Upcoming "canned hog hunt" Update, results, 6-19-09

[Sharps-Nut]

Some of you may recall I booked a hunt only to find out it was sorta maybe a canned fenced 200 acre hunt.   Well the date is closing and I was wishing to finalize my equipment list.  Was planning to take a 336 marlin iron sight rifle with factory soft point loads  I think they were 200 grain but am sure they were made by federal, came with rifle at purchase.  The outfitter  claims brushy country and close shots, in San Antonio, TX,  does this sound like the right combination.  Shot placement, where, head top choice or behind front leg, if so how far back.  My second choice for a primary rifle is a ruger 96-44 with iron, scope possible, 240 grain soft points loaded hot.  Would prefer 35 rem as its been hunted and is field condition, the ruger is like new, but I am willing to take a scratch for a good hunt. Which would you take if only taking one or the other.  My back up rifle for longer range shooting could be a 7x57 ruger 77 or a 243 bolt gun loaded with heavy softpoints on both counts.  This being incase the range was forced long, think shots from blind.   Is there any other equipment I should needed, both for hunting and personal comfort in this area during the first weekend in June.  Was planning on only two rifles to less the loss if stolen. Any help or thoughts appreciated.  I have hunted and do hunt deer, coyotes and small game but this is my first hog hunt.  Thanks in advance for all help.   SN

[dukkillr]

Based on my rough math, I think a box blind placed in the middle of 200 acres would have about 450 yards to each fence, assuming a square piece of ground.  If it's Texas scrub country you won't be able to see 45 yards most of the time. 

I bet it's going to be a put-and-take operation with spot and stalk and your shots will be close.  Any big, fat, slow bullet would probably work just fine.

[Sharps-Nut]

   Yes I believe the hogs are trapped and relocated to this canned location.   Not familiar with the TX landscape but would think june to be still fairly grown up.  Sound like 35 with irons is it.

[Graybeard]

The hill country around there is typically thick brush and short trees. Don't expect to see any towering 100' tall trees.  There is usually a lot of cedar and oak brush and oak trees that while they might be large in trunk diameter seldom reach much over 30' high. Short shots are the rule. On 200 acres the chance of a long shot is slim.

You will either be placed in a box blind and told to NOT MOVE from it until they return for you or you'll go with the guide depending on how they run the operation. Most hog/exotic outfits will drive you around the ranch in pickup or jeep or they'll park and you'll walk. Often you can decide which but not always.

The .35 Remington is an excellent choice. The .44 magnum less so with jacketed bullets but if you had hard casts would be as good or better a choice. Still with JSPs it's better than with JHPs. I doubt the hogs will be huge mostly in the 125-175 range likely unless you are specifically paying for larger at an extra cost tho you might run across a 200+ pounder.

Neck shots or head shots in the ear opening are your best best or the old archer's favorite quartering away into the chest behind the shoulder to miss the gristle plate.

I remember back when Kevin Ryer of TexasBoars.com was running a little hunting operation behind his house. I think his pen was either five or seven acres. He took bow hunters in there and turned them loose on their own to hunt their hog. He'd normaly have a half dozen or so in the pen dependng on how many he had trapped recently. I saw the area when I was visiting with him at his home and it was some seriously thick brush and trees. He said most of his clients would go in and stay from an hour to three or four and come back up to his house and tell him there were no hogs in there. He'd then take them back and guide them to a shot at the hogs that really were in there even tho they had not seen or heard one during their short hunt.

You'd be amazed how well a hog or white tail deer can elude you in a small area if it's thick with brush. They will know exactly where you are at all times and when you can't see more than 25-40 yards they are pretty darn good at staying out of sight.

[chutesnreloads]

This sounds like the place a buddy of mine went recently.If not the same place it's in the same area.He used a 35 rem.Said none of the shots were over 75 yards even from the blinds.I'd say take the rifle you're most comfortable and confident with and have a good time.

[Sharps-Nut]

Thanks for the replies.  I bought the 1966, 35 rem just for the hunt assuming it would be a good choice, so sounds like its the rifle.   Hopefully we get a chance to see a hog,  I guess failing to see one would be my ultimate disappointment.  Now that I have some range idea's I am going to set out to practice a bit on  my offhand as well as fast sighted shots.  May even splurge and treat the old girl to a reciever mounted peep like a skinner or the likes. Thank you all for the advice on rifle choice and what to expect.  SN

[Graybeard]

I wouldn't worry about not seeing one. It's not a free range hunt you'll see plenty.

