I realize Traditional Bowhunter printed a very similar article this week. Hey, I am on a roll and decided to round it out for rifle wielding folks, here’s a tip for youth hunters that just might work for us old guys too!:
Reality TV has taken hate to a new level. Poor hogs, I guess it’s okay to hate some things. That is too bad! This outdoor correspondent gets the giggles every time he can pursue them. Think about this. Our pork friends are available year around, they have no curfew, no season, and remain high in number; what could be better? Significant behavioral problems – that’s what!
Anthromorphically, imagine a psychotherapist describing feral hog behavior as such: “The subject is easily pre-occupied while showing no regard for other species in its daily activities. Intensely self absorbed and moderately aggressive while seeking the presence of its own kind. The hog is a peculiar case. Of note, when confronted with a food source the subject exhibits A.D.H.D behavior. Given this erratic combination of behavioral opportunities; the subject in not recommended for a traditional classroom setting.”
Moving on -
Kids are literal. An interesting thing happens when you describe a head shot as follows: “It’s easy kid. Just shoot them in the head.” Or what I used to say is more descriptive but apparently still confusing, “wait till they are broadside and shoot them right under the ear.” The kid doesn’t really know which part of the head or “exactly how far below the ear?” Coach them this way and you’ll get the Labrador retriever head tilt and the kid just goes along. So, make it more concrete. Tell them, “take a broadside shot. Shoot them in the cheek.” (Noted: if you coach kids to shoot a pig in the cheek, they will wait for a broadside shot because the cheek is on the side of the pig; handy. Man I wish I was smart enough to have figured this out before making all those other mistakes!)
Now on to rifle skills before we wrap this up:
The typical new hunter (including adults) will lift their head at trigger pull looking over the scope for a neatly dispatched critter. End result is high bullet impact or a pulled shot. On the pig’s end of the deal, a squeal and missing parts followed by bulldozing into brush a fast moving rabbit would avoid. They say mean things about your family too. If you like adrenaline, it’s a hoot. Try it at night with that dim flashlight we all own. You know the one.
Or shoot the cheek. Here’s a picture I pulled off of biggamehunt.net. A contributor named gknutson used this diagram to describe shot placement for archery. I borrowed it with permission, then added the red lines to show the cheek shot I am recommending.
Photo located at: www.biggamehunt.net/tips/hit-mark-feral-hogs
End result – dirt nap.
A .223 along with a kid is a great combination. 55 grain soft point, loud whop, you got pork. Low recoil helps young hunters (and old guys) place that little pill in the bone/grenade area. If you think it takes a .300 Weatherby Magnum to get this done. Go for it. That will work too. But please do not give your .300 to a kid!!!!
Go get yourself some hog hunting action.
Small Boy with Laugh Lines
