.36 enough for Hogs?

[Problem Child]

I hunt public WMA's in Mississippi.We have a late small game season that runs to the end of Feb.For small game a muzzleloader must be .40 cal or less and I haven't seen too many 40 cals.The local WMA has quite a few hogs but you have to use whatever weapon and load that is in season(small game at this time).Would a .36 cal take out a hog?

 

[John Wasmuth]

I've used my .32 crockett on many smaller hogs, 100 pound and under range. Have to pick your shots more carefully. I like to hit them in the side of the head between the ear and the eye.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

or base of skull/neck juncture, clip the verterbrae. a large one avoid any shoulder
/base of neck shot the shield may be too thick.
I took a couple with C&B .44's, one my '58 other (large one) my ROA with max powder load and conical slugs. one of my nephews was in the blind with me toting his H&R 20ga 3" mag loaded w/#2 buck. the big one I shot too far back & high but I knew I got a solid hit (pig was trotting past our blind) but we had a track of over 1/4 mile before finding it piled up in thicket still blowing blood from both lung tips shot through. the sow whirled and ran off too fast for either of us to get off a shot, amazing how fast they can spin and haul ash.

 

[Onojutta]

Most people would be surprised with how much less energy is required to kill animals than most of us think we need. 36 will do the job.

 

[bingo1952]

I would stick with the head shots. A wounded and angry hog is dangerous.

 

[roundball]

Would a .36 cal take out a hog?

Never shot one...have read a lot in hopes of getting ready for a chance here in NC.
From all accounts their anatomy is a little different than a deers, with the heart/lung area being further forward and better protected by the thick shoulders.

So I've already decided if I get a chance to shoot any hogs, I'll go for the brain with a .58cal ball in the ear...I'd certainly think the brain shot would also be the best odds using a tiny .36cal ball.

 

[RonT]

Agree, but having said that I have a .58 and am not too sure it's big enough for my comfort.
R

 

[BrownBear]

I've killed hogs with everything from 22 rimfire to 44 mag, but no muzzleloaders, so this is pure conjecture.

I'd say a 36 would do just fine on one condition: If you've got the moxy to pass up all but perfect shots. Lotsa lore out there about tough hogs, but don't let that put pressure on your head and give you swine flu when it's time for the shot. Stay relaxed and make a perfect side shot on the head, and it's a dead pig.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Most people would be surprised with how much less energy is required to kill animals than most of us think we need. 36 will do the job.

Aint it so.

 

[GreyWhiskers]

Same as Brown Bear, I've killed lots of pigs with CF rifles and pistols. Only one little one with a ML though.

They aren't any harder to kill but I'm always amazed at how dense they are. It's tough for a modern expanding bullet to penetrate all the way through the chest area.

I'm really interested to see how a R/Ball of any caliber will do on a chest shot. GW

 

[John Wasmuth]

I've whistled .490's clean thru some good sized ones, others have stopped on the off side. Big hogs can take a pounden. Which is why I like head shots on hogs. Plus you dont ruin much meat.

 

[paulvallandigham]

My late friend, Don Latter, shot his first Wild Boar in the chest with a .62 Caliber rifle. The ball traveled the length of the boar, stopping under the skin on the opposite rear Ham muscle. The boar was about 250 lbs., It stood still, shaking, until it collapsed and died. Don had reloaded his gun, primed his pan, and was aiming at the boar when it collapsed.

3 of us went for wild boar the next year. I shot mine in the spine and my .50 cal. RB failed to break the Vertebrae. Terry shot his with a .54 RB, with a broadside shot, which penetrated, but did not stop the hog. George shot his using his Brown Bess and a .75 Cal. RB. His was also a broadside hit, but he needed a second shot to bring the boar down.

AFter examining wounds, and discussing shots, range( all were at short range, well under 25 yds) we decided to recommmend Conicals be used for hunting boars to our friends.

I am convinced, from experience( including a subsequent Boar Hunt about 12 years later), that the heavier RBs will do the job, but I am speaking about .58 and larger caliber RBs. George's experience just shows that some animals are just not going to go down easy no matter how large a RB is used. We were all surprised that George's boar did not go down with that first shot.

 

[texcl]

I grew up in south Texas and we have shot tons and tons of hogs, mostly with 22lrs when we were kids. a .36 will most certainly kill hogs use a harder ball if you can and poke it right through the boiler give it a few minutes to expire and you'll be fine, don't hit the shoulder blade, shoot them from slightly behind if you can. Hogs aren't as dangerous as many beleive. My uncle used to trap hogs and as kids we would go with him and put the piglets caught in the trap into gunny sacks, now when you mess with a pigs young, that's when you run into trouble, we would usually dispatch mama before emptying the traps but sometimes she would hide until the piglets started squealing, that's when it would get exciting.

 

[hanshi]

An armed rpb hunter even more so. :v

All seriousness aside, I've never shot a hog but don't see why a .36 can't work.

 

[lonehunter]

Put it through the ear-hole, when the smoke clears it will be laying where it WAS standing. pick your shots and you should be fine, we have taken them with .22 shorts this way, they just fall over :v

 

[Hoyt]

Although a .22 rim-fire is enough to kill any hog..you just never know. Last hog I killed with flintlock was a medium size boar hog. I walked up on it laying in mudhole. I was about 20yds from it when it stood up broadside. I shot it in the side of the head with .58cal. and it was laying on it's side when the smoke cleared. Then it got up and stumbled off into high palmeto's. Went about 70yds. Never would have even thought it would have got back up with shot.