Shotgun for hogs?

K

kjm

New member
I'm going hog hunting this weekend to our ranch. I have two friends also going. One doesn't know much about hunting, and I don't have just a whole lotta time to go over the intricacies of riflery. I was thinking since most shots are well under 50 yards, and many are less than 25, maybe he could use a 12 gage. If this is feasible, then I need to know whether 00 buck or rifled magnum slugs would be better for dropping the piggies.

This may be the first hunt that my wife will tag along and take photos so maybe we can post them here if we're lucky.
 
I'd use slugs if no other reason they will give a bit of a range advantage. We've had poor results with 00 buck on hogs at any range. On the other hand we've had real good luck on hogs with slugs. Puts them to ground real quick.
 
Your best eatin' hogs will be no more than knee-high at the shoulder. Roughly, under 100 pounds, and maybe 60 or less. On them, 000 might well be okay.

Those "great ol', big ol' hogs" will pretty well shrug off 00 or 000 except at point-blank I'm-in-trouble range.

All in all, slugs oughta be better.

Art
 
Hello kjm,

I hunt hogs in the Kerrville area and most are around the 100lbs mark. I use a 44Mag but I'd certainly entertain 12ga buck shot if it patterned well. May I suggest a weighted load, 2 buckshot then 2 slugs, in case they get really close or their parents turn up!

Still, they do taste nice!

Regards,

UK2TX
 
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I took a 200 lb. sow with Breneke slugs a few years ago and they were great for the job. The slug plowed right through and left a BIG hole! You don't need 3" magnums though. The 2 3/4" Brenekes have ample power for hogs unless you will be shooting at them from extended range for shotguns.
 
and I don't have just a whole lotta time to go over the intricacies of riflery.
Click to expand...
Are we thinkin of using shotgun because it doesn't require precise aiming like a rifle ????

If so, I disagree with the premise. Precise placement of the shot is required with either weapon. Shotgun probably harder to shoot accurately than a rifle.

Well placed slug is a deadly game getter....but it does have to be well placed, just as in any weapon.

Whatever y'all gonna use, good idea to sight in/pattern em before you go....with the ammo you are going to use on the hunt.

Sam
 
I'm with Sam on this one. Adrenakine inducing moments are not the time and place to have a rookie with a weapon he/she/it isn't familiar with.

And, Brenneke slugs are about the last choice of ammo I'd pick for breaking in a rookie shotgunner.
 
I chose a shotgun because it is the weapon he's used on many occasions for birds. He just has very little experience with a rife. I know he's familiar with the destructive power of weapons and the function of the particular shotgun he'll use. The only real work I'll have to do is to let him shoot a bit with slugs at an old washing machine so he understands slugs.

Riflery is much more complex and if he wants to kill anything, he should use a weapon he's at least familiar with. The slugs might be a change, but any hogs he sees and can shoot should be very well within range of the shotgun. I have a specific group of hogs that I'm targeting. There are four sows all of which are 150lbs+, and four shoats that we know of for sure (all one group). They've become somewhat predictable, so I want to irradicate the entire group. I'm even fairly confident that I can assign animals on this trip. Shotgunner and myself will take the bigguns (shotplacement isn't as important as we won't be eating them), and my wife will collect meat for the table by making headshots on the littluns.
 
Do everyone a favor & have him shoot at a specific aiming point, not just "at a washing machine." Nothing else, take a majic marker & "paint" a few 1" dots on it first.

& if he's gonna be shooting slugs, he might as well be using a rifle = single projectile.

Shot placement IS parmount or just as well not bother.

Aim small, miss small.
 
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