Boar?

[Keith_Beef]

Much of the discussion on here is about catching small stuff (rabbits, fish, vermin grey squirrels), but what about the big stuff?

Is there a way of trapping a boar?

I imagine that you can trap one in a pit, but for this, maybe you'd need a team of several beaters to flush the animals to the pit, so that's not really feasible.

Another solution might be to provoke an animal so it charges, and get it with a boar spear... that's always a possibility.

Thinking about how to provoke a boar, I wouldn't want to loose an arrow at it only to wound it, at the risk of it running off and suffering pointlessly. But how could I provoke it to charge, rather than just frightening it away? Call it nasty names?


Maybe it'd be a good moment to point out that the country where I live allows bow hunting, and spear hunting of boar... just in case anybody thinks I'm going to be trying this in the New Forest


Keith.

[jakunen]

If you stick a boar with an arrow, rather than run off, it's more likely to think 'That bloody hurt! See how you like it!' and charge you.

There are a lot of cases of pages being charged and gored during the middle ages in the Black Forest and even in England.

Personally I'd rather use a high cal rifle. From a distance.

[ESpy]

Larry Harley has a slightly more testosterone-based hunting method - http://www.lonesomepineknives.com/hunt.htm At least with a spear, you stand a chance of keeping the beggar a stick's length away...

I've heard tales of glancing headshots doing little more than annoying a boar. Of course, that could be a calibre issue more than anything else.

[bushwacker bob]

I remember John Rambo jumping down from a tree and stabbing one! you'd need to be a hunger crazed food addict to try that tho'.... or American.

[steve a]

Or a crazed New Zelander
http://www.nzoutback.co.nz/wild_boar_pig_hunting.htm

[RovingArcher]

I've never seen hogs run into a pit before. Don't know if it's legal here or not. Years ago a friend snared a hog using 3/8" cable for the snare. He said anything smaller and a good sized hog would eventually break or chew it's way through it.

If you aren't comfortable or confident using the bow and arrow, for whatever reason, you are right in not considering it as a hunting weapon. Same goes with using a spear. Make sure you use a hog spear so the hog can't walk up the spear and get you.

Hunting boar with dogs and a knife is done here as well. I've never done it, but an old boar hunter that is a friend of mine has hunted them that way. Most of the old timers around here hunted them with a knife. Using a knife is also used in Hawaii from my understanding. In fact, they look at it as the ultimate hog hunt and view those that use other weapons as sissy's. :shock: There is always a chance that the hunter can get injured, but more than not, one or more of the dogs can get gored. A neighbor of mine lost one of his catahoola hounds (preferred hog dog) when a boar gutted the canine.

Shooting a boar in the head with any caliber is asking for trouble. The .44 magnum handgun is the prefered weapon for many hog hunters these days and I saw an almost point blank shot glance off of the skull of the hog. The second shot went behind the ear and killed the hog. A high caliber rifle would be a better choice for the inexperienced hunter. Still have to be a good shot or a wounded animal is very possible.

[george]

Ok - this all happened long ago and far away where it's legal to do such things.

When out pig hunting with locals we would put out a snare (usually made out of old brake cable ) on the game trails that the pigs used. The end of the snare would be attached to a drag rope that went over a fork in a tree or somesuch and then down to a big heavy object like a log. The pig, being caught in the snare would tire it's self out trying to drag the log up the tree, rather than pulling it's foot off trying to escape.

On checking the snare,(which they would do several times a day) if there's a pig in it then the dogs would go in to keep the pig occupied. Usually only a couple of dogs would be taken, too many and they would get in the way. They would keep at the pig while someone got close enough to it to stick it with a spear. The spear was never thrown, but was kind of run in, held in a similar way to a polevaulter holding their pole. The trick was to get it when it was fully extended lunging at a dog and go for a heart and lungs shot.
The spears were around six feet or so in length with a shortish leaf shaped blade. A lot lighter than European boar spears and without the cross piece at the end. One person would try and get it from one side and then another from the other side. The pig could then be held off between them until it bled out. (which was pretty fast if they got the placement right.)

