Hog hunting with a rimfire ???

[widgeon]

I am new to South Carolina and the methods of take and well... everything here. I have been fortunate enough to have befriended a tough as nails, retired airforce man. He has really taken me under his wing in learning the ins and outs of hunting in this area.

So, it is currently Small Game season here. The regulations dictate that it is legal to hunt hogs on most WMA land that is open to small game hunting. However, It is only lawfull to carry a .22 or smaller rimfire OR shotgun with #2 or smaller shot.

My friend has invited me to accompany him on a hunt next week. We had planned on going today, but I'm still in the process of moving in to an apartment and it's raining. Anyhow, he will be using his 22wmr and seems confident that at short range, you just put one behind the ear and it's lights out.

He is not a reckless type. He was out on Wed. eve and had a chance at a 300 lb boar, but decided that might not be such a good idea to upset a monster with a 40grn pill. Let alone trying to drag it back to his truck by himself.

We will be targeting smallish hogs and I am anxious to see what it's all about.

Have any of you done this? I will be using my rem ( 589?) 22lr. I recently bought a box of high velocity, 38grn hollow points. Any recomendations for a more suitable load?

Thanks,
Tony

 

[rick smith]

While a 22LR will kill a hog under the right conditions, I wouldn't recommend for someone new to hog hunting. I have killed a couple with a 22LR but that was when I was younger and more indestructable. I would use solid bullets and not hollow points. I would recheck the SC regs on what you can carry. How about handguns? I was born and raised in SC but quit hunting WMA land years ago. Friend and I are going this afternoon but both will have 30/06s and will be on private land.Rick.

 

[Ridge_Runner]

fed. offers a 50 gr loading for the wmr, surprising results have been seen from this round. my bro-n-law has dispatched no less than 6 stock killing bears with them. I see no reason not to use it on hogs to 125# with lung shots or a big one up close with a head shot. broadside behind the ear, straight on drw a line from the left ear tip to right eye, right ear tip to left eye, hit the center of the "X".
RR

 

[Coyote Hunter]

I'd recheck the regs. Some years back (31?) I killed 5 hogs for butcher with a 16 gauge shotgun and slugs. The owner, Skip, asked me to shoot them between the eyes to avoid meat damage. The shots were at a down angle from 3-5 feet. I can tell you from experience there is nothing immediately fatal between the eyes and the throat and that wounded hogs can get very pissed off.

After the first I quit shooting "between the eyes" and moved the placement back some with much better results. Of course by then the hogs had it figured out and were running all over the 5 acres they called home. One in particular nearly got Skip by the leg and would have except Skip had a grain shovel and was able to to protect his legs with it.

If I ever go hog hunting I'm taking something substantially more powerful than a .22 rimfire. A levergun, pump or semi-auto would be nice for quick follow-up shots, too, especially if I'm shooting from ground level.

 

[DrMike]

Whilst shooting hogs with a rimfire may be exciting, I can't say that I'd be excited doing such. Perhaps it is better to use a dog and a knife! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2pdsCniTn8

 

[Anonymous]

Can't that I'd try it. A .22WMR with a solid placed right will work and I've seen a bunch of critters shot with various rimfires.

The mechanics of injury on bigger critters were either very deliberate shooting at very close range (headshots on coyotes, fox, livestock) or completely unintended like this one-

I helped butcher a moose that was killed with a single .22LR during an unpleasant DLP incident... one shot behind the rib angled forward. The bullet broke up and one fragment nicked the aorta. The moose took about a dozen steps, the aorta exploded and the moose went down in midstep. One of the cleaner moose kills I've ever seen and probably unrepeatable.

 

[widgeon]

Thanks guys. I am sure about the regs. Being "Small game " season, we are only allowed to carry small game weapons. This is of course on WMA's. Private land regs allow one to take hogs anytime of year and by any legal means.

So, I know it is not an ideal method of take. I also know that many mobile meat processors use this method, allthough at near point blank range. I would certainly only take an excellent shot opportunity. I have no desire to make anything other than a clean, humane kill. I would probably limit a shot to about 30 yards.

I'm also thinking that hollow points aren't a great idea, so will be looking in to a heavy round point or the like.

Thanks again,
Tony

p.s. I'll definitely have a large knife or machete handy as well. Just in case things go awry.

 

[JD338]

I have killed 3 hogs, 2 with a 44 Mag and 1 with a 309 JDJ which was a DRT kill.
The 2 hogs I shot with the 44 Rem Mag loaded with a 250 gr Nosler PT both required 2 shots to kill.
IMHO, I would stay away from the rim fires for hogs, they are tough.

