Feral hogs again

[John in CA.]

Almost dark, and walking back to the truck, I saw 6 more hogs had come out of the hills, and into the pasture at dusk. I lined one up at 180 yards, and this time, took my coyote loads out of the Roberts, and slid in three rounds of Sierra 117 BTHP's, and took dead aim on a nice 200 lb sow.

That bullet, traveling at 2960 fps makes a heckuva Thump when it hits the body! Down she went, instantly. A few seconds later, an even bigger boar, a nice black Russian with razorback features lunged out of the ditch behind her, and walked in circles around her. She still layed motionless. But then came the young piglets, 4 of them, in all colors, red, mottled gray, and black, to investigate. I had no more tags, so watched thru the glasses. The family began to nuzzle and tug on her, and she wiggled once, but never lifted her head or stood up. I allowed 5 to 7 minutes or more, and was sure she was not going anywhere.

It got too dark to see, so I walked the mile back to the pickup truck. But when I drove back, only a puddle of blood on the ground and some hair stuck in it. I did look around up the hillside a good 400 yards in every direction, but this is open ground, and I didnt see anything before the spotlight ran low on juice after a half hour of use.

This is only 18 miles from home, so Ill be back out there in the morning, looking. She has to be somewhere on that hillside, Im thinking, as that is where the others headed in the dark.

It figures, you kill 5 at longer ranges with light varmint bullets, but when you use the correct bullet, and get closer............this happens. Oh well.

[Clint M]

They say hogs can be real tough to kill. I have never killed one myself, but maybe soon. They are pretty common in South GA from what I hear, a buddy of mine invited me to go help land owner with some.. I have a 348 win, and a 7mm wsm, from the big open fields I have seen in South GA I will prob choose my 7mm wsm, but I sure would like to try my 348 out on one as well.

Keep us updated

Clint

[John in CA.]

Yes they do have a reputation for being tough kills Clint.

I thought about just walking up to her, but if they dont move for that long, chances are they are mortally wounded . Hope to find her in the area. Should be a decent blood trail, and the rancher offered me his black lab to track her if needed.

will follow up on the thread later.

[Oleman]

John

With the weather you won't have to worry about spoilage but she may be breakfast before you get there.

[Mortis]

With the rifle you are using and it's accuracy that you have built into it..... go for a head shot. Right in the ear works.

The front shoulder is in a sense, armored. Thick layer of cartilage protects the vital organs, so that requires something with major penetration.

I hit a hog last spring from across a creek. About a 90 yard shot with my 336Marlin in 35Rem. Hog went down, layed there for a minute or so, got back up and limped into the underbrush. And it was complaining to anyone that could hear it about being shot. Noisey buggers.

When it got up it only gave me a tailgate shot. I'm shooting Ghost Ring sights and that narrow a shot at that distance was not a real good option.

Here and from the ranchers I've talked too in Texas, concern is thinning the population. A hit is nearly as good as a kill. It will die. Coyotes and other hogs will eat it. Maybe not in the clean manner we hunters were taught from the cradle, but they will die and that is what is important to the environment.

I still have a ham in the freezer. Me thinks once this ice is gone, break out the smoker and enjoy some meat.:)

BTW... you mentioned tags. You have to buy Hog Tags out in your neck of the woods? Here it's 24/7, no tags needed, just obey the regulations in force for the season you are hunting in. One silly law is No Spotlighting, but you can get a permit for that at no cost.

Guess I'd best be getting about and get my Ice tired rear to work.

Ya'll have a good day........:D

[John in CA.]

John

With the weather you won't have to worry about spoilage but she may be breakfast before you get there.

Yes, I agree, Oleman. May have fed all the coyotes in the area by now:)

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Oh, and yep Mortis, state used to sell 4 or 5 tags for $9.00, but after they let the deer herd get overhunted and over eaten by the protected mountain lion, hunters turned to pigs for sport hunting in droves, the state saw this trend, and levied a $16.00 fee PER tag now. You can buy as many as you want, but at that price. :rolleyes:

But any more will either be will be in the noggin, or with the .308 and 180 grainers.


Better get rollin' its 6am

[Mike in Fresno]

Ive shot 3 with my 257W and 2 dropped like yours did and didnt move again, one ran 50yds. The other one I shot Donnie hit it with his gun at 35yds and then I shot at the same. It charged at us and I shot again and hit its jaw, went past me and I shot it again and it dropped. So they are much like other animals in that you just never know. My dad always used big 30 cal and they ran off more than my 257. I wouldnt be afraid to use the Roberts John,some just dont die right away.

[Dr. Bubba]

took my coyote loads out of the Roberts, and slid in three rounds of Sierra 117 BTHP's, and took dead aim on a nice 200 lb sow.

That bullet, traveling at 2960 fps makes a heckuva Thump when it hits the

Hey John,

That is the way to do it. The 117gr at about that speed is my deer/hog load.
Though I have not used it in years.

Too bad that the ranchers cannot give you a depredation tags so that you do not have to pay for them. Too bad for the ranchers too.

BTW could you do a double check on your bullet .... the HP part is what throw me off. Last I check Sierra only made SPBT and SP in 117gr. They have had 100gr and 120gr BTHP though? Just curious.

Nice job. And great headsup for having alternative loads ready to go.