A thoroughly dangerous business - especially when they can move against the drag, but suprisingly effective. The locals knew the trails well and were successful more often than not. The dogs were well trained and usually came away uninjured. Mind you I would usually come away battered and bruised - but that was only from tripping over my own feet in the excitement!

George

[Keith_Beef]

When out pig hunting with locals we would put out a snare (usually made out of old brake cable ) on the game trails that the pigs used. The end of the snare would be attached to a drag rope that went over a fork in a tree or somesuch and then down to a big heavy object like a log. The pig, being caught in the snare would tire it's self out trying to drag the log up the tree, rather than pulling it's foot off trying to escape.

That sounds like a suitable technique. I have a spot in mind, mixed pine, oak, chestnut, birch woodland, where I've seen unmistakable signs of activity.

The spears were around six feet or so in length with a shortish leaf shaped blade. A lot lighter than European boar spears and without the cross piece at the end. One person would try and get it from one side and then another from the other side. The pig could then be held off between them until it bled out. (which was pretty fast if they got the placement right.)

I'd better get working on a spear, then.


Keith.

[george]

Hi Keith

I should perhaps point out that these were asian forest pigs that would kill out at about 50 or 60 pounds in weight for a big one. As I understand it a European wild boar can weigh several times that amount!

You want to be pretty careful with something that big, that dangerous and that bloody scary!

I believe that Cold Steel manufacture suitable spear heads though.

http://www.coldsteel.com/boarspearwit.html

George

[Realgar]

I've seen signs recently round here - oddly enough there's a boar farm about 10mile away, can't think where the one in the woods came from.

Just bear in mind - Boars can and will kill a human and the breed that escaped in this country reaches 200kg. You might want some help with all that meat.....

[Keith_Beef]

I've seen signs recently round here - oddly enough there's a boar farm about 10mile away, can't think where the one in the woods came from.

Just bear in mind - Boars can and will kill a human and the breed that escaped in this country reaches 200kg. You might want some help with all that meat.....

I've got some helpers...

In fact, this is on land belonging to friends. The boar are doing quite a bit of damage to fences and crops.

I intend to stake out the area beforehand, maybe even put some gunk on trees near to a hide, so I can size them up and count their numbers.

I sometimes buy bits of boar from my butcher, when it's the seaon. I usually prepare it like farmed pork.

Is there any danger in eating boar offal?


Keith.

[ChrisKavanaugh]

Why am I having flashbacks of LORD OF THE FLIES? The Cold Steel spear's crosspieces are to small. I went pig and goat hunting once on one of the Channel Islands. The animals were supposed to be removed to protect the rare native flora and fauna. So, Im out with my SMLE AND a 1907 long pattern bayonet. I'm working my way through a deep canyon full of coastal chaparrel. Suddenly bullets started wizzing past me. I hit the dirt and let loose a string of indignities. I heard another hunter grunt in agreement. "Man, these blankety -blank idgit chunkheads are going to get us killed!" I heard another muffled confirmation. After several minutes my nimrod companions moved off to spray and pray another piece of real estate. I slowly stood up, dusting myself off and calling out to my companion, wondering who it might be from our small group. Then he rose, several hundred pounds of prime boar with tusks worthy of our La Brea tar Pit fossils. I figured we had bonded and shooting would be very ungentlemanly. I cycled my 10 rounds out of the action, sheathed the bayonet and walked around looking at flowers.

[Tantalus]

Is there any danger in eating boar offal?

far as i know the only bit of a pig ya can not eat is the "oink"

ok so its an old joke but it still rings true , there is a use for almost every bit of the animal

Tant

[boaty]

Why am I having flashbacks of LORD OF THE FLIES?

Hmm, yes. I was never convinced that the boys could have killed a pig, thus requiring them to exist on a vegetarian diet, perhaps leading to a very different outcome...

Oh and how on earth did Piggy manage to make fire with his glasses when he was short-sighted?

My English teacher at school didn't appreciate me raising these issues...

