Planning a hog hunt
- Thread starter jakeLC
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. Just wondering if you guys had any suggestions.ammo.crafter
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Geographically speaking, where will you be huntimg?
What is the average size hog usually taken?
What is the average distance for your first shot?
Will you be in open areas or more or less wooded areas?
Geographically speaking, where will you be huntimg?
What is the average size hog usually taken?
What is the average distance for your first shot?
Will you be in open areas or more or less wooded areas?
I've been hunting hogs for many years and I have yet to see a hog that would not go down with a good hit from 223/5.56. On the other hand, I have never seen a hog go down with a bad hit from a 375 H&H. You just gotta hit the right spot. I have put down plenty of hogs using handguns in 45ACP and 357 Mag. caliber.
If you have never hunted hogs before I suggest you do some homework and study the hog anatomy as it is different from deers. A lot of people say hogs are tough to put down but IMHO it is no more difficult than a deer of similar size. I believe hog's reputation came from people shooting them in the wrong parts of the body. Hogs heart and lungs sit much lower and forward than on a deer. That perfect deer shot behind the front leg when taken on a hog is too high and too far back. With hogs you want to shoot lower and further forward in the chest. I personally shoot them in the neck as it is large target and very effective in dropping them quickly... it also minimize meat loss.
To answer your question, yes you can drop good size hogs with rifles in 45LC or 223 if you hit them in the right spot.
If you have never hunted hogs before I suggest you do some homework and study the hog anatomy as it is different from deers. A lot of people say hogs are tough to put down but IMHO it is no more difficult than a deer of similar size. I believe hog's reputation came from people shooting them in the wrong parts of the body. Hogs heart and lungs sit much lower and forward than on a deer. That perfect deer shot behind the front leg when taken on a hog is too high and too far back. With hogs you want to shoot lower and further forward in the chest. I personally shoot them in the neck as it is large target and very effective in dropping them quickly... it also minimize meat loss.
To answer your question, yes you can drop good size hogs with rifles in 45LC or 223 if you hit them in the right spot.
Lee McNelly
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ammo.crafter
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Like 1tfl said, if you never hog hunted before, use something substaintial. Me, I use a .444 Marlin at 290gr. They go down and stay down.
Like 1tfl said, if you never hog hunted before, use something substaintial. Me, I use a .444 Marlin at 290gr. They go down and stay down.
BigBadPigg
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If you take a head shot either gun will work wonderfully!
theyallhurt
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I'm going on my first boar hunt this year as well. Pretty much every seasoned boar guide/hunter told me the 45-70 will definitely drop 'em; that's their preferred caliber it seems. They do stress that, like 1tfl said, its all in knowing the game and good shot placement...basic hunting 101.
Double Naught Spy
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If you aren't trying to clip the rear edge of the lungs with your shot and instead are trying to put a round through the middle of the lungs or the heart, you will be fine.
Skull anatomy is very different and volumetrically the brain is smaller on a pig than a deer given the size of the animal and size of the head. So a lot of folks aim for the base of the ear, about an inch below, inch below and slighty forward, or slighty backward. Those are all fine shots. People like neck shots as well.
I love my .45-70 but have taken more hogs with .223/5.56. Most of the hogs taken with the smaller caliber have be via CNS damage. The nice thing about such shots is that the hog does not run and the meat usually isn't damaged.
If you are shooting at 50 yards or so, there should be no reason you can't make good head shots on the hogs with the .223 or the .45.
Shootem like this.
This youngish boar was moved into the light for photo, but it is a good example for instant incapacitation by a .223.
The side shown is also the exit wound, the other side the pig was slightly quartered away, so the shot was slightly higher and further back...maybe 45 deg from the ear. I show this picture because it shows a wound better than most pictures that I have taken.
50 yards, 55gr jhp, I don't recall the brand. I haven't used it again because it made an exit.
As you can see the neck is a pretty large target. If the animal is positioned correctly, it is an easy shot to make.
I believe the pigs fall so quickly due to hydrostatic effects, not necessarily wound diameter.
This youngish boar was moved into the light for photo, but it is a good example for instant incapacitation by a .223.
The side shown is also the exit wound, the other side the pig was slightly quartered away, so the shot was slightly higher and further back...maybe 45 deg from the ear. I show this picture because it shows a wound better than most pictures that I have taken.
50 yards, 55gr jhp, I don't recall the brand. I haven't used it again because it made an exit.
As you can see the neck is a pretty large target. If the animal is positioned correctly, it is an easy shot to make.
I believe the pigs fall so quickly due to hydrostatic effects, not necessarily wound diameter.
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