Well when stationed at ft benning ga I hunted many different areas to get the hogs it was cash in my pocket and thats when gas was 4 bucks a gallon back in 2007-2008 time frame. I hunted archery only areas, and shotgun areas, all other areas were open game. I used to use my trusty 7mm rem mag as primary weapon but the rounds were home loads and when I ran low I just switched guns, plus its fun to carry a different gun. Plus the terrain dictats as well. If I was hunting the palmettos in the swamp the shotgun was the way to go with buckshot, hogs were close, and were theres one theres many so don't shoot the first one you see thats usually the boar who stands outside the group, get to the main group and I was using an 11-87 with a modified choke and 3inch 00 buck at close range the hogs would just squel and thats it. Usually that way you can get at least 2 oinkers. But most pigs were 50-150 lbs on average. The only time I have ever seen a hog soak up lead was about a 300 lber my buddy shot about 7 times with an ar-15, kind of light ion my opinion for big hogs but thats his call,, it ran by me and dropped it with one shot with a 243 right below the ear. If you close and its a huge pig thats the best spot to hit them if you have the gun to do it. I tried the same shot at 10 yards with the 50 cal because the vitals were hidin it was 10 yards the shot went a touch high and drop the hog but it wasn't dead but breathin hard and spinnin circles, it just cracked the skull was all. But i have seen hogs get killed with every gun known 30-30, 45-70, 22 lr, shotguns, ml, ar's, sks's, 243, 35 rem, 7mm, 30-06, 257 weatherby, 270, bow, and even one with a knife. Get in tight to them and take well aimed close shots, there is no magic gun, load, or caliber, each situation and area caused me to change guns out. 50 cal round ball 80 grains of powder under 50 yards behind the shoulders all day long both lungs into hamburger regardless of the size of the pig. The reason most hogs are lost is one the terrain I have hunted in is swamps, thick nasty, muddy, snake infilled areas (problem-1) Problem 2 a big hogs fat will plug and fill in entrace and exit hole with a smaller caliber, making tracking tough, especially it nasty areas. 95 percent of all the hogs I have shot have dropped on the spot or went less then 10 yards. Hint frontal shot forget the vitals put the round right between the eyes, quarter to shots just wait unless you can get a below the ear, or fatal-t shot, broad side or quartering away tight to the shoulder a touch high mid-body (yes the heart is low) but the shot I described if hit right will take out the lungs and bottom of the spine in one shot, if its walking away, base of the spine and head (I only take this shot under 20 yards) keep in mind most were with scoped rifles so accuracy was spot on. Forget shooting at running hogs after the first shot, instead look for the hogs that scatter and they usually dont go more then 50 yards and they are trying to figure out where the rest of the group is to get back with them those are the ones you want to shoot much easier then a running hog. Also this might sound inhumane but always if your trying to kill pigs off shoot the sow if the piglets are around 35-50 pounds, then when you kill the sow the hogs will not leave the area the sow was shot in for about a week. You can come back and take those dudes out to regularly. Hope this helps hit me up on PM if anyone wants more help on trapping them, or following the root marks.
