My wife is finnaly starting to want to go hunting with me. Thinking of taking her on a hog hunt to start. She is small at only 5' tall so needs a youth rifle. most seem to be in 243 but is that really enough? Any ideas on the best game animal and maybe rifle options for a small adult beginner? Thanks for any info- Daniel

I would go straight to a 7mm08.

Next question.

308,7-08 257rob. 260, in that order of choices. Mine shoots a 308 with no problems, and will likely never need more gun and never not have enough.

Ok, so seems i need to be looking out for a compact 7mm-08 or 308 then. Thats on track with what I was thinking. She's not sure she could shoot a deer because they are sp "pretty" but said she would kill a hog because they are "ugly". Ha, ladie logic. They both just look like dinner to me.

My wife is 5'1" and told me she ain't shooting no girlie gun so I had a model 70 '06 that I never used anymore so I had a muzzle break put on it. She loves it. That being said ....... Not everyone is willing to do that.
7mm-08 like was said is a very very good option.
Now let me say this and you can take it for what it's worth to you.
I, until 8 months ago shot for a gun manufacturer and as such was privy to a lot of the reasons behind gun design. While she may very well need a youth stock but also think of this, women are built a bit different than men :-) ...... Meaning that the vast majority of women have naturally higher cheekbones than men and just a regular stock does not fit them well...., youth or adult. Monte Carlo style stocks work very well for women............ Take it for what it's worth and glad she is gonna hunt with you. Some of the best times my better half and I have had is while hunting together.

Good info. Thanks! I've been thinking of just finding an older bolt gun in a wood stock and modifying it to fit her. She always likes the older guns better. I've gotten pretty good at refinishing and restoring old guns through a couple projects. I will be on the look out for a monte carlo stock or possible needing to add a cheek piece. I am 6'4" so I usually add an inch or two to most of my stocks. Hence nothing I have really works for her.

I'd start mine hunting for the stove to cook me some dinner because there's no way I'm taking her out in the feild.

Managed recoil ammo is another option.

X2. If ammo is too $$ for u 243 will do the job as well.

Such insight and wisdom. Can't believe your not the governor.

Daniel, find a caliber she's happy with. Wood stocks are easily modified. Best of luck and enjoy y'all, s time together hunting.

Wouldn't rule out a .223 or .22-250.

I got her started on a .243 Recoil was a big factor for her... any bigger she would have been skittish and not as willing to go hunting and shoot something using it. You don't want to scare her away with the bigger guns... I'd start small and let her get comfortable first then maybe move up to bigger calibers.

Started my inexperienced daughter in law on coyotes and hogs with 223. She was hooked.

My wife is also small, the youth models fit her well but she thought they looked like toys and I think they kick like a mule compared to a full sized rifle. I looked for a compact but I ended up with a heavy barrel .243 and cut it down for the stock to fit her better. The weight is great for stability and recoil, she loves it. After all most Texas hunting is bench-rest hunting, with a gun sitting on the window sill of a blind. I never understood the "light weight" guns that some guys brag about. That 20 yard walk from the 4 wheeler to the blind must be a killer.
Tree Hunter got it right, keep the recoil down. I think this is smart even for starting kids off shooting.
I also started her off with hogs, she is itching for a deer now that she has got her confidence up.
A 22-250 is a good option too.

I used to have a nice Remington XCR 7mm08 with a Zeiss 4.5-14x42 scope, Talley rings and a Harris bipod. Now my wife has one.

I'll buck the trend and suggest a Marlin 30-30. Right size, good balance, plenty of pop for a hog and easy recoil.

My 11 year old daughter shoots a H&R handy rifle in 7mm-08 and loves it! She got it last year and killed two does with it and got her first buck last week. Good Luck!!

My wife grew up hunting, she is the daughter of a gunsmith so she had her choices, what ever her daddy gave her to shoot. A 54 caliber black powder rifle and a 7MM Mag came with the marriage license. She choose to keep my 243 after she shot it a couple of times. At 5 9", 120 pounds she can handle them all.

Your caliber choice should be fine, mines about the same size as yours and she just stepped up to a 7mm-08. The rifle or caliber would not be my concern, her enjoying herself should be number #1! We have a number of outfitters here that provide hunts on exotics and hogs at great prices. Book a hunt with one that provides a nice cabin or lodge and meals (This is important). A good meal, warm bed and a hot shower go along ways, hell I like them myself. Enjoy! Mrs. B and I have a great time hunting together. Hell I don't even shoot anymore.

I can't post what Mrs. B said about his comment, but it was funny!

Hogs sound like a good game animal to start on. I would say take her out to the lease or property you hunt and let her shoot a doe or hog for whichever appears first and she wants to shoot it.

Yelp axis doe hunts u s a good one then she can make pillows with the hide

Janie, Janie, Janie. You're a funny girl.

I got my wife a 243 three years ago didn't really hunt the first year because she was not confident with her shooting yet. That said in the past two seasons she has taken 4 deer (spikes and does since that's what we have a lot of) and a 100+ lb hog last weekend.
As for recoil and shooting. I taught her the basics with a break action iron sight pellet gun, then moved her to a .22 with a scope and then to her 243. She has become a good shot and has confidence in her shooting. It's great having her hunting with me except dinner isn't ready when I get back now...lol. Good luck.

Yeah you right Hooper and there's nothing a 3030 won't bring down around here. I suggest a pre safety Marlin 336 with 1.5-4.5 or 2-7 scope for those lovely 100yd shots.