Chris

Nice video of pigs charging hunters. I've always maintained that pigs are dangerous game and deserving of respect. Also, the soundtrack is spectacular.   https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=323498081133816

Welcome and congratulations on your imminent escape!

Sooooo jealous! Congrats.

Reminds me of a joke:   A cop pulls over an old lady who had been speeding. He asks her if she has any firearms in the car. She responds: "Well, I've got a .38 on my hip, a .32 on my ankle, a .45 in the glove box and a double barrel 12 gauge in the trunk. The cop looks at the old lady in surprise and asks: "Ma'am, what are you so afraid of?" She smiles and says: "Why son, not an f#@%ing thing."

Very nice cat, congrats! Not disputing that you can take a hog w/ a .223... but a hog is a significantly tougher target than a cat.

Done. Hope he gets better.

Always armed. Always maintaining situational awareness. Trouble can show up anywhere.

+1 on SCA. It's never been my cup of tea, but I know some folks who are active and it's a very open and friendly community.

Nice shootin' there, Tex.

The problem with the $20 pipes is that they tend to be varnished instead of waxed. The price of the pipe makes a difference to a point. The Eriksen is the cheapest pipe I've found that I consider smokable. Less than that and I feel like I'm smoking the varnish off the bowl. The Neerups are great... they have nice thick walls on the pipe and draw easily. I've got a couple that are more expensive (a nice estate pipe for example) and they do smoke better, but not enough to be worth the cost.  A cheap little tamper/cleaning tool is helpful for loading and cleaning the bowl... they are like a dollar each. The tobacco is very much up to personal taste, the variety is staggering.. fortunately it's not expensive so buy several different types and see what works for you.

For a starter pipe I recommend Neerup or Eriksen. I'm fond of both. Neerup (great pipe for the money): http://www.cupojoes.com/cgi-bin/dept?dpt=W&srch=DW&tier2=302 Eriksen (it's a little short, but the price is great): http://www.cupojoes.com/cgi-bin/spgm?dpt=H&srch=KW&item=noresw09 Uptowns in Green hills usually has a couple of Neerups.. the Eriksen can be a little harder to find.

I do. I much prefer it to cigars. Buy a good quality briar pipe (expect to drop $100 or so)... it'll smoke much better. I usually just smoke the aromatic blends from the local smoke shop. It's not as smooth of a smoke, but no one seems to mind when I light up. In fact I've discovered that a maple flavored blend usually causes pretty girls to come up to me and tell me stories about their grandfathers. If you don't like the aromatics then try McClelland. It is pretty good... I like their arcadia blend: http://www.uptowns.com/product_info.php?cPath=25_44&products_id=216 . Really the best thing to do is go to a good smoke shop (Uptowns in Green Hills is my favorite), buy a pipe and try a few different tobaccos to see what you like.

Fun! That'd be a great hog gun.

That place is a deathtrap. Stay far, far away.

I find the scout rifle set up to be ideal for most hunting situations. It's especially suited for spot and stalk hunting. Durable, lightweight and very quick on the target... perfect for creeping through the woods.

IMHO .223/5.56 is far to light for a big hog. Little texas Javelinas... sure, but a big ole boar is a tough customer. You can do it with perfect shot placement, but personally, I like a little wiggle room. .308 is my minimum hog hunting caliber but frankly, nothing puts pork on the table better than a .45-70. I recommend a stand, you'll be safer and it'll help get your scent off the ground...pigs have fantastic noses. Don't forget that pigs are dangerous game... an angry boar or a sow w/ piglets is not something you want to deal with... they will charge you and those cutters aren't just for show... be careful. As for eating them, depends on the pig, what it's been eating and whether it was worked up when you took it. I've had some great wild pork... also had some that was so bad we had to throw it out... even the dogs wouldn't eat it. Rule of thumb is that big old boars are going to be nasty with sows and smaller / younger boars generally producing some good meat.

From Wikipedia... seems pretty succinct:   These bolt action carbines are typically .308 caliber (7.62mm), less than 1 meter in length, and less than 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds) in weight, with iron and optical sights and fitted with practical slings (such as Ching slings) for shooting and carrying, and capable of hitting man-sized targets out to 450 meters without scopes. Typically they employ forward-mounted low-power long eye relief scopes or sights to afford easy access to the top of the rifle action for rapid reloading.

He provoked that charge in my opinion. No reason he couldn't have waited til the moose moved on. Also, there is no reason he couldn't have finished the moose before driving on. To my eyes it looked like he spined it and left a wounded animal behind. Bad for the critter and potentially a serious danger for anyone else coming down that trail. Are his actions criminal? That depends on the letter of the law. Is his carelessness and stupidity responsible for this entire event? You betcha.

With good shot placement, the .223 will do the job, but I think it is a little light for hogs. Smaller pig like javelinas... sure. But a 300 lb russian boar... Personally, I like a little knock down power. The .45-70 fits that bill nicely. It will give you excellent penetration from any angle and is much more forgiving of less than optimal shot placement. I've also had excellent, though less dramatic, results with the .308 using remington core-lokt in 180gr. I've taken a couple that way and we recovered the bullet (perfectly mushroomed) from under the skin on the far side from both boars.

Booooooooo. Booooooooo. I just know, they are going to ruin one of my favorite brands.

My cousin works at a dealership in Lewisburg. I can't guarantee he can get you what you want but in my experience he's a straight shooter. PM me if you want me to put you in touch.

Ok, that didn't work. But long and short, Bass pro carry's at least two different brands.

Here you go: http://www.basspro.com/Magnus-Bullhead-Turkey-Fixed-Blade-Broadheads/product/100674/ 

Or, you know, you could just learn to shoot.

  Good catch. Sorry about that. I just noticed .22 on the shelf. Had plenty at home so I didn't investigate further than that.