Buck shot or slugs for Hog hunting in florida?

[Super-Dave]

I am going hog hunting in November in Florida. Should I use slugs or buckshot for those little piggies.

[hogdogs]

Slug! The round balls of shot would only penetrate from a very close distance. You would have to pull off a head shot to even hope for a clean kill.
Brent

[Scattergun Bob]

I have killed Russian black boar and Feral hogs, using slugs with great effect. Have never shot one with buckshot.


Good Luck & Be Safe

[Legumeofterror]

ive used buckshot, and it works fine. are you using dogs?

[Super-Dave]

I am not using dogs. I plan on going into big gum swamp in osceola wild life management area. I am concerned that it could be too swampy for wild hog. Anyone out there been to big gum swamp? Is it too swampy?

Since it is a swamp, I want to have loaded in my shotgun something that I could use in an emergency for alligator attack. I was thinking buck shot would be best since in an alligator attack it happens too quickly for you to take a good steady aim.

[.45 COLT]

Check out Dixie Slugs ammunition. His Tri-Ball load will do for hogs, alligators or small Rhinos.

http://www.dixieslugs.com

DC

[hogdogs]

Swampy is good for hogs as long as there is some land not fully submerged. Hogs love swamps.
As far as gator attack, it would be so close that with buckshot it is going to have no time to open up so you would have to aim anyway. One good thing about swamps is they don't tend to hold the largest of gators. Lakes and rivers have the huge ones. I can't remember seeing many over 6 feet long in swamps, but that don't mean there are NONE.
For shooting hogs with 00 or even 000 buck I would limit my shots to about 25-30 yards which is pretty darn hard to accomplish on wary hogs. slugs would be more suited to 60 yards real easy and that is attainable with careful stalking. Hogs don't see real well but hear quite well and their nose is second to none.
If you find rooting and wallows that are real fresh you stand a good chance of ambushing a mob in between but they run a long route so they may be done with those spots temporarily.
Brent

[Legumeofterror]

pigs like the swamp, but its kinda hard to creep up on them in that kind of terrain. i would just use slugs if i were you, your not going to get very close tracking them on foot. as for gators, they don't bother people for the most part. usually people bother gators, and then gators bother back. its the same as peopel who need something to "protect" them from snakes.

[Katrina Guy]

Let us know how you made out and what you used, slugs or buckshot. I used to go hog hunting back home in Luziana, yes hogs love slamps as long as, as someone indicated, it's not all underwater. I used my 30-30 Marlin with my 1911 Colt on my side, actually shot a pig in thickets at point blank range with my Colt before. I recently purchased an 18" 870 H.D. shotgun and I had been thinking about taking it out hog hunting at close range in heavy brush, would be interested in what you used, slugs or buckshot. I was thinking slugs but no idea how accurate out of an 18" smooth bore barrel, so be sure to let us know how you made out.

[hogdogs]

Buckshot on a hog is a risky shot... They will soak up some hard hits in the shield. The slug is going to penetrate and if it failed go deep enough the hog will be down long enough to get a second shot off just from the blunt energy of the hit.
Brent

[Katrina Guy]

When I shot the pig in the thickets at point blank range with my 1911 Colt, I fired either two or three rounds in the head, CCI lawman 230 grain FMJ, and the 85 pound pig kept going after staggering, I leaned on one hand on the ground and, thank goodness it was a fast shooting auto, popped another couple or so rounds off, the one that hit the front elbow and shattered that bone is what dropped the pig, hard to hobble away with no arm, it expired a minute or so later from the head wounds. I didn't realize how hard headed pigs can be! By the way, I remember two rounds went completely through the pigs big head, good penetration alright, not sure if a head shot is a good shot for hogs, of course a 12 gauge slug might be a different matter, sure it would be!
Good luck with your hunt buddy.

[RoscoeC]

Slugs! Your idea that buckshot will forgive aim errors at close range is dead wrong. 437.5 grain slug moving at ~1600 fps will cause massive damage.

Even if it doesn't hit in exactly the right place it will more than likely slow down whatever critter enough to give you a second shot.

[oneounceload]

Dave - would a rifle be a better choice? When my son goes with his buddies hog hunting near Perry - they're all using rifles, (he borrows my model 7 in 7-08), or does the WMA require shotgun??

[hogdogs]

Most Florida WMA's allow rifles. I think Dave may be expecting closer shots. I would choose a 20 gauge slug over a rifle for brush hunting as I have a bit more room for error as a slug will sure tri-pod a hog if not kill it DRT...
If i was hunting open areas with decent range I would opt for the rifles
Brent

[RoscoeC]

Hogdogs, I like the way you think.

[Al Thompson]

Slugs only for me. Popped a hog a few years back with buckshot and it did not penetrate very well. Only one pellet got through the rib cage, rest were stuck in the gristle plate. Luckily I shot him three times - first and third shots were slugs and they worked fine.

[publius]

We kill lots of hogs here in Texas. If you're dead set on using the shotgun use slugs. I would use the rifle. you need to make good clean shots on these tough suckers no matter what you use and this will be easier with a rifle. the only advantage to a shotgun would be using buckshot which I think is inadequate. The shotgun w/slugs is just a big rifle with iffy accuracy. Slugs or RIFLE.