What cartridge/bullet for hog hunting?

It amazes me that that there must be so many wild pigs. I had visions of maybe long distance shots or maybe tagging along at night to watch
They are so thick in places it is insane. My buddy got a 2fer (2 for 1) with pass through on his 30-378 Weatherby. They were crowded around a feeder when he took about a 250 yard shot. Get down there and one big hog dead and a second smaller one also.
 
We have killed truck loads of them here in Oklahoma with about every caliber you can think of 22 LR - 50 BMG. All calibers in the op will get it done with proper shot placement. We mostly hunt them at night now with AR Platforms. Pick the gun(s) you are most comfortable with and get to slaughtering. Mono bullets are better for the smaller calibers and larger pigs. The smaller pigs are usually tastier but I've cooked large ( 300 lb plus) boars that tasted great. The absolute best tasting ones for me are the 20 lb and under. If it has spots it's going to be delicious lol. Skin and gut them cover with butter and what ever seasoning you like wrap in foil and put them on the grill for awhile. Now I'm hungry...
I agree smaller taste better. The spotted theory may hold true. I shot a very large sow with spots that very good. I always look to shoot the spotted ones first if I can. But some times there are none, so then I take what I can get.
 
They are a scourge and we can't put a dent into their population. They reproduce approximately every 3.5 months. They cause a tremendous amount of damage
It sounds like they are a real problem. We have them widespread on Australia but in some areas they are widespread, different country and being arid the pigs are low in numbers but surviving.
There are areas that have higher density.
But they do give us reason to hunt.

Authorities warn against eating feral pigs but some do. In the drier areas where feed is sparse they eat meat or anything available.

The spotted ones tasting better is probably just a myth with no reason why they should but each to their own.
 
I only carry 2 rifles on my quad when pigs and deer are around, my custom Ruger 25-06, or one of my other 25-06's and, my Rossi lever in 44 mag. The Rossi has a 16" barrel, is stainless, has XS Ghost Ring sights and holds 10 rounds all up, 9 in the mag. I don't know about the US, but here in Down Under, the only solitary pigs are old boars, the rest are normally in groups larger than what ammo my rifle holds.
For the large pigs seen at distance, I use the 25-06 with 110g Accubonds, for mobs I use the 44 with Speer 240g SP Gold Dots, these penetrate like no other handgun bullet I've ever seen.
Anyway, that has worked for me for 20 odd years.
Enjoy your pig hunt, it is very exciting when you get onto a large mob, quick shooting is a must.

Cheers.
 
I only carry 2 rifles on my quad when pigs and deer are around, my custom Ruger 25-06, or one of my other 25-06's and, my Rossi lever in 44 mag. The Rossi has a 16" barrel, is stainless, has XS Ghost Ring sights and holds 10 rounds all up, 9 in the mag. I don't know about the US, but here in Down Under, the only solitary pigs are old boars, the rest are normally in groups larger than what ammo my rifle holds.
For the large pigs seen at distance, I use the 25-06 with 110g Accubonds, for mobs I use the 44 with Speer 240g SP Gold Dots, these penetrate like no other handgun bullet I've ever seen.
Anyway, that has worked for me for 20 odd years.
Enjoy your pig hunt, it is very exciting when you get onto a large mob, quick shooting is a must.

Cheers.
25-06 ...................... The most underrated cartridge of all time
 
25-06AI with the 90g Absolute's
0063D4DC-85E8-4402-A038-B9588E8742E2.jpeg
 
I agree smaller taste better. The spotted theory may hold true. I shot a very large sow with spots that very good. I always look to shoot the spotted ones first if I can. But some times there are none, so then I take what I can get.
I preferentially shoot the sows because they are the "reproduction units."
 
It really depends on how you are going to be hunting them if you are hunting from a blind over bait just about anything will get the job done especially if you are able to take head shots, I've been extremely lucky and fortunate when it comes to hog hunting opportunities here in California, I shot a total of 66 my first hog came in 95, it was a smallish sow weighing 86 or 88 pounds at the locker, my rifle of choice was a 257 AI loaded with 115 gr partitions, the shot was broadside at about 90 yards, I recovered the bullet under hide, I shot 5 more with that rifle with only 1 being of any real size that 1 being a true 300lb boar, 2 dropped at the shot, the 3 that didnt drop while hit good required a short tracking job with very litte or no blood at all, at that time I had shot several dozen deer that rifle many being western whitetail and mule deer I had only recovered I bullet, I like a animal to hoped from 2 holes rather than 1 so I switched to a 338, I've used 185 to 225 gr grain bullets either Barnes or nosler with 100 percent success, however what I find when it come to hogs at least the ones here in California a 300 lb pig even a sow will stop a slug that goes thru a bull elk not every time but I've taken a lot more deer and elk than I have pigs, but I've recovered a lot more bullets from the pigs, so I suggest if you are looking for one for the wall use the biggest caliber you are comfortable with, better to use to much gun than not enough
 

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