JD338

 

[Oldtrader3]

I have dispached a couple of hogs with a Ruger Single Six .22WMR 6" pistol. I used the HV solids for penetration and shot both between the eyes at about less than a foot distance This was in Texas and hounds were used for trailing, baying up and otherwise occupying the hog's close attention. We hunters (or a guide) just reached over and grabbed a dog collar pulled the dog off the fighting hog in order to immediately shoot the each hog between the eyes. My friend and I took (2) apiece this way in a one day hunt.

One smaller boar got loose and was fighting with a dog between my hunting partners legs which caused some excitement while he tried to climb a one inch scrub oak but the pig soon disengaged and took off. It was pretty exciting for awhile.

 

[Guy Miner]

Long ago, on my first hog hunt, a buddy hit a hog 5 times with 210 gr Sierra JHC bullets from his .44 mag before it rolled over dead. In the meanwhile we chased it between a quarter and a half mile, after the first two hits that were well placed. One of his hits was crummy, and just ticked off the pig (whereupon it rushed us) but the other four were good hits. One of those finally killed it.

Problem was the bullets were flattening out on the mud, hide, muscle and gristle of the fairly good sized critter.

After we finally got his down, I went back to the truck and got my rifle. The .357 on my belt just didn't seem like enough gun.

I've no doubt a pig can be killed with a small rimfire cartridge if the shot can be precisely placed. Can it?

 

[IdahoCTD]

We shot a few in CA when I was a kid with 22lr's but they were 40-60lb hogs. I've seen the big ones take some crazy punishment and keep trucking though. My dad and his friend shot one that was 350+lbs 4 times and it still ran 150yds. It took 2 shots from a .300wm and 2 from a 338win. The only thing I never got to shoot one with was a bow. There were so many we shot them with muzzleloaders, pistols, rifles, and shotguns. I shot one with my TC Renegade .54 one time on a steep hill and almost got run over by it as it rolled down the hill.

If you can use shotguns for small game I'd use a shotgun before a rimfire. Buckshot or slugs are way more effective.

 

[widgeon]

Good stuff, guys.

This is not something I plan on doing a lot of. I see it as another reason to get out in the woods or swamps as it may be.

As I said, We plan on targteting smallish hogs. Maybe 125 lbs being about max and I am hoping to see one in the 50-80 lb range.

I'm not overly concerned with this being a succesful hunt, as I have a centerfire hog hunt coming up in the first week of March.

I have hunted hogs before and tagged a couple. I shot one at about 30yrds behind the shoulder with a .243 and 85 grn TSX. It was about 140lbs and it took about 5 steps and piled up. The other one I shot at about 60 yards with my .270win. Also a TSX ( Ca. laws) . This one I hit a hair low ( hog fever) but it only ran about 75 yards and it was still standing when I spotted it. One more in the right spot at about 30 yards. Done.

I know that they are tough critters and need to be dealt with accordingly. I doubt you'll ever here about the time I spent alone in a ground blind with my trusy 22lr, hunting Hogzilla. Not going to happen.

:mrgreen:

 

[rick smith]

Just got back from my hog hunt, the young man I let sit in my chosen stand killed 300lb boar hog. I saw a few deer but no hogs. We will go tomorrow afternoon and try for another. He shot him with a 30/06.Rick.

 

[JD338]

Just got back from my hog hunt, the young man I let sit in my chosen stand killed 300lb boar hog. I saw a few deer but no hogs. We will go tomorrow afternoon and try for another. He shot him with a 30/06.Rick.

Rick,

COngratulations to the young man's 300 lb hog. Good luck tomorrow!

JD338

 

[widgeon]

Just got back from my hog hunt, the young man I let sit in my chosen stand killed 300lb boar hog. I saw a few deer but no hogs. We will go tomorrow afternoon and try for another. He shot him with a 30/06.Rick.

Rick,

COngratulations to the young man's 300 lb hog. Good luck tomorrow!

JD338

X2

Please give us an update after tomorrows hunt. Good luck.

 

[widgeon]

REPORT

No hogs were seen.

But, my friend showed me another great looking area for hogs and deer. There was a lot of sign of both. A vast area of rooted up earth. Found a freshly used wallow, which was very cool. Rubs and scrapes galore.

The best part is that it's only about a 25-30 minute drive from home. I'll definitely be heading back out there during the regular seasons. :mrgreen:

 

[Polaris]

I just read your regulations
http://www.dnr.sc.gov/regs/pdf/HogHunting.pdf
They are a little unclear, however as far as I can tell if you are "still hunting" for hogs, you can use a centerfire rifle or shotgun with slugs on a WMA with an open hog still hunting season. I would definately clarify that with a call to your local game officer or WMA manager though. Individual wardens may have expensive differences of opinion.

http://www.dnr.sc.gov/regs/pdf/HogHunting.pdf

 

[widgeon]

:mrgreen: