| mradiel |
| (.224 member) |
| 03/07/03 03:04 AM |
Big Calibers and Boar Hunting
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Just picked up a Whitworth rifle in .416 Rem and would like to use it on wild boar. In the past I've used my .480 Ruger hand gun and a 30-06 rifle and was curious if anyone here has used a .416 of any kind on hogs. How well did it perform and what kind of loads were used? Thanks in advance.
| NE450No2 |
| (.375 member) |
| 08/07/03 12:47 PM |
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Re: Big Calibers and Boar Hunting
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mradiel
I have used my 450/400 3 1/4" double for quite a few hogs.
I have used a 300gr. Hawk .025jkt at 2330fps with excellent results.
I see no reason why your 416 with 400gr Hornadys would not work. I went to the Hawk bullets with the thin jkt to ensure good expansion on behind the shoulder shots because I do not want to shoot the shoulder and mess up the meat. Them pigs just taste too good.
| mradiel |
| (.224 member) |
| 10/07/03 04:03 AM |
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Re: Big Calibers and Boar Hunting
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NE450No2,
Thanks a bunch for the response. Will be taking delivery of my new rifle this weekend and am looking forward to trying it on pig. You're right about the pig tasting great - still have a freezer full from my last hunt. Just bought some Remington ammo with 400 grain Swift A-Frame bullets. I know that placement is the most critical issue, but I hope the .416 drops the pig in its tracks as there is nothing worse than chasing one through the swamps and palmeto of Florida......
NitroX
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| (.700 member) |
| 10/07/03 10:18 PM |
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Re: Big Calibers and Boar Hunting
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I have a question. Are the North American wild hogs true wild boar or feral pigs? Or is there a mixture of the species in the wild?
I agree with you fellows. I enjoy very much true wild boar meat, much more heavier red meat with much less fat. I have to admit I like pork as well, which of course is a white meat.
It is a pity we can't bring in true wild boar semen or otherwise into this country. Pretty sure I know what our farmers and government would say to that though.
| mradiel |
| (.224 member) |
| 11/07/03 05:10 PM |
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Re: Big Calibers and Boar Hunting
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NitroX,
From what I've seen, we have both feral pigs and "Russian" Boar -- or at least hogs that resemble Russian Boar. I suspect even the true boar is mixed to some degree. I shot a nice 200-pound tusker a few months ago that looked pure, but who knows as some of the other pigs in the group looked mixed. The meat is indeed lean and very tasty especially when the pig is young. Going to try my new .416 out on some hogs hopefully within the next couple of months. What are the hogs like in your neck of the woods?
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NitroX
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| (.700 member) |
| 11/07/03 05:25 PM |
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Re: Big Calibers and Boar Hunting
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mradiel
A guess would be the easiest way to tell is by the meat. I had never had true wild boar before I went to Italy last year and stayed at a nice mountain top game lodge. The boar meat was a red meat and quite unlike pork, either domestic or feral. Unfortunately it was out of season so while I stalked some boars and filmed them (it was too dark to work properly) I did not get to hunt them.
The meat from the pigs you have taken - is it white or red? Or am I wrong in thinking boar meat is red?
Some pigs in Australia have begun reverting to the wild version and are known as "razorbacks". Predominantly they exist in the North and are probably helped by the genes from Asian pigs which were also released by Javanese fisherman onto our shores even before white man arrived.
Most pigs hunted in Australia would be less than 80 lbs in weight and that is why so many hunters here think a .243 is ideal or even a 22 Mag or .222 is OK as often they are. When in Europe and especially for quick shots at driven boar heavy calibres are often chosen.
| iqbal |
| (resigned as a member) |
| 12/07/03 02:20 AM |
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Re: Big Calibers and Boar Hunting
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Nitrox,the asian wild boar or at least the ones found here can be real,big mean creatures.They range from 80 lbs. to over 200lbs.and size wise are as big as donkeys.In SA the wildboar is small in size,about one third of the size found here.We usually hunt them with a .270 which is enough gun but sometimes use a 7mm.mag. which really tears them up.Why the passion for using big calibers like 416 Rigby and bigger bores is not understood.I have noticed that most of you chaps prefer heavy calibers for hunting as opposed to medium sized ones even when there is no need to use such heavy artillery.
| mradiel |
| (.224 member) |
| 12/07/03 04:31 AM |
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Re: Big Calibers and Boar Hunting
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NitroX,
Don't know what to tell you about the meat color. The meat I have is just very lean pork. Couldn't tell you if real wild boar meat is red or not, but I'd love to find out. I guess I need to hunt boar overseas to compare. Maybe someone else knows?
Igbal,
My main reason for using a big caliber is to put the animal down hard and fast. I wouldn't use the .416 on an 80-lb animal, but would on a 450-lb boar where the extra knock-down power will be useful. Boars are tough and for some reason the signal that the body is fatally wounded fails to quickly reach the brain of the hog. Maybe that's what makes them such a challenge to hunt as they often take off even when critically wounded. Until I bought my .416, I've been hunting boar with a Ruger Super Red Hawk in .480 which has proven quite effective against boar. It's using a big (325-grain) bullet travelling at a moderate velocity. I believe the heavy artillery will be quite effective on the big hogs.
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NitroX
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| (.700 member) |
| 12/07/03 10:19 AM |
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Re: Big Calibers and Boar Hunting
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Iqbal
In Australia 90% of shooters would use a .243, .270, a .308 or a .30-06. The other 10% would probably use a .222 or .22/250 !
