Helicopter Predator Hunt

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BigMustard

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I have the opportunity to go on a predator hunt in deep south Texas via helicopter.

For those of yall not familiar with what we are dealing with down here I'll try and briefly explain.

The pig population down here is out of control. They roam in packs upwards of 10. The deer feeders have to be fenced in to keep the pigs out. Which is only a temporary fix as the pigs will ram the fences until they can get under and eat all the corn. These things bread like rabbits and really serve no purpose.

So, I have to opportunity so get in a helicopter and shoot pigs, coyotes, mountain lions and bobcats...And maybe a Chupacabra :D

I've been told the helicopter flies really low to the ground, 20-30ft. Most people use a 12 gauge with 00-000 buck.

With that being said, I'm in the market to buy a new shotgun since the ones I currently own hold no more than 4 shells. They say in an hour you can kill 40+ pigs... 4 shells at a time is a lot of reloading. Any suggestions on shotguns I should buy? Price really isn't a consideration since I have several months to save my money.

On a side note...All the meat is gathered up, processed and sent to orphanages south of the border.

Kill some pigs, feed some kids!
 
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Sounds like fun, you don't need a new shotgun you need a shotgun loader and a relief shooter, I have several shotguns that I can bring and keep loaded and when you get tired I can take over the hard part. I don't think that the reloading will be that bad, short of like an upside down dove shoot when the action gets hot & heavy.
 
That sounds like a perfect opportunity to bring out the mall ninja shotgun.

Seriously

Get a pump or autoloader that will hold 8 or 9 rounds. Then get extra ammo carrying doo dads. I think I might opt for ghost ring sights too so I could be a bit more accurate with my buckshot.

I would think an AR rifle with about 20 loaded magazines would be fun as well. Maybe 6.8 SPC.
 
It's a 2 man helicopter. The pilot and you. You wear a harness and are hooked in so you're basically hanging out the side. I would like an autoloader. I don't currently have one. Seems like a good excuse to buy one :)
 
Hi Jim,

In Texas, Bobcats are not on the fur-bearing list of animals.

Coyotes, Bobcats and Mountain Lion are all "Non-Game" animals and may be taken at anytime, by any legal means...on PRIVATE land.

Feral Hogs fall under the term "Exotics" and can likewise be hunted at anytime, by any legal means and in any numbers.

Bobcat pelts...of course..do have value and can be sold, but if possessed, transported or sold out of State, you must have pelt tag for each one.

Personally, I would leave the predators alone...because they have a useful place in the ecosystem. Coyotes can get out of hand, but your time is better spent shooting hogs.

Feral Hogs....on the other hand.... should be shown NO mercy.


Flint.
 
Interesting. In Alaska even marmots are considered furbearers, and I must salvage the pelt. Easy enough though since I shoot them with a .223 WSSM I can slip what's left in my wallet:evil:
 
Double Naught Spy wrote:

However, I don't recall TPWD allowing for the hunting of taxa other than hogs from a helicopter and hunting from a helicopter is only allowed in certain areas.
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Hunting is not restricted to any certain areas (as in region), but there are constraints with respect to populated areas and air space.

You can't go out and just hire a helicopter pilot to take you hog shooting. The TPWD issues a permit (good only for a designated property) and you must have the land owners consent as well. This type of animal control is thus "regulated" by the aforementioned requirements.

Last time I checked, the list of animals that can be controlled by aerial shooting were: Feral Hogs, Bobcat, Coyote, Coyote/Dog cross and Red Fox.


Flint.
 
all the shooting that you are going to be doing, it sounds like you need a gun with a little less recoil such as an xtrema 2.....good excuse to get a cool gun.
 
Saiga 12 gauge semi auto with tactical vest and lots of mags. You use buckshot?

Can anyone hunt them from the ground on public property? Do they scare easily from shots?
 
Sounds like a job for a Saiga 12 to me, too. You can load mags when there's nothing to blast and blast until mags are empty the rest of the time.
And at the cost and rarity of such a venture, I might even consider a BUG ... a major malfunction could ruin the event without a backup, and you do sacrifice some reliability for the firepower of the Saiga, the way I understand it. (my shotgunning experience is minimal, but I do know that a Saiga will run nicely under the right conditions, which are a much smaller window than the right conditions for a pump)
 
I know for a fact that Alaska used to allow "hunters" to shoot wolves from aircraft. That, of course, was about 40 years ago or so. I ain't going to happen in today's world.
 
I know for a fact that Alaska used to allow "hunters" to shoot wolves from aircraft. That, of course, was about 40 years ago or so. I ain't going to happen in today's world.
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.They do today. But only a select few picked by F&G and they are assigned a very specific area, and boy you better stay in it or they come down hard.
Although you do have to land first.
 
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+1 to a Saiga 12 with a drum to start and stick mags to reload with - you may want to 'dummy cord' the drum and mags to you so if they get dropped they don't set scattered all over SW Texas :D.

Of course, this is moot if the ATF restricts the Saiga shotguns on Monday, as many expect.
 
Do they scare easily from shots?
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No, they are stupid. Last time I hunted them on the ground me and my buddy fired 20 rounds, reloaded. We looked up and all 12 of them were just laying down in the brush. We shot some more, they ran off. We reloaded and the remaining pigs were literally just waiting for us to shoot them.

on a less serious note: AA12!
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Dream come true!

I will look into the Saiga :)
 
The video's of this I have seen the guys were using ar-15's and AK's. I suppose if your limited to shotgun the Saiga should work wonders. Much faster to reload.

Short of that I'd say the highest capacity gun you could get.

I can't help but think it'd be a good way to break in one of those snazzy new kel-tec shotguns, then again I'd get tired of pumping that many time.

This seems like a good legitimate reason for a need for a belt fed shotgun. :D

Edit: Totally agree with the people that said you might want a backup gun, wouldn't want a bad malfunction to ruin all your fun. Even if the backup in this case is a compromise of capacity or is a pump it'd be better than not being able to shoot.
 
The video's of this I have seen the guys were using ar-15's and AK's. I suppose if your limited to shotgun the Saiga should work wonders. Much faster to reload.
Click to expand...

I brought that up with the guy in charge of the property. I told him this would be my excuse to buy an AR-15 and he was kind of like ehhhhh most people just use 12 gauges. Not saying I couldn't do that. I'll have to get clarification but at the moment it seems shotguns are the weapon of choice.

From what I've been told it's an hour hunt ($400-$500 per hour) but hey, how many times do you get to fly in a helicopter and shoot stuff?

I get motion sick really easy. I mean really easy. If someone else is driving the car (mainly just my mom, sisters or girlfriend I get extremely car sick)

I'm prepared to be cover in vomit when the day is done. :D


Where do I get this?
http://www.dinzagarms.com/saiga_12/large/saiga-12_belt_400.jpg
 
They make pills for the motion sickness, I have never got it so I honestly don't know how well they work.

As for that pic all you need to do is pull your bolt back and feed the bandoleer thru there and put the latch end back down in the ammo can. :D

(really hopes ya realized it was a fake)
 
Up here, t'd get you arrested so fast your hair would curl. No hunting from aircraft and no loaded firearms in any motorized vehicle.
"...seems shotguns are the weapon of choice..." Not as likely to shoot yourself down with an errant shot?
 
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