Best Caliber for Feral Pig Hunting
There are a lot of reasons to hunt a lot of species. Hunting guidelines
are often established to control herds and flocks that would otherwise
run the risk of overpopulation, which would result in a far slower and
more painful death for more animals than those culled by hunters.
Despite that, hunting can be somewhat of a controversial subject. There
is, however, one area in which there’s virtually no disagreement: the
hunting of feral pigs (aka wild hogs, wild boar).
There’s a very good reason for that, feral pigs are an ecological nightmare. Along with destroying entire crops, sometimes literally overnight; they devastate native plant and animal populations; damage forests; contaminate water sources; damage soil and spread invasive plant species in their wake; and spread disease to wild populations, domestic livestock, and human beings. It’s estimated that wild pigs do around $1.5 billion worth of damage in the U.S. every year to agriculture and the environment. Therefore, hunting them is not only an opportunity for an interesting quarry, it’s also an environmental obligation. Here are a few of the best tools for the job.
.300 AAC Blackout
The .300 AAC Blackout is a terrific cartridge that fills a number of specific niches. It was originally developed tactically as an AR-15 platform-compatible round that packed a little more punch than the 5.56 (or its civilian cousin, the .223 Remington) and, as a subsonic load, was suppressor-friendly.
It has since gained popularity in the civilian market for roughly the same reasons. It’s AR-compatible, generally requiring nothing more than an upper, bolt, and magazine switch out; packs a bit more punch than the .223 Remington; and is suppressor-friendly (in states where suppressed hunting is allowed). That extra punch and heftier round make for the perfect mid-to-short-range hog hide-defeating cartridge. So find some .300 AAC Blackout for sale and sight-in your rifle.
12 Gauge Buckshot
While the .300 AAC Blackout is great for hunting from a stand, a hide or glassing from any distance, for more open country stalking, you can’t beat 12 gauge buckshot. Hog hide is thick and tough, as are the hogs themselves. They have razor-sharp tusks; can be extremely aggressive, particularly when wounded; and can weigh in excess of 600 pounds.
That means when you shoot one of them, you want to be sure they stay down. And there’s not much that guarantees that better than 12 gauge ammo. When choosing a shell, you’ll definitely want to go with a heavy load that keeps a dense pattern. There are actually specific loads that have been formulated for wild boar hunting.
12 Gauge Slug
Buckshot is great for hunting in open terrain, but if you’re hunting through scrub or any other sort of cover, opt for a 12 gauge slug. That’s particularly true if the hunt through anything scrubby or covered is going to involve any distance at all. Not only do slugs provide superior performance breaking through light cover, they also provide much more reliable hits at a distance.
The conditions of the hunt determine the sort of slug that you should use. While any 12 gauge ammo slug will impart greater distance and superior brush-beating, if the hogs are going to be more than a few dozen yards away, consider using a saboted slug. Otherwise, a more traditional Brenneke load should do the trick. Good luck hunting!
About Ammunition Depot
Ammunition Depot is simply the best source for ammunition online. If you have a firearm and are looking to load it, chances are they have you covered. From .50 BMG and .22 LR to .223 Remington and 9mm ammo for sale, they’ve got it. Ammunition Depot is passionate about firearms, the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, and giving back. As such, they’re proud to give to charities for law enforcement and the troops, to support shooting sports, and to promote job growth in their home state of Florida, with an emphasis on hiring vets.
Enjoy quick shipping on everything you need to protect your home, hunt for dinner, or just have fun on the range, at Ammunitiondepot.com
There’s a very good reason for that, feral pigs are an ecological nightmare. Along with destroying entire crops, sometimes literally overnight; they devastate native plant and animal populations; damage forests; contaminate water sources; damage soil and spread invasive plant species in their wake; and spread disease to wild populations, domestic livestock, and human beings. It’s estimated that wild pigs do around $1.5 billion worth of damage in the U.S. every year to agriculture and the environment. Therefore, hunting them is not only an opportunity for an interesting quarry, it’s also an environmental obligation. Here are a few of the best tools for the job.
.300 AAC Blackout
The .300 AAC Blackout is a terrific cartridge that fills a number of specific niches. It was originally developed tactically as an AR-15 platform-compatible round that packed a little more punch than the 5.56 (or its civilian cousin, the .223 Remington) and, as a subsonic load, was suppressor-friendly.
It has since gained popularity in the civilian market for roughly the same reasons. It’s AR-compatible, generally requiring nothing more than an upper, bolt, and magazine switch out; packs a bit more punch than the .223 Remington; and is suppressor-friendly (in states where suppressed hunting is allowed). That extra punch and heftier round make for the perfect mid-to-short-range hog hide-defeating cartridge. So find some .300 AAC Blackout for sale and sight-in your rifle.
12 Gauge Buckshot
While the .300 AAC Blackout is great for hunting from a stand, a hide or glassing from any distance, for more open country stalking, you can’t beat 12 gauge buckshot. Hog hide is thick and tough, as are the hogs themselves. They have razor-sharp tusks; can be extremely aggressive, particularly when wounded; and can weigh in excess of 600 pounds.
That means when you shoot one of them, you want to be sure they stay down. And there’s not much that guarantees that better than 12 gauge ammo. When choosing a shell, you’ll definitely want to go with a heavy load that keeps a dense pattern. There are actually specific loads that have been formulated for wild boar hunting.
12 Gauge Slug
Buckshot is great for hunting in open terrain, but if you’re hunting through scrub or any other sort of cover, opt for a 12 gauge slug. That’s particularly true if the hunt through anything scrubby or covered is going to involve any distance at all. Not only do slugs provide superior performance breaking through light cover, they also provide much more reliable hits at a distance.
The conditions of the hunt determine the sort of slug that you should use. While any 12 gauge ammo slug will impart greater distance and superior brush-beating, if the hogs are going to be more than a few dozen yards away, consider using a saboted slug. Otherwise, a more traditional Brenneke load should do the trick. Good luck hunting!
About Ammunition Depot
Ammunition Depot is simply the best source for ammunition online. If you have a firearm and are looking to load it, chances are they have you covered. From .50 BMG and .22 LR to .223 Remington and 9mm ammo for sale, they’ve got it. Ammunition Depot is passionate about firearms, the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, and giving back. As such, they’re proud to give to charities for law enforcement and the troops, to support shooting sports, and to promote job growth in their home state of Florida, with an emphasis on hiring vets.
Enjoy quick shipping on everything you need to protect your home, hunt for dinner, or just have fun on the range, at Ammunitiondepot.com
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