How would you hunt these hogs?

[crabo]

I've got a place I can hunt, where there are houses are fairly close together with about 5 acres behind the houses going to a creek. It is very brushy. The hogs are coming into the yards of the people. The lady told me there is a hog run that looks like a cattle trail running behind her small barn next to the house. She went out to smoke a cigarette and spooked a hog by her propane tank. (wouldn't want to shoot at that one)

The brush is very thick with a couple of very small openings. It's in East Texas, so lights are legal. It would be easy to lose a hog if it isn't drt, which tells you about the visibility.

I was thinking about setting up a feeder in one of the small openings, which is about 20x20 feet. Getting to the area would be noisey because of the leaves. I was thinking maybe about a short ladder stand to get a little bit better visability. Shots would be about 20-30 feet because of visabilty.

I also thought about trying to sit on the barn or garage and try to ambush them if I could get them to come to the dinner bell at a regular time.

Any ideas? I'm not sure the neighbors would like to hear a 44 mag or 45/70 go off 20 yards away in the night time.

Anyone have any idea?

[stubshaft]

I would use a bow and arrow, barring that a Hornet down loaded behind the ear works fine or download the 45/70 with a catsneeze load.

[lead Foot]

It is rear that a pig will look in to a spot light. If you feed them in one spot it should be easy. Even the biggest pig will go down with a 22lr. This what you can do. Set your self up with a steedy bench rest and light. The best shot will be in the ear (side on) just a little above center. Then all you need is some eegs to go with your bacon.:p
Lead foot;

[HARRYMPOPE]

a 30 cal 200g bullet at 600 fps is very quiet and deadly up close


HMP

[missionary5155]

Good morning
A caliber.22 long will put down 600 pound hogs in a flash. That is how Grandpa Fikes did it in Riverside , Mich as I was growing up. Just get it in the ear into the brain. There is a nice cannal that leads straight to the brain. Shooting from up above just remember the angles.
Get a 24 inch barreled rifle and the neighbors will only hear a slight pop if that.

[avan47]

If you set up a feeder with a timer, they will come to it. If you shoot one with a bow, even a lethal shot, you will have to track him into the brush. That should be fun. You will want your 44 mag, or 45-70 with you when you do that. I would go with the 22lr, either from the ladder stand or from the barn or garage. The first shot from a 22lr rifle is just a noise to most people, and not usually identified as a gunshot. If you fire more than once, some people will recognize the noise as gun shots. This is true even for high velocity ammo. Pistols are harder to shoot accurately under field conditions, and louder than rifles. I have had good results with CCI mini-mag hp, and Winchester power points. CCI standard velocity and Remington sub sonics are quieter. A head shot, in the ear, between the ear and eye, through the eye or between the eyes will drop a hog in his tracks. I bet most of the hogs will run 50 to 100 pounds and smaller. I doubt if the place is overrun with 600 pound hogs. They should be good eating.

[Suo Gan]

Bow or crossbow stuff. Or maybe they are coming from an area that is not so crowded? Hunt them there with a rifle. Hitting critters in the head with a 22 is not ethical or even a legal practice. A deer around my ma's was shot in the head and it lived, it would go every ten feet and shake his head, he developed a cauliflower ear and a deformed antler on one side later. He lived for years after, but it made his life miserable. Use appropriate tools for the job. Just because you might be able to take that 3/4" bolt off with a 6" inch crescent does not mean it's a good idea in a non emergency situation. Shooting a hog in the lot with a 22 is a lot different than out in the woods...

[Larry Gibson]

I didn't read into crabo's post that noise was a problem. Therefor I think he's pretty much got a good plan. Just needs to make sure of his field of fire so there's not danger and stay within that regardless of the pigs position. If hunting at night I'd also use a large light with a red filter on it as used for night hunting of varmints. A good low powered scope with a coarse reticle or a lighted one would also be my choice. No qualms with either th .44 or the 45-70 as both should do the trick.

Sounds like an interesting "hunt"; crabo, please keep us posted.

Larry Gibson

[chaos]

Trap 'em.

Use dieseled corn for bait as coons, nor deer will not go into your traps or eat it. Dispatch with 22lr.( its perfeclty legal to use any means in Texas as they are NOT game animals)

The first time you go bustin rounds off into a herd of hogs, they will move out of the area for a little while, then when you least expect it they will be right back.

