Feral piglet question

[justplainpossum]

Yesterday I was walking along my fenceline, and while looking down at a pile of feathers on the ground three young piglets popped out of the brush on the other side, about three or four feet away. They were pretty young, probably the length of your elbow to end of fingers. I backed off quick (was not armed), and yelled at them, but they paid no attention to me, so I got out of there.

Does anyone know how close mama pigs are to the babies when they're not in the midst of traveling and foraging? I know deer and cows leave their babies in one spot and come back later; do feral pigs do the same?

[cdmckane]

That's one reason I'm never unarmed while out on my property. Id never count on momma being very far away at all.

[TXAZ]

I've never seen a sow a long distance away, typically are within squeal / sight range.

[shouldazagged]

The phrase "get the hell outta Dodge" comes to mind if you weren't armed. Or if you had been, for that matter.

[Ricklin]

Your sig line is apropos for the thread.

[justplainpossum]

It always does seem like the times I decide that I probably don't have to wear my gun, are the times that I should have. But when I was walking the fenceline with my dogs today, and I was armed with my .45, it was still pretty creepy. You look at those pig trails disappearing into the dark brush, and it's unnerving.

Actually, it makes me mad. I can't use a rifle, and if I called a neighbor to come over with their rifle, chances are the pigs would take off by then. I've never hunted anything before -- what if I only wounded it and it ran off? Then we'd have a wounded, angry pig in the area. But I've ceded the creek to them, cut down the brush behind the tank, and yet they still cross my fields and go into my woods, squealing and fighting and screaming something awful.

Do you think if I shot in their direction whenever they come out, that they'll go away? They've evaded all the traps put out. Dang, that's them! I just heard them screaming outside. Yuck.

[silvermane_1]

i say shoot 'em, smoke 'em and eat 'em, the momma too.

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

Don't have feral pigs here. (MN) Maybe because of the Grey wolf we have here. Seems like wild pigs are everywhere else but MN. What I don't understand. If their so hated by everyone and can be freely hunted. Why doesn't everyone who likes pork in the States where these animals are just go out track one down and harvest it or trap it? (any animal can be trapped or snared) Or are folks real picky when it comes to size and gender? Just curious is all.
Here in this State when someone is out and about in the wild. Everyone I know have a weapon of some sort along. Especially so in the northern quarter of this State.
Sitting here at 3-AM. I'm thinking how good a fresh pork chop and a couple eggs would be. Yup.~~?~~ I wonder if Kroger's is open?

[thallub]

Why doesn't everyone who likes pork in the States where these animals are just go out track one down and harvest it or trap it (any animal can be trapped or snared)?

Southern Oklahoma is overrun with wild hogs. There is a dearth of public hunting land in OK. There are restrictions on the type of gun that can be used in the WMAs: Centerfire rifles are not allowed outside of deer season. Farmers/ranchers here are not pre-disposed to allow hog hunting on their property, especially by strangers.

i'm a serious hog hunter and trapper. Hog trapping is slow right now: The hogs are on the wheat fields: Killed three last evening on a wheat field. The wheat is heading out: Hogs get a big mouthful of wheat heads, chew them up, suck the juice out and spit out the fiber.

We have had no trouble giving hogs away. But, and it's a big but; folks want hogs that are field dressed and skinned.

BTW: Be careful about chasing down and picking up wild pigs. Besides the fact that they squeal like mad and momma is likely to come running; the little suckers bite like alligators.

[bswiv]

Having caught quite a few little ones over the years my experience is that the sow will abandon them......generally......

Louann ran 3 down last year, small enough to where the 3 of them fit in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket.

NOT SAYING MAMA WILL NOT GET YOU OCASSIONALLY BUT MOST OFTEN SHE TAKES OFF.

[justplainpossum]

Really? I always heard that the mama with piglets are the most dangerous. That's interesting.

[myfriendis410]

Really it depends on how much human presence and what kind they're exposed to. If every time they smell a human a bullet comes their way they're gonna be quick to git out of Dodge.

I've seen piglets more than 1/4 mile from momma, but that's in open country and well within squeeling distance. I've also seen momma hogs chase deer out and then get chased out in turn by cattle. Pretty amusing.

BTW: there is NOTHING better than barbecued piglet. Nothing.

[justplainpossum]

I was talking with someone I know who grew up on a farm not far from me. She told me that a few years ago her husband had been out hunting with a friend (bow and arrow), and they accidentally stumbled on some piglets. The mama came charging out and tore up his friend's leg really bad, and he ended up losing it. Scary.

[big al hunter]

Actually, it makes me mad. I can't use a rifle

Is there some reason you are not able to use a rifle, or have you not learned to use one. You can change that with a little coaching and some practice.

ETA: just read your posting in rifle forum and remembered about the port in another post. Change that to a handgun in 357 mag with a scope.

I've never hunted anything before -- what if I only wounded it and it ran off? Then we'd have a wounded, angry pig in the area.

