Hogs with a rimfire

[DrB]

Most of our wildlife management areas here allow hog hunting with whatever firearm is allowable for the game in season. Since small game starts first, and the hogs learn fast, that means your first and best bite at the apple is with a 22 or 17 rimfire.

Now the problem is the "apple" isn't an apple. I went out mushroom foraging/scouting sunday morning with my hunting partner, and the first field we eased up to had what looked like a half slumped hay bale that on closer inspection was sporting tusks and a tail! Farther down the field there was another about two thirds the size of the first. I was impressed by the spectacle of that much mass hurtling across the field when the second one finally spooked at my stalk at about 35 yds.

So, while I won't be gunning for a hog over 150 for eating, I'm wondering at the good sense of hunting these critters with a 22 or 17. I do a lot of squirrel hunting, so I'm not too worried about putting one in the ear at under 50yds... But those critters had some BIG EARS.

Anyone with experience using a 22 on pigs have a picture they could markup and share showing suggested headshot placement? I want to get some offhand and kneeling range time in before trying this.

[Shooter]

I've seen hundreds killed with a .22 between the eyes at 2 feet on butchering day, but hunting... I don't know.

[DrB]

I've seen hundreds killed with a .22 between the eyes at 2 feet on butchering day, but hunting... I don't know.

Hp or solids, does it matter? Dad had a story from when he was a boy, said hps were a bad idea for slaughter.

[Matt3357]

Seems to me like a good way to piss off a wild hog. I would only take a shot at a hog with a rimfire as a last resort to defend myself. Never have hunted them myself, just doesn't seem like a good idea.

Matt

[Junior1942]

I wouldn't shoot a wild hog with a 22 unless it was (1) in a pen or on the other side of a stout fence; or (2) there was a strong tree with low limbs beside me.

If you'd ever spent time up a tree while a mad wild hog raged below, as I have, you'd understand what I mean. In my case, the round fired was 12 ga squirrel shot.

[DrB]

I wouldn't shoot a wild hog with a 22 unless it was (1) in a pen or on the other side of a stout fence; or (2) there was a strong tree with low limbs beside me.

If you'd ever spent time up a tree while a mad wild hog raged below, as I have, you'd understand what I mean. In my case, the round fired was 12 ga squirrel shot.

I've killed them with a 50 bp rifle, and mostly with 30 caliber rifles. I've never had one come at me but have heard enough stories to know it's no joke.

That's part of why if I'm going to do this, I want to be sure as possible it's one in the ear and lights out. It's interesting to me that I haven't yet heard of a hunter getting gored by the hogs in alabama or georgia. I've heard of folks getting knocked down in a pen and killed, but not in the woods. I know guys loose dogs fairly often.

They do allow sidearms year round with a valid ccp since the 2nd amendment supreme court case, so I was planning on wearing my 45. And keeping an eye out for a handy tree.

Thank you for the words of caution, 1942. I've spoken to the area and regional biologists, and despite a largish number of folks doing this there have been no casualties. It was surprising to me, but the 17 hmrs were reported pretty effective relative to the 22s.

Any suggestions for shot placement on a side shot from someone with personal experience?

[GabbyM]

If it's legal. Start squirrel hunting with a 223 loaded with cast boolits. Or ,gasp, if you don’t want to cast 22’s. Use 22 hornet bullets over something like Unique powder. Then carry a few M193 ball rounds in your pocket.

[DrB]

If it's legal. Start squirrel hunting with a 223 loaded with cast boolits. Or ,gasp, if you don’t want to cast 22’s. Use 22 hornet bullets over something like Unique powder. Then carry a few M193 ball rounds in your pocket.

That would be illegal here in small game season. Thank you, anyway.

[Shooter]

Hp or solids, does it matter? Dad had a story from when he was a boy, said hps were a bad idea for slaughter.

Solids were used for day-to-day use. HP were more expensive IIRC. I would by them for groundhog hunting.

[DrB]

Solids were used for day-to-day use. HP were more expensive IIRC. I would by them for groundhog hunting.

So dad related he had the chore one late fall day of getting the scalding drum filled and slaughtering a large castrated hog. He put one hollowpoint shot into the forehead which splattered without penetrating the bone. The mad hog left an impression on him that has lasted his whole life...

[sqlbullet]

We always used solids when slaughtering an animal.