[Mike Stewart]

Gentlemen,

I have never hunted Boar in the U.K. Therefore I have no idea if they react the same as the various types of Boar we have in the States. I do think that they are the same and would react the same way.

I have taken 11 wild boars. I have taken them with pistol, shotgun, rifle, bow and knife. The boars I have taken have ranged from 220 lbs to 512lbs. I have seen many boar taken easily with a single arrow and the use of a bow and arrow is actually commonplace here in the states. I have seen boar taken with spear and it is not as difficult as most folks think.

The trick to hunting boar is no different than hunting any species. You must know your quarry and know where the vitals are to make a clean-quick kill. It matters less on the weapon than the placement of the shot. The best shot with a bow is slightly Quartering Away. You place the arrow angled from behind the ribs into the heart-lung -liver area. The animal will go Nowhere. I have used this shot and seen it many times and the quarry will usually jump--hit the ground- and never regain it's feet.

This one was shot by Jeff Loffer, on the left (President of Cutlery Shoppe). I was just there as Guide and Back-up. That's me on the right.( the boar is in the Middle)




Handling odd situations:

The Boar is moving directly to you( not charging): Your shot is right under the line of the jaw on your right of the boars snout.

The Boar is standing broadside and you can't move into the ideal-quartering shot: Place your arrow just behind the front elbow. ( I mean just behind-within an inch)

The Boar is quartering in toward you: You placemant is the area between the head and the leading edge of the front shoulder.

You are being charged:
You have two options. Once a boar begins it's charge, it lowers it's head and runs at full speed in ONE direction. Stand your ground and step to the side as the boar is within 3 feet of you.

Boars have hooves. They cannot climb. If there is a tree handy--you only have to go up the tree about 3 to 4 feet. The boar can mill around about the trunk of the tree but it cannot climb to try to harm you.

You have been charged un-provoked. You got between Mamma and the Piglets. Don't do that--pay attention to what you are doing in their territory.

You have just wounded the Boar and it is running.

If the boar is running straight away form you--It is running away. You will have to track it and take another shot.

If that boar is running in any other direction--it is not running away. It is either charging or it is rangeing in a arc pattern to find you. You should ,at this point, be very ready to place another shot or climb a tree.

If you have any other specific questions I will gladly try to answer them.

Mike..........

[Buckshot]

Very interesting Mike - Thanks :biggthump

Cheers

Mark

[BOD]

I should perhaps point out that these were asian forest pigs that would kill out at about 50 or 60 pounds in weight for a big one.

They can get much bigger than that!

[Neil Mac']

Hi folks,

I've been given a sort of offer to hunt wild pigs in Bolivia. The favoured technique is to sit up a tree with some bait underneath it and drop onto the pig with a spear. I suggested that facing the pig on the ground with the spear might be a bit more sporting. My Bolivian friend thinks I'm mad.

I fancy my .303" rifle with 230 grain soft points should do the job or alternatively solid slug in my Martini action 12 Bore shotgun. I'd love to get some in the UK. Should I get a long stilletto too?

Any thoughts?

Best wishes,

Neil Mac'

[AUSSIE]

It is a mixed bag!! Most times you can put an arrow in a pig and it will flinch, look up, "go what the **** was that?", walk a step or two and then fall over dead. Other times you will arrow one and then it will take off with a god almighty squeel run around in ever decreasing circles with you in the middle and then drop dead! Sometimes they run out of circle, find you in the middle and then you start running in circles!! Chasing pigs with dogs and big pig sticker knives is still a popular form of hunting in Australia. Do a search in Australia for "Bacon Busters" or Pig Hunting and you will see what I mean!

