wild boar in upstate NY ?

9ballbilly · January 6, 2012, 07:53 AM

I haven't hunted in years, so I'm apparently out of the loop. Recently I came across an article that dozens of wild boar have been trapped in the county I live in. I've read many times about how destructive and aggressive these hogs are and since we do quite abit of fishing, hiking, backpacking locally I'm a bit concerned. So I'd like to ask you southern folks with experience a couple questions as I have no experience with this animal.
NYSDEC classifies them as invasive and may be taken at any time with a small game license. My plan so far is to scout our favorite fishing,hiking spots in early spring for any sign of them. Normally I'd carry a handgun, but my choices would be either a .40 or .45acp autoloader. Am I correct in the belief that neither of these would be quite enough? I'm thinking of bringing along my .30-30 Trapper in a back scabbard instead. Does this seem to make sense or am I overly worried?
My son, girlfriend, or both are usually along as well so I have to consider their safety too.
I'd appreciate your thoughts, thanks

hogdogs · January 6, 2012, 09:11 AM

They ain't marauding murderous packs of blood thirsty tusk slingers...

If you were hunting them, you could easily and unknowingly surprise one and he could choose "fight" over "flight"...

But just hikin' around not tryin' to be sneaky and avoiding the nearly impenetrable swamps, thorned woods etc, you ain't got much chance of backin' one into a corner or sneakin' up on one as it sleeps...

What ever you would carry for SD that you are proficient with should handle any feral swine fine. Would wound it plenty if you go doing "double taps" with yer average 9mm carry gun I reckon.

Brent

Brian Pfleuger · January 6, 2012, 09:21 AM

They're around in a few places but they're not nearly as common as some folks seem to believe.

I've heard for years that they're "over in Scott", which is about 2 miles from my fathers camp and is the village where my mother now lives. Neither them nor I have ever seen a single pig.

I do know one guy who works with a guy who has a hog head mounted in his office. He says he got it "over around Scott". I believe him but seeing that he's the only one I've ever known about for sure, there can't be too many.

Given the rate that these things multiple, it's hard for me to imagine that they're over there at all since I have for a couple decades heard "they're just over the next valley there." I know our winters will keep their numbers from growing as fast as they do in the southern states but it shouldn't take them 20 years to get across a valley.

I've certainly never heard of the local variety hurting anyone, though I have no doubt they could/would under the right circumstances. If I were going somewhere that I might find pigs, I'd take a rifle. Not for the danger aspect but so I could shoot one farther than.... 20 feet?... that a 45acp would allow.

mete · January 6, 2012, 10:41 AM

There was one taken here in Sullivan Co about a month ago. This was one of a group that had escaped .They were being raised for hunting and they were the European type.
Some people don't know how easy these things can escape , just like bison .They are also active at night .I'm not clear as to whether or not they can be baited legally.
The state is trying to prevent expansion now seeing how quickly they multiply, rather than wait till it's too late.
Know the anatomy, use heavy construction bullets such as A-frame , Speer Deep Curl or Barnes in a large bore 41mag, 45 LC, 44mag in a handgun .The European type can have the shield that covers the shoulder up to 2" thick ,that's why you need penetration and large bore since that shield tends to close up around the hole limiting blood trail.

rickyrick · January 6, 2012, 01:07 PM

Don't shootem in the shoulder,.....

I've seen some shake off 45 colt and 9mm +p, while still, fatally wounded, sometimes not as quickly incapacitated as a high velocity rifle.

They get pretty cranky when restrained with no means of escape. I don't think they will attack un-provoked. They are quick to beat feet when trouble arises.

And in good fun.....I have to, just have to, give you a friendly ribbing about the "dozen" pig problem that your county has

rickyrick · January 6, 2012, 01:19 PM

And Hogdogs knows his stuff, I became a better trapper from reading his posts. I went from mediocre one pig occasionally, to trapping 10+ on a regular basis.

I also for some reason, didn't know that they weren't bothered by red light until he gave me a tip. I now use a red spotlight (legal for pigs in TX) with great success. So if legal where you live, have at it.

theyallhurt · January 6, 2012, 01:46 PM

Interesting string, especially since this year will be my first hunting boar, so anything I have on these critters is purely anecdotal. I do plan on using my 45-70 "Buffalo" rifle, so it should more than do the trick.

Seems the reputation for boar runs the whole gambit, from them being elusively shy to downright terrifyingly aggressive. I do know that on guided hunts your guide carries a high powered rifle, just in case the situation goes FUBAR. However, it tends to put you on notice when more than a few old timers will tell you they'd rather face a bear situation than face a ****** off (or worse, wounded) boar. But then, I know few fellow hunters that would rather face either than deal with a ****** off Mrs.

Perhaps this is one of those things where you ( I ) just have to see for yourself?

