Hog Huntin with a 45-60

[OKDEE]

Well, I hope it works out this weekend.  Me and my son get to help a small group of hunters, kinda clear their hunting sites from an infestation of hogs!  I am taking a couple of rifles, a sportorized 1903, in 30-06, and my Winchester 1876, 45-60.

They hope to kill a number of the hogs, over the next couple of weekends.  Just in time for deer season.

This is in SouthWest Texas, down Laredo way.

I figure, a 320 grain lead bullet out of the 45-60, otta do the trick to a couple of hogs! 

Anyone with a history of hog hunting, I would appreciate any input as to what to expect!

Oklahoma Dee

[Trailrider]

Well, I hope it works out this weekend.  Me and my son get to help a small group of hunters, kinda clear their hunting sites from an infestation of hogs!  I am taking a couple of rifles, a sportorized 1903, in 30-06, and my Winchester 1876, 45-60.

They hope to kill a number of the hogs, over the next couple of weekends.  Just in time for deer season.

This is in SouthWest Texas, down Laredo way.

I figure, a 320 grain lead bullet out of the 45-60, otta do the trick to a couple of hogs! 

Anyone with a history of hog hunting, I would appreciate any input as to what to expect!

Oklahoma Dee

Howdy, Pard,
Well, it's been about 43 years or so, but I found (a) a 180 gr. Remington Round Nose Cor-Lokt from an M-1 Tanker Garand at 10 feet to do a real number on a "Roosian hawg" down to Central Tennessee.  We were using dawgs and I was some younger then.  When the dawg backed off, the hawg presented a perfect shillouette, and I nailed him just behind the right shoulder.  Went down like a...uh, poleaxed hawg!

The following year I used a M1886 Winchester in .33 WCF with a 200 gr flat soft point.  Didn't realize there was a second hog behind the one I was aiming at (range about 35 yds), and the bullet went clear through from one side to t'other, and wounded the second pig.  Had to finish it off!  While this was preserve hunting, it was in some of the densest brush and woods you'd want to see!

The thing is, if one charges you, don't try to outrun it...you can't!  Either pull yourself up a tree (they can't climb up after you like a bear would.  Also, the skull has a fairly thick plate of cartlidge that extends up on top.  For bullets, I'd take penetration over expansion. Something soft enough not to shatter on the skull, if you have to take that kind of shot, but hard enough not to simply 'splat' out!  Since your bullets are fairly slow, I doubt you'll get much hydrodynamic shock from them, so penetration is the key.

Good hunting!

[Grizzly Adams]

Hey, Okee!  You pretty good at tree climbing?

Just kidding.   Hope you have a great time and get lots of piggies!  Have fun, and we will expect a field report with pics!

[OKDEE]

Thanks Trailrider and Grizzly!

Well, got back last evening,  No such luck!  3,000 acre ranch down Laredo, Texas way.  Just right on the border of Mexico.  Beautiful land, very rugged, rocky, thorny, brushy, and suprizingly green!  They have gotten so much rain , that the wildlife is pretty picky about their food, so not alot of deer and hogs eating the corn, from the feeders.  That an combine it with dang near full moonlite nights, and I guess the animals were up and eating and moving.  I never got to see one.  I had my Winchester 45-60, with a 320 grain bullet.  I figured I could nail anything (except a deer, I am only a guest) but nothing bigger than a bat came along.  It was a pretty good time regardless, my son had a ball, walkin with the 22 and doing a bit of fishing.  Maybe we will get a chance next spring.  Hunting season starts at the first of November.

Cheers,
Oklahoma Dee

[Rowdy Fulcher]

OKDEE
Well you didn't have much luck , but I bet a young boy will have those memories for a life time of him and his father out Hunting together that is Priceless . Now the next time you go on a Hunt you might harvest the Giant Buck of a life time and that to will be Priceless .