[Longstrider]

In my opinion, anyone crazy enough to take on a full grown boar with anything lighter than a decent full bore rifle (and even then only from a high seat) deserves a good measure of respect, all the pork he could ever want, and to be locked away for his own protection! *LOL*

Not quite the same animal I know, but a very close friend of mine used to manage a sugar ranch in Zimbabwe. He would hunt "hogs" (warthogs) in the cane fields with his service issue FN and swore that he NEVER saw one drop to just a single round of 7.62mm ammo. (And yes, he could shoot, oh boy could he shoot!) He once had two friends killed whilst hogging. Their bodies were found mutilated by the animal that had "bled out" and died not far from them. They had apparently hit it with 18 rounds of 7.62mm, most of which were in the chest and neck, but it had still got them both before dying itself.
After he and I became friends he returned to Zimbabwe for a holiday and went hog hunting with his Marlin underlever rifle in .44Mag. A guy with him took the same rifle chambered in .357Magnum and had to call on my mate to stop "his" hog after up to 4 shots with the lighter calibre.

I do not plan on messing about with anything that just gets cross when you hit it with 4 rounds of .357Mag !

[AUSSIE]

In Australia we have full on "Razorbacks" Feral Boars of huge proportions check out some of the photos on our bowhunting sites these animals are ferocious and irrespective it is all about shot placement with whatever you use! My 30 / 30 Winchester with 170gr RN Sierra's will put them down pretty swiftly, but you've got to get em in the boiler room! Bowhunting boars is very challenging, however it is also very common in Australia, just as many record Pigs have been taken with bows as well as with rifles down here.

[pierre girard]

Much of the discussion on here is about catching small stuff (rabbits, fish, vermin grey squirrels), but what about the big stuff?

Is there a way of trapping a boar?


Keith.

A deadfall would work.

PG

[Hawk Hawkins]

I have done searches before on live traps and Ive seen some built especially for hogs...
They were built out of empty 50 gallon barrels I do belive.
Hawk

[jerv]

in japan they used to dig a pit with a bamboo spear in the bottom of it, a bit like a tiger trap. i've seen definate boar sign around where i live, and my local butcher sells hunted boar meat. . is there a large enough population to sustain hunting?
hunting boar with a bow sounds really wild

[GreenManOfTheSouth]

we kept pigs not that long ago and had a boar that stood hip high at the shoulder, came the time when the old guy had to be knocked off so my da' called in a work mate with guns.
Pig was lying on his side asleep so this guy decided to try an organ shot i think (i was quite young) .303 bounced off his hide into the trees and woke the pig up perty rudely - 2nd .303 shot to the head just gave him one heck of a headache - stood there shaking his head.
Gave him a feed to bring him out again and Cookiebear (da's mate) had to use a shotgun slug between the eyes (at point blank range) to bring him down

[wiggles]

im sure you could use a spear but due to the fact they could easily maul you and have pretty dangerous tusks i would rather shoot one

either with a rifle from far away or a shotgun with buskshot or a solid slug fairly close

wiggles

[wiggles]

also i know some yanks just walk up to the relly fat ones and plug them one at almost point blank range,even with pistols.

wiggles

[WNZer]

I use a crossbow on pigs, you just need to get it in the lower part of its neck or just behind its forequarters, they drop pretty quick but sometimes they dont thats when you have to stick them which is dangerous when you are solo. Do not try and stick them with a bullet, bolt, knife, arrow in the shoulders, they have a calloused hairy kind of armour there.

Edit PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THIS IS AN ILLEGAL ACTIVITY IN THE UK.
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Section 5 (1)(c) specifically prohibits the use of any bow to hunt in the UK. As such, in the UK, it is highly illegal with extremely high penalties.

BcUK NEITHER CONDONES OR ENCOURAGES THIS ACTIVITY.

Toddy (mod)

[Spacemonkey]

When my dad had decided on moving to Catalunya, where pig hunting is a national pastime, he asked one of his shooting buddies where was the best place to shoot a pig. The reply was 'from up a tree...' Not quite what he had in mind though...
The locals use semi auto shotguns with SSG. The dogs flush the piggies towards them and then they let rip. Hmm....

[torjusg]

You should be aware that omnivores, as boars are, often carry a parasite that can give you a potentially lethal condition called thricinosis (correct spelling?). You should cook it really well, no pink color in the flesh.

Torjus Gaaren