ohioguyshakes
New member
Was wondering if .204 is enough for wild hog? I'm planning on head shots no matter what I use. Thanks.
what gun for wild hogs?
- Thread starter ohioguyshakes
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ohioguyshakes
New member
perfect, I have one of those too. What distances should I be comfortable with for my .204? And my .17 for that matter. Also, where can I find legal gun info for these hogs in Ohio?
Hey now, I said it could be done, but it certainly wouldn't be my first choice of weapon.
Not too mention you need to read the regs for OHIO and see if you are allowed to take them with a .22 cal bullet or less. If they are considered a Game animal in OHIO I would bet you can't even shoot them legally with a .204
And you might want to see if a mod can move this to the Big Game forum.
Not too mention you need to read the regs for OHIO and see if you are allowed to take them with a .22 cal bullet or less. If they are considered a Game animal in OHIO I would bet you can't even shoot them legally with a .204
And you might want to see if a mod can move this to the Big Game forum.
ohioguyshakes
New member
they are nuisance animals here in Ohio. They are to be disposed of immediately according to Ohio Dept. of Nat. Res.
poppin_yotes
New member
Quote:
A hog can be killed by one well placed shot in the head with a .17hmr
It had better be very carefully placed. We have a lot of guys that hog hunt and most carry a .22 WMR with a solid. I just aquired a .204 and was wanting to know the same thing. Gunsmith Bansner has been quoted as saying "speed kills"; if so you have ham on the table.
A hog can be killed by one well placed shot in the head with a .17hmr
It had better be very carefully placed. We have a lot of guys that hog hunt and most carry a .22 WMR with a solid. I just aquired a .204 and was wanting to know the same thing. Gunsmith Bansner has been quoted as saying "speed kills"; if so you have ham on the table.
KodiakJack
New member
I hunt alot of hogs on the homeplace in Texas and here are my general conclusions.
They have a fairly keen sense of smell, hearing is pretty good, but eyesight is poor.
My hunting is along the Red River, in brushy conditions (mostly), and often at close quarters - I like to stalk, look, and listen.
Under these conditions, a bullet that can take a little contact with grass, leaves, or briars is helpful.
I agree with the assessment that a well place shot with a small, high velocity, bullet can kill a hog; but where I hunt, getting that bullet from muzzle to hog, without touching something else, is sometimes VERY hard.
Hence, my choice is a .308 for shots beyond about 50 yards while I use a large bore pistol (.45 Colt or .44 S&W Special) for closer shots. However, I have killed them with a .22 MAG.
Good luck with your hunting...
They have a fairly keen sense of smell, hearing is pretty good, but eyesight is poor.
My hunting is along the Red River, in brushy conditions (mostly), and often at close quarters - I like to stalk, look, and listen.
Under these conditions, a bullet that can take a little contact with grass, leaves, or briars is helpful.
I agree with the assessment that a well place shot with a small, high velocity, bullet can kill a hog; but where I hunt, getting that bullet from muzzle to hog, without touching something else, is sometimes VERY hard.
Hence, my choice is a .308 for shots beyond about 50 yards while I use a large bore pistol (.45 Colt or .44 S&W Special) for closer shots. However, I have killed them with a .22 MAG.
Good luck with your hunting...
cbosshog79
Active member
I probably don't kill as many as Guess, but I do manage to take 50 to 100 a year off these river bottom places in East Texas. I shoot the majority of them with my AR, but have shot them with everything you can imagine. If you are concerned with recovering the animal then shot placement will be a major issue with a 204. Head shots should be fine, but due to the thick hide and bone in the shoulder area I wouldn't shoot it there.
With that being said the majority I kill are with my AR taken with 55 grain v-max in the shoulder area. Most drop pretty close to where they are shot so I don't consider them to be as tough an animal as you would think. But I am also not that concerned with recovering the animals. I am asked to take every hog I see regardless of age, size, color, time of year, etc... They are a terrible nuesence to the farmers and ranchers, more so than coyotes and are responsible for the majority of the permission I am granted for hunting privlidges.
Good luck and stick with the head shots!
With that being said the majority I kill are with my AR taken with 55 grain v-max in the shoulder area. Most drop pretty close to where they are shot so I don't consider them to be as tough an animal as you would think. But I am also not that concerned with recovering the animals. I am asked to take every hog I see regardless of age, size, color, time of year, etc... They are a terrible nuesence to the farmers and ranchers, more so than coyotes and are responsible for the majority of the permission I am granted for hunting privlidges.
Good luck and stick with the head shots!
Hidalgo
Well-known member
Quote:
I probably don't kill as many as Guess, but I do manage to take 50 to 100 a year off these river bottom places in East Texas.
Cody, perhaps my wording was improper. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
I SHOULD have said....."Glenn posts more hog kills than anyone else I have seen lately, so he would be a good source of information, IMO"
I HOPE I didn't offend anyone or underestimate the rest of the membership here. That was surely NOT my intentions. Just trying to point the guy in the direction of information from someone I knew. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
I probably don't kill as many as Guess, but I do manage to take 50 to 100 a year off these river bottom places in East Texas.
