Comments on: Shot placement on hogs – Arguments against the head shot http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/2009/02/02/shot-placement-on-hogs-arguments-against-the-head-shot/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=shot-placement-on-hogs-arguments-against-the-head-shot The Hog Hunting Blog Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:56:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: jeff chesser http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/2009/02/02/shot-placement-on-hogs-arguments-against-the-head-shot/#comment-12127 jeff chesser Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:54:01 +0000 http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/?p=902#comment-12127 Florida landowners may obtain a permit to shoot hogs with rim fire rifles only at night .17cal is rim fire and it works but you have to be extemely precise it definately has its limitations. I have since found the ,22 hornet smokes and gives more leay way on head shots. I use psp bullets never use v max or plastic tip bullets.I even use fmj .22 hornet if I know that i am head shooting a big hog.I've shot several hogs over 250lbs once the get over 200lbs they are alot harder to kill.They have thicker skulls and develop armor plates over there vitals.I will agree with the remark about aiming for the bottom ear.It works and I think an experinced hunter should be able to down a pig with .17hmr or .22 hornet they are both quieter than big bores and more precise.Most pigs come out right at dark where I hunt and less lound can be more desirable.The bottom line is each person has to shoot what they feel comfortable or confident with at any given hunt. Florida landowners may obtain a permit to shoot hogs with rim fire rifles only at night .17cal is rim fire and it works but you have to be extemely precise it definately has its limitations. I have since found the ,22 hornet smokes and gives more leay way on head shots. I use psp bullets never use v max or plastic tip bullets.I even use fmj .22 hornet if I know that i am head shooting a big hog.I’ve shot several hogs over 250lbs once the get over 200lbs they are alot harder to kill.They have thicker skulls and develop armor plates over there vitals.I will agree with the remark about aiming for the bottom ear.It works and I think an experinced hunter should be able to down a pig with .17hmr or .22 hornet they are both quieter than big bores and more precise.Most pigs come out right at dark where I hunt and less lound can be more desirable.The bottom line is each person has to shoot what they feel comfortable or confident with at any given hunt.

]]> By: TLS http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/2009/02/02/shot-placement-on-hogs-arguments-against-the-head-shot/#comment-11592 TLS Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:10:33 +0000 http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/?p=902#comment-11592 After reading through all the posts here, it is clear the vast majority of you have had first hand experience with hog hunting and all are accurate in their own experiences and opinions. Pigs are an interesting sort, no doubt they can be hard to kill but shouln't be. Because of the local I hunt my pigs I only hunt with a Ruger 10/22 in under 50yds (w/a 9mm or 44mag on my hip just incase) all my kills have resulted in drop dead where they were, shots. Always a very fast double tap right into the ear (not behind or above, on a 90deg side-on shot. That said, one should always hunt to their abilities and NEVER take a shot on a live animal if there is a question of success of a humane kill due to commitment, ability or caliber. Good luck to all hunters and promote our lifestyle and our rights. God Bless and pray for our troops. After reading through all the posts here, it is clear the vast majority of you have had first hand experience with hog hunting and all are accurate in their own experiences and opinions. Pigs are an interesting sort, no doubt they can be hard to kill but shouln’t be. Because of the local I hunt my pigs I only hunt with a Ruger 10/22 in under 50yds (w/a 9mm or 44mag on my hip just incase) all my kills have resulted in drop dead where they were, shots. Always a very fast double tap right into the ear (not behind or above, on a 90deg side-on shot. That said, one should always hunt to their abilities and NEVER take a shot on a live animal if there is a question of success of a humane kill due to commitment, ability or caliber.
Good luck to all hunters and promote our lifestyle and our rights.
God Bless and pray for our troops.

]]> By: Phillip Loughlin http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/2009/02/02/shot-placement-on-hogs-arguments-against-the-head-shot/#comment-10716 Phillip Loughlin Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:17:14 +0000 http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/?p=902#comment-10716 Thanks for dropping in! I think you hit the nail on the head there... it's all about taking shots that are within your own limitations. A clean hit with an adequate firearm will kill an animal. Take the shot you feel right about. But yeah, any time you can drop them on the spot, that's a bonus! Thanks for dropping in!

I think you hit the nail on the head there… it’s all about taking shots that are within your own limitations. A clean hit with an adequate firearm will kill an animal. Take the shot you feel right about.

But yeah, any time you can drop them on the spot, that’s a bonus!