[starmac]

If the neighbors don't want noise, trapping them would be an option.

[EMC45]

Head shoot with .22LR. Ethical and legal... Here in GA they are a nusiance animal and they want then dead any way you can make it happen! Most folks I know will kill a handful at a time and let them rot. Then they will shoot the coyotes off them.

[AkMike]

Have a talk with the affected neighbors and tell them what you want to do so they don't freak out hearing gunshots and call the cops. Tell them about the neighborhood BBQ that you're going to be bringing the meat for..

Then inform them they're bringing the adult beverages!

[tcrocker]

I'd go talk to the neighbors and tell them your intent I'd be willing to bet they wouldn't mind. There probley tearing up the yard and fields too. And the 45/70 works great on hogs..
http://http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss8/crockerthomas/th_P1010071.jpg (http://s556.photobucket.com/albums/ss8/crockerthomas/?action=view&current=P1010071.jpg)

[richhodg66]

At those ranges and with houses and such closeby, is a 12 gauge with OO out of the question? I agree with the others, the neighbors may be tired enough of the hogs to put up with gun shots.

[avan47]

I don't shoot them in a lot, I hunt them with my 22. Nothing unethical or ilegal about it, and I have been very successful at it. I usually use my Ruger 77/22 with a scope, and it is very accurate. Trapping is also a good option. The comments made about neighbors not minding the shooting are probably true. They probably do not want the hogs there either. They are very disturctive.

[Suo Gan]

I don't shoot them in a lot, I hunt them with my 22. Nothing unethical or ilegal about it, and I have been very successful at it. I usually use my Ruger 77/22 with a scope, and it is very accurate. Trapping is also a good option. The comments made about neighbors not minding the shooting are probably true. They probably do not want the hogs there either. They are very disturctive.

I really doubt the fact that you can kill a hog with a headshot and your 22 every time there Rambo. We have a huge problem with wild boars here as well. I know how destructive $$$$ they can be first hand and have no love of them at all (Except BBQ'd of course) In fact the state trapper shoots as many as he can 1 day a week from helicopter. I have talked with him and he says he averages around 500 hogs a day when he is out. He is not using a 22 LR either!! If you are in a survival situation any means necessary is the rule, but a hog is a living breathing animal who feels pain. If you have done this for ANY length of time, you have let wounded game go because you choose to use a weak cartridge. When people talk out their wazoo, the people who have actually been there and done that can tell.
I think I get emotional about this kind of thing, because it sheds a negative light on he crude way sportsmen are perceived by the non hunting community. I have been guilty of this myself sometimes. One of my first hunting experiences was tainted by my uncle. Uncle was half Yokuts indian and had his ways, some of which anyone reading this would think was borderline barbarous. He taught me many things...one of them being that a 22LR is not a usfull tool for taking game. One of his preferred methods of take was a 22 autoloader. He would shoot until the game fell, and I am here to say that as often as not, the game did not fall and kept on going over the hill, and across the valley, and over the next saddle a mile away. I have been on the kill of so many critters I cannot count them anymore. A barnload for sure. I still feel for the game no matter how 'small'. I feel for the damn ground squirrel, he did not know that my shed was not his after all. If you stop feeling that there is a special connection between hunter and game, then it is time to hang up the hunting gun IMO. Shooting game unethically is a practice that is outlawed in all areas as far as I know, including that ordained by God. Anyway that is my take.

PS, I have a polar bear claw necklace made by a dead friend. He shot the bear with his 22 mag at 30 paces. Just because something is possible does not mean it is a good idea! Some people just have uncanny good luck, don't count on it always being there friend.

[Blammer]

I would talk to the neighbors and ask how they feel about you killing the hogs.

MOST will assume you will be using a high powered rifle of sorts an naturally will assume to hear gunshots.

I'd plan to shoot from an elevated position and tell the neighbors that too, and explain that your rounds will be going into the dirt.

One or two shots at night won't be a big deal if they know what's going on.

I'd bait them and shoot from a good rest using a spot light at night as needed.

