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This is a question I’ve seen that pops up enough times on forums. I read conflicting information, questionable motives, spectacular stories with little evidence, unrealistic expectations, and posts that read like straight bullshit. The main thing that pisses me off are people claiming to want to get rid of problematic hogs and pigs, but continue to feed them. Realistically I’m of the opinion that unless you wage all out war on wild hogs on a daily basis, hunting and hunting pressure alone will not eradicate them. To be completely realistic our efforts only contribute to population management. In my region industrial activity is frequently disturbing the environment and/or changing the landscape. As a result animals are forced to relocate due to reduction or destruction of resources. Where I hunt hogs, whitetail deer hunting is a huge business so the hogs roam and take from the same food sources as the deer and then some. For anyone considering hunting wild hogs, the first thing I suggest you do is learn your local airgun hunting laws and regulations and obtain a hunting license if you don’t already have an up-to-date license. Then learn the animal’s anatomy. Look up a domestic pig chart if you cannot find consistent material detailing wild hog anatomy.
A little about my background:
I am not an expert, nor am I a professional hunter. As a hunter I learned to hunt with dogs in my youth. The dogs were the trackers. As an airgun hunter I’ve been after hogs for maybe 3 years, I have not kept count. I didn’t have a mentor or partner. I recently started airgun hunting with a dog. I learned a lot utilizing the internet, getting out in the woods, and trying to hunt them. My first year was a complete bust. I didn’t shoot one hog. I had trouble finding them. I put a lot of pressure on a hog I’d caught on camera by constantly disturbing the area by trekking through it. I don’t think I saw the hog in the flesh. I did learn a lot about where they were, some of why they were there, and the damage that they cause to land. Since then I’ve done some reading and watched a plethora of hog hunting videos. I also have been in communication with other hunters online and within my region. My reasons for hunting hogs are to protect property and for sport. The latter is mostly why I like to use an air rifle.
In my pursuit of hunting hogs, the only time I can recall using bait was to condition the hogs for baited traps. That aside, when I see signs I go after them. I have learned to track them. I also use trail cameras. Tracking often takes me into their comfort zone, which is usually uncomfortable for me, thick and thorny cover close to water. Other times they’re in the woods. I can only think of a few times I have seen them in the open. Another thing, I DO NOT do canned hunts. Perhaps I may when im unable to get out like I can now.
What I Have Used:
Over the last 12 months I can distinctly recall shooting three wild hogs with air rifles. There may have been one or two more and a few that I shot at and missed completely, and a gun jam resulting in a dry fire. I have been primarily using a thermal hand scanner and/or a thermal rifle scope, rifle mounted green lights, a head lamp, and a Benjamin Bulldog M357, and airgun slugs 110 - 145 grains. I have also shot them with a Western Airguns Rattler 357. I aim for the lungs. Generally what has occurred is that the hogs will get hit and run prompting the other hogs in proximity to run. I’ve seen one walk off into cover. I should’ve have shot that one in the head because it came out and tried to cross a dirt road on private property. With body shots from a .357 I have not seen a single blood trail. I have shot one in the face with a .25 Edgun R5M. I do not recommend doing this. I was in a vulnerable position and felt the need to get this hog away from me ASAP. I was not in a position to retreat quietly, it didn’t know I was there, and was coming toward me. Almost all scenarios that came to mind resulted in me getting injured. I shot the hog in the face to scare it in order to create space to protect myself. Thankfully it worked. I’ve been in situations where I opted not to shoot because I couldn’t see because the sun had set or the cover was too thick but hogs were very close and on 3 sides of me. I’ve also had hogs smell or hear me before I could get a bead on their exact locations. I’ve also shot livestock unintentionally mistaking it for a hog. I squared that away with the owner quickly. Now I am experimenting with other guns to see if I can yield more desirable results. This is a little about my background hunting wild hogs with airguns.
Questions for Experienced Airgun Hog Hunters:
1) How do you hunt hogs with airguns?
2) What are you willing to share with others interested in getting into hog hunting with airguns?
3) What is the bare minimum equipment that you would suggest that a beginner use?
4) Which factors do you believe are most important to consider before hunting wild hogs?
A little about my background:
I am not an expert, nor am I a professional hunter. As a hunter I learned to hunt with dogs in my youth. The dogs were the trackers. As an airgun hunter I’ve been after hogs for maybe 3 years, I have not kept count. I didn’t have a mentor or partner. I recently started airgun hunting with a dog. I learned a lot utilizing the internet, getting out in the woods, and trying to hunt them. My first year was a complete bust. I didn’t shoot one hog. I had trouble finding them. I put a lot of pressure on a hog I’d caught on camera by constantly disturbing the area by trekking through it. I don’t think I saw the hog in the flesh. I did learn a lot about where they were, some of why they were there, and the damage that they cause to land. Since then I’ve done some reading and watched a plethora of hog hunting videos. I also have been in communication with other hunters online and within my region. My reasons for hunting hogs are to protect property and for sport. The latter is mostly why I like to use an air rifle.
In my pursuit of hunting hogs, the only time I can recall using bait was to condition the hogs for baited traps. That aside, when I see signs I go after them. I have learned to track them. I also use trail cameras. Tracking often takes me into their comfort zone, which is usually uncomfortable for me, thick and thorny cover close to water. Other times they’re in the woods. I can only think of a few times I have seen them in the open. Another thing, I DO NOT do canned hunts. Perhaps I may when im unable to get out like I can now.
What I Have Used:
Over the last 12 months I can distinctly recall shooting three wild hogs with air rifles. There may have been one or two more and a few that I shot at and missed completely, and a gun jam resulting in a dry fire. I have been primarily using a thermal hand scanner and/or a thermal rifle scope, rifle mounted green lights, a head lamp, and a Benjamin Bulldog M357, and airgun slugs 110 - 145 grains. I have also shot them with a Western Airguns Rattler 357. I aim for the lungs. Generally what has occurred is that the hogs will get hit and run prompting the other hogs in proximity to run. I’ve seen one walk off into cover. I should’ve have shot that one in the head because it came out and tried to cross a dirt road on private property. With body shots from a .357 I have not seen a single blood trail. I have shot one in the face with a .25 Edgun R5M. I do not recommend doing this. I was in a vulnerable position and felt the need to get this hog away from me ASAP. I was not in a position to retreat quietly, it didn’t know I was there, and was coming toward me. Almost all scenarios that came to mind resulted in me getting injured. I shot the hog in the face to scare it in order to create space to protect myself. Thankfully it worked. I’ve been in situations where I opted not to shoot because I couldn’t see because the sun had set or the cover was too thick but hogs were very close and on 3 sides of me. I’ve also had hogs smell or hear me before I could get a bead on their exact locations. I’ve also shot livestock unintentionally mistaking it for a hog. I squared that away with the owner quickly. Now I am experimenting with other guns to see if I can yield more desirable results. This is a little about my background hunting wild hogs with airguns.
Questions for Experienced Airgun Hog Hunters:
1) How do you hunt hogs with airguns?
2) What are you willing to share with others interested in getting into hog hunting with airguns?
3) What is the bare minimum equipment that you would suggest that a beginner use?
4) Which factors do you believe are most important to consider before hunting wild hogs?