]]> By: Texas Hog Hunts http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/2009/02/02/shot-placement-on-hogs-arguments-against-the-head-shot/#comment-10715 Texas Hog Hunts Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:06:50 +0000 http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/?p=902#comment-10715 Went hog hunting with a couple of friends yesterday on a large ranch just west of DFW. Two large hogs were bagged with shots just behind the ear. Both hogs weighed in at over 250lbs. and both dropped in their tracks. I've always hunted with a 30-06 and feel more comfortable with a heart-lung shot over a head shot, but that's my preference. I have seen hogs that were hit with well placed shots in the heart lung area and got up and ran off, but I've never seen a hog run a well placed shot just behind the ear. Thanks for the awesome stories here by the way. When I was 16 (way back in the day) I bought a Remington 30-06 semi-auto. Having a semi-auto rifle made me lazy in my shot placement. Now that I'm a bit wiser (I hope) and a little older, I don't want to take a shot if I can't make it a good shot. I think it comes knowing your limitations as a shooter, trusting the firearm you are hunting with, and making an ethical shot. One thing for sure, there's nothing like watching your game drop in its tracks. :-) Went hog hunting with a couple of friends yesterday on a large ranch just west of DFW. Two large hogs were bagged with shots just behind the ear.

Both hogs weighed in at over 250lbs. and both dropped in their tracks.

I’ve always hunted with a 30-06 and feel more comfortable with a heart-lung shot over a head shot, but that’s my preference.

I have seen hogs that were hit with well placed shots in the heart lung area and got up and ran off, but I’ve never seen a hog run a well placed shot just behind the ear.

Thanks for the awesome stories here by the way. When I was 16 (way back in the day) I bought a Remington 30-06 semi-auto. Having a semi-auto rifle made me lazy in my shot placement.

Now that I’m a bit wiser (I hope) and a little older, I don’t want to take a shot if I can’t make it a good shot.

I think it comes knowing your limitations as a shooter, trusting the firearm you are hunting with, and making an ethical shot.

One thing for sure, there’s nothing like watching your game drop in its tracks. :-)

]]> By: Phillip Loughlin http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/2009/02/02/shot-placement-on-hogs-arguments-against-the-head-shot/#comment-7753 Phillip Loughlin Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:44:37 +0000 http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/?p=902#comment-7753 In the post, I've put up my arguments against the head shot. I'm also pretty strongly opposed to shooting hogs with a .17 if you've got other options. But I don't know your situation, and I'm not going to judge you. That being said, there are plenty of images available if you do a simple Google search. As you'll see in all of them, the brain is a tiny target, surrounded by dense bone and lots of flat surfaces. I've seen where a 180gr 30-06 bounced off of a big boar's skull without penetrating... inside of 50 yards. It made a mess of his face, and knocked him senseless for a few seconds, but he was up and gone before the hunter could get to him. If it weren't for some good dogs, that hog would have never been found. If you insist on a rimfire, do yourself and the hogs a favor and step it up to a .22wmr. Better yet, go to a centerfire rifle and a decent hog and deer round. The .17 is made for small varmints, not big game. It's generally bad practice to use a screwdriver to drive a nail. In the post, I’ve put up my arguments against the head shot. I’m also pretty strongly opposed to shooting hogs with a .17 if you’ve got other options. But I don’t know your situation, and I’m not going to judge you.

That being said, there are plenty of images available if you do a simple Google search. As you’ll see in all of them, the brain is a tiny target, surrounded by dense bone and lots of flat surfaces. I’ve seen where a 180gr 30-06 bounced off of a big boar’s skull without penetrating… inside of 50 yards. It made a mess of his face, and knocked him senseless for a few seconds, but he was up and gone before the hunter could get to him. If it weren’t for some good dogs, that hog would have never been found. If you insist on a rimfire, do yourself and the hogs a favor and step it up to a .22wmr. Better yet, go to a centerfire rifle and a decent hog and deer round. The .17 is made for small varmints, not big game. It’s generally bad practice to use a screwdriver to drive a nail.

