Got a little piggy today

[DigMe]

Went out pig huntin' today. Yesterday we were out walking here at my land and my boxer stirred some up and chased them off. I've seen a lot of signs so I figured my chances were good at this time. I was using my .357 mag Blackhawk revolver as usual. I had it loaded with Cor-bon 200 grain cast bullets. I'd been walking around a while and not seeing any but then I finally heard one that I couldn't see that apparently smelled me and took off running (I'd previously been walking against the wind but now I was heading back towards my four-wheeler so I was walking with the wind). Well I started trying to figure out where that hog got off to when I caught a glimpse of hog through a bunch of thick scrub. There were some in there sleeping. I started to try to stalk around where I could get a good shot on them because I could just barely see glimpses from my current position. Before I could find a good spot I spooked some nearby cows who took off running. This caused the hogs to jump up and of course they ran out the opposite end of the scrub. I actually had an easy shot on one for a while and I should have just taken it but it was a little guy...maybe 50 lbs, and I was looking for the bigger ones that I knew were in there. So I took off trying to run to the other side. A branch caught the cord of my earplugs and ripped those off and I got caught up in some briars. By this time the whole herd of cows was stampeding through the woods which made it impossible to determine by sound which way the hogs went. I took my best guess and started walking. About 100 yards away I went down into a gully and I spooked a big boar. He jumped and ran and I shot and hit him in the upper back on the run at about 35 yards. The bullet entered and exited. This seemed to slow him down but he was still going. I'd run up to about 15 yards away and shot him in the head but it was kind of from the rear and it went into his neck and exited his upper jaw. This old boar was tough. He went down but was still moving and breathing...not just death throes. I put another shot into his head but I ended up shooting just a tad back of the brain. He actually started to get back up and I put one more shot into his head and that did him in, he went into death kicks but he was no longer breathing. All shots passed through and exited the other side. These cast bullets are great for hogs...I just had some poor placement...well he went down but he just wouldn't die.

The only bad thing was that my earplugs were still hanging on that tree 100 yards away and my ears still feel stopped up. Just from dragging him and size I'd say he's probably about 180lbs on the hoof. Here's a pic:

Wishing I had St. Gunner's dogs about now as there are definitely lots of them out here at the moment...it's just hard to find them and get them stirred up by myself. A few weeks ago there were hardly any out here at all...they were probably mostly over across the creek on the next piece of property.


brad cook

 

[H&Hhunter]

Brad,

Good looking boar! Tons of euro genes in that one.

 

[DigMe]

Good looking boar! Tons of euro genes in that one.

Thanks! It's a typical example of the hogs in this area. I've only killed one out here that didn't look pretty much like that. Last year around this time I killed a big one that had a lot more white and pink in her. That was an exception. Occasionally they'll have a little more of the domesticated plumpness but they still basically have this look.

BTW - the white you see on that one in the picture is not the color of it's hair. It's dried dirt and clay reflecting lit up by the sun. It was all black.

Oh and I cut off my head because I was doing the timer thing on the camera and I didn't fit. The camera was balanced on a 1/2 gallon milk jug full of water.

brad cook

 

[Lennyjoe]

Not a bad hog at all. The ones we hunted in the swamps of Georgia were good eaters.

The 50 pounder would of been excellent for a pig picken.

 

[rbernie]

Oh and I cut off my head because I was doing the timer thing on the camera and I didn't fit. The camera was balanced on a 1/2 gallon milk jug full of water.

I just figured that you were being modest.

BTW - good huntin'.

 

[DigMe]

The 50 pounder would of been excellent for a pig picken.

Yeah, I'm kicking myself for not taking that one now. I don't know what I was thinking...it was kinda hectic with all the cows running and the pigs running etc...

brad cook

 

[patentmike]

Nice pig. I'm curious about the earplugs, though. More often than not, I hear hogs before I see them, I never considered hunting with earplugs. Do you start out plugged, or do you stuff 'em in once you start closing in on the hogs?

 

[Lennyjoe]

Should of shot both of them.

