Hunting Wild Hogs With a Handgun
Wild hogs may be the most exciting handgun quarry there is: tough, close, sometimes aggressive, and available nearly year-round. They also demand the right bullet.
For many handgun hunters, wild hogs are the most exciting quarry of all. They are widespread and, as an invasive species across much of the country, often huntable year-round with liberal rules. They live in thick cover that suits the handgun’s close-range game, and they are tough, smart, and occasionally aggressive, which makes a hog hunt genuinely thrilling. They also punish the wrong bullet.
Why hogs are great quarry
Hogs offer abundant, accessible hunting and a real test of a handgun hunter. They are frequently found in dense brush where shots are close, exactly the handgun’s domain, and their numbers mean more opportunity than most game provides. For the hunter wanting to use a handgun often, hogs are hard to beat. Always confirm the local rules, which for this invasive species are often generous but still vary.
A tough, shielded animal
A wild hog is built tougher than a deer of the same weight. Mature boars in particular develop a dense shield of cartilage over the shoulders that can stop or deflect a poorly chosen bullet, and their vitals sit a bit lower and more forward than many hunters expect. This toughness is the defining challenge of hog hunting and the reason bullet selection matters so much.
Cartridge and bullet
Hogs reward penetration. A .44 Magnum and up with heavy hard-cast bullets is a proven combination, driving through the shield and into the vitals. Lighter cartridges like the 10mm can work on smaller hogs at close range with tough bullets, but on big boars more penetration is better. Avoid lightly built, fast-expanding bullets that may fail to reach the vitals through heavy bone and gristle.
Shot placement
Aim for the vitals behind and slightly below the point of the shoulder on a broadside hog, accounting for the lower, more forward placement of the heart and lungs. A solid broadside or quartering-away shot with a penetrating bullet is the recipe. As always, stay within your effective range and pass the poor angle.
Close-range safety
Hogs are occasionally aggressive, particularly when wounded or cornered, and hunting them in thick cover at close range raises the stakes. Hunt with awareness of your surroundings and an escape path, keep a clear head, and prioritize a clean first shot. As with all handgun hunting, safety and a disciplined shot come before everything else.