Gearing Up for a Large Boar -- Help from Experienced Hog Hunters Needed

[ahab78]

I've had a bit of a hog problem on my property for months now. We've managed to whittle their numbers down from 35 to 6, but last night I got some new pics and a 300+ pound boar showed up. Common sense tells me I should just get the .308 out and pop him in the cranium, but I'm dead set on killing him with a bow, and not my Hoyt with training wheels.

I'm confident I could hit him lethally at 20 yards and under, and I'm confident I can get that close. The problem is that I lack the traditional gear. That said, I'm back in the black thanks to my job, so I'm in the market for a new longbow.

What poundage do I need at a minimum to take on such an animal? (I'm going to see Big Jim in two weeks at the Appling Archers Bow Festival -- thinking about getting a Thunderchild.) What arrows and what broadhead?

And if you were looking to find such a beast, what areas would you start looking in (I live in Southeast Georgia)? We've yet to see him during daylight hours. The hogs have only been seen at night since all the hunting pressure on them increased, but they've got to be laying up somewhere. What areas do hogs like to hide out in during daylight hours? We've got thick pine forests, oak flats, and swamps on about 250 acres. What do I need to do to take this sucker on the ground, or should I bait him and sit in a tree? Based on his size, the tree really feels like the best course of action for me to take. This sucker is intimidating. Finally, these 6 or 7 hogs are pretty darn smart. They've been hunted day and night with rifles, trapped, and ran with catch dogs, and these remaining few are pretty dang slick. My goal is to get this boar before he can breed the last mature sow or any of the female shoats.

[CRM_95]

It's warm, so he'll be near water a lot. If you know where he is at night, you may want to think about hunting him at night (if legal) with a light on your bow. You can probably bait him up with some soured corn. Just make sure the wind is right, hogs will smell you quicker than a deer will.

[Michael Arnette]

Well I'd shoot him with a .308 but...
I shot right through a hog possibly larger than the one you describe with a 63# recurve bow and 525 grain snuffer tipped arrow.
I'd try to stay above 50 lbs if you can shoot it well and over 500 grains for arrow with a good 2 blade broadhead

[ahab78]

Hahaha! I knew you'd chime in, Michael! Everyone in my family is voting for the .308, too.

[Julian]

Everything above is solid advice, warmer it gets the more he will key on water for sure. Any good sharp broadhead will get the job done if placed properly. The problem I have run across is tracking. As I'm sure you know hogs are tough. Even if you get a complete pass through blood trails can be minimal to non existent. The wound will close up very quickly especially with a two blade broadhead or at least the zwickeys I use as this is the only broadhead I have use on a hog. Coupled with the fact big boars will stick close to extremely thick cover I would suggest a string tracker.

[Michael Arnette]

I'm hoping you some of the true hog gurus of Tradgang will post.  

[ahab78]

Me too, Michael. Thanks CRM and Julian on the water advice. I have been thinking about getting a string tracker since my land is so thick with brush anyway. I will look into getting one.

I located a thick couple of acres of brush with some low holes punched out in the brush low to the ground. No way I was crawling in there. It smelled god awful in that area. The brush butts up to a canal, but there was no sign of a wallow in the canal. But I think the canal extends further in behind the brush. I'm thinking that is where the gang is hiding out. I can't see how I'll get in there unless I low crawl in or just bust brush into there. I shot a few shoats last month and that was where they were heading until I finished them off. That must be the spot. I'd much rather draw them out than go in there, but going in there may be the only way I get a shot in daylight hours.

[ahab78]

Low crawling in thick brush and coming face to face with a giant boar is the stuff my nightmares are made of, but probably what Terry Green and RC dream of at night.

[huskyarcher]

No advice here! I spook off the big ones and pile up the small/medium ones!!    

Im joking, sort of. If i were you id look for replies by RC, Terry Green, and Jerry Russell. Over the years i've seen their hero shots with some monsters.  

Good luck!

[pdk25]

I shot a 400# boar with my thunderchild.  53# at just a little over 29" draw.  I was using Beman MFX classic shafts with 75 grain inserts and 175 grain Simmons Tigershark broadheads.  Total arrow weight was probably just under 600 grains.   Just barely got enough penetration to kill him, but he was a beast. I personally would not carry a less energetic setup for a large boar, even if it can be done.  I consider myself fortunate.

[pdk25]

Something to keep in mind.  2 different 300# hogs can be very different in how thick the shield is. A fat 300# hmay be easier to get penetration on than a heavy shielded 200# hog. The pic of this hog doesn't do it justice.  My dog weighed 95-100# at the time this pic was taken

   

             


For example, both of these hogs are around 250#, but the fat one would much easier to penetrate the shield.

 

 

[acedoc]

That's a big one!

[ahab78]

Whoa! That looks about the same size or a little bigger than ours. Nice job!

[pdk25]

That same bow took this nice sow.  It was a steeply quartering away shot, but this is a reference of the penetrate I got.  It got the job done, but one hole and a sparse blood trail.

   


I did get 2 holes on this guy.

   

But I have generally had better blood trails using my Silvertip recurve that is around 60# at my draw and using Simmons heads or bow 3 blades.

 

 

 

 


 

[pdk25]

Better hog hunters than me, like RC, get it done with less, but I am just sharing experience.  If you are able to shoot a more energetic setup accurately at your hunting distance, I would go with that.  Most of the guys that shoot less weight will be strong advocates of using heavy arrows and 2 blades rather than 3.


I didn't put this beast on a scale, but estimate him to be around 300#.  Sounds like you are looking at something similar?

 

[pdk25]

Although my Stickflinger that is just under 60# at my draw is doing a good job on them now.  Got this guy a couple weeks ago.  Probably 225# before being field dressed.

 

 

[Danny Rowan]

Aim for the ear, it will drop him in his tracks. I know, I know people say aim for the heart. but I have witnessed 4 or 5 different hogs shot this way and they did not go anywhere. Of course practice the shot. l personally have not tried it yet, but I do practice the shot on my hog target. Just saying, it is an option if you are confident in your shot.

[pdk25]

No offense to Danny,  but I would recommend against shooting a hog in the ear. That is a very very small target, much smaller than aiming for the vitals. I have finished hogs off with a pistol and if you are off by 2 inches you do nothing but piss them off.  And I say this as someone not opposed to a frontal shot on a deer under the right circumstances.

[pdk25]

Regarding tactics for highly pressured hogs, send me a pm.  I have some methods that can be effective, if you are willing to go through the trouble. Jerry Russell is a good guy to contact for hunting big pressured hogs for sure, and a nice guy to boot.

[Crittergetter]

It's better to ere on the heavy side . Both arrows and bow
I prefer a 2 blade over 3 on big hogs for obvious reasons. Although my biggest hog was with a 3 blade. If I had of had a 2 blade with me it would have been that givin the option.