I'd use either your 44mag or your 45-70 with moderat loads, of course a 22lr in the ear would work too, if you're up to the task.

Knowing you can use any firearm because the neighbors don't care, would be a good thing.

[Gelandangan]

I would use my 77/22 .22LR bolt action with CCI Standard velocity targeting the ear.
Definitely do able and not much fuss..

[crabo]

Right now I am leaning toward setting a trap, putting up a feeder, and using some feeder lights to shoot a few. Just trapping hogs doesn't really appeal to me, but I do want to learn to cook some pigs. If you get them free, you can afford to experiment. I've got a friend that wants some also.

The lights are pretty cheap. http://www.elusivewildlife.com/products.htm

I've got a couple of popup blinds, so I might set one of them up also. I found out there is a neighbor that lives farther back into the woods in a trailer, and the hogs hang out there alot. She told me the neighbor would show us where they are at and let us hunt there also. He may have a better field of fire.

I think the opportunity to do a lot of ammo testing may be good.

[JeffinNZ]

Two words.

Claymore perimeter.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

At 20~30 feet a 12ga load of "00" buck would be my gun, second would be a Ruger 10/22 with high cap mag. Feeder is a great way to do it, just get in something off the ground that the pigs can't get to you in. Traps work great as well.

[EMC45]

.22LR in the eye or ear. Done deal. A buddy of mine usually gut shoots them (.270) so they run off and die off his property. If they do die on his property then he shoots the yotes off the carcass. They are for sure a problem here in GA. You can hunt them year round and use any caliber weapon you care to.

[10 ga]

Live trap or foot snare would be my choice of way to go. There are a bunch of "traping" websites available. Probably one for the trappers association in your state. I visit "trapperman.com" regularly and you can probably find all the info you need there. Due to the body shape hogs are very difficult to body or neck snare but foot snares work real good and won't cost arm, leg and some fingers to buy. Just be "camped" close by as when he's snared it'll sound like a torture incident. Hogs are VERY vocal. After one or two are snared the rest will probably leave the area. Good Luck! 10 ga

[starmac]

.22LR in the eye or ear. Done deal. A buddy of mine usually gut shoots them (.270) so they run off and die off his property. If they do die on his property then he shoots the yotes off the carcass. They are for sure a problem here in GA. You can hunt them year round and use any caliber weapon you care to.

I guess it is better to smell up the neighbors huh.
You would think that with the cost of processed meat that there would be enough hunters willing to help out with that problem. I think many don't want other people on their property though, and for some their is good reason.

I would have a hard time gut shooting anything so that it would run off to die.

[akajun]

Either build this trap door or buy it. You will also need wire panels to complete the trap and tie the panels together with para cord onto t posts you drive into the ground. Me and my buddy built the door and catch 5-7 hogs at a time, all dispatched with a 22 rifle with head shots. When you walk up to the trap, they will be going, "Hog Wild". you will need a semiauto and a clear shooting area, you will miss some in the melee.

Use corn with beer poured on it for bait, corn soaked in diesel if you have problems with deer tripping the trap. Bait it up and tie the door open for a week letting them go as they wish before setting the trap.
http://www.sportsmanscondo.com/productpages/SOTHogSlammer.htm

[Arisaka99]

thats a good idea, and it has the trap door right? Need an axe and a bayonet. ;)

[Fenring]

Bait station, and I'd load some .44M heavy cast at around 900 - 1000fps + shoot 'em out of a levergun.

[frankenfab]

I would bait them, then get up on top of the barn or in a stand, so I had a good downward angle on the shot (you said it was kind of a populated area) and shoot the with a 435-450 grain .512 diameter slug out of a sixgun.

That is my idea of fun!

[357maximum]

I have always wanted to build and use functional Burmese Tiger Pit...whats the soil like?:groner:

[frankenfab]

I have always wanted to build and use functional Burmese Tiger Pit...whats the soil like?:groner:

:bigsmyl2:

AHhhhhhhhhhhhh I needed that.