Saltydog235 · January 6, 2012, 01:51 PM

I swear, sometimes TV does rot the brain. Those dumbarse TV shows make it sound as if the Hogs are going to take over and kill us all. Maybe that's what all this Zombie junk is over, only its the pigs. The only time I have ever seen a pig try to attack a person is when it was cornered, had dogs chewing on it and had NO other option, BTW it got killed in short order.

99.99999999999999% of the time they'll run if they even get a whiff of you, not stalk you down with design on eating your guts after they rip them open with their 9" razor sharp tusks. Why do you think they are such nocturnal animals? It gets them away from people.

If you want to hunt them, put out some corn, sit and wait. Or find someone with dogs and go stick one. Man drive them and let em have buckshot. As for hiking, a PC gun or anything you carry can ward off the evil feral hog. Honestly, when was the last time you heard the lead in on a news program that lead with "Topping our new to night is a grim story about a roving band of feral hogs that have murdered and eaten a man in.........."? If you want to continue to believe the TV shows, I got bullet/tusk/nuclear fallout proof tin foil hats for sale, only $300.00 each.

theyallhurt · January 6, 2012, 02:28 PM

Hear ya, Saltydog.

jhnrckr · January 11, 2012, 11:47 PM

I live in the middle of hog central and it is still a b*tch to hunt them. They are nocturnal where I hunt and they are very wary of our presence. They have a better nose than a whitetail and I have never stumbled on one accidentally. I come to find out the lease I hunt is "stocked" with hogs trapped off other ranches. I know there are at least 400 hogs on 1000 acres but likely double. I have never been attacked, charged but I have heard of it happening. I once witnessed a boar castration in the back of a pickup truck and I stood there and held my ground when they cut him loose, he wanted nothing to do with me and went for the trees. Shoot em with what you got, aim for the neck or head. If you get within handgun range of a wild hog in NY you hit the lottery.

rickyrick · January 12, 2012, 05:55 AM

Hogs are not easily distracted when rooting around, especially in groups, the noise they make and the movement of the others can conceal the fact that you are there.

I have inserted the magazine, released the bolt and removed the safety of a mini14 (not the most stealthy of operations) in fairly close proximity to hogs and the didn't flinch.
When the shot goes off that's a different story.

hogdogs · January 12, 2012, 09:09 AM

Under normal at rest but awake conditions... Hogs have one of the best noses in the world of fauna... The hearing is good... at least and their vision is not considered in high regard compared to many other animals...

But as stated above, much changes when they are feeding... Unlike deer and other prey species, hogs do not spend much time stopping the feeding to look around with a raised head. If they were already pressured in some way, they may be on a higher alert level.

What makes their hearing as decent as it is is their ear lobes... When head is down and feeding/rooting, not only are they focused on the task at hand but their hearing is focused towards all the noise they are making...

Watch a deer feeding... them ears are spinnin' around like an aerial TV antennae on a rotor-motor lookin' fer signal...

Brent

Saltydog235 · January 12, 2012, 11:36 AM

Quote:

If they were already pressured in some way, they may be on a higher alert level.

In my experience and neck of the woods, when they get pressured, they go completely nocturnal. They stick to the swamps and thick brush during the daylight hours where its difficult to get to them without dogs.

We saw very few hogs during daylight hours during deer season this year as compared to others. Now that the daily pressure is off, we've changed feeder schedules in hopes that the more limited food supply will create competition and get them moving more in daylight.

Funny thing is, I set up a feeder on a high spot on the edge of a swamp uner a climbing stand. Normally deer are weary of those things around our permanent stands and hardly ever visit them during shootable hours and take months for them to get use to. However, this one is geting hammered by the deer so much so that the hogs are coming in to clean up what the deer don't eat. Lots of times you'd see 16-20 hogs on a spot like this, now you see 20 or so deer before the hogs ever get there. Needless to say, the climber will be there next deer season.

1tfl · January 12, 2012, 11:47 AM

If you never shot a hog before you'll need to study their anatomy a little as they are different than deers.

If you shoot a hog on same spot as you would a deer you'll loose him... it will kill the hog eventually but he is going to go long distance before he runs out of steam. Hogs heart is much further forward and lower in the chest than deer. Also, their lungs sit much lower in the chest than deers as hogs lungs are not that big. Neck shot is very effective on hogs and it is a large target. I usually don't take head shots unless I'm very close and when I do I usually shoot behind or just below the ear or on top of the head between two ears.

You hear a lot about hogs shield and how it can stop 30-06 bullets but that's just stories. They do have cartilage shield but is is cartilage and not steel. Any cartridge with decent power will penetrate the shield.

