Whitetail and WIld Boar Hunt

SnakeLover · January 13, 2001, 09:22 AM

Since I moved to the East Coast, one of the things I had wanted to do was hunt wild boar. So I noticed Ken Jarrett has a whitetail/boar hunt on auction with SCI that I told my dad to bid on and won. Current hunting arsenal includes a .257 Roberts, .30-06, .338, and my Colt Anaconda in .44 mag. Hunt will take place in October of this year. Kenny said any of the above would work. So I'm thinking I'll use the .257 for the whitetail and the .44 mag on the boar.

Now here is my question. I have some 240 gr XTP loads that I was going to use on deer and some 300 gr XTP loads I was going to use on elk which I had worked up for the .44 mag. Has anyone used similar loads for pigs? Is there a need for the heavier bullet?

Thanks.

Snake

Art Eatman · January 13, 2001, 11:32 AM

A buddy of mine has a boar's head mounted and hanging on his office wall; around a 250-pounder. He killed it with a .357. But, short range, from a stand, head shot, execptional skill with a handgun.

Most folks who've commented about boar hunting--particularly the larger ones(boars, not folks)--have recommended the .44Mag, with heavy bullets. I guess you could consider the 300-grain bullets "insurance" in the event that the boar doesn't cooperate with your plan.

A boar that doesn't know of your presence is just another pig. A boar that is slightly wounded and identifies you as the source of the pain just might decide to try and ruin your whole day.

FWIW, Art

solo · January 14, 2001, 10:59 AM

I would most definantly carry the 44 magnum with you as a close range "finishing off" weapon. However I would carry either the 30-06 or .338 rather than a .257. You need to hit a wild boar with something big so you know youve hit it. Rarely have I ever had time to draw my pistol on a wild boar. They are there and gone in the blink of an eye, so you must use your primary weapon and that primary weapon should be of considerable size.

kjm · January 15, 2001, 09:36 AM

two weeks ago I shot a 300 lb boar with my 30-06 from a distance of 40 yards. What amazed me was that there was no exit wound. The pig dropped quickly, but he never saw me nor had an adrenaline charge. He just fell over. What I still don't understand is how there wasn't an exit wound? Those are some pretty impressive animals. It was my first pig, and unfortunately was too heavy to get out of the woods. I might have tried to do something with the meat, but I've always heard that you don't eat the big ones, and nobody I know ever does.
I would think your .44 would do the trick, but I would want to be in an elevated stand! I don't want one of those beasts mad at me!

SnakeLover · January 15, 2001, 06:33 PM

Thanks for all the responses guys. I had heard of them being a fairly tough animal, but now I'm wondering about the smarts in going after them with just a pistol. I will be talking with Kenny again soon and I'll make it a point to discuss how we will be hunting the boar. If it is going to be spot and stalk, then the rifle it will be. If he has stands over some openings, then maybe I'll use the pistol.

KJM, so you just left the boar? Did you still have to tag it or send in anything to game and fish so they don't charge you with wanton waste of game? So I take it most folks shoot small pigs so they can get some bacon/sausage.

Snake

ERRainman · January 15, 2001, 07:00 PM

I wouldn't particularly care to use anything smaller (read - less powerful) than a .30-06 with 180 gt. FailSafes or the .338, but I do know several guys who have gone after them with 10" Bowie knives and killed them. The biggest being 325 or so. They use the dogs to run them to bay and get around behind them, jump slap into the middle and hang on for dear life while he bleeds out.

Two major problems I have with that is I don't want to have to stitch up (or bury) any of my dogs, and I don't want to get that close to a hog that's being chased by a pack of dogs - you know he's mad as Hades, and even more dangerous. If you choose to use the .44, make sure your guide is backing you up with a rifle.

Oh, and the big ones are good if they're slow-cooked in a pit. It takes a day or so, but it makes for a heck of a BBQ.

Art Eatman · January 15, 2001, 09:56 PM

Yeah, if they're really big, bring them out a piece at a time. No real difference than quartering an elk. A good backpack frame and some heavy-duty plastic bags are good to have on any back-country hunt. A fairly large hunting knife, a small folding saw...The hams, shoulders and backstraps wind up being a rather small percentage of the live weight.

Cooked slowly, and kept from drying out during the cooking, will make most any meat just real tasty.

Art

solo · January 16, 2001, 05:01 PM

Snakelover

A true wild boar, such as the ones here in E. TN, do not have enough fat to make bacon or sausage. Feral hogs on the other hand, such as those in Georgia and other southern states, are a cross between a domestig pig and a wild boar and they do have enough fat to get bacon and sausage. It just depends on weather the boar is a true wild boar or a feral hog.

SnakeLover · January 16, 2001, 06:27 PM

Solo, thanks for the insight. Didn't realize there was a difference in the fat content, figured they were all about the same. Learn something new every day!

Snake

BadMedicine · January 16, 2001, 07:23 PM

OK, this is kinda a dumb question, but are wild boar tusks ivory?? A friends dad has some mounted on a plaque with some shotgun shells (that he killed it with) and I was wondering if they're worth anything? I know they're just elongulated incissor teeth, but so are walrusses, and elephants.

