I once watched that Hogzilla documentry on National Geographic Channel (or was it Discovery), and there was a guy who had hogs on his property and wanted to exterminate them. He had a Ruger Mini 30 (7.62 x 39) and it showed him shoot a medium sized pig, dropped right there when it was hit. So I would say you should be just fine to shoot a hog with that round. But one thing to consider is using the SKS legal where you are going? In other words, are you limited to a 5 round cmagazine to hunt?

Also, you can never have enough reasons to buy a gun! :lol: You should just buy a new gun just because. Buy something you nornally wouldnt buy that you have always wanted but never could justify it. Buy a strange caliber to impress your buddies.

 

7.62x39 will do you just fine. We take a bunch of people out boar hunting every so often and supply them with guns, ammo etc...... Most are novice or new hunters. Slower, heavier bullet shooting guns have always done the best. 30/30, .308, .44 mag carbines, 45/70.

Where are you hunting them?

 

I had forgot about the 10 round legality thing. I'll have to investigate that.

My cousin told me he has a place set up but he wouldn't tell me where, all he would say is "south central Utah", I am not sure if he didn't want to tell me, or if he couldn't remember at the time (he got some info at the gun show).

BAX "you should just buy a gun because", dude you must not be married, or you are married to the right woman (not to say I'm married to the wrong one). I cant just hear it now "just exactly what do you think you need ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE STUPID THINGS FOR" :roll:

 

That's a good round. Take the SKS if where you are hunting will allow a large clip. Or buy another gun!!!

A .22-250 will drop huge hogs in their tracks. As with elk or anything, it's about shot placement. The vitals on hogs are small and forward in the chest cavity so they are hard to kill with a bow. If you shoot them for what would be a lung shot on a deer (because a deer is designed to run with large lungs), you will just get bacon.

If you use a small caliber, big boars have a very thick hide on the shoulders so small calibers in hollow points probably will not get the penetration. If you thread it in behind the elbow they will work fine or head and neck shots.

Most states they are feral animals so you can hunt them 24/7 and no limits on clip sizes or daily harvest.

Here's a small .224" diameter 52 grain hollow point results. A small hog but it does the job.

Having a high capacity clips is a must in the situation below.

 

Dang Nueces! That hog looks like it was chopped with an axe! Devastating bullet there.

I think the SKS would be a fine choice. If I had to choose a "hog caliber" from my arsenal I would probably use my .243. 8)

sawsman

 

.223 right in the ear! You don't want to mess up those ribs...feral hog is the most delicious thing this side of buffalo! I always take head shots on hogs if the range and light level will allow me.

Nueces...are you from around Corpus Christi???

 

Stablebuck,

I have some places down there. Hog infestations. :evil: Kill every one you see. They will destroy every ground nesting bird, even kill and eat young fawns. The native animals don't like them, they are destructive on the habitat. Their gestation is 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days. It gets exponential real fast!

 

Cowmilker,

you gotta let us know how you did once you finally get out. I hope you can use a high capacity magazine on those pests!

I am married, but keep my safe locked and the shop locked. SHe doesnt know what I have and dont have Dont ask, dont tell......

 

BAX "you should just buy a gun because", dude you must not be married, or you are married to the right woman (not to say I'm married to the wrong one). I cant just hear it now "just exactly what do you think you need ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE STUPID THINGS FOR" :roll:

My answer to her question is "there is an empty spot in the gun cabinet"!

I wouldn't hestite to the use the SKS it I had the chance.

 

I like to tell the wife about how each caliber has a specific purpose, you wouldnt shoot a bunny with a 300 Win Mag, and you wouldnt shoot a deer with a .17 HMR. Each animal you hunt requires a specific bullet, otherwise its overkill. Tell your wife that when buying a new gun.

 

There are guys out there that would tell you using a gun on a pig is just silly all you need is a nice sharp knife.

 

I tried the "don't ask don't tell thing" (twice) but the next time out target shooting she went "wait a minute, I don't think I remember this gun is it new?" Then I had some 'splainin' to do.