Cody, perhaps my wording was improper. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
I SHOULD have said....."Glenn posts more hog kills than anyone else I have seen lately, so he would be a good source of information, IMO"
I HOPE I didn't offend anyone or underestimate the rest of the membership here. That was surely NOT my intentions. Just trying to point the guy in the direction of information from someone I knew. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
WildEd
New member
I killed lots of hogs with a 70 Ballistic tip in .243 and a ship load more with a .223 nosler ballistic tip bullet. The 17HMR will work if bullet placement is precise. I would use the new 20 grain 17HMR load if I had to use it on hogs. Most anything you use on coyote will work if the need arises. That being said if I have to go in the brush to recover a clients hog I carry a 45 colt with 250 grain bullet. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif A bad shot is a bad shot no matter what you shoot it with.
cbosshog79
Active member
Hidalgo---
You didn't offend me at all, I probably don't kill as many as Guess. And most of mine are opportunity kills that are shot from the truck, they aren't really killed while hunting them. I think that Guess and family do alot of stalking, and targeting them. I can guarantee that I don't know as much about the hogs as he does, I just happen to shoot alot of them because there are so darn many running around.
You didn't offend me at all, I probably don't kill as many as Guess. And most of mine are opportunity kills that are shot from the truck, they aren't really killed while hunting them. I think that Guess and family do alot of stalking, and targeting them. I can guarantee that I don't know as much about the hogs as he does, I just happen to shoot alot of them because there are so darn many running around.
WildEd
New member
A lot of people that are not from Texas do not realize the problems that feral hogs are causing in some parts of the State. In many areas ranchers can not put out feed for livestock without shooting hogs or it will be gone before livestock has a chance. Deer feeders and livestock salt blocks are destroyed almost immediately. Many fences and planted crops are torn up beyond belief. I guided deer and turkey hunters on a place where all hogs were shot on sight and because of disease left in the field. Some of these Texas guys have shot hogs by the hundreds and that is not an exaggeration. I have seen over a hundred feral hogs come in when a deer feeder has gone off many times. In other areas the hogs are added to the meat in the freezer as they are fat and in good health. In some of these areas the feral hog is almost considered a game animal and hunters pay good money to collect them. Just a little fill in information for those of you not familiar with what is happening here and why some of us have shot so many hogs. ET /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
KodiakJack
New member
I agree WildEd; when I was growing up along the Red River in North Central Texas - we had no hogs.
I got back from the Marine Corps in 1987 and they were infiltrating; by the mid 90s they were rampant.
They are quite destructive but around home, they are mainly along the river in areas where their rooting does not have as much impact on improved pasture, etc.
Most of the time when I am there and we are hunting them, I quarter and backstrap them, and then smoke the meat; it is very good.
My brother and others I know there do this at times but mainly just hunt them for sport and often with pistols.
Last time I was there, just after Christmas, one of our family friend who lives on the river was really riled up at hogs; they had killed one of her big farm dogs and cut up another. She has now declared war!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angry-smiley-055.gif
I got back from the Marine Corps in 1987 and they were infiltrating; by the mid 90s they were rampant.
They are quite destructive but around home, they are mainly along the river in areas where their rooting does not have as much impact on improved pasture, etc.
Most of the time when I am there and we are hunting them, I quarter and backstrap them, and then smoke the meat; it is very good.
My brother and others I know there do this at times but mainly just hunt them for sport and often with pistols.
Last time I was there, just after Christmas, one of our family friend who lives on the river was really riled up at hogs; they had killed one of her big farm dogs and cut up another. She has now declared war!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angry-smiley-055.gif
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Abolthunterwssm
New member
i would take a 243... i've seen what happens when you go for a brain shot (22lr) and the bullet doesn't hit it's mark... and that was a farm hog, think what a wild hog would be like...
ohioguyshakes
New member
my only other option is my .300 win mag. Will there be any head left at all?? The lighest factory load I can get is 150 grain.
JTPinTX
Custom Call Maker
I know there have been traincar loads of hogs killed with a .223, and I have shot hogs with light calibers myself with success. But when I am going to shoot hogs on purpose I swing a big hammer. Things don't always go as planned and a big hog can take alot of killin' if things go bad. If you are going to shoot light calibers, aim 2 inches behind the earhole, it is a deadly shot. A frontal shot can be bad to not penetrate with varmit bullets. I have lots of rifles and love them all, when I go shoot pigs I shoot a 7x57, .270 Win, 30-06 or comparable round. I do not consider a 300 Win overgunned. Not saying you always need it, but someday you might.
I shoot hogs with a bow also, and generally they really aren't that tough. I'm just saying that if you take them too lightly they do have the ability to change your mind about things, upon occasion.
This boy walked into me right at dark as I was deer huntin' a couple weeks ago. Shot him in the chest at 15 yards with th old 30-06, and he still ran probably 40 yards.
I shoot hogs with a bow also, and generally they really aren't that tough. I'm just saying that if you take them too lightly they do have the ability to change your mind about things, upon occasion.
This boy walked into me right at dark as I was deer huntin' a couple weeks ago. Shot him in the chest at 15 yards with th old 30-06, and he still ran probably 40 yards.
bama_caine_break
New member
ive killed a pile of with anything from a 22rf to a 300 mag and 444 marlin. most of mine are oppurtunity kills like others say because these darn things are like the love children of rats and bulldozers. if im out huntin em though i always take one of m deer rifles preferably my 444 loaded with hard cast lead so i can center punch the shoulders. hogs are very tough animals and shot placement has to precise. i have presonally seen a 275# boar take 5 300 mag shots to the boiler room before he finally died. and that was shootin 180 gr bonded bullets! these jokers are tough and are not to underestimated.
that said a well placed bullet to the head or behind the ear from a 223 has kill 50 or so with me and never fails to work. i still use a stiffer bullet out of a 223 even for head shots though
that said a well placed bullet to the head or behind the ear from a 223 has kill 50 or so with me and never fails to work. i still use a stiffer bullet out of a 223 even for head shots though