Well, my friend who takes me pig hunting called me today to tell me he has seen the biggest pig ever on his property in 25 years. (This is a 17,000 acre ranch in California).
He is not prone to B.S., and honestly thinks it will tip the scales at over 450 lbs. If he is right, then this will be at least double the size of any pig I have ever shot.

I will not be using my 44 mag this time, but my rifled slug gun, which runs a 1 3/8 oz slug at 1500 fps for 3000 ft/lbs of energy.
This pig barrelled thru his dogs last night, and if I hunt it, I am sure he will put up a hell of a fight.

Does anyone have any advice I need to consider while hunting this brute?

Thanks in advance,
Paul.

I have shot a lot of pigs, and have yet to have any of them walk away from a 130-grain 270, if hit below one ear.
Now, having said that, they WILL run off from just about anything if you hit one of them wrong. The fat just under the hide closes the wound off, and they don't show you where they went.
I don't know that a rifled slug is going to do what you want it to, since the slug is pure soft lead. It just won't hold up to penetrating the shield the porker will have over his shoulders and the front half of his ribs.
In short, you would be better off with the 44 Mag and hard cast lead bullets, or a jacketed bullet out of any of the deer-sized cartridges. You just have to place the shot in the right spot.

Take the 44 with premium bullets and your better off. The 330 garretts work great. I have shot one that big and it took 3 to put him down for good. 3 really where not needed both lungs where gone with the first shot. The 44 will stop him if he is just starting the charge.
Most important pigs cant climb trees.
If there aint a tree the big ones cant turn that well. If you have to you can get out of the way but you dont want to be in that position.
Start blasting with the 44 and when he stops put another in him.

Might I suggest a European skull mount looks like something out of Jurasic park.

Get better dogs, lose the gun and grab a knife and give that Big Boar THE BLADE that would be my first choice

If you decide on taking the gun then I would opt for the .44 also with stout bullets.

Aloha!!!

Assume from your post that you're going after this guy with dogs. That means a close shot and your slug gun will work just fine. My experience with big boars and dogs is the "big" boars don't really fight much unless really pressed by the dogs. They prefer to get in haevy brush and just stand and face off the dogs. If they break and run though they may not stop for a mile or more.
150# boars, on the other hand, tend to mix it up with the dogs.

Thanks everyone for the replies.

Walker - I find your post to be very interesting.

Thanks again,

P.

Walker you said it buddy when you said "If they are pressed by the dogs" Thats my whole point of me saying get better dogs (All in fun of course) I never like to judge another hunters dogs without actually hunting with them. Ive been hunting with dogs and knife my whole life and in my experience if you got the right dogs they will pull that boar up quick he aint going NOWHERE!!!

Irish if you choose to use a gun with dogs yes you will be close maybe VERY CLOSE and things will be quick so be careful out there and watch the dogs. GOODLUCK!!! Dont forget the pics of this Big Boar

Aloha!!!

Ultra,

I have hunted with these dogs before - they are all small mutts such as border collie, hound and catahoula mixes. None of them weighs over 35 lbs, and they are as brave s the day is long.
The only time I have ever seen one scared was when (without the alpha male present), they came across a mountain lion...

On the pigs I have shot before - 200 lbers, the dogs just bay 'em from either end, and the shot is easy.

This big pig had the bulk to just run thru them last time, and since John would rather have me pay him to shoot, he just called the dogs off and got on the phone with me.

I am quite confident that these slugs will do the trick, but I will admit to being apprehensive about a porker of this bulk!

If I get a chance to get this sucker, pics will be forthcoming, and hopefully a video too.

Irish,

I hear you and yes I agree with what you said no doubt. We use alot of hound/bull crosses so they are more holders then baying dogs when they hit those boars its "Till Death Do Us Part" but we hunt with both types of dogs.

A video sounds real good too. Keep us posted!!!


ALOHA!

Need some bigger dogs mate! We use mastiff / dane types here in Australia, as well as staghounds for the speed factor. All dogs are 40kg and over. So two or 3 dogs will hold a 220 lb boar no probs. It's the little 60kg ones with good tusks, that can move quick, that tend to hurt the dogs. The clever big boars will back themselves into cover so the dogs can't get behind or to the side of them and belt any dog that launches a frontal assault. I think your slug gun or the .44 with a solid pill would do the job with a well placed shot.

Your slug gun will work fine, your .44 will work fine. Just remember 3 things:
Bullet placement
Bullet placement
Bullet placement.
I strongly recommend head shots.

I just got back from helping a buddy sight in in his 4" S&W 500 - man what a handful.
We were just using the 325 grain bullets at 1600 fps, I cannot imagine what the 350 grainers at 1900 fps (from Hornady) must be like.

We will be taking this on the hunt too!

Carry both.

But to be safe, you better let me come along to back you up with my .444 marlin Timber Carbine.