]]> By: SouthTexas http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/2009/02/02/shot-placement-on-hogs-arguments-against-the-head-shot/#comment-7741 SouthTexas Wed, 19 Oct 2011 04:22:13 +0000 http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/?p=902#comment-7741 I only shoot pigs in the head. I have started shooting a .17 her, as I wanted more of a challenge in killing my pigs. This weekend I killed one at about 30 yards, hit him right in the tear duct. Usually i aim for the bottom of the ear. Are there any good images out there that show a pigs head in great detail? I only shoot pigs in the head. I have started shooting a .17 her, as I wanted more of a challenge in killing my pigs. This weekend I killed one at about 30 yards, hit him right in the tear duct. Usually i aim for the bottom of the ear. Are there any good images out there that show a pigs head in great detail?

]]> By: Rob_Filipovic http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/2009/02/02/shot-placement-on-hogs-arguments-against-the-head-shot/#comment-5877 Rob_Filipovic Sun, 24 Jul 2011 07:45:00 +0000 http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/?p=902#comment-5877 What an awesome post. What an awesome post.

]]> By: jeff chesser http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/2009/02/02/shot-placement-on-hogs-arguments-against-the-head-shot/#comment-2595 jeff chesser Sun, 06 Mar 2011 07:46:25 +0000 http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/?p=902#comment-2595 I shot all my hogs in the head just below the ear just behind the eye.I shoot the .17 cal rimfire extremely acurate and deadly with v max bullets no recoil.Lemon size targets are no problem @ 100yds.Saves all the meat and eliminates the tracking they fall right in thier tacks double taps if if they still kick.I'll take accuracy over knock down power.I have heard lots of people say they lost there hogs with there 308 behind the shoulder shot.Sure is nice to see the hog laying in his tracks. captmech I shot all my hogs in the head just below the ear just behind the eye.I shoot the .17 cal rimfire extremely acurate and deadly with v max bullets no recoil.Lemon size targets are no problem @ 100yds.Saves all the meat and eliminates the tracking they fall right in thier tacks double taps if if they still kick.I’ll take accuracy over knock down power.I have heard lots of people say they lost there hogs with there 308 behind the shoulder shot.Sure is nice to see the hog laying in his tracks.
captmech

]]> By: Al http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/2009/02/02/shot-placement-on-hogs-arguments-against-the-head-shot/#comment-2594 Al Tue, 09 Nov 2010 23:56:56 +0000 http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/?p=902#comment-2594 Bow hunter here. I have dropped a few large bores with my 70lb. pull Hoyt. I ALWAYS shoot for the heart and double lung shot. With my 100 gran Thunderhead broadheads one arrow does the job from 10 yards up to 30 and 40 yards always a through and through. And they don't run far. 10 feet usually and over they go. I once shot two hogs with one arrow while in a tree stand. One was feeding directly under the front hog. The angle was perfect. The arrow passed through both hogs at 18 yards and stuck in the ground. Bow hunting hogs is a blast. And deadly Bow hunter here. I have dropped a few large bores with my 70lb. pull Hoyt. I ALWAYS shoot for the heart and double lung shot. With my 100 gran Thunderhead broadheads one arrow does the job from 10 yards up to 30 and 40 yards always a through and through. And they don’t run far. 10 feet usually and over they go. I once shot two hogs with one arrow while in a tree stand. One was feeding directly under the front hog. The angle was perfect. The arrow passed through both hogs at 18 yards and stuck in the ground. Bow hunting hogs is a blast.
And deadly

]]> By: Phillip Loughlin http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/2009/02/02/shot-placement-on-hogs-arguments-against-the-head-shot/#comment-2593 Phillip Loughlin Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:36:08 +0000 http://www.skinnymoose.com/hogblog/?p=902#comment-2593 Rick, if I were skilled enough with my .44 to make shots like that consistently, and if the hog offered me a good opportunity (fairly still and unaware), then I would have no problem taking it. Behind the ear is still, basically, a neck shot... just a little higher than necessary. At 60 yards, the .44magnum is still carrying plenty of energy to do the trick, cleanly. The target is a little smaller behind the ear, but you've still got a reasonable margin of error (a few inches in either direction). Those are really the main criteria I'd be concerned about. Rick, if I were skilled enough with my .44 to make shots like that consistently, and if the hog offered me a good opportunity (fairly still and unaware), then I would have no problem taking it. Behind the ear is still, basically, a neck shot… just a little higher than necessary.

At 60 yards, the .44magnum is still carrying plenty of energy to do the trick, cleanly. The target is a little smaller behind the ear, but you’ve still got a reasonable margin of error (a few inches in either direction). Those are really the main criteria I’d be concerned about.

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