[DrB]

We always used solids when slaughtering an animal.

thank you for the information.

Did you ever take a sideshot or just between the eyes? I'm doubtful about a front aspect shot as I think there wouldn't be much time to make it, and shooting from ground level I'm concerned I might skip the bullet off the forehead bone.

[10 ga]

22 mag. CCI 45 gr. game point or Federal 50 gr. Best of the rimfire stuff. Go on over to rimfire central and do a search there. 10

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/index.php

best o luck!

[x101airborne]

I can tell you with over 70 kills close range under my belt. You have to use solids. only your rifle will tell you whats best for group. Hollow-points are an occasional go. Get the heaviest solid that will group well with your hunting round.

[bstarling]

My wife's family once ran a slaughter house. One time a very large sow (later dressed out over 600 lbs) got out of the pen and could not be persuaded back in. It fell on me to dispatch the hog by whatever means available. I had a 38 special loaded with +P hollow points in the truck. The first shot was directly between the eyes. That one really pissed her off, but nothing more than she decided to chase me. A couple of the guys distracted her and I got two shots off into her left ear area. Not exactly in the ear. This only served to further annoy her even more and she came after me again. Once more the guys came to my rescue. The last round in the gun was a solid lead +P and that one got her in the side of the head and she dropped fast. The moral of this tale is..DON'T SHOOT HOLLOW POINTS AT HOGS HEADS...IT WON'T WORK!! A high power rifle will change that rule, but not the average hand gun or rim fire.

Bill

[barkerwc4362]

Growing up we butchered a hog twice a year, or I should say we had a hog butchered twice a year. My dad would pick out the hog from the 100+ on the feed floor and we would lock the others inside the shed. The butcher would guide the hog to a corner and shoot the hog in the ear with a .22. Usually the hog would quiver and then drop. It was probably a short or long solid, because it was very quiet fired out of a rifle. I have experienced first hand the fury of an old sow trying to protect her young and watched two big domestic boars go at each other. When I hunt hogs I carry the big stuff! All it would take is a flick of a head and you will be slit from ankle to crotch, or gutted. Better to carry too much than not enough!

Bill

[DrB]

So, I've got a decent solid to shoot that is accurate with my gun.

Where's the point of aim for a side profile shot? The ear hole? If so, how much behind, forward, above and below do I have? Can anyone make a mark on a photo and say -- here's your target?

I understand that for slaughter it's dead between the eyes at a fairly normal incidence to the pigs skull... maybe angled back a little from POI. But I do not expect to get a shot like this. I expect to get a profile shot at the head from 30 to 50 yards (not much down angle).

Best regards,
DrB

[DrB]

Alright, so I think this is what I was looking for. Look about right? I think he probably has the yellow zone a little too high towards the scalp at the top end. Especially with a rimfire, too high up and the bullet is going to ricochet off the skull, or just not penetrate.



From here:
http://californiahuntingtoday.com/ho...the-head-shot/

Incidentally, the guy is pretty set against head shots... on the other hand, it seems to me he's not thinking of a guy hunting hogs with a rimfire. A two inch target at under 50 yards will be fine. I'm thinking knocking a tennis ball on the 50 yard range around with my hunting buddy should be pretty good practice.

Best regards,
DrB

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

can you carry a side arm while hunting squirrel , strap on the 44 and carry the 22 if your getting that close use the 44 on the pig

[DrB]

can you carry a side arm while hunting squirrel , strap on the 44 and carry the 22 if your getting that close use the 44 on the pig

I'll be carrying my 45 (carries better than my 44 mag).

If I end up using the 45, it had better be evident that it was in response to a charge... and really my objective is not to need it.

I think it's a little silly, as the hogs are a HUGE problem at the WMA we're hunting, the regional biologist whom I regularly speak with recognizes it's a HUGE problem, and yet... it's quite clear that they will enforce the current regulations. They don't want folks running around taking shots at deer during small game, is the theory.

Don't get me wrong, if I end up with a big hog running at me, I'll worry about what to say to the warden later.

But again, with proper practice and preparation, and a careful stalk, I intend for it to be unneccessary. I'm also not in the least afraid to skirt around a boar hog too big to be tasty eating (like we saw Sunday)... the biologists want folks to kill them all, but I'd rather be better armed if I'm going to take on a critter the size of a love seat.

Best regards,
Caleb