I usually use my Marlin 30-30 for hogs or the Ruger 357 Mag revolver. In past I have successfully use 45ACP, 44 Special and 44 Mag in handguns and several rifles ostarting at 357 Mag and up to 30-06 and 12G slugs.

January 6, 2012, 07:53 AM	#1
9ballbilly Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 2008 Location: northeast Florida Posts: 611	wild boar in upstate NY ? I haven't hunted in years, so I'm apparently out of the loop. Recently I came across an article that dozens of wild boar have been trapped in the county I live in. I've read many times about how destructive and aggressive these hogs are and since we do quite abit of fishing, hiking, backpacking locally I'm a bit concerned. So I'd like to ask you southern folks with experience a couple questions as I have no experience with this animal. NYSDEC classifies them as invasive and may be taken at any time with a small game license. My plan so far is to scout our favorite fishing,hiking spots in early spring for any sign of them. Normally I'd carry a handgun, but my choices would be either a .40 or .45acp autoloader. Am I correct in the belief that neither of these would be quite enough? I'm thinking of bringing along my .30-30 Trapper in a back scabbard instead. Does this seem to make sense or am I overly worried? My son, girlfriend, or both are usually along as well so I have to consider their safety too. I'd appreciate your thoughts, thanks

January 6, 2012, 09:21 AM	#3
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	They're around in a few places but they're not nearly as common as some folks seem to believe. I've heard for years that they're "over in Scott", which is about 2 miles from my fathers camp and is the village where my mother now lives. Neither them nor I have ever seen a single pig. I do know one guy who works with a guy who has a hog head mounted in his office. He says he got it "over around Scott". I believe him but seeing that he's the only one I've ever known about for sure, there can't be too many. Given the rate that these things multiple, it's hard for me to imagine that they're over there at all since I have for a couple decades heard "they're just over the next valley there." I know our winters will keep their numbers from growing as fast as they do in the southern states but it shouldn't take them 20 years to get across a valley. I've certainly never heard of the local variety hurting anyone, though I have no doubt they could/would under the right circumstances. If I were going somewhere that I might find pigs, I'd take a rifle. Not for the danger aspect but so I could shoot one farther than.... 20 feet?... that a 45acp would allow. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

January 6, 2012, 10:41 AM	#4
mete Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2004 Location: NY State Posts: 6,575	There was one taken here in Sullivan Co about a month ago. This was one of a group that had escaped .They were being raised for hunting and they were the European type. Some people don't know how easy these things can escape , just like bison .They are also active at night .I'm not clear as to whether or not they can be baited legally. The state is trying to prevent expansion now seeing how quickly they multiply, rather than wait till it's too late. Know the anatomy, use heavy construction bullets such as A-frame , Speer Deep Curl or Barnes in a large bore 41mag, 45 LC, 44mag in a handgun .The European type can have the shield that covers the shoulder up to 2" thick ,that's why you need penetration and large bore since that shield tends to close up around the hole limiting blood trail. __________________ And Watson , bring your revolver !

January 6, 2012, 01:07 PM	#5
rickyrick Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Posts: 8,236	Don't shootem in the shoulder,..... I've seen some shake off 45 colt and 9mm +p, while still, fatally wounded, sometimes not as quickly incapacitated as a high velocity rifle. They get pretty cranky when restrained with no means of escape. I don't think they will attack un-provoked. They are quick to beat feet when trouble arises. And in good fun.....I have to, just have to, give you a friendly ribbing about the "dozen" pig problem that your county has __________________ Woohoo, I’m back In Texas!!!

January 6, 2012, 01:19 PM	#6
rickyrick Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Posts: 8,236	And Hogdogs knows his stuff, I became a better trapper from reading his posts. I went from mediocre one pig occasionally, to trapping 10+ on a regular basis. I also for some reason, didn't know that they weren't bothered by red light until he gave me a tip. I now use a red spotlight (legal for pigs in TX) with great success. So if legal where you live, have at it. __________________ Woohoo, I’m back In Texas!!!

January 6, 2012, 09:11 AM	#2
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	They ain't marauding murderous packs of blood thirsty tusk slingers... If you were hunting them, you could easily and unknowingly surprise one and he could choose "fight" over "flight"... But just hikin' around not tryin' to be sneaky and avoiding the nearly impenetrable swamps, thorned woods etc, you ain't got much chance of backin' one into a corner or sneakin' up on one as it sleeps... What ever you would carry for SD that you are proficient with should handle any feral swine fine. Would wound it plenty if you go doing "double taps" with yer average 9mm carry gun I reckon. Brent