I'll let you all know how I did on this hunt. We have been talking about driving to Idaho to do this for about 4 years now, but nobody could get together on a good time to go. I hope this works out this time (my wife is working now so I have a little more money).

 

There are guys out there that would tell you using a gun on a pig is just silly all you need is a nice sharp knife.

Hmmm, and I'll compare that to using a gun on a bear is just silly, all you need is a sharp knife. The pigs have too many BIG tusk and the bears can be just as mean. I'll stick to my guns (no pun intended). :mrgreen:

 

I was being funny.I wouldn't go after a pig with a knife eiher.There is a fair amount of people that hunt them with a knife though at least according to some articles I have read in hunting magazines.I am with you I'll stick with the gun.

 

Oh, there are a LOT of people that do the knife things. They hunt with dogs, the dogs are holding the pigs by the ears and hind legs, then they go in to finish it off. CRAZY if you ask me. A dog needs to let go of an ear for just a second when somone is setting in and that is all it would take for a huge cut from a boar.

 

A lot of guys that frequent SKS forums have used the SKS on pigs and report good success with this .30-30 power round. Some have used the Wolf 154-gr SP load while most just use standard weight 125-gr SPs. Avoid the HPs if possible. They are a bit frangible and may not give enough penetration on the tough hide and musculature of a hog. FMJs may not be legal, and wouldn't be as desirable as SPs either.

 

Thanks Pete,
I had looked over there before I posted here, but didn't look too deap in the forums, I should have done a search (I'd seen some posts over there before, I've been a member of sks boards for a few years but I'm still concidered an SKS plinker).

 

how do you get a license? i've never seen a wild hog!

 

how do you get a license? i've never seen a wild hog!

They are feral animals, so I'm pretty sure most places you do not need a license (TAGS???). You need a "hunting license" so the states can make their money to shoot feral animals, but there are not any tags for "feral hogs". The best thing is to check the regulations where you plan to hunt them.

 

If it is on private property at a wild hog ranch you don't need a license, but you do have to pay fees. I'm going to figure about $600 for my trip (fuel/fees/tips/food).

 

If it is on private property at a wild hog ranch you don't need a license, but you do have to pay fees. I'm going to figure about $600 for my trip (fuel/fees/tips/food).

oh thats not bad.

 

For those interested in a pig hunt in Utah I found this one.I haven't done it yet Stevo from the forum has and said it was good.
http://gerretthuntingservices.com/index.html

 

That's the place I'm going. I thought about posting a link, but I wasn't sure if that would break any forum rules. I have nothing to do with this place (other than being a future customer) and I didn't want to make it seem like I was trying to sneak in some advertizing.

 

If it is on private property at a wild hog ranch you don't need a license, but you do have to pay fees. I'm going to figure about $600 for my trip (fuel/fees/tips/food).

oh thats not bad.

Yes not bad at all. I hope I'm right with my figures.
This is what I had thought: hunt=350, tip=75-100(is this too far off?), butcher=100, fuel/food=50-75 (providing all 8 of us share, and exxon/chevron don't rape us again). We are planning on a 1 day hunt, so there will be no lodging. Anybody see anything I'm missing?

 

The hunt happened yesterday, our group killed 6 hogs total. 7.62x39 worked great, at the 20 yards the shot was taken.
1st pig- 44 mag 7 shots (at least) all the way from 150yd to about 5yd
2nd pig- 30-06 3 shots (first shot was in not vital area), but 3rd shot wasn't needed (shooter got a little excited I think)
3rd pig- PSE compound bow 1 shot at 8-10yd, went down suprizingly fast
4th pig- SKS 7.62x39 1 shot 15-20yd went down almost as fast as pig shot with PSE
5th pig- 30-06 2 shots (first one might have done it) at about 80yd
6th pig- .243 1 shot to the neck at about 60-80yd.
The guide (Owen) was awesome and everyone had a blast.