[Gunfixer]

I kill 'em regularly in a trap at 5 feet distance with a 22 lr. between the eyes and 1 inch above a horizontal line through them. If you stand there and be quiet they will stop and look at you , BANG. Flop for a min and load them up. I will sat that if you use "larger" boolit/bullet and hit a wire on the trap, pain will ensue, (dont ask, well go ahead)
But I do like the tiger pit idea, but here is like digging in concrete

[akajun]

thats a good idea, and it has the trap door right? Need an axe and a bayonet. ;)

Well if you buy it from him all you get is the door, you have to buy the t posts and wire panels yourself from a local farm supply store. A friend and I had built some a few years back, its an old design, I was shown this and use it to show people an example of our traps and where to get one if you dont have welding equipment like we do.

They work very well, and keep on trapping after the door closes, they can get more in, but dont let them out. We didnt think it would work, but we have put game cameras on them and have never seen a loss. My buddies hog catch count on his place is over 100 in 2 years. That is with us killing them in the trap and not moving it. Honestly, sometimes we go months without setting the traps, the pigs seem to be nomadic. You will not see any sign for months, then they will be all over the place rubbing pine trees and tearing up food plots.

[chaos]

That is with us killing them in the trap and not moving it. Honestly, sometimes we go months without setting the traps, the pigs seem to be nomadic. You will not see any sign for months, then they will be all over the place rubbing pine trees and tearing up food plots.


This is how they act in West Texas as well. I weld up my own traps with good results. Sometimes they are gone for 4 to 6 months and when they show back up it is in FORCE.

I do know that you WILL NOT erradicate hogs from a place by simply shooting them. You cant even trap them out, but a trap is more effective in getting numbers of pigs. They are smarter than deer and will flat outrun them. City slickers show up out here with giant magazine fed weapons thinking they are going to just slaughter 20 of them out of a single sounder when they walk out. Not going to happen folks. They are VERY fast.

Me and my two kids took upwards of 40 with guns last year. I shoot sixguns only and they use the rifles. Cant remember the number we took with traps.....BUNCHES.

It doesnt matter how many you shoot or trap, they are not going to completely go away.

A couple of years ago, Texas Ok'ed the hunting of hogs by Helicopter. Population of hogs is still growing.

Edited to add: I'm speaking of Live traps here, with both push gates and trap doors. I've never heard of snaring a hog. I'd imagine they'd chew through what ever you were trying to snare them with given enough time or the affected appendage

I once put 8 of em in a cattle trailer as it was dark when I ran the traps. I was going to try and catch a few more before I slaughtered them. That night, they actually tore the floor out of my trailer and escaped. Only time its ever happened, before or since. I just pop them in the trap now, with whatever .22 is on hand.

I build traps similar to the one pictured, but with floors and tops on them, where tthy can be easily hauled in a pickup bed. I just hook the trip wire to the floor of the trap and pour my bait pile around the wire. When they brush up against the wire, it trips a lever holding the door open. Welded on an inward angle with a push plate on the door, more can and do push there way into the trap.


Good luck to the OP in what ever he attemps....

[starmac]

Just choke em to death, you have got every other answer. lol

[BD]

I killed every pig I ever raised with a .22 LR pistol shot straight down into the top of the head. None were under 250 pounds, none took a single step, or required a second shot. If you imagine an "X" formed by the ears and the eyes, and put the bullet roughly in the center of that X straight down, it will work every time. The key is to use a post hole digger to make a small deep hole for the grain. That keeps the pig in the same spot with their head stationary long enough to get a clean shot. I'm not saying this is an ideal hunting technique, only that it definitely works. It's a lot tougher to get that close to the wild ones. I would imagine that an accurate shot in the ear would work as well.
BD

[blaster]

Trap em and stick em.

[buckbeans]

Are these the same pigs now making front page on Foxnew.com?

[x101airborne]

I live WAY out in the sticks. CLAYMOREs set at 90 degrees to each other, 200 ft. leade to a detonator, and a sacraficial deer corn feeder. I am currently putting corn in a straight line and shooting them with 50 BMG ball ammo. Killed 9 last week with 1 round. Best 2.00 I ever spent. I even have around 650 of his partners ready to go. With a smal deer feeder on a timer, you can have the hogs come in regularly. If you dont feel like hunting, they still get fed and get used to the feeder. The military surplus store here had some trip wires that activated a calalume night stick. I rigged it up in a circle around my feeder with the shielded infrared lightstick tripwire up under the feeder. Using my PVS4 nightvison, I see everything like daylight at 200 yards. Even with ar-15's, I can get 3 or 4 before they all run. Then in 5 minutes, some will come back and I usually get one or two more. The only thing I hate worse than a hog is a thief.