 

[Mannlicher]

Great hog. Good work with the .357 Mag.

 

[DigMe]

Nice pig. I'm curious about the earplugs, though. More often than not, I hear hogs before I see them, I never considered hunting with earplugs. Do you start out plugged, or do you stuff 'em in once you start closing in on the hogs?

Yeah, it's kind of been a give and take. I'm paranoid about my hearing because I'd already lost some by the time I was in college from being in bands and going to really loud concerts. Also last year I was out here with 4 other guys hunting hogs. We got four of them that weekend and I was without plugs. Aside from the sound of my own gun I was standing next to a friend shooting his 7 mag, one shooting a 12 gauge and one shooting a 16 gauge. My ears rang for several days after that and from then on I told myself I'd wear plugs.

I wear these remington plugs that have several rubber "discs" in them that get increasingly large towards the handles. I usually push one all the way in and just barely put the other one in so that I can mostly hear. It's a tradeoff but I'm willing to do it. If I have time I try to push the other one all the way in but if not at least I get full protection in one ear and a little in the other. Eventually I'll be able to afford some stereo electronic muffs. That will be ideal I think.

brad cook

 

[Greybeard]

FWIW, I tried the electronic muffs years ago. Peltor, which actually can enhance one's lousy hearing. At least when walking somewhat briskly, the snapping of twigs and such drove me nuts. Had to take 'em off and carry in game bag after the first 10 minutes of quail hunt.

Maybe they would not bother me (or you) so bad if slowy stalking hog ...

 

[H&Hhunter]

Yeah, it's kind of been a give and take. I'm paranoid about my hearing because I'd already lost some by the time I was in college

HUH WHAT"D YOU SAY!!!!

 

[Nathanael_Greene]

Very nice.

 

[OH25shooter]

I'm considering a hog hunt and was thinking about using my Blackhawk. Wasn't sure, but I am now. Thanks for the timely posting.

 

[DigMe]

OH25shooter,

It's truly a blast. I wouldn't have it any other way for short range hunting in the thick brush. If you think most of your shots are going to be 40 yards or more though I'd use a rifle. I rarely see hogs at further than 35 to 40 yards out on our land. Also, don't use light JHPs. Stick with the cast loads. If you don't reload then Cor-bon makes 200 gr LBT that they sell on their website. Not sure what they sell it for but I got 20 for $14.95 from the gun show. Also Federal makes a 180gr castcore that can be had from www.sportsmansguide.com among other places. Is your blackhawk a .357 mag? If it's a .44 mag I'd probably try Hornady XTPs.

brad cook

 

[OH25shooter]

DigMe,

Actually, here's my choices: S&W 629 44 mag, Blackhawk 357, or my Marlin 1894C 357. Whatcha think?

 

[DigMe]

If I had a .44mag it's probably what I'd use. Having said that though I'm completely comfortable using my .357 mag blackhawk with cast bullets. Use the one you're most comfortable with. Also, with the .44 you're just flat out going to get better penetration and wounding with whatever bullets you use so it opens up your options on consistently effective ammo. I'd feel alright going with HPs through a .44mag whereas I don't use them with a .357 mag. They can definitely kill a hog but you don't always get the consistent penetration that you do with cast bullets. I have full confidence that if I shoot a hog in the shoulder with a cast bullet that shoulder is breaking and probably the other one is too. The cast bullets almost always go in one side and out the other. I don't have that confidence with most .357 JHPs.

Then again if you think that your shots are likely to be 50 yards or better then go with the Marlin unless you're a good shot at longer distances with your pistols. I could probably hit a pig at 50 yards with my Blackhawk but if that was the distance I was likely to be facing I'd most likely use a rifle instead.

brad cook

 

[mete]

Did anyone see the National Geographic program on feral pigs ? The photo of a pig called Hogzilla that has been on the internet was claimed to be 12' long and 1000 lbs. They dug it up and it was only about 800 lbs and 8" long !! In any case feral pigs are extending their range since they breed so quickly so pig hunting looks good for the future !!