A minor number of hunters will take their .375 (or other big bore) out for live practice. When pig numbers were plentiful and they still are "in season" in many places, hunting hogs with your "African" rifle is a great way to familiarise yourself prior to hunting buffalo or something else. Here in Oz they are not required.
The sport of boar sticking is also growing considerably where pigs are hunted with dogs and despatched with a knife.
European members ?
European members with experience hunting wild boar - can you answer my question of whether boar meat is a white or red meat? As said I have never hunted true wild boar but was surprised by the meat colour and texture when I had some. Maybe I was wrong, and the meat was just heavily marinated.
| HK416 |
| (.224 member) |
| 29/07/03 05:55 AM |
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Re: Big Calibers and Boar Hunting
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mradiel,
As a suggestion, Barnes makes a 300 and 350 grain X-bullet in .416 that would be an excellent wieght for boar. These are supposed to be less prone to exploding if they hit bone yet having all the knock down punch you would expect from this caliber. If you do not hand load I can recomend a place to get these made to order for reasonable price. Where about do you do most of your boar hunting.
| mradiel |
| (.224 member) |
| 29/07/03 02:36 PM |
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Re: Big Calibers and Boar Hunting
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HK416,
I usually hunt in Florida. I handload pistol, but I have yet to tool up to load rifle, so no, I don't reload. I would love to try these particular loads out. If you could provide me with contact information, I would appreciate it. I also have a .375 H&H that I wanted to try on hogs, but since I've purchased the .416, I think it may be even more effective given the heavier bullet. What kind of velocities are we talking about with the 300 or 350 grain bullet? It's nice to put the animal down quickly so you don't have to chase the damn thing through the palmeto and swamps of Florida. Thanks, looking forward to your response.
| HK416 |
| (.224 member) |
| 07/08/03 08:15 AM |
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Re: Big Calibers and Boar Hunting
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Mradiel,
Sorry for the delay in my response. I have seen the listed velocities for of the 300 and 350 grain bullets as 2930 and 2670 fps respectivly. This would make your 416 rem a fairly flat shooter for a big bore. Have hunted in Tennessee or Mississippi?
| DUGABOY1 |
| (.400 member) |
| 09/08/03 05:37 AM |
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Re: Big Calibers and Boar Hunting
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NitroX, the hogs we have in North America, are all three types! In the the South we have a very pure strain of the Europien wild boar. These boar are decendants of trapped wild stock from Europe, brought here by an English Nobleman who owned a plantation in Virgenia, back in the late 1700s. These animals escaped and with no real predators, flurished in the southern palmeto, and swamps of the South. I the state of Tenn. thay are called Razorbacks, but are the same animal as the others in the south.
We also have the feral mixes, which are ferals which have crossed with the True wild boar. then ferals which are domestic hogs gone wild.
There are three keys to identifying the difference between them, Most obvious is color, which is usually spotted for feral Wild mix, and takeing on the body shape of the wild boar, while the true feral is, not only colored with spots,but is shaped like a domestic hog.
The babies of the wild boar, are striped with the stripes running longatudinally on the body, and are brown, with darker brown stripes. They turn black as they grow older. The young of the crosses have the spotted color from birth, as do the true ferals.
The True wild boars, and the mixes, will have longer bristal hair, with a deffinate Hakkle on the very high front quarters, and the head will be very long with almost no neck. The hind quarters will be very small, compared to the front quarters.
The meat of all swine I've eaten the world over, has been white, regardless of whether, wild or domestic, with the meat leaner the wilder the hog. The key to this is in the cutting up of the different ones. The true wild boar ( Razorback, or Russian Boar) is, they have a cartlidge plate over the sides of the neck, and ribcage, and it is about 1/4" to abot 3/8" thick, and will turn the slashing tusks of their opponants, and sometime soft slow pistol bullets. This plate is white, and looks much like Nylon. This plate is less noticeable in the Feral/Wild mix, and is not always present! The true feral doesn't have this plate.
Then we have the Javalina, which is not a hog at all, but a species all it's own, and has no tail, but in it's place has a musk glan, similar to a skunk, and only goes about 70 lbs for a VERY large boar, and only averages about 40 lbs.
The true Wild Boar, will tip the scales up to about 500 lbs, but a 400 lb boar is a good one! The mix will also go as high a 500 but average around 100, to 150 lbs. The true feral will sometimes tip the scale to about 800 lbs, with good mast crop, or farm raiding. This is because the domestic was bred for weight, and the meat is much fatter!
The true Wild Boar is the most agressive, with the sow more so than the Boar. The mix is fairly agressive as well, but the Feral is only agressive when wounded, and cornered. The little Javalina is not agressive at all unless young are involved, or wounded, and cornered.
| mradiel |
| (.224 member) |
| 09/08/03 05:58 PM |
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Re: Big Calibers and Boar Hunting
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HK416, thanks for the info. I have not hunted in either state -- unfortunately. I will be back in Forida towards the end of this month and will hopefully be able to hunt. I'm eager to try both my .375 and .416 on boar. The loads you've mentioned sound pretty hot and I would love to try them. You mentioned that you know of a place that reloads to those specs. Do you have their contact info?
DUGABOY1 -- thank you for the swine education. I've encountered both Russian boar and feral hog/Russian boar mixes in Florida. The Russians have produced very lean and flavorful meat. When it comes to the mixes I tend to target the younger ones in the 60 to 100 pound range as the meat is very good -- actually this holds true with the Russian boars as well. The younger the hog, the less "gamie" the meat. Where do you usually hunt boar? Thanks again for the information.