Hog Hunting Questions

[Erik88]

A coworker of mine has a hunting lease on 650 acres near New Smyrna Beach. It's apparently full of wild hogs and you don't need a hunting license on private property down here, at least for hogs. No limit either.

 

1) Because this property is also a shooting range he thinks the hogs will only being out during non-shooting hours. What's the most common time of day to kill hogs?

 

2) Will a .223/5.56 be enough? I was thinking about buying some of the .223 soft points Wal-Mart sells.

 

3) Is it best to sit and wait for them to come to us or try and find them?

 

4) Is the meat worth harvesting? Some say it's too gamey. There is a place that charges $50 to process the meat. I'm not sure if that's a good deal or not.

 

 

 

Appreciate the help!

 

 

[Garufa]

You're going to need a bigger gun.

[Vistar]

+1 on the bigger gun

 

Mar 14, 2014 -- (Somewhere in Eastern NC) Hunter Jett Webb was just looking to bring home a little bacon. Instead, he took down a 500-pound feral hog, estimated to have been nearly a decade old. (Photo: Jett Webb via CNN)

[R_Bert]

You're going to need a bigger gun.

and a tree stand. You can't outrun a enraged pig...  And they will eat you.

 

$50 to process a pig is a great deal.

Edited March 19, 2014 by R_Bert

[Erik88]

I thought people hunted hogs with AR-15's pretty frequently?

[sigmtnman]

I dunno, I worked with a fellow at mars who had a picture of him on the back of a live wild hog cutting it's throat with a knife.

Edited March 19, 2014 by sigmtnman

[Chris]

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.

[Vistar]

Agree with the 308 or more -- Here's Jett Webb's news film http://www.okcfox.com/story/24968893/photos-north-carolina-hunter-bags-500-pound-hog

[Dolomite`s Breezy]

Its only gamey if the person doesn't know how to process it.

 

 

All you need is a spear:) /..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfco7xz6cOM

[morrisster]

My brother hunts hogs in Texas with dogs and a knife.

[whiskey]

Well here's my two cents. 

 

.223 is plenty of gun. Only take neck shots. Google "Hog neck shot" for pictures of shot placement. Use a good hunting bullet and be dead on with your shot. 

 

You can hunt from the ground just fine. 

 

The meat is delicious. You need to clean immediately in warm weather. Have the cleaned, quartered hog on ice an hour after you shoot and you will have some fine meat. Let the meat sit in a cooler for a few days, adding ice and draining off the bloody water. Smoke the quarters to 165 degrees, slice and enjoy. I have not been successful smoking like store bought pork, the meat is too dry to cook till it is pull tender. 

 

Hogs are active at night more than day. FL allows you to use lights at night, if I am not mistaken. I think the popular thing is fixed lights around a feeder. Please read up on the regs for FL. They have changed a bit in the past few years and I moved out of FL seven years ago. 

 

Before I got on the internet and found out how "wrong" I was doing it, I hunted hogs with a .22mag. I have killed them with shotguns, handguns, rifles, centerfire, rimfire, bow. They are little tanks, but they aren't supernatural. Neck shots will usually anchor them on the spot. 

[Guest Whitfed]

A.223 with a Barnes TSX 70gr bullet will do the job. No problems just the cost of the bullet.

[Garufa]

If I ever shoot a hog I want to thump it and thump it hard.  There should be no need to worry about hitting it just right with some puny 22 caliber bullet.  They are big, tough critters and deserve to be brought down hard, just as they've lived.

[sybo]

I am an AVID Hog hunter and though a .223 will do the job, shot placement is paramount! I use 30-30,.35.30-06,.308, and my favorite 458 Socom! The Hammer Of Thor for hogs.The meat is GREAT and yes, you piss off a Sow with yunguns and she will do her best to kill you. Ask me how I know...........Tree stand is good over baited area, corn and tons of day old bakery bread (trust me) and rock and roll. Use care with the field dressing. If you gut shot and there is Poo or Piss in the cavity, rinse immediately and well and process.Have fun, be careful, and Bon Appetit!!

[Vistar]

_{By far the best breakfast sausage known to man comes from the wild hog. The loins are terrific and hams smoke up well. My son in law had a interesting experience over in SC in early January. He and two brothers were asked by a farmer friend to reduce the hog population on his land. They set up a pen trap and wound up with three 200+ lb very angry animals. Not wanting to kill and dress the hogs themselves, they got the bright idea to wrestle and hogtie the beasts and truck them over to a fellow who was more gifted at meat preparation. These are three pretty big boys who at that moment forgot their age and lost their good sense. So, I had to ask, "Did anyone get hurt?" Gotta love the answer. "Not seriously."  In understated mountain talk that means those hogs kicked their butts, but the boys won without breaking any bones large enough to need a doctor's attention. "Would you do it again?" "No way!"}

[Guest Whitfed]

If I ever shoot a hog I want to thump it and thump it hard.  There should be no need to worry about hitting it just right with some puny 22 caliber bullet.  They are big, tough critters and deserve to be brought down hard, just as they've lived.

