Started out as a Squirrel hunt...

[Problem Child]

In Mississippi small game season is still open and muzzleloading calibers for Squirrel must be .40 and below. So I bought me a .32 the other day and headed out to my local WMA. The wind was pretty bad and I didn't see a hair of a squirrel...but I found some very fresh hog sign by a creek. I decided to slowly walk into the wind along the creek. I didn't go 50 yards and I jumped a hog.I'm new to hogs and didn't realize that they could move so fast.I tried to whistle but it didn't come out so I kinda grunted and the hog stopped but was behind a few small trees offering no shot.I waited around for a few minutes and continued toward where I had seen the hog last and then I realized that somewhere I had lost my ramrod. :cursing: So I start backtracking with no luck.
I stopped along my route and was looking around when I heard what sounded like a growl.Then another. I looked and not 25 yards were two hogs.They saw me but didn't really know what I was.It was a starring match for a few minutes but the lead hog finally offered me a shot.Remember this is a .32 caliber and I lost the ramrod. But I make the desision to shoot for the head.The hog ran off and I watched it as far as I could see.It acted a little weird when running but I'm not sure if I hit it or not.So I decide to mark the spot and continue backtracking to find the lost ramrod.Of course no luck finding it so I decide I have to see if I hit the hog(with an unloaded gun).
I had picked out a large pine where I had last saw the hog so I headed that way and I luckily found my ramrod while on the way.I reloaded and continued looking for any sign of the hog but found nothing.It was a fun hunt though and I will be back after the hogs.

 

[Dave K]

Nothing like hunting excitement. I will never forget an old man that I used to work for and about hogs. As everyone in my neck of the woods, they all had a "hog" gun used to kill and butcher hogs. The old man was about 10yrs. old and was going to have his first chance to use the ml'er to kill the hog to butcher. The hog was in a pen and as the custom, you drew a line from the inside base of one ear and ran that line into the inside corner of the other eye. You would do this across both ears and eyes making a cross. This "cross" would be the ideal place to put the ball. When he shot, the hog just shook his head and my friends younger brother dropped dead. The ricochet had killed him. As most hog guns in my area they were very typically old muzzleloader of the Ohio style and usually 32-38cal. It is just a story I never forgot.

 

[jbtusa]

I've butchered many hogs back on the farm in Iowa when I was a kid and have had .22 LR's bounce off of hogs' heads many times. Your little .32 probably did the same.

 

[Problem Child]

Hmmmmm....need more powder or bigger bullet. :hmm:

 

[410-er]

After shooting butcher hogs a couple times and needing more than one shot,I took the advice of a older hog farmer.He said to make an imaginary "X" between the ears and the eyes,straight on, and it will kill them every time.Since I've done that,no need for a 2nd bullet.

 

[Maynerd62411]

We used a .22 Magnum and always took a few extra shells. A #1200 steer is easier to put down that a #250 hog.
My brother -in-law always had to take at least 2 shots, he became known as "2-SHOT BOB" . :rotf:

 

[playfarmers]

I have killed many butcher hogs with a .22 mag, and all have dropped with one shot. I hit them from behind the ear and into the brain.

 

[Britsmoothy]

I wanted to say that but held back till now!

All the stock and some deer I have taken I find down the ear hole a far better option.

Brits.

 

[Okurok]

Yup. Killed a hundred hogs at least and thats the way you do it. If you ever cut the head up to make head cheese you'll see why. In December we killed 4 hogs. My cousin from out of state wanted to shoot them so we let him. He shot the hog 5 times in the head and finally let my dad shoot him. My uncle cut the head right across one of the bullet paths and you could see why. That particular hog had a thicker skull there than normal. About 1 1/2 inches thick. The bullet was about a 1/4 inch from going all the way thru. If you look at the hollow by the ear it only has a thin piece of bone.

 

[buttonbuck]

I have done a few in my day mostly young ones face on but the old ones go for the ear! Those old farm stories, I will not forget that one I just heard here I never thought that could happen I am going to share that with my hog farmer friend.

 

[Maynerd62411]

Makes sence. It won't bounce off the skull, either. Seems alot safer, for the ppl, not the hog.
It's been several years since I've butchered hogs, but next time, that's what we'll do. THANKS.

 

[Flintlock58]

I agree. I am now retired but at work I had to put down many injured deer etc. Behind or in the ear aimed on a path to exit the opposite eye always took only one shot to do the job.

 

[Protrucker]

Imagine an X between the right eye-left ear & left eye-right ear. Put the shot there & it's dead. I used to work for a rendering company. I only had a .22 rimfire & solid point bullets to use. That combo worked fine for everything that I had to kill at ranges from point blank to about 25 yards by aiming at the X. Cow, horse, hog, etc., it didn't matter.....never had to use a second shot either.

 

[Problem Child]

Looks like I'm going after the hogs again...in the snow maybe.I'm only using 30 grains of FFF.Should I bump up to 40 grains?

 

[Britsmoothy]

Na, just drop one down an ear hole and get as close as you can get.

Brits :thumbsup:

 

[John Wasmuth]

Yep. Get as close as you can, then get ten yards closer. Twixed the ear and the eye about half an inch low. I use my .32 for smallish hogs often. Just get closeer.

 

[Shane Carter]

I'd go up to 40grs and aim between the base of the ear and the back of the eye.