The Best Type of Guns for Pig Hunting in California, plus Info on Hunting Ranches and Public Lands

What is the best pig rifle or pistol?

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The Best Type of Guns for Hog Hunting

Choosing the right gun is always important when you're dealing with dangerous game like wild pigs. The following choices are based on that premise,  we believe these offer the best in terms of value and performance.

Our criteria  includes fast action and heavy enough caliber to stop a charging pig.

We have not  included many bolt action rifles (except for one because it's cheap). We believe a novice hunter might not to be able to get off a second shot fast enough while fumbling around with the bolt action.

 I  know a lot you shooters out there like the SWAT looking rifles  but most of those are in .223 caliber/ NATO 5.56 caliber.

 I don't consider that sufficient enough to stop a large pig as these calibers were originally designed to do  tissue damage than for stopping power.

You can thank the genius thinking of the US government during the Vietnam War for that kind of  application. A wounded soldier causes more confusion and havoc within his outfit than a dead one does, is the basic idea. The original round was even designed to tumble through the flesh  to inflict maximum tissue damage, but it's very light without a lot of shock or stopping power.

But we did find AR that is a .30 caliber semiautomatic assault type weapon that looks cool, shoots fast but uses a heavy round.

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Lever Action Rifles - best for the new hunter or shooter

There's a lot of . 30 caliber lever actions out there, but we like the .444 for its longer-range  and heavier brush busting bullet. We think a lever action is the safest and most effective type of action for a new hunter.

You can keep your eye on the target with your gun on your shoulder while working the action with this gun. The lever action is also more reliable than a semiautomatic action.

Marlin Model 1895 .444

The .444 in the Marlin 1895. This round was developed in this model 40 years ago. It has a maximum range to 250 yards.

If you hunt in the brush, this cartridge has a large enough projectile that won't be affected by small twigs and brush.

Semiautomatic Assault Type Rifle

Just aim and pull the trigger, as fast as you want.  But like we mentioned, we only found one that has a heavy enough caliber for pigs. The .223 caliber found in most AR are not sufficient.

Advanced Armament Corp. 300 BLK

AAC company  not only made the gun that they made the caliber. It is in essence the same as the .30 caliber in size and weight.  It comes with a five round capacity magazine to keep you legal for hunting. Check your state on to how large a capacity magazine you can have for home defense and target shooting

Update:  Smith & Wesson now also offers a AR rifle to fire both 300 and 300AAC BLK offerings.

These AR are good to 200 yards with good stopping power.

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Manufacturer: Advanced Armament Corp.

Bolt  Action Rifles -

Even experienced shooters look a little clumsy working the action rapidly.  It may not be your best bet in a nerve-racking situation. But this is offset by extreme reliability in a wet and sloppy conditions especially. Also the choice of calibers is much broader.

We offer one here because it's hundreds of dollars cheaper than the more fancy guns.

Savage 11/111 Hog Hunter

Savage 11/111 Hog Hunter .338 Winchester

 Savage Arms introduced the bolt action Hog Hunter a few years back. they kept the length of the barrel short at 20 inches,  and it has the plastic roughed up surface for a stock and forearm. So it's great for the brush and hanging on in rough places in the wet. And very durable.

It has a capacity of four rounds and comes in .223 Remington, .308 Winchester, and .338 Winchester.

 Savage Hog Hunter is around  $500, this no  frills weapon is also a lot cheaper than other bolt actions by other manufacturers.

Manufacturer: Savage Arms

Pistols

We like two pistols here, one as a backup for an archer or if you're hunting with dogs to place a finishing shot. The  other you can use for still hunting or hunting from a blind.

 Glock 30 in .45 ACP

Hog hunters using dogs are confronted with situations where the shooting is close in and very hectic. 

A Glock 30 sub-compact in .45 ACP works well.  This is a heavy projectile for one shot kill.  This is a good backup weapon for archers too.

WARNING: Note the trigger has a small secondary protrusion. This is the equivalent of a safety, and I personally detest this innovation. Too easy to grab it or catch it on something and have it go off versus a old style safety.

I believe that deceased mother when shot in Walmart by her toddler (sitting in the shopping cart with access to her purse and weapon) was using a Glock.

Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 Magnum

If you are interested in pig hunting with a pistol  you need at least a .357 magnum. The bigger .44

magnum rounds fired from a longer barrel gives you greater accuracy than the smaller Glock.

 If a pig is considering getting a piece of you, make sure you say "Go ahead and make my day" as soon as possible. Dirty Harry would be proud.

Manufacturer: Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.

