Good Morning Friends,

BLUF: Any advice on shooting a rather large boar with a 12 gauge.

Background: I’ve had this boar coming to my feeder regularly (about every other night or so). He comes in at the least opportune time and so I hadn’t planned on doing anything about it. I had offered my nephew the chance at the boar but honestly neither of us are feeling a 1 AM hunt. With that I should also include that my wife and I live in a tiny house (less than 400 SQ ft) and if you are unaware if things are out of place then living becomes increasingly difficult. So, over the weekend I packed up my rifles and put them away until it got cooler. Let’s face it, as many of you have said, hunting in 100 degree weather just isn’t fun. The rifles are accessible but it would take the better part of a half hour to get them out and then I’m back to where I was last week. I keep the 12 gauge out and secured to the wall behind my bedroom door for home defense.

Okay so you’re spun up a little on my situation, things changed this morning. I got photos from my camera of this hog at the feeder at 9PM. This is far more realistic for me or my nephew. Granted the hog isn’t patterned at 9 but I am confident that’s the way he’s moving. The pig is rather large, I would say he’s pushing 200# (I’ll try and post a picture) and I’m not entirely sure I want to shoot him late and then go through the process of cleaning him. That laborious task gets worse thinking I would have to dig out a rifle and go through the process of putting it back. So, I’ve decided if I’m gonna do this I’m going to take him with the 12 gauge.

Through my extensive 1 hour of google (honestly I understand this isn’t researched) , I have decided that either 3shot or rifle slug will do the trick. There’s debate on shot placement though. Some say, 3 shot forward of the shoulder and others say slug to the neck / head / spine. I’m sure either will do the trick but kind of just want some reassurance.

The shot will be within 15 yards. Any advice on shot placement and round would be appreciated.

slug or buckshot to the head will definitely work

Go to www.dixieslugs.com and order the Tri-Ball Buckshot.

Tri-Ball Buckshot is the King Of Buckshot. If not that, then any full power slugs you can find right now, I like Brennekes the best.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

I've done it with Federal Premium, 2-3/4", 9 pellet Buckshot, Flight Control Wad. It's 1325 FPS.

This shot uses a wad that does not flare out, but stays in tact giving you a very tight pattern and hits like a truck. Shoot it through a modified choke or you'll deform the wad. Use it, with a modified choke and that hog will drop right there at that range. Put your bead on his ear, pull down and back about 6". At 15 yards your pattern will be somewhere between a baseball and a softball.

#inthaface

Here are some shotgun vids, all slug shots, I think...

Regular buckshot to the head will work fine.

If the slugs will shoot accurately, use them, otherwise use 00 buck. Body shots on hogs are bad news. I'd suggest aiming for the middle of the neck which should be an easy target; either that, or aim for the head as others have suggested. Don't over think things: point then shoot.

15 pellet 00 Buckshot on the left, .600 Tri-Ball Buckshot on the right.

Comparison of Tri-Ball Buckshot to Winchester 3 Inch Magnum 00 from company website - http://www.dixieslugs.com/images/Dixie_Triball_vs.pdf

Just my 00isnoteveninthesamehemisphere .02,
LeonCarr

Went the slug route and got some Remington Premier Expander. They came highly rated and apparently do some damage. I wasn’t expecting them to run 12-15 a box for 5 shells. I was hoping he would come back last night at 9 PM like he did the night prior but he didn’t show up until 4 AM this morning. This has thrown me for a loop because this is the latest he’s ever showed up. He’s made a habit of being there sometime between 11 and 1 so the 9 PM threw me but he’s gradually been showing up earlier and earlier, starting at 1 a few months ago and just steadily working his way toward 11. This morning he showed up at 4AM, makes me wonder how his pattern is changing. Hopefully he’s back in routine tonight, tomorrow and friday, I want to get up there Friday and drop him.

With that said...anyone want this thing?

I hope to try 00 buck in two weeks on a sounder of hogs that are coming in pretty regular.

My picture got turned lol.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

Dixie Tri-Ball is king...no doubt about it. But Lord...it has recoil too.

At the distance the OP is talking about....plain 3" 00 buck will do just fine.

I love the Dixie's but they are punishing and I'm not particularly recoil sensitive.

IME the only shotgun shell that has more recoil than the 3" Tri-Ball is the 3.5" Tri-Ball. Basically the 3" payload plus another 50-75 fps.

IME the 3.5 inch load shoots tighter in 3.5 inch chambered guns than the 3 inch load. Yeah they kick, but you will never feel undergunned with a 12 Gauge shotgun loaded with Tri-Ball.

I dare animals to walk within 75 yards of me when loaded with Tri-Ball. Tri-Ball patterns at 15 yards range from one hole to cloverleafs.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

nice.

This boar must have an account on the forum and knew I was looking for that [censored] last night. He came in but he came in at 3 AM. Wonder what’s got him to changing his pattern.

On the slugs, full choke? Rifled choke? Rifled slug gun barrel?

Don’t use a full

The last time I was really bored and read the wording on the outside of a box of Remington Sluggers it said, "Rifled Slugs may be fired through any choke, but Improved Cylinder is best". Depending on the slug diameter and your bore and choke dimensions, Full Choke might be the most accurate. The only way to know is to Choot Em.

With that being said, certain slugs may require rifled choke tubes or rifled barrels for best performance, or the slugs are of such large diameter or hardened alloy that shooting it through a choked barrel could cause damage. Read and heed the warnings on the box.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

Can't pattern hogs. Good luck getting it.

I thought a rifled slug barrel was the best- you need slugs for a rifled barrel but I recently read that the rifled choke tubes are almost as good.

His pattern may be the same as it was, but hogs don't wear watches.

I have the winchester 1897 clone, might be a shoulder crusher

I have 3 boxes of the 3" Tri Ball loads, only shot one. I'm saving them to give to someone that needs the snot kicked out of em!

They definitely do that. Especially in a lightweight pump shotgun. I'm not recoil sensitive, never have been, but I save the Tri-Balls for very select targets.

I'm not going to risk detached retinas and losing fillings in my teeth over some small pig.