Feral Hogs

[Flintknapper]

Got an invite from a rancher in Texas to come and hunt hogs. He said he would even supply the ammo and beer. What calibers are you using to hunt these?

Anything suitable for hunting whitetail deer will work on hogs with proper shot placement. Use heavy for caliber bullets if shooting the smaller calibers.

Avoid head shots unless no other shot is presented. Middle of the neck (on broadside shots) will drop them right there. IF you shoot behind the shoulder (like on deer) you are quite likely to have a long tracking session.

 

[RCW]

As a long-time woodchuck hunter, I often thought shooting a bunch of feral hogs would be a good experience.

I can hit a 12 pound woodchuck/ground hog at 600 yards.

A 100 pound hog might be a 1,000 yard target…..

 

[Flintknapper]

As a long-time woodchuck hunter, I often thought shooting a bunch of feral hogs would be a good experience.

I can hit a 12 pound woodchuck/ground hog at 600 yards.

A 100 pound hog might be a 1,000 yard target…..

Yes, a decent size hog (100 lbs and larger) would be an easy target for a seasoned Long Range shooter.

My Daughter hit a 16" x 16" steel target at a bit over one mile on her 6th try (very windy that day). Doping the wind is pretty much the only challenge.

You can't even see the target with the naked eye at that distance. So a good scope and a spotter are necessary to call the shot. Had to 'walk it in'...but she did it.

 

[DaveFromMi]

I'd like to try this someday

Feral hogs hunted and blow up with tannerite | Daily Mail Online

Tannerite bomb used to blow up a group of feral hogs.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Mark_BX25D]

I'd like to try this someday

Feral hogs hunted and blow up with tannerite | Daily Mail Online

Tannerite bomb used to blow up a group of feral hogs.

www.dailymail.co.uk

That might be the guy that did the video I mentioned above. But the article has got it wrong - this is NOT hunting.

 

[Tughill Tom]

Yes, a decent size hog (100 lbs and larger) would be an easy target for a seasoned Long Range shooter.

My Daughter hit a 16" x 16" steel target at a bit over one mile on her 6th try (very windy that day). Doping the wind is pretty much the only challenge.

You can't even see the target with the naked eye at that distance. So a good scope and a spotter are necessary to call the shot. Had to 'walk it in'...but she did it.

View attachment 85233

Nice shooting!

 

[Flintknapper]

Nice shooting!

Well my Older Brother and I had both shot prior to that, so had the elevation dialed in. But it has horribly windy that day, so doping the wind....was the issue. The wind you experience at the shooting bench might be quite different that at the target on a hillside a mile away (and all in between).

So under those conditions you just aren't going to hit with your first shot. Even with a gross windage correction dialed in the scope, you end up having to make corrections with the subtensions on the reticle and then spotting your shot, correcting....repeat.

Still... it takes a good solid rest, good trigger discipline, take your shot between heartbeats. ANY movement at all of the rifle....equates to a compromised trajectory at very long distances.

She had shot clay pigeons set up on a berm at 1,000 yds. before....no problem there. But stretching things out to a mile is a whole 'nother thing.

Wind that day:

 

[Freeheeler]

Yes, a decent size hog (100 lbs and larger) would be an easy target for a seasoned Long Range shooter.

My Daughter hit a 16" x 16" steel target at a bit over one mile on her 6th try (very windy that day). Doping the wind is pretty much the only challenge.

You can't even see the target with the naked eye at that distance. So a good scope and a spotter are necessary to call the shot. Had to 'walk it in'...but she did it.

View attachment 85233

Deal's gap, I've only been there a couple hundred times

 

[Tughill Tom]

Well my Older Brother and I had both shot prior to that, so had the elevation dialed in. But it has horribly windy that day, so doping the wind....was the issue. The wind you experience at the shooting bench might be quite different that at the target on a hillside a mile away (and all in between).

So under those conditions you just aren't going to hit with your first shot. Even with a gross windage correction dialed in the scope, you end up having to make corrections with the subtensions on the reticle and then spotting your shot, correcting....repeat.

Still... it takes a good solid rest, good trigger discipline, take your shot between heartbeats. ANY movement at all of the rifle....equates to a compromised trajectory at very long distances.

She had shot clay pigeons set up on a berm at 1,000 yds. before....no problem there. But stretching things out to a mile is a whole 'nother thing.

Wind that day:

What Cal.? and the wind still very good shooting. Oh and don't say you had it set up for her.... Just kidding!

 

[Flintknapper]

What Cal.? and the wind still very good shooting. Oh and don't say you had it set up for her.... Just kidding!

6.5 Creedmoor. Better suited for ranges of about 1200 yds.....but will shoot a mile if you do your part and practice.

We had the rifle pretty much dialed in for the hand-loaded ammo we use, but you still can't put just anyone behind it and expect to hit. She has been shooting since she was 9 yrs old (now 35 yrs. old) and can hold her own with any of the men that regularly shoot long range.

They have two targets set up at one mile, one is 4' x 8' and the other is a scant 16" x 16" steel swinger. I can coach most folks to hit the 4 x 8 (eventually) but you have to have an accurate rifle and good shooting skills to hit the smaller one.

 

[Mark_BX25D]

6.5 Creedmoor.

Sweet round. Soft shooting and hard hitting.

 

[Flintknapper]

Sweet round. Soft shooting and hard hitting.

That's the best thing about it (soft shooting). Your average precision rifle with scope (Big Nightforce in this case) fitted with a suppressor is pretty heavy and recoil dampening. You can shoot it all day....literally.

Never lose sight of your target through the scope. Bullet flight time (at a mile) is around 3 seconds anyway, plenty of time to settle and spot your own shot if you practice good follow through.

 

[Mark_BX25D]

Yes, I plan for my next deer rifle to be a 6.5, and the .243 gets passed down to my youngest son.

I'd love to try it in a Thompson Center.