hog hunting near Mission Tx - what to send?

[bwhntr]

30-30 is fine 9mm also. I live east of Mission in Donna and we have a feral hog population in the farm and brush area between us and the Rio Grande River seven miles south u can see rubs on telephone poles near refugees just before the floodway. They probably are living out in the sugar cane fields etc. at times and roaming at night up and down the drainages. I haven't checked them out because I hunt at Zapata and there you do need to watch for those well cammoed buzztails in the middle of trails/roads, etc. Our latest 2 were 6 footers. I use snake shot 38 for mine and my regular deer gun while my partner uses a 35 and a 9mm when we deliberately try for them. On a nice foggy/overcast/wet morning we usually see the big boars heading back to their den around 9 in the morning while deer hunting, otherwise trailcameras show them out mostly at night and just occasionally early or very late in our area. Our problem is landowner limits us to no guests so we can't get help removing our surplus javelina problem which 3 years ago we let get up to 50 on one blind on last weekend since we were the only ones left feeding in our area. So we have had to learn when to shut down and not to feed all year. Now we are only being bothered by about 13 at a time. With lots of javalina and hogs we are beginning to worry about rattlers not rattling when something comes by so as not to give themselves away to a hog which just loves to eat them without much worry about getting bitten, the sheild/fat protecting them. My nephew in his job just recently got hit midway above his knee on the inside as he stepped up onto a berm. Luckily the 6ft snake glanced off of his uniform slacks instead of hitting him square on, but he sure felt it and knew he had been hit. Both he and his partner did some olympic moves on that one. He said he almost caught up to me in age. Again no sound as our last two.

[me]

^^^ true but im scared of snakes

kyletx1911 snake chaps... and a change of shorts.

[kyletx1911]

^^^^funny man

[Hard_ware]

.223 ar with barnes tsx bullets, works for me , Have killed up to 8 at a time if you get close 40yds at night, using thermal and night vision. Hunted area south of donna on the river, hogs in cane fields moving during day when irrigating. North of donna (hargill) hunted a couple of farms and 82 hogs RIP, size from 35lbs to 350lbs. No hog activity 5mths . If night hunting the flatter shooting the better, as its harder to judge distance at night. Good Luck !!!!!! You'll have fun no matter what rifle you bring.

[Tatersoup]

30-30 or 45-70, with the 30-30 being my recommendation.

The 357 magnum would be worth carrying also.

[mt1761]

30-30 gets my vote. I live in Texas and I hunt hogs in Texas. You might say I live to hunt hogs in Texas.

I hunt exclusively with a Marlin 30-30. Many dead hogs will testify as to it's efficacy for the purpose. Another point- if you need to grab a box of shells, any Walmart will have them.

Shoot for the shoulder or neck. Hogs' vitals lie far forward of where a deer's are. If you hit him behind the foreleg, he might run off.

[wookie]

Depends what you are after. When we have monsters on camera I bring the 45/70 with hot 350gr reloads. However, they suck to eat and I'm only looking for a trophy. We have landed 350lb pigs and I don't think a 30-30 is the perfect weapon for those suckers. When I'm after an eating pig (75-150lbs, best around 80lbs IMO) a 30-30 with good bullets is perfect.

I think a good scope is really important because they always seem to come out just as it is almost too dark to see. Feeder lights or spot lighting works pretty well too.

[Texas Shooter]

If it were me, I'd send the 30-06 auto. Lots of power, range and quick follow up.

[Dr. A]

45-70's and hogs are made for each other. SO are lever actions! Choose a big bullet going slow, and you'll get fast follow up shots. Aim for just behind the ear, and you'll lay them out where you shoot them. You think about it, there must be a reason the 45-70 has survived so long.



Here we used 243, 30-30, 44 mag, 45 Colt, 45-70, and no matter the hog size, they gave DRT with the behind the ear shots...

[nicholas_nolte81]

Im from the RGV and most of the hog hunting Ive seen down there is for javelinas They are pretty small. I think the 45-70 would be overkill. 30-30 would probably be good but I have limited hunting exerience.