No offense, but this is a pretty lame statement. I suggest you do a google search for "m4carbine Barnes TSX 70gr" and see how hard these tough critters hit the ground. Personally, I could care less if these destructive rodents get gut shot my a 50 cal and have a slow death. They are a menace to this country and TN Wildlife needs to get their heads out of their asses. Punish the guys transporting the animals not us law abiding hunters.

[TMF]

[quote name="Whitfed" post="1131860" timestamp="1396142997"]No offense, but this is a pretty lame statement. I suggest you do a google search for "m4carbine Barnes TSX 70gr" and see how hard these tough critters hit the ground. Personally, I could care less if these destructive rodents get gut shot my a 50 cal and have a slow death. They are a menace to this country and TN Wildlife needs to get their heads out of their asses. Punish the guys transporting the animals not us law abiding hunters.[/quote] Geez, they're just animals doing the only thing animals know what to do. Incredibly cruel to inhumanely kill an animal. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Garufa]

No offense, but this is a pretty lame statement. I suggest you do a google search for "m4carbine Barnes TSX 70gr" and see how hard these tough critters hit the ground. Personally, I could care less if these destructive rodents get gut shot my a 50 cal and have a slow death. They are a menace to this country and TN Wildlife needs to get their heads out of their asses. Punish the guys transporting the animals not us law abiding hunters.

 

Whatever pal.  You wanna shoot a pig with a pop gun go right ahead.  If I was in the driver's seat I'd be using something that left do doubt.

[Guest Whitfed]

I have dropped more pigs with a .223 Barnes TSX 70 gr on the spot than any other rifle I own. A quick follow up is no problem. Pal...

You don't need a 45/70 to drop a hog.

Enjoy the read. There is a reason our arm forces use this caliber.

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?94628-223-Barnes-70-Grain-TSX-Performance/page16&s=3d51fb15ebf50c6618798d8bd01c9d75

[TMF]

I have dropped more pigs with a .223 Barnes TSX 70 gr on the spot than any other rifle I own. A quick follow up is no problem. Pal...

You don't need a 45/70 to drop a hog.

Enjoy the read. There is a reason our arm forces use this caliber.

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?94628-223-Barnes-70-Grain-TSX-Performance/page16&s=3d51fb15ebf50c6618798d8bd01c9d75

 

You've already claimed above that you don't care if an animal suffers a cruel death. 

 

While I'm sure an experienced hunter with a great deal of confidence could consitently put down hogs in a humane manner using .223.  Of course, there are those who get no pleasure from killing animals and despise the idea of an innocent creature suffering.  Those folks may also not be as confident they can put down large game humanely with a small caliber.  I would caution folks with empathy for living things to disregard advice from people who wish to make an innocent creature suffer a torturous death.

[Guest Whitfed]

TMF. Seriously... The guy asked if you could use a 223 to kill a hog. No question. It can be done. I've done it. Seen it done, and seen them drop as fast as using an elephant gun.

It is not cruel to kill a hog with the right 223 bullet, not a 55gr fmj for example.

And in my statement above, I doubt getting gut shot by a 50 cal would be a slow death.

My guess is, you have little, to no hog hunting in your life.

Since Knoxville and East Tn is covered up with them, why not give it a try.

[Smith]

[quote name="morrisster" post="1126957" timestamp="1395249435"]My brother hunts hogs in Texas with dogs and a knife.[/quote] Yeah, my brother used to hunt hogs this way in Mississippi. Personally, I want a big gun! ;-)

[Dustbuster]

There's a moderator named skypup on the sig 556 forum that's always taking down huge Texas hogs using a sig 556 rifle w thermal gear and or nv. He usually posts pics of what he's hit, and stats on what he used if that'll help...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 of course it ate my spelling.

[Guest sigequinox]

mmm fresh bacon.

[TMF]

[quote name="Whitfed" post="1146002" timestamp="1399242866"]TMF. Seriously... The guy asked if you could use a 223 to kill a hog. No question. It can be done. I've done it. Seen it done, and seen them drop as fast as using an elephant gun. It is not cruel to kill a hog with the right 223 bullet, not a 55gr fmj for example. And in my statement above, I doubt getting gut shot by a 50 cal would be a slow death. My guess is, you have little, to no hog hunting in your life. Since Knoxville and East Tn is covered up with them, why not give it a try.[/quote] My comment was specific to your attitude towards needless suffering of an animal. You know nothing about me. I could care less what someone uses to kill animals, so long as it is humane and doesn't result in unnecessary suffering. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Edited May 5, 2014 by TMF