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hog hunting near Mission Tx - what to send?

8K views 19 replies 16 participants last post by  nicholas_nolte81 
#1 · (Edited)
My in-laws winter in Mission TX in the Rio Grande Valley and I got word he may go hog hunting this year and I am trying to "invite myself". He was the guy that started sliding a Wisconsin turkey hunting application under my nose when I started dating his daughter so I decided I better try...
So I am thinking of sending a rifle with him when they drive south just in case he does go and I can go too. I don't want to send anything too sentimental or needed for MN deer season, but I don't know what I need to send at this point. I figure I will be flying so I would rather take a chance of sending a spare rifle than trying to check a weapon.
Are the pigs big or small there?
I have a variety from 22 hornet to 45-70 available.
So tell me what I should send down (also how many rounds and should I send a knife or two? send a sidearm?).

Pick from...
22 hornet bolt, 223/12ga combo, 223 bolt, 223 AR, 3030 lever, 35 rem bolt, 308 lever, 3006 auto, 45-70 lever.
(a couple of these I really wouldn't send, but I need to make this interesting for you guys... I also don't want to totally scare the in-laws with my weaponry...)

EDIT:
Her parents stay in a camper in a RV type park so I am leanining towards sending a carbine to save space. That puts it in the 3030 or 35 rem and I am kind of surprised no one jumped on the 35 yet.
Side arm choice is a 357 revolver or 9mm auto or 22 auto or 22 single six... what do you recomend? need snake shot?

Oh... the 3030 is the proper Marlin of course....
 
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#4 ·
Well down in Texas the piggies can get pretty dang big, but like you'll hear everywhere, shot placement matters more than caliber. But like OIF2 said above the 45-70 will do it too, it comes down to what you feel safe with.
 
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#7 ·
30-30 or 35, which can you shoot best?
As to sending guns in advance, I beleive I would fly with mine. trouble with flying is not much greater than sending via UPS, Fed-Ex, of USPS. After seeing a number of threads about damaged guns from all of the shipping companies and the postal dis-service, I would keep them as close as possible.
Just my $0.02.
CF
 
#8 ·
I would vote 30-30. It will kill a pig as quick as anything. As for the pistol and snakes. I think he shouldn't carry a pistol. He's not likely to see a snake and if he does it's best to leave it alone. Lots of folks kill every snake they see but there is really no need to. If one is in a bad spot chances are shooting it will damage people or property. Like finding one in your barn. A garden how is a better choice. Besides he really needs his own pistol and to learn how to use it. He dosent need a "backup" for pigs. The rifle will do fine.

Sorry but hunting in that part of the state involves riding around on a 20,000 acre ranch in a truck till you see something and shooting it from inside the truck. Or sitting inside an elevated tower box stand. We're not stalking lions in the long grass.
 
#10 ·
I would vote 30-30. It will kill a pig as quick as anything. As for the pistol and snakes. I think he shouldn't carry a pistol. He's not likely to see a snake and if he does it's best to leave it alone. Lots of folks kill every snake they see but there is really no need to. If one is in a bad spot chances are shooting it will damage people or property. Like finding one in your barn. A garden how is a better choice. Besides he really needs his own pistol and to learn how to use it. He dosent need a "backup" for pigs. The rifle will do fine.

Sorry but hunting in that part of the state involves riding around on a 20,000 acre ranch in a truck till you see something and shooting it from inside the truck. Or sitting inside an elevated tower box stand. We're not stalking lions in the long grass.
For clarity - I am sending my rifle, shells, knife, and maybe handgun with my in-laws when they drive south just on the chance I may be able to tag along on a hog hunt the father in law is talking about doing. My father in law would have his own stuff and mine would be stored in his RV in case this hunt does go off.
As far as the handgun, I teach youth firearms safety with a guy that goes to TX pig hunting as part of a mens church group and they help pay the gas for one group member to drive down all the guns to avoid the hassle of shipping or airports. My friend told me the pig hunting guide has them bring hand guns along because of situations where you may encounter a snake or ? and could use it.

So all these weapons would be mine. I could send the AR and glock with the FIL and make him wonder if I am a tactical nut... or send the more conventional stuff to stay on the normal side of what he expects. Now the 45-70 may be over kill, but it is cool on the opposite end of the spectrum...

BTW - I was helping him bear bait in northern WI last weekend and we we're wearing our 357's because hes seen the bears come in on the trail cam less than 10 minutes after he baits. He wears a peice when he's baiting alone as a total back up plan because there is a sickly bear coming in that may want fresh meat one morning ;-)
 
#12 ·
#11 ·
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.
 
#14 · (Edited)
.223 ar with barnes tsx bullets, works for me :biggrin:, 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.
 
#16 ·
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.
 
#17 ·
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.
 
#19 ·
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...
 
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