[Fenring]

I say we take off, and nuke the entire site from orbit.

It's the only way to be sure..... :bigsmyl2:

[crabo]

I went out this afternoon and looked again. Heard a pack of coyotes fairly close twice. We found out the small opening is on her property. The plan is to set up a feeder later this week, and build a couple of 6' ladder stands. I could see fresh hog track, so we should be in the bacon before too long. Maximum shot would be 60 yards, so the S&W 44 mag will get a workout along with the guidegun.

The wind was blowing from the south, and where we are going to put the stands, should be perfect for either a north or south wind. The Benelli and Dead Coyote rounds will get the nod on the coyotes.

[BOOM BOOM]

HI,
SQUIB LOAD IN THE 45/70, HEAVY FLAT POINT BULLET. HEAD SHOT.:Fire::Fire:
TREE STAND RED SPOTLIGHT.
TALK WITH NEIGHBORS. BBQ SOUNDS GOOD. YUM YUM.:bigsmyl2:

[725]

Up close in a populated area -- crossbow.

[caillouetr9981]

BEFORE you hunt pigs in the neighborhood, talk with the neighbors and let them know that they can have pigs or occaisonal noise - their choice.

No, it wouldn't be pleasant to wake up to gunfire (something that I've experienced WAY too many times), but tackling pigs with twigs (arrows) or .22's just do two things: 1) injure pigs; and 2) puts you (and the neighbors) AT RISK! Can you kill a pig with a .22 short? Sure, but before you do this, try taking a Cape Buffalo with a ball-peen hammer!

Even if you are not interested in turning the pigs into tablefare (which would be sad), the most important part of any hunting is to get the animal on the ground FAST!!! You really don't want to just injure or aggravate a pig!

Also, while pigs are more approachable at night, you'll find that you can locate and shoot them easily in the daylight - provided you put a little time into pre-hunt observation and/or baiting. And, if you want bait, douse a pickle bucket of sweet potatoes with a little beer, cover the bucket and let them ferment - ROT, actually. It stinks, but it draws pigs like crazy!

Reggie

[wellfedirishman]

Stated half seriously, half jokingly:

Since they are a nuisance animal (not a game animal, so fair chase doesn't apply), and noise/tracking is a concern, consider other methods.

IF (i.e., check the law first) it is legal in your state have you considered drugging them? Feed them corn or mash with a heavy dose of liquor (or Walgreens over the counter sleeping pills if you don't plan on eating them).

They will be fast asleep in an hour. Then take care of them quietly with a sledgehammer.

Of course, test it first before walking out there among them. And don't attract local hobos by accident with the smell of the cheap booze :)

[L1A1Rocker]

I don't suppose you have access to a suppressed rifle?


http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Oct07A20298-2.jpg?t=1300209700

[DIRT Farmer]

Lots of storries around here about feeding hogs distillery slops many years ago. It was said you don't need a fence to keep hogs if feeding slops.

[Bulltipper]

+1 on the suppressor! Pffffft---"Down goes Frazier"

[unclebill]

i knew there was a reason i wanted to suppress my savage .308 (besides the coolness factor).
time to start looking up subsonic loads.

i dont care how many grampappy's used a .22
i would bring enough gun.

[truckjohn]

If it's out in the country - Farm area... A couple gun shots won't bother anyone.....

Personally, I would pick something Subsonic or lower velocity supersonic - They go "POP" ... Not Ka-Boom!!!!! and don't rattle all the windows.... In contrast - I wouldn't use full power 30-06 loads....

#1 choice for me would be a shotgun with either Buckshot or Slugs....
Then, anything 30-cal or larger with a big heavy boolit....
Pistol cartridges usually work pretty well too....

At the ranges you are talking about - head shots shouldn't be too difficult.. so practice lots and aim small... Second choice would be shots that "Anchor" the game - bust the front shoulders, etc....... as with people in the vicinity - the last thing you want is for the homeowner to be charged by a wounded hog....

Thanks