Team Hunt '08

[BT]

skipmaster1 said:

.... we figure that we should get there Friday evening. That would give us all time to get there and all day Saturday to hunt, as well as Sunday if needed.

Thanks for bringing that up skip

[BT]

For anyone who hasn't hunted hogs .... they are far more like African game than north American species as relates to their vital area.
I don't know why.....but thats the way it is.
So....if you have studied African game...you have a head start on shot selection

I will post a few views here as we go on

[BT]

The lung area shown may be a bit high...just a bit perhaps but this is why you may have heard that you can't shoot a pig too low or too far forward.

As you can see .... when compared to the width of the lower (elbow) portion of the upper front leg , the top of the lung which is open (past the scapula) is little better than the same width in relation to that portion.

Again....this is why you will also hear that the best shot is the hard quartering shot as opposed to the slight quartering shot.

[Greg Krause]

This should give you an idea of how low to aim.

Remember that this is hanging. on the ground the leg would be back further.


I shot this hog this summer. the shot was a little low but still took out the heart. 4" higher would have been optimal.



This Hog was also taken through the heart. Again, 4" higher would be optimal

[BT]

Here is a training pen video.
This is a full grown Russian hog and is used to train the pups before they are old enough to hunt.
A pig in this situation will rarely ever attack because they offer no ability to harm the hog....just pests which the hog wants to get away from.


With all of this said.....watch this hogs speed inside of an enclosure

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHphkry1qv8&feature=related

This is why it is wise to take you're shots with a tree at arms length.

Russians are not at all like feral hogs and will sometimes take it out on you as happened on the '06 hunt

[BT]

Here is the temperament when they are not running away from you but rather....after you

Seen this twice in person with me playing the smaller pigs role ;D

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjDzMbRUDcM&feature=related

(turn up the volume to 8 and thats what it really sounds like )

Just trying to get what I can to give a feel for what you can/may have to deal with

I might point out here that they wont stop and counter with a person as they do with each other

[Greg Krause]

If anyone is gonna get chased it is BT.......i'll place money on it. Hit 'em right and they "should" go down fast.......as long as your not BT

If you do get chased you don't have to outrun the hog. Just the guy next to you!

[huntbunny6]

;D

I've heard that about bears too

Thanks for all the good info all. We have a little over a week till our hog hunt, I'm kinda nervous

[mtshooter]

skipmaster1 said:

If anyone is gonna get chased it is BT.......i'll place money on it. Hit 'em right and they "should" go down fast.......as long as your not BT

If you do get chased you don't have to outrun the hog. Just the guy next to you!

;D ;D

[BT]

Above : Here's a dominant boar in his prime. With every step he's telling that he's tough and not to be fooled with. Another boar that doesn't accept his declaration of his status, is in for a battle.

There is a tension in his posture, he trots along self-importantly, he's swinging his head and eyeing up the field as though saying, "Bring it on."



Above : In contrast, here's a non dominant barrow hog.

He's good sized at over 200 pounds. His posture is slouchy and relaxed, he looks like he has nowhere important to go, and he has a "not looking for trouble" look on his face.

He could take you out as well as any other wild boar, but his status in the world of hogs is that he would be submissive to a big boar, and fight only a smaller or weaker hog.



Above : It's painful to look at this boar who looks cringing and wilted. This fine boar hog was injured. He was found dead the next morning. It's very possible that he won the fight.

Hogs like to go to water when they're sick or injured. Some say it's to cool their fever. The injured lay wound down. This keeps flies and other insects out of the wound.



Above : This boar's showing he won't back down and he's ready to fight.

Bowing his head like this says that he fully plans to hold his ground.



Above : Now he shows the forward, stiff-legged stance that announces he's ready for action.

His display, though, lacks confidence. His rageful bearing shows that he feels threatened, and communicates his fear.

In the arena of Mind Games of the Wild Boar, he's already lost.



Above : Here is a close-up of the boar as he works himself up for a confrontation, popping his jaws which sharpens his long, pointed cutters on the blunt upper whetters.

The popping makes the saliva get foamy and the foam slobbers out of the hog's mouth. A slobbering hog is a dangerous hog, even more so when he's fearful. He can lunge to attack in a flash.

Underestimating the speed and agility of an agitated boar is a grave, even deadly, mistake.



Above : A side view of the boar. The upper lip makes a pronounced curl over his big whetter. But the thinness of the skin on his snout tells that he's an older boar.

Look at the wrinkly skin on his neck and chest, and how the skin on his shoulder actually wraps around the edge of his shield, making it look like a plate.

The view of him stiff-legged above shows the skin at the top of his right foreleg folding over in a wrinkle.

It's probably his age that makes him feel insecure about a confrontation. In his prime, he must have held his own or he would have never made it to this age, and he wouldn't have such a thick shield.



Above : Sometimes size says it all.

This monster boar's body posture isn't proud or strutting...but he's enormous, in excellent shape and the thick roll of his lip tells you that the teeth he's got under it aren't small. Very few hogs would want to take him on.

These huge, whale-like boars don't have to bother advertising--except to another behemoth. They don't want to move around any more than necessary. You won't see them cutting a jig like the 250 and under hogs. He's mature but not old as you can see by the thickness of his skin. He's probably 7 or 8 years old.

Sadly, he thought too well of himself and made the mortal mistake of taking on the buffalo. He was found him bluntly smashed up in a way that only the buffalo could have done.



Above : Another boar with some years and experience. His head is down and he's ready to stand his ground, but he's not cocky and is not spoiling for a fight.

With tusks like his even a tough boar with a thick shield would have to be careful. This old soldier might not win a pushing match, but would probably score big in a cutting match.