the LARGEST hog you are likely to run into. Put it in the pocket behind the leg and make sure your skinning knife is sharp.

Oh yeah: invariably a wounded hog is headed for the thickest, nastiest piece of real estate around once he's hit.
 
The shield is not a big deal. The stuff is not hard nor IMO is it the result of fighting. i have put 240 grain and 250 grain saboted muzzle loader bullets through both "shields"of several boars that weighed over 300 pounds.

This hog was hit with a 250 grain SST bullet from my .50 muzzleloader. Striking velocity was around 1,700 fps. That hog measured over 19 inches through the shoulders. The bullet went through both shields and was under the skin on the far side. The hog was field dressed and skinned. The coyotes ate the 1 1/4" inch thick shields.



A good discussion of the shield:

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-572323.html&&
 
Hogs in SC typically inhabit some nasty, thick briars and thickets. They have some serious shields on those shoulders and can be tough hombres. If I'm sitting in a stand waiting on them to come to the corn, I just use a .243, 7mm08 or .308 and put it in the ear. Dead hog.

There have been numerous occasions where that wasn't possible. I shot a big 400lb boar 4 or 5 years ago with a 30'06 and 165grn BT at 65yds. He died but there was no exit and I didn't go looking for him until the next day. Ditch meat that took the buzzards and coyotes 2 weeks to decide to eat.

This one was killed Saturday with catch dogs and a knife. I didn't stick it, just drub it out through the briars. His shields were 1.75 - 2" thick. He cut up two dogs and had two other boars his size with him plus a sow. This one went 218 on the scale.

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Shot this one two years ago on the next to last day of deer season. He was 110yds and wouldn't keep his head still for the noggin shot. I popped him in the shoulder at the spine. The 165grn BT from my .308 penetrated the shield and clipped his spine enough to do him in. His shields were 2-2.5" thick. A fellow wanted him and in dressing him we found 7 or 8 00 pellets and 2 .243 slugs in his hide. The 165 grn bullet was just on the far side of his spine. He weighed 253 on the camp scale, a warrior for sure.

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The hide on these critters is a direct product of their environment. Take enough gun to do the job. However, if you get a chance to hunt with the dogs and knives, do it, it is a rush. Just do a little conditioning first and bring some clothes for those briars, they'll turn you into hamburger if you don't.
 
Keg, in that video it was not just the shield that stopped the arrow. He hit that boar on the top of the scapula. Even without the shield, the scapula would have likely stopped the arrow. A proper shot into the vitals would have penetrated MUCH deeper.
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I agree....I was just trying to find a video that would show how much tougher a big boar pig is compared to a whitetail....

A good discussion of the shield:

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/i...-572323.html&&
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I did enjoy reading this discussion....
 
The shield on a boar hog is not from fighting.

If you castrate a boar hog, the shield will slowly go away, the shield is caused by hormones in the hog.

Contact the outfitter you are going with and ask him what you asked here. He knows what works the best where he hunts.

Have your read on www.texasboars.com? Go there and read about the anatomy of hogs, it's different than deer.

I shoot a lot of hogs with a .222 as that is what I carry for a truck gun. Some consider the .222 a bit light.

If you watch hogs, they constantly moving, they do not stand around as deer do. Body shots work much better.
 
I went ahead and called the outfitter last eve. Here is what I found out. He said the area that they hunt hogs is swampy and has los of thick underbrush. So they tell people to shoot them right behind the ear, so they drop immediately. I can see his point. If I were an outfitter, I suppose I wouldn't want to be crawling through the brush trying to find a hog either!
 
I understand that. My son shot one that went in to the palmettos. If I had been packing a handgun, I would have went in after it. No way I was going on foot into waist high cover with a scoped rifle looking for a wounded hog. Bottom line, Jevyod, carry what you are most confident with. I'm sure that any rifle you have will take a hog. Been a lot of whitetail killed with .22lr in PA over the years. Hell, I had a gun shop owner tell me that a .22 won't kill a coyote, as he was looking a the 55 pound male on the tailgate of my truck. 75 yard head shot with a Norinco JW-15 in 22lr. So, enjoy your hunt. Kill as many as you can and bring back lots of fresh pork.
 
