shot placement on pigs

[Ian johnson]

I'll be using a 59@29 massie reverse handle longbow shooting heavy ash shafts spined 55-60 with a hair poppin sharp magnus I 160gr broadhead up front, I found a place with lots of pigs, I will be limiting my shots to 15yards or less, is this enough to break through the shoulder plate of a big pig, if not, where do I shoot it?

[frassettor]

How heavy is your arrow? I dont see why your setup wouldn't be enough

[Ian johnson]

dont have any idea how heavy it is, but it should work?

[Apex Predator]

The only time the shouder plate will come into play is on a quartering towards you shot.  That would be a bad choice of shot on any critter.  Slightly quartering away just behind the elbow, is where you want to put it.  If you shoot one broadside, make sure you keep it within about 2" of the back line of the leg.  If you are further behind the shoulder than that you will miss the lungs.  The viatals are low and forward.  They are smaller than those on a deer.  Stay in the lower third of the animal.

[bm22]

i keep it tight into the shoulder, a lot farther forward then a deer. i would aim above the knuckle. the vitals on a pig are more forward than a deer.

[Terry Green]

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[Daddy Bear]

I was an invited guest at a pig hunt(more like a shoot:) in GA last year with a few fairly big boars. I found the vital area smaller than that of a big deer. The area was between the shoulders and a bit lower as the spine drops on the pig. Get your arrow through the vitals and you'll be good. I arrowed a good sized boar that was slightly turned away and had no trouble getting through the vitals. Getting your arrow through the far shoulder may be a different story. I was using a Critter Gitter that was pulling around 63pounds with a tapered POC arrow weighing around 575grains with a 160grain head. I consider this arrow on the light side for me but I was using the same shafts on a pheasant shoot on that trip and those were the arrows I'd been using to shoot aerials.

Daddy Bear

[Fritz]

Sounds like more than enough in my humble opinion.  As Apex said, slightly quartering away, lower 1/3 of chest is my favorite angle.

[bailebr3]

sounds like plenty. i use a hoyt gamemaster2 around 50# and 2018's with 100gr. steel force heads. total arrow weight is 512grs. hasn't failed me yet.....but i would keep it just behind the elbow of the pig. GOOD LUCK:)

[TNstickn]

Terry, thats some great story tellin. You should keep a memoir of your adventures! It would be a good read! Cant wait to hear about your mule deer hunt        Best of luck, -Greg

[Benny Nganabbarru]

Hug the shoulder, about halfway up.

[Hamish]

Ian are your arrows tuned right as the spine at 55-60# sounds like they would be to weak with 59# @29" draw and 160gr up front. Would have thought 70-75# spine would be what your after. Aim where Ben said, bound to hit lungs or heart in that spot.

[Ian johnson]

they were actually heavy spined with 125gr up front

[Wudstix]

Hogs are shot differently than deer.  Just above the belly line a couple inches, as clsoe to the front leg as you can get.  Arrows here end up with a dead pig and a short trail.

[ChuckC]

Remember guys, all of Dr Ashby's work is telling us that using a heavier, weight forward, single bevel etc etc arrow can help get us a little leeway when something bad happens.  

It was never meant to say that since you have a better penetrating arrow, you should try to push the limit on where to aim.

Do it right and wait for the right shot.  That is part of the game we play.  Terry and others gave some great info and guidance up there.  Let's learn from that.
ChuckC

[Bjorn]

The shoulder plate is amazing on a big hog-it can even stop a shotgun slug! Don't shoot there-if you do as the others have already said, your set up with those ash arrows will work just fine.