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Old June 3, 2000, 11:45 PM   #1
sholling
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Some time in the next 12 months I like to take my first pig. I'm new at this so I really like to go with a guide the first time. Can anyone recommend a good California based guide?

Thanks!

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Old June 5, 2000, 11:20 AM   #2
Calif Hunter
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Kyler (Spelling?) @ Boaring Expereinces out of Atascadero is good, and hunts some of the private ranch I have access to, along wiht other private land. I have his card at home and I'll post his phone number tomorrow. (I'm at work now and his card is at home.) You can let him know that "Rick, a friend of Ruth Taylor's" sent you to him.

[This message has been edited by Calif Hunter (edited June 05, 2000).]
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Old June 5, 2000, 11:46 PM   #3
El Rojo
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If you are hunting out of the hills around Atascadero, you have a good chance of getting a pig. Private land in those coastal hills is your best way to go. I have hunted the hills a little closer to the San Jouqiun Valley along Highway 58 on private land and have harvested three pigs in the last few years. Good luck finding a spot.
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Old June 6, 2000, 09:30 AM   #4
Calif Hunter
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The guide's name is Kyler Hamann, "Boaring Experiences Unlimited." (805) 461-0294. While at the ranch in Parkfield last weekend, his group took some pigs off the ranch I was at and the one next door. He's the guide who takes Craig Boddington out and gets mentioned in his articles often when Boddington is testing a new rifle.
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Old June 6, 2000, 04:06 PM   #5
mackie
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What caliber you using? My brother used a 45-70 Marlin guide Gun on wild boar in Tennessee last year; thumped it real good.
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Old June 6, 2000, 10:38 PM   #6
sholling
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Calif Hunter,

Thanks a bunch! I'll look him up.
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Old June 6, 2000, 10:51 PM   #7
sholling
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mackie,

I really don't know. This will be my first and more than likely last hunt - at least for several years. I've just always wanted to take a pig. Because I've never hunted I don't even own a high powered rifle (although I am a pretty good shot). The local Turners (gun shop) suggested that I just buy a slug barrel for my Benelli M1 Super 90 shotgun.

I'm open to suggestions - slugs? A fancy bolt or lever action that I'll probably never have time to shoot again? Maybe the scoped Saiga AK derivitive in 308 at Turners ($550) that I could at least plink with later? As much as I'd like one, a Springfield M1A is out of the question.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Sholling


[This message has been edited by sholling (edited June 06, 2000).]
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Old June 7, 2000, 12:54 AM   #8
Jay Baker
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Sholling, there's not a pig (or anything else) in Kalif., that you can't put down quite well with a .308 or .30-06. Then, if you want to start hunting, either of those will work just fine for anything else you'll hunt, including elk.

If you like levers, a Marlin lever in .30-30 will work just fine, too. I have a friend who regualry kills them with his .30-30 170 gr. factory loads, and he has no problems at all. Another friend of mine out of Bakersfield hunts them with either his .44 Mag Smith, or his Ruger B.H. .45 LC. He always "brings home the bacon."

If it were I, I'd go for the bolt rifle. Lots of versatility there. JMHO. J.B.
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Old June 7, 2000, 04:13 PM   #9
Calif Hunter
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You might look for a Savage bolt action on sale as a package with a scope included. I have a Savage in .223 with a short, heavy barrel that gets 1/2 inch groups. (I would recommend a 30-06 or 308 for pigs, though.) Walmart also has good prices on Savages, Brownings, Winchesters, Remingtons, etc.
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Old June 7, 2000, 07:09 PM   #10
Cris
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Shop around and you might find either a Marlin 336 in .30-30 or .35 Rem or possibly an old pre-'64 Winchester lever in 30-30 or .32 special or even a Win Big Bore in .375 Win. I like to shoot the levers, all with peep sights, and all of these are more than capable of harvesting a pig at reasonable distances if the shooter can do his or her part.
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Old June 7, 2000, 07:38 PM   #11
anodes
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Jeez, Guys! .30-06, 45-70, .308 what kinda pigs does KA have? I geuss the little Javalins in AZ aren't the same kind. I have NO trouble with those guys and my DW .44 mag.

sholling, I think the slug BBL would be a great thing to have even if you weren't after pigs! That sounds viable. But, don't let practicality stop you from buying a gun that will be cherished for years to come as "Your first pig rifle"! I'd use that as a reason to get the rifle of your choice.

cris, I have a .375, Win 94 BB XTR. I am planning to hunt Elk with it this year. It too, would suffice on pigs. BTW, it is sweet! I just love those straight walled, rimmed cartridges! Win should've never dropped it, IMHO.

anodes.
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Old June 8, 2000, 12:09 AM   #12
El Rojo
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Let me tell you how they grow here in PRK (for those of you who don't know, PRK = People's Republik of Kalifornia).

I took two pigs last September at the same time. It was a fun hunt as we could hear them in the canyon below, but it took 30 minutes before we saw where they were. Anyway, this big sow starts rooting out in the open away from this juniper bush. Using the Rem 700 .30-06 with reloaded Sierra 150 gr. Spitzer Boat Tails I shoot this sow and she goes down. She starts squeeling like it is her last breaths on earth (oh wait, it was). As a result the other pigs run a little ways up the hill sort of more towards us. I have the ole Harris Bipod out already full extended to shoot off of my arse (everyone should have one or two of these bipods. Worth every cent). I ask the old man/dad if I shoot shoot another one. He says sure and so I shoot another smaller pig and he goes flopping down the side of the hill.

I can clearly see the big sow I shot first and she is finally out. Deader than a door nail. So we cautiously go down and look for the other pig. My dad sees the pig hobbling up the other side of the canyon. He takes a head shot on this pig with his rem 700 7mm mag with Sierra 165 gr. Spitzer BT. Pig goes down and stays there. We walk over and check out the first pig and then I start walking up to retrive the 2nd pig.

Keep in mind this is in some pretty thick juniper bushes in this small canyon. As I walk around another juniper, here comes the 2nd pig hobbling back down the hill towards my direction. I can't believe it! So the pig and I circle each other and I can't shoot her just yet cause she gets between me and my dad. I finally get around on her and shoot her from about 10 yards in the head with the .30-06.

She goes down and starts thrashing around. This pig is still more than capable and will not stop thrashing. After what seemed like forever, but was probably only two mintues max, I take on final shot to the head and the pig stops moving.

Yes, it took 4 bullets to put this pig down. I admit my first shot hit in her upper back and was higher than it should have. But the last three were all to the head and that pig didn't want to die.

And as a final. The first pig I shot had a piglet come running out after I shot her (what a bastard I am). Well I hussle back up the the truck with the rifles as my dad starts gutting out the first pig cause it is getting dark and we have some hauling to do. I bring down the truck as close as we can get it and then return to haul up a pig. As we are standing around in the near dark we hear some noise. Back through the junipers comes running a pig or two. The guns are in the truck and alls we have are our skinning knives. Dad says, "Into the tree" and up we go into this small juniper. We never really saw the pigs, but they made a whole lot of noise and we yelled back hoping they would move on. I figure it was probably just that orphaned piglet looking for her mom. Ooops. I really would have felt more comfortable in that situation with the 1911 .45 on my side, but hey it was nice and exciting.

So there is my California pig story. They are some tuff sonuvaguns. Be careful.
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