What is with this!? I'm following this thread in general discussion and once again people are characterizing feral hogs as some kind of invincible and deadly game. Yes, hogs are tough, and yes, they've occasionally been known to charge but I've been hog hunting plenty and I've never felt that my life was in danger hog hunting. I think it's these occasional extreme anecdotes that get people all fired up about hogs and thinking this way. Some guy in the thread says "if you value your flesh then you'll only hunt them from treestands"!! :banghead:
Also people exaggerate how hard they are to take down. Anyone who's been will tell you that there's the occasional tough old bastard that won't go down even with a shot from a large caliber gun but most hogs could be taken with a shot to the vitals from a .223. Now of course I'd use something bigger just for the sake of consistency and to inflict greater damage but I've been with my dad who's taken them down with a single shot from a .223 and my friend who's taken them down on the move with his .22 mag. I usually hunt with my Blackhawk .357 mag which will cut through even boars like butter with a good 180gr bullet. I used to use 12 gauge with 00 buckshot and that worked fine at the distances that we usually shoot at on my land, which are usually 30 yards...maybe 40 due to thick trees and scrub where the hogs usually are.
What do you people think...I'm asking EXPERIENCED hog hunters here...I don't want to hear from people who've been once or twice or people who have a brother that goes hog hunting and I don't want to hear what happened "one time to my cousin". My experience says as long as you use common sense then hogs are only marginally more dangerous than say...deer.
H&HHUnter,
What do you have to say about this. I've been hog hunting a lot but you've been way more than me. If you say hogs are dangerous game then it will make me rethink it but sheez....these people act like they're lion hunting.
I feel like the exaggeration comes from people who want to feel like they're doing something daring and dangerous without actually doing something daring and dangerous. Or maybe people who would like to hunt grizz or African game but can't afford it so they settle for hogs and then exaggerate to themselves how dangerous they are.
rant over
brad cook
Also people exaggerate how hard they are to take down. Anyone who's been will tell you that there's the occasional tough old bastard that won't go down even with a shot from a large caliber gun but most hogs could be taken with a shot to the vitals from a .223. Now of course I'd use something bigger just for the sake of consistency and to inflict greater damage but I've been with my dad who's taken them down with a single shot from a .223 and my friend who's taken them down on the move with his .22 mag. I usually hunt with my Blackhawk .357 mag which will cut through even boars like butter with a good 180gr bullet. I used to use 12 gauge with 00 buckshot and that worked fine at the distances that we usually shoot at on my land, which are usually 30 yards...maybe 40 due to thick trees and scrub where the hogs usually are.
What do you people think...I'm asking EXPERIENCED hog hunters here...I don't want to hear from people who've been once or twice or people who have a brother that goes hog hunting and I don't want to hear what happened "one time to my cousin". My experience says as long as you use common sense then hogs are only marginally more dangerous than say...deer.
H&HHUnter,
What do you have to say about this. I've been hog hunting a lot but you've been way more than me. If you say hogs are dangerous game then it will make me rethink it but sheez....these people act like they're lion hunting.
I feel like the exaggeration comes from people who want to feel like they're doing something daring and dangerous without actually doing something daring and dangerous. Or maybe people who would like to hunt grizz or African game but can't afford it so they settle for hogs and then exaggerate to themselves how dangerous they are.
rant over
brad cook