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Click on a county for OREGON or CALIFORNIA Hunting Clubs & Private Ranches:

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ALAMEDA	ALPINE	AMADOR	BUTTE	CALVERAS
COLUSA	CONTRA COSTA	EL DORADO	DEL NORTE	FRESNO
GLENN	HUMBOLDT	IMPERIAL	INYO	KERN
LASSEN	LAKE	LOS ANGELES	MARIN	MENDOCINO
MONTEREY	MERCED	NAPA	PLACER	RIVERSIDE
SACRAMENTO	SANTA CLARA	SANTA BARBARA	SAN BERNADINO	SANTA CRUZ
SAN DIEGO	SAN FRANCISCO	SAN JOAQUIN	SAN LUIS OBISPO	SHASTA
SISKIYOU	SOLANO	SONOMA	TEHAMA	TRINITY
YOLO	YUBA	HUNTING AND FISHING MAPS	HUNTING CLUBS &RANCHES  SITE	CONTACT US

Click on a county for OREGON Hunting Clubs & Private Ranches:

COOS HUNTING FISH	GILLIAM HUNTING FISH	GRANT HUNTING FISH	HARNEY HUNTING FISH	HOOD HUNTING FISHING
KLAMATH HUNTING FISH	MORROW HUNTING FISH	SHERMAN HUNTING FISH	ST.HELENS HUNTING FISH	WHEELER HUNTING FISH
HUNTING FISH	HUNTING FISH	HUNTING CLUBS & RANCHES SITE	HUNTING & FISHING MAPS	CONTACT US

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Info on How for track, locate, call, find and hunt Pigs in California, plus Boar on Public Land Hunting, Clubs, and Ranches

  How to Locate and Hunt Pigs in California plus Public Land Hunting, Hunting Clubs, and Ranches 

  We have the maps on our other sites on where to hunt pigs- please click links below or archived blogs to the right to see California pig hunting INFO AND MAPS

                     Big Pig Map  | How to Hunt | Best Guns  | 5 SoCal Maps |  How to Gut, etc.

This post is information about pig behavior and how to locate and hunt them.

Get access to Hunting Clubs and Private ranches for fishing and hunting. Always free with no strings attached to help preserve our Outdoor Heritage. Click on a County for California or Oregon Hunting or fishing on Public Lands, Hunting Clubs and Private Hunting Ranches

Hog Behavior and Habits

Intelligence is what makes pigs a great sporting challenge. Many studies have indicated Boar are more

intelligent than canines, just behind dolphins and various primates.

 Despite much hunting directed at them they can adapt and thrive. In many areas they have learned to hunker down and are only out just after sundown and at night.

 Hogs are mobile and active. When out and about, hogs are almost always moving or cavorting amongst themselves. You.have to be ready to take a shot quickly unless they are engaged in rooting or some other feeding.

Boar have extremely poor vision which does help your stalk. But if you are upwind, they can literally

smell you from miles away. It is their greatest asset and they have very good hearing to boot.

You literally can't stalk them unless you come from the right direction, wind-wise.

 

Pigs are prolific breeders,  in fact they are not restricted to being in season like other mammals. A sow is fertile within a half-year after birth, and can have up  to 3 litters per year!

If you see a solitary pig it is almost certainly a Boar looking for new available sows. Boars fight frequently for mating dominance as a result. You need to keep your ears open for the squealing and

sounds of these confrontations.

On this subject Boars have natural thick shoulder and back cartilage that is augmented by scarring tissue.Your weaponry and butchering equipment need to be able to handle this. A small ax and pliers comes in handy.

Their large teeth and aggressive nature is something to keep in mind when dealing with these animals. When wounded they can attack you without hesitation.

Sows remain together with other sows and piglets nearly all the time. They are dutiful mothers and breeders. They are rarely as large as males but do have tusks, just not as large as the boars. Try not to shoot a brooding female with piglets to keep the hunting stock numerous.

How to Locate Wild Pigs

Hogs are very sensitive to temperature. Like canines, pigs lack the ability to lose heat by sweating. They have a very high metabolism, too, so in hot weather look for water and cover, that's where you will find the pigs.

You should find wallow holes -indentations in muddy areas- where the pigs seek to cool off and also get a mud coating on their skin. You can imagine how lovely they appear.

In real hot weather, they really hunker down in the thickest stuff  they can find so the early mornings or late evening is prime time for hunting. Hunting during the fall and spring is probably the best time, especially when the acorns drop in the fall.

Tracking Pigs

Once you think you have found good habitat,  now look for  pig tracks or hoof prints. They are almost circular, blunt and are indentated in the front. They differentiate from deer track's  pointed ends.

Tracking the hoof print is the best way to find pigs. If you wait until after a rain to hunt your job will get easier. Once you find lots of pig activity, make concentric circles, while quietly creeping along, making them narrower each time.

Pigs are far vision challenged but their ears and scent powers are better than deer, so it is still a challenge. If they are distracted by feeding or socializing, you can get with 50 yards without being noticed as long as the wind cooperates.

Look for  the aforementioned wallowing holes and also they like to rub on trees to relieve an itch, often leaving traces of fur.

If you ever have looked around the base of an oak tree in the spring, you will see evidence of how they use their snouts to dig.

Trail identification: Most critters make angle trails going up hill, but our piggish friends most often go straight up a steep hill.

