Tripod stands for hog hunting/is the grendal underpowered for hogs

tjohnson

New Member
I was hunting the other night and shot at one pig, assuming I hit it the way it squeeled and started running up the hill at me bringing the Calvary with it, as I'm steadily shooting this pig with my grendal, and it's still coming till they got within 10 ft at that point I just lowered the gun and started emptying my mag (spray and pray because at this point they were all over me, scared the hum out of me!
So I'm thinking of a tripod stand, or a ladder stand just to get of the ground, do you guys think a pissed of group of hogs could knock a tripod over, I really need to get off the ground to be safe, as far as my grendal I've killed a 280 lbs hog with it but I did have to shoot it 5 times I'm really starting to question the caliber as well
 

pruhdlr

Cantonment,Fla.
SUS VENATOR CLUB
You can shoot 'em in the low gut,or you can shoot 'em in the arse hole and they will run,using a 308Win.
It's called "SHOT PLACEMENT". That is what puts them down.
Of course you could use the mighty 300BLK. No matter where you hit them with this chambering . . . they quickly die.
BTW . . . you do not have to be off the ground to hog hunt. . . . . . . . UNLESS - -> You come across a hog like the one that ate that whole troupe of Girl Scouts on a overnight camping trip. That happened in 1997 on the Shoal River,just east of Crestview,Fla. ---- pruhdlr
 

Chopperdrvr

Deep East Tx
SUS VENATOR CLUB
A grendel is more than adequate for hogs. If you doubt it, go back and review ALL of Brian Shaffer’s videos. He uses a grendel almost exclusively and they rarely escape alive.
 

bar-d

Head Wrangler, Chief Manure Manager: Bar-D Cattle
The bullet you are using is just as important, if not more so, than the caliber. You don't post what bullet you are using in the 6.5 Grendel, which is plenty of rifle assuming you are shooting a bullet that was built for the job. Brian has done many necropsies of hogs he has taken that illustrate terminal performance with different bullet types. As Chopperdrvr said, hogs rarely escape with their lives when they cross Brian's 6.5 Grendel. Also, Todd Huey has probably killed more hogs than I will ever see and has used about every caliber there is to do so. I figure he would also tell you that as well as caliber, shot placement and bullet type are very important. What bullet were you shooting? Also, where are you most likely to aim, when you have time to aim?
 
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tjohnson

New Member
The bullet you are using is just as important, if not more so, than the caliber. You don't post what bullet you are using in the 6.5 Grendel, which is plenty of rifle assuming you are shooting a bullet that was built for the job. Brian has done many necropsies of hogs he has taken that illustrate terminal performance with different bullet types. As Chopperdrvr said, hogs rarely escape with their lives when they cross Brian's 6.5 Grendel. Also, Todd Huey has probably killed more hogs than I will ever see and has used about every caliber there is to do so. I figure he would also tell you that as well as caliber, shot placement and bullet type are very important. What bullet were you shooting? Also, where are you most likely to aim, when you have time to aim?
I was using hornady sst123grain, I've only shot one other hog which weighed 280 and took 5 shots to put him down.
 

FrankT

Destin FL
LSB TURKEY BUZZARD PRESERVATION SOCIETY
LoneStarBoars Supporter
shot placement is key as well as ammo to anchor them.
 

tjohnson

New Member
You can shoot 'em in the low gut,or you can shoot 'em in the arse hole and they will run,using a 308Win.
It's called "SHOT PLACEMENT". That is what puts them down.
Of course you could use the mighty 300BLK. No matter where you hit them with this chambering . . . they quickly die.
BTW . . . you do not have to be off the ground to hog hunt. . . . . . . . UNLESS - -> You come across a hog like the one that ate that whole troupe of Girl Scouts on a overnight camping trip. That happened in 1997 on the Shoal River,just east of Crestview,Fla. ---- pruhdlr
I've never hog hunted from a stand ever, but I've always only had one to deal with at a time, I agree with shot placement, obviously I didn't hit where I intended but once THEY are running at me I had no where to go and I was by myself in a horse pasture, this person has a big hog problem and I know they will be back and where they are coming in, I was just curious if anyone else that hunts by them selves had done this before, shot placement is defiantly easier when your not being charged by a whole heard,and yes these are girl scout pigs I was hunting in crestview
 

FrankT

Destin FL
LSB TURKEY BUZZARD PRESERVATION SOCIETY
LoneStarBoars Supporter
try some solid copper, what you are using is a preferred rd for hogs...I use a 6.8 and not a problem with the 120SST or Barnes 110TSX Maybe hut off an ATV or UTV?
 

tjohnson

New Member
try some solid copper, what you are using is a preferred rd for hogs...I use a 6.8 and not a problem with the 120SST or Barnes 110TSX Maybe hut off an ATV or UTV?
I agree I probably should have taken my 4 wheeler in the pasture, it's just really hard to get threw the two gates without making a lot of noise and I have to be honest I was just out trying to verify she had a hog problem( lesson learned) lol
I'm going to reverify my zero on my gun just too make sure that's not the problem as well. I appreciate everyone taking the time to help me out with suggestions
 

Brian Shaffer

Hog Hunter
SUS VENATOR CLUB
LoneStarBoars Supporter
I was using hornady sst123grain, I've only shot one other hog which weighed 280 and took 5 shots to put him down.

The your shot placement was poor if you are expecting it to drop in place. I have shot hogs with .45-70 that ran over 100 yards. It died. I have shot hogs with .223 that dropped in place. It died.

