Didn't find blood but it was dark and I didn't have a good light. Too much on the front shoulder? Shooting 168gr Hornady Black Amax? Should I have aimed at head or neck instead? While the rifle moved with recoil, thought I held still enough for the shot?

Didn’t realize the video was so dark. He is the last image before the recoil moved the video.

Assuming the bullet went right where the cross hairs were at the sound of the shot then thats a dead pig and he probably went less than 100 yards. I NEVER use blood as a indicator of a hit or a miss on a pig, especially larger pigs. Large boars dont always bleed and that one looked pretty big. Cant tell you how many pigs I have killed over the years that left zero blood behind but I was confident I made a solid hit and continued to search until I found the pig. If that Amax made it through the shoulder thats a dead pig. I know those bullets are made to expand quick, so if something went wrong then thats where I would place the blame.

Doubtful that was a 'shoulder' shot.

Too low and too far forward IMO.

168 grain bullet from what cartridge?




Whenever you have a broadside shot on a mature hog.....ALWAYS strive for a high shoulder shot OR middle of neck. Either of these are CNS shots and will generally drop the animal right there (assuming enough GUN).

Was using .308. Pig is just limping now?

No, most likely a broken upper foreleg....probably not survivable.

Broken legs in the lower extremities often times become necrotic and fall off. But the pig survives and still gets around surprisingly well.

It happens, you do your best.

The reason I advocate for center of neck shots or high shoulder is it allows the greatest room for error... but still makes a killing shot and immediately incapacitates the hog.

A lot of folks suggest a 'head shot'....aiming for the brain pan or occipital joint (where the spine meets the back of the skull), but these are relatively small targets and the head is often moving. Not saying never take those shots....but be sure of your weapons accuracy and your own shooting ability.

Other times folks will shoot a pig as you would a Deer (aiming behind the shoulder). This WILL kill the animal but the lungs and heart of a hog are bit farther forward and chances are excellent the animal will run quite a ways before they die from that wound.

Add to that....a pig might not leave a blood trail at all....or if so, it can be a LONG way away.

So when presented with an opportunity to take a center neck shot (just forward of the shoulder) take that. Your .308 also allows for center to high shoulder shots with good results (proper bullet construction assumed).

If I were betting man....I'd say you killed that pig. That's good enough for me.

At minimum sore ribs. Yup, too low. To me, looked too far back. Unless a lung or heart shot, not much blood. Gut shot one (dead) at close range with 30/30. just some green stuff leaked out. Texas heart shot with 40sw, took out left front leg and destroyed lower jw. Still ran 100 yds., only very little blood on some weeds.

A lot of movement, looks like you never settled into the shot. Your crosshairs were on the way down when you pulled the trigger. I’d guess you hit a little lower than your POA depending on your breathing. If you did hit POA, it looks like he was a shade quartering away, which looks like it would’ve put the exit in front of opposite shoulder. Probably dead by now, just ran for awhile. 6” higher and that pig would’ve been dead not far from where he stood.

A high shoulder shot on a deer is great, but on a pig I no longer go for that kind of shot. Yes it will drop them in thier tracks but with the vitals of a pig being lower and farther forward than a deer you rarely get a clean kill. I have walked up on to many pigs that are still alive from high shoulder shots that need to be finished with a pistol.

Someone mentioned the pig being quartering away and after watching it several times that could very well be the case. If that was a broad side shot though then you got heart and lungs and its a dead pig.

Just from reading your posts I know you are experienced, FWIW though, a quality shooting tripod will take all that movement out of your hold. You might have one already and for whatever reason couldn't use it on this one, but in case you haven't hunted with one, they are really nice.

I recently shot one, was off kilter due to a number of reasons to include several wasp nests in one window and I ended up taking a free hand body angled shot that I knew hit the sow but she trotted off. No second shot due to the above mentioned wasp nests. I thought I would go see what I could find as far as blood...saw none. Kept walking where I thought she went...about 60 yards away I see her laying down looking dead. Watched for chest rise and didn't see anything, so I started to approach. As I got within about 15 yards, she kicked up and ran off.

Being that she was laying so close to where she was hit, i figured that is now a dead hog but they are tough and will run off even with good shots sometimes. I rarely if ever get a blood trail on a hog. When I use a crossbow yes, but with guns, rare.

Shot looked low to me