Their spoor or droppings are clumpy and use a stick to dissect the dropping, and perhaps you can ascertain what -and where - they have been eating.

 

 

Other Ways to Hunt Pigs

Hunt using a stand or blind

Utilizing a blind to hunt pigs is a viable choice, but not necessarily the best one on account of the pig's highly mobile nature. Hunting from a blind is good choice, however, if you know the area well.

•Locate a spot around food or water source,

•Remember wind direction as a critical factor

•Purchase a pig call that mimics a immature pig

 

How to use a Pig Call 

1. Select the Right Call: There are various pig calls available on the market, ranging from electronic calls to mouth calls. Choose a call that mimics the sound of piglets or distressed pigs, as these can attract curious or protective adult pigs.

2. Understand Pig Behavior: Pigs are naturally curious animals and may investigate unfamiliar sounds in their territory. They are also protective of their young and may respond aggressively to distress calls from piglets.

3. Choose the Right Location: Set up your calling position in an area with known pig activity, such as near water sources, feeding areas, or well-used trails. Look for signs of recent pig activity, such as tracks, droppings, or wallow holes.

4. Concealment: Ensure that you are well concealed and downwind from the direction you expect the pigs to approach. Pigs have an excellent sense of smell, so it's crucial to minimize your scent and avoid being detected.

5. Use Decoys: Consider using pig decoys along with your calls to make the setup more realistic. Decoys can attract pigs' attention and draw them closer to your position.

6. Be Patient and Quiet: Once you've set up your calling position, be patient and avoid making unnecessary noise. Pigs may take some time to respond to the calls, so stay alert and ready for action.

Take your Best Shot

Shoot straight. You need to shoot pretty low on the shoulder, or put another way, shoot high on the leg, but just behind and slightly above where the leg hits the animal's body.  You want to target the heart, or the brain, just below and a little forward of its ear.

Pigs can run a long time with little blood trail if hit by a lung shot, so use extra caution. They are also dangerous when wounded and will often attack.

If you can't find the shot animal, it is your duty to locate it, it is unethical to not do so. Once you’ve shot the wild pig, there’s a good chance that it won’t go down immediately. They are not heavy bleeders usually, but look for blood on brush or high grass as well as the ground. Foaming blood is a lung shot, brownish is a liver shot, deep red is a cardio area shot.

But always exercise caution, they can be on you in a split second. Even a downed pig is not to be approached recklessly.

See our blog "How to Field Dress a Pig" and "Hunting Areas in California" in  "Archived Posts" to the right.

Our other post have maps where to find pigs:

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Happy Hunting!

Click on a county for OREGON or CALIFORNIA Hunting Clubs & Private Ranches:

 www.ranchhuntandfish.com

ALAMEDA	ALPINE	AMADOR	BUTTE	CALVERAS
COLUSA	CONTRA COSTA	EL DORADO	DEL NORTE	FRESNO
GLENN	HUMBOLDT	IMPERIAL	INYO	KERN
LASSEN	LAKE	LOS ANGELES	MARIN	MENDOCINO
MONTEREY	MERCED	NAPA	PLACER	RIVERSIDE
SACRAMENTO	SANTA CLARA	SANTA BARBARA	SAN BERNADINO	SANTA CRUZ
SAN DIEGO	SAN FRANCISCO	SAN JOAQUIN	SAN LUIS OBISPO	SHASTA
SISKIYOU	SOLANO	SONOMA	TEHAMA	TRINITY
YOLO	YUBA	HUNTING AND FISHING MAPS	HUNTING CLUBS &RANCHES  SITE	CONTACT US

Click on a county for OREGON Hunting Clubs & Private Ranches:

COOS HUNTING FISH	GILLIAM HUNTING FISH	GRANT HUNTING FISH	HARNEY HUNTING FISH	HOOD HUNTING FISHING
KLAMATH HUNTING FISH	MORROW HUNTING FISH	SHERMAN HUNTING FISH	ST.HELENS HUNTING FISH	WHEELER HUNTING FISH
HUNTING FISH	HUNTING FISH	HUNTING CLUBS & RANCHES SITE	HUNTING & FISHING MAPS	CONTACT US

County by County look at California and Oregon Hunting and Fishing Public Lands and Private Ranches and Clubs

www.ranchhuntandfish.com

www.ranchhuntandfish.com

This post provides comprehensive information on locating and hunting pigs in California, covering both public lands and private hunting clubs and hunting ranches. It highlights pig behavior, emphasizing their intelligence, mobility, and breeding habits, making them a challenging target. The post offers insights into pig behavior, including their sensitivity to temperature, preference for water and cover, and feeding patterns. Tracking pigs through hoof prints, wallow holes, and other signs is discussed, along with various hunting techniques such as using stands or blinds and utilizing pig calls. Additionally, the post offers guidance on shot placement and emphasizes the importance of ethical hunting practices. Access to hunting maps and resources is provided, empowering hunters for a successful pig hunting experience in California's diverse landscapes.