 

[St. Gunner]

Digme,

Nice oinker. I'd say your estimate is pretty dang close on the weight. I haven't posted much lately, we went out on the 9th and killed 15 with the dogs, 8 good sows, and seven 15-60lb shoats. I made a trip to Tilden Thur. last week and we caught one 80lb boar hog as we where headed to the dogs, 3 big suckers crossed the sendero just down from us and some others must have crossed a nearby highway cause all we heard was a big trucks horn blasting and him downshifting...

Headed out in the morning, we scouted a place today and it seems to have some really nice hogs staying in it. Some 200-300lb nice hogs from the tracks and nose marks in the roots. One small pack of boars(you could still smell them) and a large pack of sows from the looks of it. That is speculation, but the bunch of tracks I figure for sows was headed towards some creek bottoms with heavy cover and brush piles(for having pigs) and the other sets of tracks that led from the rooting that smelled like boars headed up onto a dry sandy hill with lots of pear and whitebrush. One track is pretty large and looks about the size of a hog that gave us a whipping before deer season, he wasn't around after the season but this track is only about 1/2 mile from where he was hanging out. We had a group of 4 large hogs we where hunting, we've killed two with the dogs, one weighed 395lb live and the other was a cut hog that went 335lbs live weight. Another got hit by a car and i'd guess him to go 330 or so when I saw him there. But this last one stomped us one day, leaving a 4" deep hole in one dog and we haven't seen him since. Maybe tommarow he can play with the pitbulls and we'll see how tough he is...

I know some guys right around Dallas who would probably love to come bring the dogs and take you along. If you have enough land to keep the dogs on, or can get permission from the neighbors.

I'm sitting at 99 for the year, i'm hoping number 100 comes in the morning and he is a big sucker. Course my pitbulls would most likely prefer it be a sow that weighs about 100lbs cause they squeal the loudest and don't hurt to bad.

 

[.45&TKD]

So how do these hogs taste? I'm assuming that you do eat them?

 

[Too Many Choices!?]

"So how do these hogs taste"....

Like chicken

 

[Matt G]

Actually, they taste like good lean pork. (Good thing, 'cuz that's just what they are.)

Great hunt, Brad! I like to see it done up right.

Half the time when stalking, it's just luck if you outguess where the critters are going to come out. I've hunted a fair amount of mesquite thicket that looks just like the stuff in the background in your first picture, and it's tough to see the game. I've also been busted by some skittish cattle myself, before. One of the proudest stalks I ever made, I slipped through some of that mesquite brush through a group of loafing cattle, and never stirred 'em. Took me about 10 minutes to make 100 yards, and I was in full camouflage, looking for hog and dogs. Glad to hear a report on those CorBon 200 g cast loads, and even more tickled to hear that they work.

 

[DigMe]

Great hunt, Brad! I like to see it done up right.

Half the time when stalking, it's just luck if you outguess where the critters are going to come out. I've hunted a fair amount of mesquite thicket that looks just like the stuff in the background in your first picture, and it's tough to see the game. I've also been busted by some skittish cattle myself, before. One of the proudest stalks I ever made, I slipped through some of that mesquite brush through a group of loafing cattle, and never stirred 'em. Took me about 10 minutes to make 100 yards, and I was in full camouflage, looking for hog and dogs. Glad to hear a report on those CorBon 200 g cast loads, and even more tickled to hear that they work.

Thanks, Matt. I pretty much quit doing the all-camo thing a while back with hogs because their eyesight is so bad but I may have to go back to it just because of the cows!

We do indeed have a ton of mesquite out there and the spaces between the mesquite are full of briars and cactus. There are lots of cedars too and one stretch of woods that's full of pecan trees. Of course the hogs usually prefer the mesquite, briars and cactus.

brad cook

 

[sturmruger]

Wow sounds like you had a great time out hunting. Someday I am going to go down to TX and do some pig hunting. We have feral pigs up here in WI, but we don't have near as many as you guys have down in Texas.