Cardiac surgery - requesting second opinion.

[lonepunman]

This is one of my favorite game cam photos, for a couple of reasons.

(The tape marks on the poles are at two and three feet - from the bottom of the pole, not under the feeder).

First, it clearly demonstrates the challenge of managing deer feeders with hogs in the locale. Which, according to Billy Higginbotham (who should know), is over 80% of Texas.

It also reminds me of the first shot I ever took at a hog. I had just been (and was very nervous) to be invited to a group that had been hunting 30+ years on a property with virtually no outsiders.

The first time on the property, I took a tour with the manager, taking notes, photographs and GPS coordinates of landmarks, and boundaries.

On the second visit, the whole crew was there. After shooting the bull with them on the front porch, I decided to make a walking tour of the five feeders to make sure they were throwing properly and had good batteries.

I came off a trail and stepped into a small clearing; at the other side was a very large hog who presented the exact angle shown above.

Through the 3x scope at 50 yards, it looked like the back of a muddy Volkswagen. Unfortunately for me, the engine of a hog (unlike a Beetle) is located in the front compartment.

With pounding heart and trembling hands, I eased the 30.06 on the Trigger Stick and waited for him to turn at an angle so I could get the classic broadside or quartering shot shown - as seen in those damn videos.

And waited. Hard to tell how long I actually stood there. Probably for at least two minutes before the wind shifted and he moved nervously, starting to smell me.

The brush was only 10 feet away away; as he turned to move into it I shoved 180 grains into the slightly quartering shoulder. He staggered, then bolted into nearly impenetrable brush. ("Nearly" isn't quite accurate, as 50% of us could get through). No blood trail, but I had little inclination to try to follow him in.

Upon returning to the cabin, the boys (in surprisingly good faith) accepted a newbie's word and took out a hound to pick up the trail. She was unsuccessful. (I have since learned that is not unusual for a large hog to sustain a mortal with minimal blood loss).

Has anyone taken a Texas heart shot on a hog this size? Did a large caliber round make it from the exhaust pipe to the hood ornament?

 

[FrankT]

I am waiting and if nothing else whistling at him.

 

[EGarza04]

If meat hunting I will do the same as Frank.

If hunting for eradication I would likely take the shot and aim for the thinnest skin with a bullet trajectory that would allow the bullet to travel through as many organs as possible and hopefully not touch a bone until it has a chance to blow through the sternum.

 

[Brian Shaffer]

Has anyone taken a Texas heart shot on a hog this size? Did a large caliber round make it from the exhaust pipe to the hood ornament?

I have done it a few times, but not on a hog that appears to be that large. All were on hogs moving away and were something of desperation shots in hoping to stop the hogs. Two required finishing shots as the hogs were very much alive, one trying to get away. In NONE of the cases did the bullet reach the "hood ornament" and there is no reason to expect that to happen through 2 1/2-3 or more feet of flesh. In none of the cases was the shot immediately fatal.

This is not a preferred shot for me or one I would take on a stationary hog that might turn and give me a better shot. It is a shot I have taken on hogs moving away from me, but also one I have passed up on when hogs were moving away from me.

 

[EGarza04]

Brian, I had not thought about how long some of those large hogs can be. You are right, you can't expect a bullet to travel that far through that much flesh.

 

[Brian Shaffer]

Lol, our posts overlapped. I wasn't responding to you, but thinking back, a good, large caliber, heavy, hard cast solid ball, or solid copper ball might do it, but that would not be a good round for general hog hunting ... such as a good rhino round, maybe .470 nitro express?

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

Ive killed quite a few this way but quite a few have escaped that way also. Grunt at them to get them to look.

P.S. I voted wait for a better shot because pigs are almost always moving.

 

[theblakester]

My experience is that hind sights always 20/20 in those types of situations. If u wait, it's very possible he could turn at any second and present u with an easy drt shot. On the flip side, he could spook at any second and just run off instantly... That actually happened to my brother in law a couple weeks ago. We were walking down the dirt road that had a ditch full of water running parallel between the tree line and the road. Trees were overhanging and I could see parts of the hog in the thermal but it was no moon and under the shadow of the trees. He waited hoping the hog would turn or walk onto the road. With his IR light he could see an eye ball glisten every few seconds or so.. Couple minutes later the hog just bolted. Monday morning quarterbackin is a lot easier than it is in the heat of the moment.

 

[lonepunman]

That's what my subject line should have been: "Hind Sight". Dammit - I hate it when I miss the easy ones.

 

[Ratdog68]

I'm a meat hunter, I'm waiting.

 

[DaveABQ]

I'd wait. Only usually a few seconds before he turns.

 

[histopicker]

I have shot one there before and it sure did turn him for a rapid neck shot. Normally I would pass on this and wait.