Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Pig shoulder shots?

I "killed" a good sized hog with a behind the shoulder shot with a .257 Wby. Knocked him flat. He lay there, "dead" for several minutes, then let out a blood curdling roar, got up and ran into the woods. I'm sure he died.

The impact from that fast bullet stunned him, for sure. When he came to, he was able to run off.

I've never heard a hog make such a racket, it was startling.

I was so intrigued, watching that dead hog run, that I never thought about shooting him again. I was caught off guard, big time.

Dead hogs coming to life can have that effect...

DF

Wow that's crazy Dirtfarmer .

I was looking at TXBoars hunting lights today and they had a couple of video's showing the hogs in the light - when they were shot the guy said -put another bullet in him to make sure .
I think I'll start giving them an extra -just to be sure .

Never thought of shooting a dead hog...

Now, looking back on it...

But a .257 Wby....!

Nothing walks away from one of those..?

Well, sometimes...

DF

LOL, the FLAMES keep ya from scraping the hair.

Now, what smells worse, burned pig hair or a cloud of blue smoke from a charcoal burner...

Sorta bad, either way...

DF

Last year, I shot a 250# hog, behind the shoulder, with a 257 Wby, at 75 yards. He ran into the woods with no obvious ill effect. Only went about 30 yds and piled up. The 120 gr Nosler Partition destroyed his chest cavity, but I was surprised to find the bullet did not exit. That is the first critter I have ever shot with that rifle that the bullet didn't pass through. Hogs is tough!

I hit a big sow behind the shoulder a few years ago at 300 yds. with a 140 VLD from a 6.5-284. The hog didn't seem affected by the hit, went into the woods.

My good bud checked the next day, found her dead about 40 yds. from where she was hit. A big ole boar was lying next to her. He jumped up and my bud killed him. So, two for one...

DF

Here's an exception to the chest shot hog. The Cutting Edge Raptor is designed to frag and the copper frags to a lot of damage. I chest shot this hog just to see and found out, they work pretty well.

Here's the link. http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/10719100/2

I'm still a shoulder/neck/head shooter, but found this interesting.

DF

Shot about the same last week... same distance. 185 berger 308 win... DRT. Big enough exit hole. That was basically just a touch behind the shoulder going in.

Have you ever really looked at the size of the spine and its shape in the neck, vs the round target of the brain area?

And for those big gun guys... I kill most of the pigs I shoot these days at 50 yards and less, in the ear with a 22lr subsonic HP. Haven't had one get up yet in the last years...

Granted I doubt I've shot one more than 225 or 250ish pounds, most have been around 125-150 pounds.

Tomorrow, I'm gonna hog hunt with dogs. These hog dog guys like to catch'em, I like to shoot'em. Will carry my plastic T Bolt .22 WMR with FMJ's just in case I get an opportunity to cap one.

Very light, easy to carry with plenty of hog killing punch. Figure of 8 rotary mag, extra in the stock.

DF

Ol Mike - the Texas Boars red lights work very well - even a night vision scope seems to "see" better with the red light than an IR enhancer - at least the cheap ones do. With any decent (optical) scope it is pretty easy to see your target in the red light, and it doesn't spook the hogs like a bright white light.

Dirt Farmer - .22 mag is a little light for much hog hunting, but probably a good choice with dogs. Too many times a .44 mag will go through the hog and kill or injure dogs. O course, most of the dog guys now want to just use a knife. (Not me!)

Mike

Mike,

This isn't my main hog gun. But for handy, light packing, it's good. I've killed and have seen killed numerous hogs with a .17 HMR using FMJ's. You gotta hit'em right, but it's amazing what that little round will do.

My .17 HMR is a serious rifle, an Annie 1717. My buddy's .17 HMR is a plastic Salvage that we use on hogs. I'll take this plastic T bolt places where Annie shouldn't go...

I just sighted it in using a makeshift bench, an aluminum patio table. The W/W 40 gr. FMJ, grouped slightly under 2" at 75 yds. The Fed 40 gr. FMJ grouped .8", so no surprise which ammo I'm using.

With (2) 10 shot mags, one in the gun, one in the butt stock, I'm ready to declare hog jihad...




If it was my show, my dogs, I'd be packing my Ruger SBH, line bored by Jim Stroh to .45 Colt, shooting Penn Bullet's Thunderhead 270's. Those things will whack a hog with authority. Loaded to reasonable speeds, not trying to turn the .45 Colt into a .454 Casull, I don't think they'd blow thru a hog like a .44 Mag. Placed right, they'd kill a hog just as quick/just as dead.

Thunderheads don't cycle thru my .45 Colt Marlin Cowboy (posted earlier) as slick as 300's. They cycle with a slight crunch and light resistance; they'd work in a pinch.

I heard a rumor that gunner likes this bullet, so what can I say...

DF



DF

I have just started trying to use an Optima .50 muzzle loader. With 360 gr .45 hard cast, it gives me 1378 fps, which should be all I need to flatten a big hog. I know my suppressed .44 mag Contender with 335 gr hard cast will - have shot through 2 hogs a couple of times and not found the bullet!

Mike

Yes, that bullet is a very good killer DF, wont penetrate like a heavy LBT type hardcast but the audible slap when the bullet hits home is very enlightening.

IIRC I have hit two each on doe and pigs, I now load that bullet in my SAA 45 Colt with Sharpsguys Black Powder lube over 40 grs off 3F, velocity is 941 fps and more than enough for any deer or pig within my 50 yard max handgun range.

That being said, and what was stated earlier about the LBT's, I haven't recovered one of these on the animals I've shot with them.

Gunner, I was following you until you flipped to the dark side, charcoal burning, nasty smoke and such.

You one of those guys who think smokeless is a passing fad, won't stand the test of time...?

DF

Im wondering why a HP 44mag wouldnt be a great hog bullet. Years ago i used them out of my Ruger semiauto in the woods. The bullets didnt exit.

DF, im wondering why you would use 22 mag fmjs. Wouldnt a soft point get to the brain or spine and make a good hole through the lungs. Ive killed several with it and ear shots.

A .44 mag slug exiting a hog would depend on bullet, velocity, distance, where hit and the size of the hog. I was going with the poster discussing bullet exit. I posted that the Penn Thunderhead at .45 Colt speeds isn't likely to exit, posing danger to dogs, etc. down range from the target critter.

FMJ's in the .17 HMR and .22 WMR seem to work well. Feral hogs can be tough targets. A .22 short or .22 LR behind the ear has historically been successful at hog killing time on the farm. Feral hogs aren't generally that cooperative. I don't trust varmint bullets on big, tough critters.

These rim fires aren't my first choice for hogs, but the can work under certain circumstances. They make great knock around guns, can perform in a pinch with the right ammo.

DF

Isn't it interesting folks have different takes. Of course when rimfire hunting, I don't care if they walk off or not. No big deal and I have the patience to get close enough or wait for the right shot.

OTOH if I HAVE to kill one for whatever reason, I'd probably at least use a 223 or 243 with a good bullet. If i had to take ANY shot presented, then I"d probably take even more gun.