If you don't do significant damage to the CNS, particularly upper CNS, then you should expect your hog to run. You can shoot it in the heart and it may go 75-125 yards. You may double lung it and it go 150 yards. You can shoot it behind the ear and if you miss the skull and spinal column, it may completely survive (I have killed two with mostly healed behind the ear shots).

Hornady SST 123 gr. has been my go-to hog ammo for my Grendel. Lately, I have found that Federal American Eagle loaded with Speer TNT 90 gr. ammo does a nice job on hogs as well for hunts inside 200 yards or so, but I have dropped a couple beyond 200, no problem. The largest I have taken is a 300 pound hog. It was first hit with a through and through on a 200+ lb boar and then I picked up the 300 pounder with a shoulder shot that passed through the shield, up the neck, and into the back of the head....90 gr. bullet. 300 lb Behemoth Boar, 1 Sow, and 4 more Boars | Lone Star Boars

You gotta do your part.
 

chthump

LSB Member
Shot 2 out of 3 50 to 70lb young pigs with a 22LR, they dropped

Grendel is a great cartridge for hogs, coyotes, deer
Explodes raccoons , skunk, turtles, etc.
 

tjohnson

New Member
The your shot placement was poor if you are expecting it to drop in place. I have shot hogs with .45-70 that ran over 100 yards. It died. I have shot hogs with .223 that dropped in place. It died.

If you don't do significant damage to the CNS, particularly upper CNS, then you should expect your hog to run. You can shoot it in the heart and it may go 75-125 yards. You may double lung it and it go 150 yards. You can shoot it behind the ear and if you miss the skull and spinal column, it may completely survive (I have killed two with mostly healed behind the ear shots).

Hornady SST 123 gr. has been my go-to hog ammo for my Grendel. Lately, I have found that Federal American Eagle loaded with Speer TNT 90 gr. ammo does a nice job on hogs as well for hunts inside 200 yards or so, but I have dropped a couple beyond 200, no problem. The largest I have taken is a 300 pound hog. It was first hit with a through and through on a 200+ lb boar and then I picked up the 300 pounder with a shoulder shot that passed through the shield, up the neck, and into the back of the head....90 gr. bullet. 300 lb Behemoth Boar, 1 Sow, and 4 more Boars | Lone Star Boars

You gotta do your part.
I agree, Brian when Your using your thermal do you leave it on it’s lowest power/mag setting, or do you magnify it for your first shot, I’m using a ir mk2 35, I have it sighted in on 4x @ 100 yards 1 inch high, (im assuming point of impact wouldn’t change on a thermal)I’m using a 16inch barrel on my Grendel, but when I’m hunting I leave it on it’s lowest mag setting for max field of view, am I on the right path?
thanks again for every ones help
 

Brian Shaffer

Hog Hunter
SUS VENATOR CLUB
LoneStarBoars Supporter
If you are using the scope to scan, low mag is best for FOV. When it comes time to shoot, I increase magnification. I think most folks do not.

I am different than most folks. I like a lot of magnification. I figure the first shot is going to be the best shot and many times it is going to be the only shot and so I try to make as best of a precise shot as my nerves will let me make. So I ramp up the magnification. I often ramp it down again, but for the first shot, I want more.

Let me as you this. What distances are you hunting?
 

Ewilson

New Member
I use a tree stand most of the time, I don’t think they would knock you down on a tripod stand. You might cut some T post in half and stake the legs of your stand down. I wouldn’t question the Grendel caliber, I have shot two with mine in the last few weeks and they dropped right there, both were around 200. Shot my biggest hog with my wsm .17 and he went straight to the ground. All head and neck shots, if you hit them anywhere else there going to run for a bit before the go down. Glad they didn’t run over you, I have had the same thing happen to me and I almost got bit by a coyote hunting on the ground one time.
 

tjohnson

New Member
If you are using the scope to scan, low mag is best for FOV. When it comes time to shoot, I increase magnification. I think most folks do not.

I am different than most folks. I like a lot of magnification. I figure the first shot is going to be the best shot and many times it is going to be the only shot and so I try to make as best of a precise shot as my nerves will let me make. So I ramp up the magnification. I often ramp it down again, but for the first shot, I want more.

Let me as you this. What distances are you hunting?
100 to 150 max
 

tjohnson

New Member
100 to 150 max
I was wondering about that, so on a thermal irmk235, does the point of impact change, because when I sighted it in using a hand warmer I had to magnify it to 4 to get it to see it good enough for me to shoot it at 100yds but it was a really small hand warmer
 

tjohnson

New Member
I use a tree stand most of the time, I don’t think they would knock you down on a tripod stand. You might cut some T post in half and stake the legs of your stand down. I wouldn’t question the Grendel caliber, I have shot two with mine in the last few weeks and they dropped right there, both were around 200. Shot my biggest hog with my wsm .17 and he went straight to the ground. All head and neck shots, if you hit them anywhere else there going to run for a bit before the go down. Glad they didn’t run over you, I have had the same thing happen to me and I almost got bit by a coyote hunting on the ground one time.
It was definitely a wake up call, I’ll definitely be head hunting for now on!
 

Brian Shaffer

Hog Hunter
SUS VENATOR CLUB
LoneStarBoars Supporter
Does POI change with zoom? That is how people might see it, but it would be the POA that actually changes, and the answer is that it does NOT. Some of the early ATN, IR Defense, and even FLIR (RS series) scopes had this issue. If you hold the rifle in place and change zoom levels, you actually would see the crosshairs jump to a different position looking at a different spot. So it is the POA that would change, not the POI.

If you are shooting at 100-150 yards, chances are that your aiming can benefit from zoom.
 
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