Sounds like its time to start hunting. Pigs are not hard to kill. After some practice with your hunting firearm (you should be able to hit a target about 6 inches round with every shot, at the distance you will be shooting at while hunting, before attempting a shot on live game). Wait until the pig is broad side. I tell my kids to draw an imaginary line centered between the back legs and the front legs, you only want the bullet to go into the front half. So aim for the middle of the front half, that is half way from its belly to its back for up and down. And just behind the front leg. If you are using a scope I say put the crosshair so it just touches the back of the front leg.

If you practice and are patient to take a good shot you won't have an angry pig, you'll have a good reason to barbeque.

[justplainpossum]

I have a Ruger Security Six .357 with a six inch barrel, but I'm not comfortable shooting magnum loads, so I use the .38 +P. Okay, so... wait, you can put a scope on a handgun? Are you pulling my leg?

Nope, you weren't, I found stuff on the handgun scope. That's trippy.

I have another question. Is it safe to walk around with my Springfield XDM .45 in a holster, with one in the chamber? It has that grip safety; would that be enough to be safe? I figure if a pig charges me I won't want to waste time racking the slide if I don't have to.

[Art Eatman]

1911 critter? I've never had a problem with carrying "cocked and locked" in some forty-plus years...

+P oughta work okay in that .357, but I'd likely put two or three quick hits on any large-ish hog. Sorta like insurance. And no such thing as "too dead".

[big al hunter]

Is it safe to walk around with my Springfield XDM .45 in a holster, with one in the chamber? It has that grip safety; would that be enough to be safe?

This is how I carry my Springfield XD. They are designed for safe concealed carry.

Ruger Security Six .357 with a six inch barrel

I was thinking that recoil might be an issue. I think you would be better off with a TC Encore in 357 mag with a 15 inch barrel. They are heavier, so less recoil, and more accurate. http://www.tcarms.com/firearms/encore.php Well, I went to the website to get this link and see they don't offer 357 mag. But they do have 45 colt/410. That would be just the ticket for hogs. With comparable recoil. The longer barrel really reduces recoil in handgun calibers.

You will also need a scope so here is a link to the one I use on my hunting handgun. It is a Burris http://www.burrisoptics.com/handgun2x7x.html

You asked about eye relief, yes Visine works In optics eye relief is the distance between your eye and the scope. For rifles it is about 3 to 4 inches. For handguns it needs to be extended eye relief ( about 2 feet give or take a little). Red dots are nice on close range pistols but I prefer a standard reticle, most of my practice is long range for pistols.

[1tfl]

Around here we are armed even when unarmed.
That's what those little S&W J frame 357 mag revolvers are for.
They fit and carry nice in the front pocket of overalls.

[ChasingWhitetail91]

Just about every species is protective of their young. Everyone seems to think a bear is the most protective mother out there, but i'd challenge you to lift up someones kid without them knowing about it and you'll see we're all not so different when it comes to children.

[TxPhantom]

My wife, who is pretty small. regularly shoots, 357 Mag S & W revolvers (my S & W 686 and her S & W TRR8). her Springfield 45 cal.1911, and her Sako rifle, that she loves, in 243 caliber with a Nikon Monarch scope that she has shot two good sized (150 lb range) wild boars.
All the above are easy to handle with modest recoil unless shooting a J frame in 357 mag.
When she first started shooting with me she would only shoot 22 caliber. Then she tried a 38 Special and quickly moved to 357 mag. From then on she really liked shooting the bigger guns that make a lot of noise!

[justplainpossum]

Our trapper is having a heck of a time right now. He's baiting with corn, but the pigs either don't like it or have figured out what those huge cages are for, because they've come up empty every night this week. But the pigs are there; I was out walking and suddenly in the woods there was an awful, screaming fight going on. What a horrible sound that is, so much scarier than the grunting.

[hogdogs]

Corn or soured corn? Dry corn can be quite a lack luster bait...

You may have to pin the doors open and only put the sour corn inside with just a little outside...

Trap shy is common on the midsize and up hogs...

Brent

[treg]

+1 on the Security Six or the XD, both fine guns for your needs.

I'd pass on the scope for the Security Six though. Tough to aim when they're up close and / or moving fast, and makes the gun a PITA for packin'.

[dakota.potts]

I was talking with someone I know who grew up on a farm not far from me. She told me that a few years ago her husband had been out hunting with a friend (bow and arrow), and they accidentally stumbled on some piglets. The mama came charging out and tore up his friend's leg really bad, and he ended up losing it. Scary.

My dad, growing up in Texas, was gifted a bow and arrow set as a child. He went out searching for a rabbit to catch and eat. He heard something in the bush and shot at it. It turned out to be a boar which chased him through 3 backyards (including running through the fences) until he got into his house.

[n5lyc]

A long time ago I was squirrell hunting with a .22 rifle, and had a 1858 Remington .44 replica on my hip, I heard something coming through the woods rooting It turned out to be 4 piglets, and momma.

I started to shoot one of the young ones, but didn't know how she old take to that, I thought of shooting the momma, but didn't know if the black powder pistol would take her out.
(Ballisticly about equal to a .38 spl.)

So I passed.

Years later, I started hunting hogs seriously, and found a well placed .22 is all you need, I never carried a rifle when hog hunting, just a .22 pistol with a red dot sight.

They may run a few yards, but a hit to the heart/lungs is swift and deadly.
Right behind the front leg, game over..