Hunting hogs with dogs is not my cup of tea, but both the .44 magnum and the slug gun will work just fine for your purposes. In the .44, I prefer a 320 grain LBT from Cast Performance pushed by a stout charge of H110. But do keep in mind that this projectile exits from virtually every conceivable angle.

I've been blessed in that I've been able to bag many hogs over the years, and I've taken several exceptional boars. But only one stands out as "monster" in my mind, and he eluded and frustrated me many times before I finally got the bead on him. I hope the one you are after gives you the same lasting memories.

Get a little further away and use a 7mm mag,I use a 150gr stbt. At 100 to 200yds with fair to good shot placement he wont go far.

Or you could get closer and use a knife and the hog wont go nowhere but down

One animal we have in great nos in Australia
is wild pig.Shot them with many cartridges from 22 Mag rimfire to 338 Win mag.A well placed 270
130gn will kill any hog that ever walked.

I think either weapon will work; if you choose a heavy cast bullet for the 44. But don't forget you are working with the dogs also, so accuracy is important as you dont want a dog hurt. Things to consider.....

Good luck and good shooting,

Eterry

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Not hitting the dogs is my number 1 priority. My guides brother says that if I hit the alpha dog, my next shot should be the guide!!

Since Dove season opens this week here, it probably wont be until next week that I get to go.

Will keeup u all updated.

Well, I am off to hunt the pig tomorrow.
I must admit to being a bit apprehensive, especially since just last Thursday, the pig in question attacked a hunter who cornered it. The unfortunate fellow did not get his gun to bear in time, and it charged him, biting and tearing up his legs s bit.

I will also be bringing a 338 Win Mag - okay, so I am a coward.
Funnily enough, when I went to the local hunting store to get the ammo for it, the guy asked "where are you going Elk hunting?" He rolled his eyes when I told him the quarry was pig!
So if I get lucky over the next 2 days, I will have some nice pics I hope.

Later,

Paul.

quote:

Originally posted by Irish Paul:
Well, I am off to hunt the pig tomorrow.
I must admit to being a bit apprehensive, especially since just last Thursday, the pig in question attacked a hunter who cornered it. The unfortunate fellow did not get his gun to bear in time, and it charged him, biting and tearing up his legs s bit.

I will also be bringing a 338 Win Mag - okay, so I am a coward.
Funnily enough, when I went to the local hunting store to get the ammo for it, the guy asked "where are you going Elk hunting?" He rolled his eyes when I told him the quarry was pig!
So if I get lucky over the next 2 days, I will have some nice pics I hope.

Later,

Paul.

Hey Irish Paul, I hate stories with open ends

What happened ???
Did that boar finally accepted your challange ?

Regards

I've carried a .44 mag & a .45 W/P+ loads but have yet to use them, as the dogs & a well placed knife thrust has worked(So Far). I've also killed 9 with a bow & dogs in close range.

Sounds like you've run bay dogs. They work good on un-EDUCATED pigs. Sounds like this old boy HAS been to school.

If you can find someone with some PROVEN catch dogs Am. Bulldog, BIG pits or a PIt-Cur cross go for it.

Don't put an unproven dog on that old Boar you'll just get the dog killed & maybe one of you hurt.

I'd say carry your .44 with Cor-bon P+ solids as back up to your slug gun. I can't agree more on shot placement. Hold out for your shot & put it in his ear. If really IS that big his sheild is going to be at least 3" thick over his vitals.

My biggest hog was 325 and he was a monster...If this one really is over 4OO!?!? Brother go in with respect.

Sorry for no follow up.

Still after him - it's tough to get just one individual pig on 17,000 acres!!
It has been fun trying though. From the tracks we were seeing, I think we were just a matter of half a day or so behind this big guy.

Right now the ranch is off limits, as the owner has 20 deer tags to fill, and we can't be chasing pigs while he and his pals are deer hunting!

Currently setting up the duck blind - which is approx 90 minutes from the ranch. I will be handing in my notice at work soon, and will hunt straight thru until February.
As soon as I get this big guy, I will let everyone know.

Two things about feral hogs that don't impress me greatly--either their "toughness" or the boar's shield. I have killed them from 30 lbs to 200+ with everything from a compound bow, .22 rf, to a 7 mag, and every one died in sight. The majority were shot with either a .22-250 with 55 gr Ballistic Tips or a .25-06 and 120 gr Hornady HPs. ALL were shot in the head or just behind the head except the bow kill. As many previous posters have stated: It's like real estate, Location, Location, Location.

quote:

Originally posted by Irish Paul:
Sorry for no follow up.

Still after him - it's tough to get just one individual pig on 17,000 acres!!
....
As soon as I get this big guy, I will let everyone know.

I ´ll stay tuned

Good luck !

With boars this big, I prefer a bonded bullet with controlled expansion. You don't want a bullet that expands too quickly or will fragment.