Pig Hunting Question

[Capt. Fred]

I've got a question for you experienced pig hunters.

Will pigs come in to a predator call and if so, would you think shooting one in the head with a .40 cal roundball would be lethal at shorter ranges, say 30-40 yds?

The reason I ask is this: the area I've been turkey hunting is also an area I occasionally coyote hunt on. Recently I've been seeing some pig sign and was wondering what to do if I see one when I've got the .40 in my hand. I deer hunt this place too and wouldn't hesitate to shoot a pig with the .54 I use when deer hunting, but I'm not too sure about the .40.

 

[bigbore442001]

Any head shot that allows the projectile to reach the brain will be lethal. The .40 would be able to do it if you could shoot somewhere around the ear canal area.

This is not muzzleloading related but more than a decade ago I shot and killed in Florida what is classified as a meat hog. A boar that weighs between fifty and one hundred pound, which is considered to be nice and tender. I shot it with a 10" barreled .22 Hornet TC Contender handgun. One shot from a Winchester Western factory load 45 grain soft point at 20 yards right in the heart killed it. The boar bled like a spigot and walked all of fifteen feet and dropped.

With that knowledge I would state that you can shoot a wild boar provided you can penetrate the chest area into the heart. The other would be the above mentioned ear canal shot. I know of a person who is a caretaker on a large Florida ranch who shoots wild hogs regularly with a 223. He stated that a shot that area will make their eyes bug out. The sides of their skulls seems to be a weak area so you can take advantage of it.

I will gladly accept any criticism from others with far greater knowledge than I on this topic.

PS: So you are turkey hunting? I did not realize you could use a small bore muzzleloading rifle. That is interesting.

 

[August West]

Sometimes pigs come in to a predator call and sometimes they run the other way. If they do come in get ready, because they come in looking for a fight, I had a sow with little ones dang near put me up a tree, I didn't want to shoot her but with her 10 feet away poppin her cutters I thought I was gonna have to. I have called in several best thing I can say is try it and see what happens, I also had a big coon come in that I almost kicked to get get it to go away, I have seen doe deer come in also.

Don't know what kinda call you have, my favorite is the critter getter open reed, but blow it loud and agressive with as much rasp as you can get and be ready.

Don't know about a 40 but I've put several on the pit with a 50 and roundballs. Chris

 

[lonehunter]

Dont know about the pred. call, they may, i dont know. Pick your shot and a .40 will drop them in thier tracks. We have killed a many with a .22 short! Put it right smack in the ear hole, and game over, they will fall over like a rock. I dont recall one even kicking after it hit the ground. Shot placement is everything! :v

 

[BrownBear]

Can't say about all pigs, but the ones we raised when I was a kid sure would. Of course, we used to hunt jack rabbits to feed them, and they sure had a sweet tooth for hare!!! If any pigs ever had reason to find a wounded rabbit, I can guarandamntee that they'd be looking for more ASAP.

And 40? Yeah, if you got it in the brain. All I ever use to slaughter pigs is a 22 revolver and brain shots. Bang, flop, dead, time to scald and scape em.

 

[Capt. Fred]

Cool. I figured maybe it would work. I've only shot one pig and that was with a 30-06 through the lungs. Worked just fine! If I get a good chance to put one in the ear I'll give it a go.

By the way, I'm not hunting turkey with the .40. Using my fowler for that. But I do hunt the coyotes in the same patch of woods with my .40. I haven't called in any coyotes yet but they are there and the owner of the land really wants them shot, and when I mentioned that I'd seen a pig and some pig sign on the property he wanted me to shoot them too if I get the chance.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Pretty much what has been said. Seen pigs run to the call and others run like a butcher with a sharp cleaver was after them! I've killed a lota meat hogs with a .32 cal Crockett rifle, killed a lot of them when I was a kid with my .41 ML. Pick your shot between the ear and the eye, about an inch low and the will drop DRT, (Dead Right There). If your after bigger tuskers maybeso use something a bit bigger, they got thick skulls! Good luck and have fun!

 

[August West]

Where you at in Carolina? I am originally from GA and go down there to hunt pigs, far as I know, we don't have any out in the eastern part of NC where I live now. I go down to Ft Stewart a couple of times a year to hunt, real good hunting down there. Chris

 

[flyfisher76544]

Where you at in Carolina? I am originally from GA and go down there to hunt pigs, far as I know, we don't have any out in the eastern part of NC where I live now. I go down to Ft Stewart a couple of times a year to hunt, real good hunting down there. Chris

Yes there is!! :thumbsup:

 

[Capt. Fred]

I'm in Edenton and they are spotty around here. I've heard they are pretty thick out past Hertford, which is only ten miles or so east of where I'm hunting.

I've only seen the one. But the woods road I walk in on looks like it's been roto-tilled in spots. :thumbsup:

There's actually a guy offering a guide service to hunt them not too far east of me. I forget the town but it's over towards Elizabeth City.

 

[August West]

Dang that's not far from me, I thought all the pigs were in the mountains. I might have to quit driving to GA and start looking closer to home. Chris

 

[Capt. Fred]

Here's the link to the outfit. It's actually due north of me. I don't know anything about them.
http://www.northeasternhunting.com/