This is what just KILLS me.... PART II Added

[Terry Green]

Misnomers and wives tales.

Someone was reading another thread here and they emailed me this from a 'big name' hunting website.....

"Where to Aim when Hog Hunting with a Bow

The best place to aim when hunting hogs with a bow is quartering away. This gives the bow hunter the best opportunity to penetrate the vitals without having to be concerned about the subcutaneous shield on their front shoulders."

Hello!!!!  This is a pic on Tradgang I posted in 2015 explaining this nonsense!!!

[Russell Southerland]

"subcutaneous"

That's a big word for someone that doesn't know what they are talking about. 

I see stuff on you tube all the time that makes my head spin.  I'll leave it at that.

[5deer]

   

[katman]

Lots of "expert" opinions out there, lol

Thanks for the earlier pic post showing at quartering away you are going thru a thicker amount of shield vs straight on.

[Terry Green]

Yes Kat Man,,,, just  getting to that.... this is what else those geniuses don't know....

Lets take a shield, 2 inches for arguments sake at Broadside....

Now lets quarter it away corner to corner.....

And here's how you avoid the subcutanewhatever shield....

[Cory Mattson]

Yes broadside tight and low. 8” gets both lungs and the hog piled up usually no more than 50 yards.
I don’t know anything about shows or websites.
I do know years spent on clubs in the Deep South hunting hogs will teach a man what is really needed.
It’s been a great ride.
<><
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[Friend]

Do specifically recall a veteran Texas hog guide, that had been on 100’s of kills, posting here on TG many years back.

He stated that a highly significant number of lost hogs, whether from conventional or traditional bows, was due to quartering away shots. The shield extends much further back than typically anticipated.

Thus, quartering shots require longer shield penetration.

[Bamboozle]

This is what I like about Tradgang. You can always get the real scoop here. 

[Car54]

X2

[smokin joe]

OK, guys. Subcutaneous simply means under the skin. I learned that in anatomy class.

The diagonal distance through something is greater than the ninety degree distance.  I learned that in geometry class. And the business card photo is a great illustration of that.

The sub-Q shield is thinner at 90 degrees than at any other angle. So, your 90-degree broadside shot is the best  shot for penetration.

[Terry Green]

Thanks Joe, ok, then, some of these guys Subcutaneous me!!! 

[Skates 2]

His next article will be: Why I don't kill big hogs anymore.  Because they aren't good to eat. 

[Terry Green]

His next article will be: Why I don't kill big hogs anymore.  Because they aren't good to eat. 

That usually means they never killed any big hogs.  Yeah, that one kills me too.

[FerretWYO]

Hey I remember that hog. Good times. I also remember people telling me I couldn’t kill an elk with my set up.

[Terry Green]

Yeah Randy, a Solana hog. Didn’t you kill that one? I can't keep up!! Good times indeed!!! 

[JohnV]

Lots of online advice comes from people that have never killed anything. 

[FerretWYO]

Not mine. I think Curt maybe.

[Terry Green]

PART II


I'm not sure why people continue to call them 'shoulder shields or shoulder plates' as they are not just over the shoulder.  Here's another article calling them shoulder shields yet the pic in the article is correct showing its NOT just shoulder oriented....


*** Posted on August 28, 2019 by feralhogs

Shoulder Shields in Feral Hogs

Sexually-mature male feral hogs (also called wild hogs; Sus scrofa) possess a thickened subcutaneous layer of tissue, commonly referred to as the “shield” or “shoulder plate,” which overlies the outermost muscles in the boar’s lateral shoulder region (Fig. 1).  This unique anatomical structure, a secondary sexual characteristic found in this species, serves a reported protective function for boars fighting for breeding opportunities with estrous sows.

Figure 1. Illustration of the general location of the shoulder shield in boars (Drawing by Jack Mayer).

The shield initially develops as early as 9-12 months of age, and then increases to be found in all adult boars (36+ months of age).  Growth of the shield begins in the central lateral shoulder region and then increases to cover an area extending from the base of the neck back to the front portion of the hips (Fig. 2), and from the middle of the back down to the upper margin of the front leg.  The average shield dimensions are as follows: length 14 inches, height  12 inches, and thickness 1 inch.  The shield thickness in older boars can even reach 2 inches.  These dimensions increase with age, physical size, and body weight.  The thickness varies seasonally, being greatest during the annual peak of conception, and is positively correlated with the animal’s body condition.

Injuries indicative of male-male fighting are primarily found on portions of the body covered by the shield.  This corroborates the function of this structure as being protective in such aggressive male-male encounters in this species.  Anecdotal accounts state that a boar’s shield is dense enough to stop both bullets and arrows; however, this reported ability of these structures has not been either tested or confirmed scientifically.***

[Terry Green]

"Anecdotal accounts state that a boar’s shield is dense enough to stop both bullets and arrows; however, this reported ability of these structures has not been either tested or confirmed scientifically."

I have to comment on this....

Yes, there has been testing that confirms ....

Yes, arrows can be stopped by shields, but not ALL arrows can.  I don't need 'science' to confirm either of those truths.

[Terry Green]

The following is the 1st post from the many on the Hog Shot Placement thread....

===============

Thanks to Tom Mussatto for compressing this clip for easy download.

I'd also like to add that I center punched the shoulder MUCLE...not the shoulder bone.  The lungs were behind the shield where I hit and not bone.  This shows just how far forward you can shoot a hog and go straight to the vitals boneless....if you got enough bow or the right broadhead to get through the shield.

                 

Here's a pic of the shield and you can plainly see it and all its battle scars from taking jabs from other boar's tusks...

           

              

Not all hogs have shields this thick(2 inches), but they are noticeable when they get this big, so this might be good to know before you shoot if you see some saddle bags hanging off of one.  Turn your volume up....

 CLICK HERE FOR THICK SHIELD AND SHOT PLACEMENT INFO

This is another hog I shot with Ray Hammond a couple of years ago...

This might be a great opportunity to show some shot placement photos.  Ray and I discussed this on the way back, and by showing these pics someone may save themselves some grief.  It shows just how forward you can shoot a hog because of the front end bone structure.

Remember, this 300#er only ran 30 yards, and this shot did get both lungs and the heart......Note the forward exit wound and this was from a 60# longbow and a Zwickey Delta 4 blade.

                 

This pic reveals that 'Bride of Horse Tail' was slightly quartering away. It also shows how far forward it exited without hitting any bone. This picture however is deceiving on how low on the body the shot placement was.

                             

This pic shows the true elevation on the body...and makes the shot 'low and tight'.

                           

Here is the exit wound from a Delta 4 blade.  You can see how far forward the exit was and no bone was contacted.


   

Results of the Shot....(Thanks to Ray Hammond for pulling this out of the gut bucket for me, I was too busy trying to get 3 hogs skint and quartered up that day)