I went ahead and called the outfitter last eve. Here is what I found out. He said the area that they hunt hogs is swampy and has los of thick underbrush. So they tell people to shoot them right behind the ear, so they drop immediately. I can see his point. If I were an outfitter, I suppose I wouldn't want to be crawling through the brush trying to find a hog either!
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What county are you going to be hunting in?

As for the boar losing his shields if castrated, I've killed sows with calloused "shields" on them that were 1 - 1.75" thick in the state the OP is going to be hunting in. These pigs around here inhabit areas that are so thick visibility is measured in feet. Some areas you have to get on your hands and knees to get through or back out and find another way.

That said, they aren't bulletproof if you put the round where it is supposed to go. My .243 is my go to rifle for pigs when in a stand. I'm looking forward to putting an arrow in one too, just not in the shoulder area.
 
As for the boar losing his shields if castrated, I've killed sows with calloused "shields" on them that were 1 - 1.75" thick in the state the OP is going to be hunting in.




You have some new information that the experts at Texas A&M have not been able to document. You should really document your findings and send them some pictures along with tissue samples to them.

Contact Texas A&M at Overton, TX with your findings, they will be excited at your new biological findings in female feral hogs. They will really be interested in cross gender hormonal genetics between male and female feral hogs.

Let us know what they have to say about the new break through of your knowledge. Can't wait to hear about it.

Dr. H. will be your primary person to contact.
 
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Well you are going in my stomping grounds. I lived in Hampton County until I joined the Navy. There are several good outfitters in that area and a couple of the guys I grew up with are guides and Grand American Coon breeders. For the areas you'll be in, carry the 35rem. I killed a trapped hog a couple weeks ago that went over 500lbs with a 30-30 with no issue. But do study the anotomy of hogs since they are different than a deer or such. Which outfit are you going with?
 
I am going with Terry from Blackwater Hunting Services. You know the guy? I met him at the Great Outdoor Show and then spoke with him on the phone. He seems like a great guy.
 
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You have some new information that the experts at Texas A&M have not been able to document. You should really document your findings and send them some pictures along with tissue samples to them.

Contact Texas A&M at Overton, TX with your findings, they will be excited at your new biological findings in female feral hogs. They will really be interested in cross gender hormonal genetics between male and female feral hogs.

Let us know what they have to say about the new break through of your knowledge. Can't wait to hear about it.

Dr. H. will be your primary person to contact.
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Cool, tell them to head on over.

Funny you should mention T A&M, I had a professor in a college biology class tell us that cottonmouths didn't inhabit the state either, his degrees were from that school too. Didn't take long to prove him wrong. Maybe I should ask them about our alligator problem while I'm at it, same prof said we didn't have them either. Oh and tarpon and mantees, we don't ever see either of those, except we do.

Your Tejas brush country environment is completely different than this one is. Yes, you have thickets and dense brush, we have place that are so thick if your dog spends enough time in there it'll grow callouses on its shoulders.

Next big old sow we kill like that I'll put some pics up for you though.
 
As for the boar losing his shields if castrated, I've killed sows with calloused "shields" on them that were 1 - 1.75" thick in the state the OP is going to be hunting in.
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I'd like to see pictures of this as well. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof.

Of course, the shields are not callouses and mixing the terminology does nothing but promote confusion.
 
I'd like to see pictures of this as well. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof.

Of course, the shields are not callouses and mixing the terminology does nothing but promote confusion.
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Be glad to as soon as we get a big old sow with them. You aren't going to see it on those 120-180 pigs but the big ones yes you will.
 
Oklahoma has some well armored hogs. This sow had a shield of fat all over her body. Some of it came off with the skin. :D

 
Here's an example of a hog with a 1 1/2 inch plate. This will stop an arrow. The hog was shot with a .50 caliber muzzleloader at about 40 yards and he dropped in his tracks. Gutted out at 208 lbs.

Use enough gun.
 

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