January 6, 2012, 01:46 PM	#7
theyallhurt Member Join Date: December 28, 2011 Location: New England Posts: 62	Interesting string, especially since this year will be my first hunting boar, so anything I have on these critters is purely anecdotal. I do plan on using my 45-70 "Buffalo" rifle, so it should more than do the trick. Seems the reputation for boar runs the whole gambit, from them being elusively shy to downright terrifyingly aggressive. I do know that on guided hunts your guide carries a high powered rifle, just in case the situation goes FUBAR. However, it tends to put you on notice when more than a few old timers will tell you they'd rather face a bear situation than face a **** off (or worse, wounded) boar. But then, I know few fellow hunters that would rather face either than deal with a ** off Mrs. Perhaps this is one of those things where you ( I ) just have to see for yourself? __________________ RETREAT HELL!**

January 6, 2012, 01:51 PM	#8
Saltydog235 Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2010 Location: Pawleys Island Posts: 1,563	I swear, sometimes TV does rot the brain. Those dumbarse TV shows make it sound as if the Hogs are going to take over and kill us all. Maybe that's what all this Zombie junk is over, only its the pigs. The only time I have ever seen a pig try to attack a person is when it was cornered, had dogs chewing on it and had NO other option, BTW it got killed in short order. 99.99999999999999% of the time they'll run if they even get a whiff of you, not stalk you down with design on eating your guts after they rip them open with their 9" razor sharp tusks. Why do you think they are such nocturnal animals? It gets them away from people. If you want to hunt them, put out some corn, sit and wait. Or find someone with dogs and go stick one. Man drive them and let em have buckshot. As for hiking, a PC gun or anything you carry can ward off the evil feral hog. Honestly, when was the last time you heard the lead in on a news program that lead with "Topping our new to night is a grim story about a roving band of feral hogs that have murdered and eaten a man in.........."? If you want to continue to believe the TV shows, I got bullet/tusk/nuclear fallout proof tin foil hats for sale, only $300.00 each.

January 6, 2012, 02:28 PM	#9
theyallhurt Member Join Date: December 28, 2011 Location: New England Posts: 62	Hear ya, Saltydog. __________________ RETREAT HELL!

January 11, 2012, 11:47 PM	#10
jhnrckr Member Join Date: October 17, 2011 Posts: 60	I live in the middle of hog central and it is still a b*tch to hunt them. They are nocturnal where I hunt and they are very wary of our presence. They have a better nose than a whitetail and I have never stumbled on one accidentally. I come to find out the lease I hunt is "stocked" with hogs trapped off other ranches. I know there are at least 400 hogs on 1000 acres but likely double. I have never been attacked, charged but I have heard of it happening. I once witnessed a boar castration in the back of a pickup truck and I stood there and held my ground when they cut him loose, he wanted nothing to do with me and went for the trees. Shoot em with what you got, aim for the neck or head. If you get within handgun range of a wild hog in NY you hit the lottery.

January 12, 2012, 05:55 AM	#11
rickyrick Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Posts: 8,236	Hogs are not easily distracted when rooting around, especially in groups, the noise they make and the movement of the others can conceal the fact that you are there. I have inserted the magazine, released the bolt and removed the safety of a mini14 (not the most stealthy of operations) in fairly close proximity to hogs and the didn't flinch. When the shot goes off that's a different story. __________________ Woohoo, I’m back In Texas!!!

January 12, 2012, 09:09 AM	#12
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	Under normal at rest but awake conditions... Hogs have one of the best noses in the world of fauna... The hearing is good... at least and their vision is not considered in high regard compared to many other animals... But as stated above, much changes when they are feeding... Unlike deer and other prey species, hogs do not spend much time stopping the feeding to look around with a raised head. If they were already pressured in some way, they may be on a higher alert level. What makes their hearing as decent as it is is their ear lobes... When head is down and feeding/rooting, not only are they focused on the task at hand but their hearing is focused towards all the noise they are making... Watch a deer feeding... them ears are spinnin' around like an aerial TV antennae on a rotor-motor lookin' fer signal... Brent

January 12, 2012, 11:47 AM	#14
1tfl Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2007 Posts: 287	If you never shot a hog before you'll need to study their anatomy a little as they are different than deers. If you shoot a hog on same spot as you would a deer you'll loose him... it will kill the hog eventually but he is going to go long distance before he runs out of steam. Hogs heart is much further forward and lower in the chest than deer. Also, their lungs sit much lower in the chest than deers as hogs lungs are not that big. Neck shot is very effective on hogs and it is a large target. I usually don't take head shots unless I'm very close and when I do I usually shoot behind or just below the ear or on top of the head between two ears. You hear a lot about hogs shield and how it can stop 30-06 bullets but that's just stories. They do have cartilage shield but is is cartilage and not steel. Any cartridge with decent power will penetrate the shield. I usually use my Marlin 30-30 for hogs or the Ruger 357 Mag revolver. In past I have successfully use 45ACP, 44 Special and 44 Mag in handguns and several rifles ostarting at 357 Mag and up to 30-06 and 12G slugs.