[Sharps-Nut]

I have been worrying about that, even pondering if I should bump off the first I see to garantee my sausage of pass for a better hog.  Its a three day hunt two night hunt so there will be some field time but that said tis also a 14 hour drive one way so there will be way more windshield time than field.  I amen your hard cast comment earlier, man a 44 with tough bullets sure do penetrate.  I shot thru a doe from a 3/4 shot front shoulder to a out the rear ham, regretting my enthusiasm as I cleaner her. 

[Graybeard]

Three days for a fenced operation hunt especially on such a small property is a looooong time. I'd not worry about having to take the first one you see to avoid going home empty handed really. Ask what is the average size hog likely to be seen and what the chances are of a really huge one. If they are honest they'll give you a fairly straight honest answer.

Most likely all their hogs come from the same source and that source might be a local hog trapper. If so then a variety of sizes might be encountered but they most likely don't turn loose hogs under around 125 pounds or maybe 100 pounds and they likely seldom get hogs much over 175 pounds.

If they put you at a feeder you'll see most all that are in there by the end of day one.

[markc]

I think GB is correct, little to worry about not seeing any hogs, unless there are none on the property.  If they are running feeders like a lot of places are, take your time, you'll probably see a bunch of them over 3 days and 2 nights.   

[Swampman]

I once took a hog in an enclosure that was probably 200-300 acres.  In the end, I felt it was pretty sporting and we had a good time.  I used a T/C Contender in .357/.44 B&D.

I shot through both front shoulders.  That's my favorite shot.

[Sharps-Nut]

Thanks for all of the advice. Maybe waiting would be good.  I could imagine if you hunted on a feeder that one should see lots of hogs.  I have passed on deer and lived to regret it but that was open range.  SN

[rickt300]

I hunted a place near Ranger mountain that was 200 acres fenced but the fence wasn't able to contain the hogs.  They would dig out and in almost at will to visit the feeders.  These were pretty sharp hogs too as they knew the game.  Interestingly the place had buffalo, some kind of Arican antelope that ran by jumping 10-15 feet in the air.  When I shot one on the second day I was charged by one of his buddies and my partner took that one out on the run (the pig not him).  The property was pretty well grazed by the exotics but it was rocky and you couldn't see very far so 75 yards is all you need to worry about if this is the place you are going.

[Sharps-Nut]

Well the canned hunt turned out fine.  It was high fenced but over 300 acres.  The accomidations were clean and comfortable, the food was good, very good, and the hunting was just fine to.   They offered moring and afternoon spot and stalks, saw lots of small to 120 lbs sized pigs with a few larger.  Evenings we were placed in shooting blinds over baited spots and told to hunt as long as we wanted from "that" blind, other hunters were placed in other blinds over the property.  For the price 226 bucks plus 100 dollar gratruity it seemed like a good hunt, fair chase, evening blind hunt, or night time spotlight hunt, pick your poison.  My buddy and I had to leave early for a funeral, and scored a double the final night.  We shot almost at the same time.  His 100 pounder dropped to a 243 head shot.  My shot was bit off the the mark knocking it down but he got up and run, hey I was the one counting, what can say.  We tracked my wounded hog into the brush and with the help of our guide found him hit in the front left shoulder but still three legging it along, my follow up shot from a 45 lc loaded with 255 hard cast found its mark in the noggin bringing the hunt to an end.   Great fun but I really respect how tough a pig under 100 lbs can be, his shoulder defeated a 120 grain nosler partition fired from a 257 roberts, wrecked the shoulder but no vital damage upon skinning..  Now that is one tough little pig.    Thanks to everyone for the advice and help.  SN

[BBF]

 
So what happened to the idea using the 35 Rem for that hunt?

[Sharps-Nut]

I used the 35 rem for a woods/daytime walk about gun, for the evening stand hunt I chose the scoped 257 for better shot placement/ easier spotlight hunts.  I failed a little on the shot placement. That said I would still go the 35 rem for a hog hunting rife but will likely scope it with a small fixed power to cover both end of the spectrum I ran into.  I still think even in the woods I could have used a low powered scope.  Just my opinion, others will vary and may be closer to right. SN