Guys,

Got an invite to hunt pigs in Texas. Supposedly an afternoon length affair.

What is appropriate gear for this sort of thing? Anything unusual required?

Have a Rem 7400 in 308 W that swings well. Other rifles are larger ... 338 and 375 ... probably not necessary.

What sort of hunting license costs are there for this kind of game?

Thanks!

mstarling check with the Texas Parks and Wildlife on license fees. Pigs are not game animals in Texas, but you still need a hunting license. I know that Federal Premium 165 gr. Trophy Bonded Bearclaws in 308 work real good on BIG pigs. They are good eating too, my last boar weighed 325 lbs, real good eating.
Thought I might add...Pig hunting is a good time to practice with your big bores.

[ 01-20-2003, 07:46: Message edited by: N E 450 No2 ]

mstarling....Check here,it's in pdf format. You will want a non resident license they have a 5 day non res{ type 157} for 35 dollars . If it is going to be a limeted time hunt and you are only shooting feral hogs{non game animals} that should do it. Heres a link to the Texas parks and wild life http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/licenses/outdoor_annual/where_to_get_info_and_lic.html

As far as the 308, it will do the job without any trouble. I hunt them with a model 7 in 260 or a 45 Long colt. So you wont be undergunned with the 308.

I am guessing that you will be hunting over a feeder? You might also do a stalk on foot.... in any case depending on where you are you might want some chaps or pants protectors along with the usual stuff (rain gear etc.) Your shots will probably not be long not more than 100 yards and more likely 50 yards or less. Your .308 will be fine, just shoot a little further forward on a pig to get the heart and lungs. Of course there is always hunting hogs with dogs and killing them with a spear/knife... but thats another story.

[ 01-20-2003, 17:50: Message edited by: Eric Ansgar ]

Ditto on the license: The $35 non-resident 5-day license is good for birds, small game, and non-game (which includes hogs, exotics, varmints, etc.) Every County Clerks office sells them, but most any store that handles sporting goods also sells them and may be more convenient. Ditto on your .308, it will be fine.

Where are you hunting in Texas? Its a big place, and hogs are found in habitat ranging from semi-tropical to piney woods, to semi-desert and from the Gulf Coast to the Panhandle. Will you be hunting behind a pack of dogs, over a feeder, or by the time-honored Texas tradition of driving the roads? Give us a few more details and maybe we can fill you in on what to expect.

About anything from a 223 up will kill a Texas Feral pig cleanly....I normally shoot them with my 25-35 Win. carbine from a blind at 30 to 100 yards. they are not as tough as a Russian.

feral hogs in Texas range from "just escaped from the hog pen" to "russian boar" . . . there are places where ranches have imported their stock . . . admittedly rare, though, particularly since the true "russians" will breed with the ferals whenever they meet.

where i've shot them in East Texas, the hogs were closer to just escaped . . . the lease i had in Coleman County had all black hogs.

that said, we've shot hogs (my family) with everything from 44 mag pistols to 30-06 to 7x57. if you go way back, i have uncles that shot them with .22 LR back in the 50s and 60s when they were kids (makes you wonder how they managed to grow up, doesn't it?)

troy

The .308 will work fine. Keep in mind, though, that some of the hogs can grow quite large, although through years of hunting them, I have found the average size for a fully mature boar to be closer to 200 pounds than anything else.

My personal preference in a rifle is a 6.5x55 with a 140 grain bullet at 2700-2800 fps. The long, skinny bullets penetrate extremely well -- something you'll need if you run into an old boar, which can be covered in caked mud and have a gristle plate that can soak up an ineffective bullet like a sponge.

I prefer a slightly high shoulder shot, which takes out the lungs and is close enough to the spine to cause immediate incapacitation.

I am attaching a link to the largest hog I have taken. He was taken just before dark in south central Texas in June of this past year.

http://www.outdoor-search.com/gallery/Free_For_All/aax

Mike, If your hunting south or west of San Antonio don't pass up a collared peccery sp?
Tan the hide they make excellent gloves-keep the skull ----bleach it out - the teeth are sharp and large you can hunt these during the day. I think they are covered on your 5 day licence.

Pigs--- corn your ranch roads around 3pm (that way the ground buzzards---turkeys--- might not eat it all) go get a refreashment --return in an hour the wind is everything as our pigs seem to rely on their noses more than sight or hearing.

bring flashlights -spotlights ect..

bring the best low light scope you have (large posts or illumated reticle)

bring a 375 because you can not cause you need to

go to wallyworld get as many $20 coolers as you need a box of freezer gallon ziplocks-
duct tape skin -debone-pack cooler solid- place cooler in freezer untill your ready to go to the airport

DONE

PIGFUN, Capmed

Think head shots and not heart/lung if you don't want to blood trail a po'd piggy that doesn't mind a fight. Be aware that they are very quick in the brush and can inflict considerable damage when things get up close and hairy. Keep the size selection down under the 150/200 lbr's and you won't have any stinky meat from mature hormone driven boars. South and west I've found more of the "russian" or "razorback" looking critters with elongated snouts, big front shoulders & skinny flanks covered in sparse coarse heavy bristles. North and east I find that most wild hogs are closer to the domestic "jellybean" shapes and are generally less aggressive... but not always. There is a lot of truth to the old saying about "Where did 'ol Joe go... to the woods to take a ---- and the hogs ate him !" There are some serious sized critters taken every year up in the 5-600+ lb range... worthless on the table but great to brag about. And the Collared Peccary commonly called "Javalina" rarely go over about 50 lbs and make great tamale meat. As wild hogs are sexually mature at 9 months old and can bring off up to 3 litters a year of 9-12 piglets ... take a bunch of them when you find them they are great to eat.
Ron

What the heck take your .375. I am going to use mine on pigs this year and I want to try the Hornay 300 gr RN. I mean if you can justify using a 45/70 then a .375 is alright as well in my book

Guys,

Had about decided to take the 338 as the practice is always worthwhile.

Unfortunately, my friend has been called to Germany for most of the time of my next visit to the Houston area ... so the hunt will have to occur another time.

I have delt with Boar in Florida many years ago, and so am aware of the potential risk. Had to nail a big fella once at a very close range with a handgun because I had unknowingly violated his territory. Thank Goodness the 41 Mag was up to the task. Very memorable experience!

Sure do appreciate all of the helpful information in your responses. Thank you very much!

One of my hunting buddy's used to take clients on a guided night hunt somewhere up around Vernon along the Red River bottoms west of Wichita Falls. He said it was an "experience". Seems that the guide would drive the roads and pig trails in a truck until they found fresh tracks or spotted a herd, then let out his "chase dogs". After the chase dogs sounded they would haul butt on foot after the catch dogs were put down. After the catch dogs had "secured" the hog by the nose and feet the guest was encouraged to climb on top of the hogs back in the middle of the furball and slit the hogs throat while the dogs hung on. I asked if there was a gun anywhere and my friend sez "Yep usually a 44mg in case the hog got loose and started ripping up the guest or the dogs ..." he went on to say that "I shouldn't get in the way of the guy with the 44mg 'cause claimed he was blind in one eye and didn't see good out of the other 'cause a hog had got him in the face one night... and he would empty all six rounds when the shooting started". Great pictures of some 3-400 lb'ers. I never got my 'jones up for that kind of fun though, and my buddies company who was paying the tab has since gone out of business. Oh well... missed out on That opportunity again!
Ron