Good arrow setup for hogs

[Buckeye1977]

I'm looking at doing a hog hunt in the near future. I'm gonna be shooting my Kemp Kwyk Styk which is 47@28 and I draw about 26. Right now I'm shooting gold tip trad 500's at 29" with a 175grn vpa. Thinking my arrows weight is somewhere in the 450grn range now. Good for deer and turkey but not so sure about the hogs. Was wondering what some of you experienced hog hunters think would be a good arrow combo for hogs? Thanks

[Msturm]

I have only killed a few, and we don't have monster hogs here in Hawaii, but what you are shooting right now will work just fine if you do your part. Your right at that 10 Gpp magic number and its hard to beat a VPA.

If everything is shooting to your liking, I wouldn't change a thing. Put one in the boiler room and dead hog!

Go bring home the bacon!

Msturm

[drewsbow]

x2

[David Mitchell]

I agree with Msturm.  I have killed a bunch of pigs over the last 12 or 13 years and your set up should be fine.  I will suggest strongly that you become very familiar with the anatomy of wild hogs.  Shoot them as you might a deer and you'll have a gut shot.  The vital area is very much forward.  I think Terry Green has a thread on here about shot placement on hogs.  Check it out carefully.  You want to shoot them pretty much straight up the back of the front leg tight to the shoulder and pretty low.  That's where the goodies are.  Best of luck. Hogs are about as much fun to hunt as anything there is.

[J-dog]

If what you have shoots good for you and will kill a deer???? why switch?

get em super sharp and kill them!

[Birdbow]

x2 on Dave Mitchell's suggestions. I've taken about a dozen and ranges have always been close. I like to go heavy on the arrow because there've been occasions when a big boar was there and with their heavy shield, etc....

[Red Beastmaster]

I finally killed a hog last year at Wild Things (9th trip) so I don't have a whole lot of experience to go on.

 I used a 47# longbow with 1816's and Zwickey Eskilites, total wt 450gr. No pass thru. Harry the Wonder Dog found my hog with no blood trail.

I experimented to get the weight up and now am shooting 1916's, Zwickey Eskimos, steel adapters. Arrow wt is now 570gr with perfect flight. A 120gr wt increase.

I will be back at Andrews in two weeks and hope to see how my arrow set up performs.

[Charlie Lamb]

Most of the hogs you'll get to shoot will be smaller animals and not the slobbering, heavy shielded brutes that we all want to shoot. So I'd say if your accuracy is up to snuff you'll be fine.

To cover the "just in case" situations where you do get to shoot at a slobber knocker paying attention to the configuration of your broadhead should be considered.

Any of the long, narrow heads will do a good job for you.
Working toward more weight at the tip helps too.
   

[Terry Green]

What Charlie said...but just in case....I would add 100 grains to my arrow.  I don't care if its to the shaft or the head...the most important thing is the extra weight itself. .....because you never know when you will run into a slobberer.

Best of luck....and a 60#ers is a great size for all sorts of cooking...so don't pass any up...

[Buckeye1977]

Originally posted by Terry Green:
What Charlie said...but just in case....I would add 100 grains to my arrow.  I don't care if its to the shaft or the head...the most important thing is the extra weight itself. .....because you never know when you will run into a slobberer.

Best of luck....and a 60#ers is a great size for all sorts of cooking...so don't pass any up...

Thanks for the advice given so far that's what makes this a great place to be a part of! Terry, I don't plan on passing anything up especially on my first hunt if one gets in the wheel house I'm gonna be flinging an arrow! Have never had wild hog to eat so I'm really hoping I can bring home the bacon!

[pdk25]

Good luck.  All hogs aren't created equal, but the odds are you will be chasing ones on the smaller size, depending on where you hunt.  Guessing you are about 43#@26" or so.  I might think about having a 2 blade in your quiver with a little more overall weight in case you run into a bruiser, but have fun more than anything else.  There is no guarantee of two holes on a large hog no matter what you are using, but putting the odds in your favor is a good thing.

[RC]

After several years pig hunting with low poundage I have settled on a 590 grain arrow for pigs. I am shooting around 52@ 27 now. When I shot 45-50 I shot around 540 grains. Small pigs can`t take it. Big ones ..seldom a pass through but low shots produce blood with only an entry. RC

[tracker12]

I think RC has a little experience with hogs:)  I'd take heed of his advice.  

I have shot a few and am in the 45# range.  My arrows were around a shade over 500.  Most shot with either a 3 Blade VPA or Magnus 4 Blade.

[Buckeye1977]

I weighed my hunting arrows just a little while ago and they were a little heavier than I expected them to be. They ranged anywhere from 487 grn to 490 grn. Thinking about putting a footing on to strengthen and add a little weight and put me over the 500 mark. Am also looking at maybe bumping up broadhead weight a little also. I know the footing is gonna stiffen the arrow a little but if I go from a 175 to a 200 or 250 or somewhere in between do you think that would adjust for the footing?
Thanks for all the advice so far!

[Red Beastmaster]

" I think RC has a little experience with hogs:)  I'd take heed of his advice. "

I PM'd RC after my last hog hunt and took his advise. I feel better now that I have new heavier arrows.

Thanks Bob!

Originally posted by Terry Green:
Best of luck....and a 60#ers is a great size for all sorts of cooking...so don't pass any up...

If I get a 60#'er and a 200#'er in front of me at the same time, the 60#'er will catch the arrow almost every time! Little ones eat way better!

OP, I agree with the guys above who advocate a heavier arrow. You are shooting a relatively low draw weight, and the extra weight will greatly help in penetration if you happen to get one of those big stink nasties in front of you. Also, on the big boars, keep your shot low and tight in the armpit on a quartering away hog and your arrow will slip in him like a hot knife thru butter.

Bisch