DB

[Bruce Eakins]

after good hits with a 308 and 260's, and drop down dead with some of the most unlikely calibers. Two that come to mind are one with wife's snub nose 38 special (DRT), and one with a 400 yard shot with a 6.5 TCU (95 grain VMax) that was DRT. Go Figure...... and then there was 3 with one shot from a 6.5 STW at about 30 yards...all DRT......LOL, and there were 3 witnesses, or I couldn't tell that one.:eek: :eek: :eek:

[John in CA.]

What the coyotes left of her, anyways :)

She was 600 yards further west of where I shot her, and not closer to the hills, but further away, down the sloping pasture, toward the creek. Out in the middle of the short grass, I should have seen her, but we all know how we get these ideas in our heads of where we THINK something should be.

I hit her too high, near the spine, and too far behind the shoulder. The bullet stayed inside the body. Found her at 7:50 am.

And yes, Dr. Bubba is right, the Sierra 117 is a SBT, not a hpbt, like I said earlier. Must have been late when I typed that :rolleyes:

More pics to follow

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[John in CA.]

Here you can see the p.o.i. is too high and too far back.

I remember when working up these loads that their p.o.i. is about 1" right, and 1.5" high at 100 yds. I did not check them at 200, but because of the much higher b.c., Ill bet they hit 2.5" to 3.0" higher at 200 than my regular load of the Starke 70's.


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[Vardoc]

John, what would you estimate the weight of that sow?

V.

[John in CA.]

John, what would you estimate the weight of that sow?

V.

Doc, my guess is 140 to 150 lbs.

Some in the group were half her size, and the taller boar would maybe go 200 lbs.

Not monsters;)

[TAJ45]

posts and hunt pix. Good writing, good photog work. Just a pleasure to read and vicariously live it after the fact. :)

Soggy here today and nowhere near the mid 70's we had been experiencing, but that is always subject to change. Seems you said it had cooled off pretty good out your way? I think I would have been sorely tempted to turn two on that situation...........out in the middle of nowhere, doing the farmer a favor etc. But being the downright upright type that you are.........;)

Now that that is all over with, you said you were buying next time - right?:D

[Mike in Fresno]

well she is already gutted for you. You gonna make some sausage or toss it out???

[Dr. Bubba]

Was it hard to spot her out there? Glad you found her. Nice to see what damage the 117 did. Gotta love the Quarterbores.

I had wondered about the POI for the 117gr compared to your 70gr. Thanks for sharing the information.

Well her getting up is the lesson that we need to be careful til you know
for sure they have expired. And with those piglets nugging her and her hurt is a bad combo for you if you got too close too soon.

Might be good she ran off on ya when she did.


Nice job and thanks for sharing. Some good lessons learned. I appreciate it.

DB

[Mortis]

Ya right about those 180 grain 308's. Several of us use Hornady 180 grain Interlocks for Texas piggies. Works like a champ.

Here is a tiny idea for you. Considering that you have to pay for the privilege to hunt hogs. Bait them in.

An aquaintance that has moved down to the Midland, Texas area told me of a trick they are using out there to bait hogs.

They find a freshly rutted area. Open a can of sardines about half way. Place the can in the middle of the rut and find themselves a proper spot to observe the target area. The smell does attract them and they will really become distracted trying to get at the rest of the sardines in the can.

Locally... sardines are going for $0.78. Easy to carry. Easier then a 5 gallon bucket of soured corn for sure. And if you decided not to use them, you can carry them back out or eat them for lunch if your taste buds flow in that direction. Wife loves them, I can barely tolerate the smell.

Course, another aspect of such a vile odor, is it may attract alot more then hogs. Such as Yotes, cats, coons, possums, etc......:)

I have not had the chance to get into the woods since I learned of this, but ya can bet once I don't need ice skates fo get around, I'll give it a try.

If you try it....please post results.

[DAA]

"It figures, you kill 5 at longer ranges with light varmint bullets, but when you use the correct bullet, and get closer............this happens. "

Yup. It does just figure, don't it?

You'll get the mojo going on those hogs though, I'm sure.

- DAA

[John in CA.]

:D TAJ45, ok, Im buying..;) ....wait, what am I buyin'???? thanks Tom

DB, to be honest, I did not feel real good about approaching them at dusk, when it seemed the family could be looking for "revenge". And if a couple of dumb pigs make a run at me in that open pasture with a bad knee, it could have been a problem. Had the others just run off in a few minutes, the outcome would have been totally different.

Mike, I left her for the coyotes and turkey vultures. Went back in the evening, and watched for 2 hours, at dusk, and the birds were "eatin' good in the neighborhood".

DAA, and Mortis, thanks and in fact, I do carry a tin of either sardines or mackeral in the backpack. Forgot which, as the label wore off a year ago! But a good idea. In fact, I observed the following .......

The days when the cattle need hay, he distributes it from his Dodge pickup around 3pm, and on those days, the pigs appear at dusk. Yesterday he did NOT feed, and no pigs. Though I admit, I disturbed the area pretty good too.
:) Im sure if I distribute tuna or some sardines at the base of the hills, at noon, and let that smell drift up all afternoon, something is going to happen at sundown.

Will update anything new, in this same thread.

[tom ga hunter]

I've killed a bunch of hogs & like to make head shots. In the ear if possible but almost any hit in the skull will break his neck. You should always wear rubber gloves when skinning a hog.