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January 13, 2001, 09:22 AM	#1
SnakeLover Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2000 Location: Mechanicsville, VA USA Posts: 302	Since I moved to the East Coast, one of the things I had wanted to do was hunt wild boar. So I noticed Ken Jarrett has a whitetail/boar hunt on auction with SCI that I told my dad to bid on and won. Current hunting arsenal includes a .257 Roberts, .30-06, .338, and my Colt Anaconda in .44 mag. Hunt will take place in October of this year. Kenny said any of the above would work. So I'm thinking I'll use the .257 for the whitetail and the .44 mag on the boar. Now here is my question. I have some 240 gr XTP loads that I was going to use on deer and some 300 gr XTP loads I was going to use on elk which I had worked up for the .44 mag. Has anyone used similar loads for pigs? Is there a need for the heavier bullet? Thanks. Snake

January 13, 2001, 11:32 AM	#2
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	A buddy of mine has a boar's head mounted and hanging on his office wall; around a 250-pounder. He killed it with a .357. But, short range, from a stand, head shot, execptional skill with a handgun. Most folks who've commented about boar hunting--particularly the larger ones(boars, not folks)--have recommended the .44Mag, with heavy bullets. I guess you could consider the 300-grain bullets "insurance" in the event that the boar doesn't cooperate with your plan. A boar that doesn't know of your presence is just another pig. A boar that is slightly wounded and identifies you as the source of the pain just might decide to try and ruin your whole day. FWIW, Art

January 14, 2001, 10:59 AM	#3
solo Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 1999 Posts: 211	I would most definantly carry the 44 magnum with you as a close range "finishing off" weapon. However I would carry either the 30-06 or .338 rather than a .257. You need to hit a wild boar with something big so you know youve hit it. Rarely have I ever had time to draw my pistol on a wild boar. They are there and gone in the blink of an eye, so you must use your primary weapon and that primary weapon should be of considerable size.

January 15, 2001, 09:36 AM	#4
kjm Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 1999 Location: College Station, Texas Posts: 1,871	two weeks ago I shot a 300 lb boar with my 30-06 from a distance of 40 yards. What amazed me was that there was no exit wound. The pig dropped quickly, but he never saw me nor had an adrenaline charge. He just fell over. What I still don't understand is how there wasn't an exit wound? Those are some pretty impressive animals. It was my first pig, and unfortunately was too heavy to get out of the woods. I might have tried to do something with the meat, but I've always heard that you don't eat the big ones, and nobody I know ever does. I would think your .44 would do the trick, but I would want to be in an elevated stand! I don't want one of those beasts mad at me!

January 15, 2001, 06:33 PM	#5
SnakeLover Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2000 Location: Mechanicsville, VA USA Posts: 302	Thanks for all the responses guys. I had heard of them being a fairly tough animal, but now I'm wondering about the smarts in going after them with just a pistol. I will be talking with Kenny again soon and I'll make it a point to discuss how we will be hunting the boar. If it is going to be spot and stalk, then the rifle it will be. If he has stands over some openings, then maybe I'll use the pistol. KJM, so you just left the boar? Did you still have to tag it or send in anything to game and fish so they don't charge you with wanton waste of game? So I take it most folks shoot small pigs so they can get some bacon/sausage. Snake

January 15, 2001, 07:00 PM	#6
ERRainman Member Join Date: July 21, 1999 Posts: 76	I wouldn't particularly care to use anything smaller (read - less powerful) than a .30-06 with 180 gt. FailSafes or the .338, but I do know several guys who have gone after them with 10" Bowie knives and killed them. The biggest being 325 or so. They use the dogs to run them to bay and get around behind them, jump slap into the middle and hang on for dear life while he bleeds out. Two major problems I have with that is I don't want to have to stitch up (or bury) any of my dogs, and I don't want to get that close to a hog that's being chased by a pack of dogs - you know he's mad as Hades, and even more dangerous. If you choose to use the .44, make sure your guide is backing you up with a rifle. Oh, and the big ones are good if they're slow-cooked in a pit. It takes a day or so, but it makes for a heck of a BBQ.

January 15, 2001, 09:56 PM	#7
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Yeah, if they're really big, bring them out a piece at a time. No real difference than quartering an elk. A good backpack frame and some heavy-duty plastic bags are good to have on any back-country hunt. A fairly large hunting knife, a small folding saw...The hams, shoulders and backstraps wind up being a rather small percentage of the live weight. Cooked slowly, and kept from drying out during the cooking, will make most any meat just real tasty. Art

January 16, 2001, 05:01 PM	#8
solo Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 1999 Posts: 211	Snakelover A true wild boar, such as the ones here in E. TN, do not have enough fat to make bacon or sausage. Feral hogs on the other hand, such as those in Georgia and other southern states, are a cross between a domestig pig and a wild boar and they do have enough fat to get bacon and sausage. It just depends on weather the boar is a true wild boar or a feral hog.

January 16, 2001, 06:27 PM	#9
SnakeLover Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2000 Location: Mechanicsville, VA USA Posts: 302	Solo, thanks for the insight. Didn't realize there was a difference in the fat content, figured they were all about the same. Learn something new every day! Snake

January 16, 2001, 07:23 PM	#10
BadMedicine Junior member Join Date: July 7, 2000 Location: Anchorage Posts: 863	OK, this is kinda a dumb question, but are wild boar tusks ivory?? A friends dad has some mounted on a plaque with some shotgun shells (that he killed it with) and I was wondering if they're worth anything? I know they're just elongulated incissor teeth, but so are walrusses, and elephants.