April 26, 2013, 06:32 PM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 24, 2013
Location: duh, Texas! : )
Posts: 222
|
Feral piglet question
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? |
April 26, 2013, 08:32 PM | #2 |
Member
Join Date: April 8, 2012
Location: Locke, NY
Posts: 76
|
Re: Feral piglet question
That's one reason I'm never unarmed while out on my property. Id never count on momma being very far away at all.
|
April 26, 2013, 08:50 PM | #3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 5, 2010
Location: McMurdo Sound Texas
Posts: 4,322
|
I've never seen a sow a long distance away, typically are within squeal / sight range.
__________________
Cave illos in guns et backhoes |
April 26, 2013, 10:07 PM | #4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 17, 2013
Location: Louisville, KY, USA
Posts: 273
|
The phrase "get the hell outta Dodge" comes to mind if you weren't armed. Or if you had been, for that matter.
__________________
"Don't let macho be your epitaph." ---Ed Lovette |
April 26, 2013, 10:16 PM | #5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 22, 2008
Location: SW Washington state
Posts: 1,991
|
Your sig line is apropos for the thread.
__________________
ricklin Freedom is not free |
April 27, 2013, 01:04 AM | #6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 24, 2013
Location: duh, Texas! : )
Posts: 222
|
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. |
April 27, 2013, 01:39 AM | #7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 6, 2011
Location: Burien,WA
Posts: 897
|
i say shoot 'em, smoke 'em and eat 'em, the momma too.
__________________
Rugers:SR1911 CMD,MK 3 .22lr 6",Sec. Six '76 liberty .357 4",SRH .480 Ruger 7.5",Mini-14 188 5.56/.233 18.5", Marlins: 795 .22lr 16.5",30aw 30-30 20",Mossberg:Mav. 88 Tact. 12 ga, 18.5",ATR 100 .270 Win. 22",S&W:SW9VE 9mm 4",Springfield:XD .357sig 4", AKs:CAI PSL-54C, WASR 10/63, WW74,SLR-106c |
April 27, 2013, 03:09 AM | #8 |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 2, 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 3,876
|
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? |
April 27, 2013, 05:00 AM | #9 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 20, 2007
Location: South Western OK
Posts: 3,112
|
Quote:
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. |
|
April 27, 2013, 06:21 AM | #10 |
Senior Member
Join Date: June 4, 2006
Location: NE FL.......
Posts: 1,081
|
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. |
April 27, 2013, 12:46 PM | #11 |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 24, 2013
Location: duh, Texas! : )
Posts: 222
|
Really? I always heard that the mama with piglets are the most dangerous. That's interesting.
|
April 27, 2013, 01:24 PM | #12 |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 30, 2011
Location: Lompoc California
Posts: 274
|
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. |
April 27, 2013, 06:07 PM | #13 |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 24, 2013
Location: duh, Texas! : )
Posts: 222
|
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.
|
April 27, 2013, 10:16 PM | #14 | ||
Senior Member
Join Date: March 12, 2011
Location: Washington state
Posts: 1,558
|
Quote:
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. Quote:
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.
__________________
You can't fix stupid....however ignorance can be cured through education! Last edited by big al hunter; April 28, 2013 at 01:38 AM. |
||
April 28, 2013, 02:15 AM | #15 |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 24, 2013
Location: duh, Texas! : )
Posts: 222
|
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. Last edited by justplainpossum; April 28, 2013 at 02:38 AM. |
April 28, 2013, 10:25 AM | #16 |
Staff in Memoriam
Join Date: November 13, 1998
Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA
Posts: 24,798
|
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". |
April 28, 2013, 01:49 PM | #17 | ||
Senior Member
Join Date: March 12, 2011
Location: Washington state
Posts: 1,558
|
Quote:
Quote:
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.
__________________
You can't fix stupid....however ignorance can be cured through education! |
||
May 1, 2013, 10:15 AM | #18 |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 12, 2007
Posts: 287
|
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. |
May 3, 2013, 07:49 AM | #19 |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 10, 2012
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 336
|
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.
__________________
Abraham Lincoln made all men free, Samuel Colt made them equal. |
May 16, 2013, 05:27 PM | #20 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 10, 2006
Location: Frisco, Texas
Posts: 300
|
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!
__________________
NRA,TSRA Texas CHL Holder Member of VRWC (Vast Right Wing Conspiracy) USA OUT OF THE UN- LET THEM APPLAUDE THAT! |
May 16, 2013, 07:51 PM | #21 |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 24, 2013
Location: duh, Texas! : )
Posts: 222
|
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.
|
May 16, 2013, 08:12 PM | #22 |
Staff In Memoriam
Join Date: October 31, 2007
Location: Western Florida panhandle
Posts: 11,069
|
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 |
May 16, 2013, 09:04 PM | #23 |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 26, 2006
Posts: 1,102
|
+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'.
__________________
.44 Special: For those who get it, no explanation is necessary. For those who don't, no explanation is possible. |
May 21, 2013, 11:16 PM | #24 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 25, 2013
Location: Keystone Heights, Florida
Posts: 3,084
|
Quote:
|
|
May 21, 2013, 11:48 PM | #25 |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 11, 2009
Posts: 180
|
Hogs.
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.. |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
|