# Shotgun Hog Hunting



## dadsbuckshot

My cousin wants to go hog hunting during small game season on wma's. Right now the only firearm he owns is a Mossberg 500 12ga. The regulations state the following for small game season:

Shotguns: Any having shot shell size 3.5
inches or smaller in length with No. 2 or
smaller shot. 

My question is this - If he uses #2 shot will that be OK for hog hunting (as in will it kill them?) He is planning on using #2 Hevi-Shot 3inch Magnums with a Carlson's Hevi-Shot dead coyote choke tube. Surely Hevi-Shot #2 on a hog with a head-shot would kill it. Hevi-Shot makes a #2 in Steel and Non-Steel - which would you use?

Has anyone ever killed a hog with #2 shot on a WMA? He would use a rifle, but due to acouple of reasons he can't etc... So shotgun is his only hope. 

What are your thoughts - if anyone has a pic of a hog shot with #2 that would be a plus to see as well.

Thanks in advance for any input.


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## seaweaver

I'd spend $60 at a pawn on a used Marlin M60 .22

I don't know about the shot...but I still would not want to take a body shot w/o some penetrating power.
that said... the Hog Killer on Ossabaw told me that next to his Henry youth .22, he used a .17hmr for heart shots. he said they would run 40 yards...


cw


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## dadsbuckshot

dadsbuckshot said:


> He would use a rifle, but due to acouple of reasons he can't etc... So shotgun is his only hope.



Shotgun... thats all he can use right now - rifle is not an option for him due to health reasons.


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## seaweaver

??????

you gotta splain that!
He cannot see?

cw


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## Twenty five ought six

If you use the original non-steel Hevi-shot, you shouldn't have any penetration issues.  It will penetrate as well as a .22.

If I recall, the original Hevi-shot is primarily tungsten.  There is very little deformation, and the patterning is incredible.


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## dadsbuckshot

Twenty five ought six said:


> If you use the original non-steel Hevi-shot, you shouldn't have any penetration issues.  It will penetrate as well as a .22.
> 
> If I recall, the original Hevi-shot is primarily tungsten.  There is very little deformation, and the patterning is incredible.



Thats what I am thinking too. I mean if you get close say within 20 yards out of a tree-stand or ground blind and shoot the porker in the head. From patterning I can get well over 35 Hevi-Shot pellets in a circle at 35 yards, and a hogs head is about the same size if not larger - so a good headshot with 35-40 Hevi pellets hitting it should kill from 30 yards or closer - maybe??


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## dadsbuckshot

seaweaver said:


> ??????
> 
> you gotta splain that!
> He cannot see?
> 
> cw



Don't know really why - just when I spoke with him he stated that is all he could and would be using for whatever reason

He wanted to know about the #2 so I told him I would find what I could...


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## Ranger

I would not recomend #2 shot for shooting hogs any time. Thats just my thinking.


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## V2500Inspector

Keep it under 30 yards and you should be fine. I prefer to use a 22 long rifle when hunting hogs but I have killed hogs with my 12 gauge while squirel hunting. Good Luck.


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## dadsbuckshot

V2500Inspector said:


> Keep it under 30 yards and you should be fine. I prefer to use a 22 long rifle when hunting hogs but I have killed hogs with my 12 gauge while squirel hunting. Good Luck.



What was your set-up when hunting with the 12ga? What choke, loads etc??? How far was your shot on the hog when you took it? I am trying to get all this data to figure out the best set-up for him(my cousin). 

Thanks in advance


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## Gentleman4561

Ranger said:


> I would not recomend #2 shot for shooting hogs any time. Thats just my thinking.



+1 buy a 22


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## douglasgerlach

I shot a coyote in the head at 25 yds with a mossburg 835 while turkey hunting.  Even though the pellets penetrated the skull in numerous places, when I walked up to the "dead" 'yote 15 min later, it still had enough spunk to snap at me.  This experience would make me leery of shooting a much tougher hog at anything other than point blank range with birdshot, even with #2.  It would probably work, but I would be out of reach while I pumped the 6th and 7th insurance rounds into him.


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## Apex Predator

Tell him to carry a camera instead.  No. 2 shot would probably work on a 20# hog, but would just make a nasty, suffering wound on a larger hog.  A hogs skull is tough.  I've seen some big bore handgun rounds bounce off on glancing angles.


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## Doc_Holliday23

this is the hide from a boar hog that my buddy killed this weekend.  Now, granted, this was a large hog (200 lbs or so) but the hide over its vitals was a good 1" thick.  IMO, no shotgun pellets are going to get through that with any degree of reliability.  Head shot... maybe.  But it definitely would not be my weapon of choice.


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## fflintlock

What about a slug in that shotgun ? Forget the buckshot.


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## fishndinty

Slug would be fine but is illegal on WMAs for hogs.


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## adc63

*7.65x53 Arg. mauser*

I have a 7.56x53 and there is no imfo out here on it.
I would like to know how many yards it will shoot,the
power range, is it good for big game and whats the 
fps is. It's a good shoting gun and I love it. I sported 
it and she nice. It's the 1891 arg.Can any one help me
out here. Thank you ,adc63.


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## roperdoc

health reasons to allow a shotgun but not a light rifle? Curious about that. Unless he is very conscientious about placement, size, and range he's going to make some pig suffer a long miserable death. Regs are written that way to increase dead hogs, not necessarily recovered hogs. If he can't be sure of fine muscle/muzzle control, as with ms or parkinsons, encourage him to pick his shot wisely. This set-up will work but has little room for error.


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## thumper523

*Shotgun Hogs*

I have shot several hogs from 40lb to 170lb with 12ga, 2 3/4 shells with #4 Winchester Supreme Turkey loads out to 40 yards, aim for head at long shots and low behind, not at, shoulder at close range, killed 150lb boar at 22 yards, never moved an inch. Be careful when you eat m', mighty crunchy that lead is.


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## .60 caliber buckshot

*Just my opinion*

*Game departments that limit hog hunters to birdshot or .22 rimfire rounds show contempt for ethical hunting and distain for lawful hunters*.

Alabama limits hunters to .22 rimfire, muzzleloaders .40 or less and shotguns with #4 shot or smaller on WMAs also.  

Florida, on the other hand, prohibits centerfire rifles during WMA small game seasons. Buckshot, Slugs, centerfire handguns and muzzleloaders are all ok!


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## dadsbuckshot

thumper523 said:


> I have shot several hogs from 40lb to 170lb with 12ga, 2 3/4 shells with #4 Winchester Supreme Turkey loads out to 40 yards, aim for head at long shots and low behind, not at, shoulder at close range, killed 150lb boar at 22 yards, never moved an inch. Be careful when you eat m', mighty crunchy that lead is.



Wow - this is a older post that was found and revived....

Well first the hunt never came to pass due to various reasons. Some have asked about health reasons - well it was vision issues at the time...

As the above quote shows - if you pick your shots etc... it can be done with #2 shot. I'm sure this statement will draw lots of responses etc...

Like I said - the hunt never happened, but he was just curious if it could be done with what he had to use at the time....

Thanks for the replys folks.


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## ted 88

i smoked 30 plus from 20 lbs to 350 lbs with a slug this summer. shoot them in the head and they'll drop in there tracks. you may have to make a follow-up shot on one or two but more than likely they're not goiing anywhere with a slug to the noggin.....good luck


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