FAL for Kentucky wild hogs?

[JasonB]

Has anyone got any experience with using their FAL for wild hogs? Buddy and I are looking in to some places to hunt them here in KY and were wondering if .308 would work on hogs and/or if std. bullet types(I have Winchester 150gr Power Point Factory and Sierra 150gr BTSP's on hand) would be sufficient to take one down fast or if we needed to use something along the lines of a Nosler Partition or bonded core type bullet?

Thanks,
Jason

[Temp]

As far as I can determine, the only concentration of wild hogs in Kentucky are to be found in Big South Fork National Recreation Area in McCreary County. Most will be found south of the Laurel Ridge Road which runs along the crest of Peters Mountain. (It's really not much of a road. A healthy 4 wheel drive evhicle is necessary for travel on most of it)

I hunted wild hogs there for 5 consecutive years with no luck. Reason being, it's only legal to hunt the hogs in Big South Fork during deer season and it's illegal to run them with dogs.

I called the conservation officer for the area before I went down there the first year. I asked him if there was enough wild hogs in the area to warrent hunting them. His answer was yes,... there's plenty of wild hogs but at the first sound of shots during opening day of season, they head for the river.

I thought, "No problem!,... I'll just go to the river!"

Lemme tell ya,... you've got to want to go to the river REAL bad to get there from Peter's Mountain. (that's as far as you can drive) The terrain is very rough and the farther you go the rougher it gets. You'll need a topography map and a compass or you will definitely get lost.

I don't mean to discourage you, but hog hunting in Kentucky is tough. Many hunters converge on the Peters Mountain area for deer hunting and in the 5 years that I hunted there I heard of no one getting a hog. You're not going to enjoy carrying a FAL on the hike to the river. I hunted with a rifle the first two years then opted for a Ruger Superblackhawk for the other three years.

[JasonB]

I had heard about Peter's Mountain and that is about an hour south of me. Thanks for the heads up on the reg's as the KDFWR guide was a bit vague on the specifics other than contacting the Big South Fork office(always love the disclaimer in the KDFWR printed manual about just being a "summary" and needing to contact KDFWR for info?!?!?.) Not sure about the terrain as we tend to be gluttons for punishment:)

Thanks,
Jason

[wt]

A .308 placed in neck will bring down the biggest of hogs. I would never use an FMJ on a deer or other game animals, but I have had very clean kills on 2 piggys in the 250# range with Aussie surplus (one with a FAL and one with an Ishapore Enfield).

...it's only legal to hunt the hogs in Big South Fork during deer season and it's illegal to run them with dogs...

I think that is a shame. Feral hogs are an introduced species that reproduce very quickly and compete with native species for food. If not kept in check, their populations can grow very quickly and cause problems. The Texas Parks and Wildlife department realizes this and has declared open season on them. They are not protected in any way. You do not even have to have a hunting license if you are hunting on your own land or on the behalf of a landowner.

[tiredoldlion]

..................................we tend to be gluttons for punishment ...................
With that way of thinking come on over and Hunt Hogs with us "no lisence required" Dogs are legal,use any gun,.............................................. .........
And there is Snow cover now, should make it a little easier.....

[ricochet]

I shot 5 Texas wild hogs a few weeks back using an FAL and FMJ ammo (German DAG ammo) it took about 1.5" of skull away on exit, shot all 5 below the ear and none felt anything. Out of deer season, I prefer my FAL rifles, but when the shots might be long and a big buck is possible, I'll carry a big bolt gun. Not that the FAL and proper ammo will not take deer (they will). I just feel better if hunting deer with an overkill magnum. You cannot kill anything TOO dead. I REALLY DO NOT CARE IF I BLOODSHOT SOME MEAT AND WASTE A FEW POUNDS, I do not like wounding deer. And I try to place my shots as well as anyone, but shit happens.
I watched a buddies video yesterday. He planned on shooting a doe and carried a 223 bolt gun (he had dropped his proven 25-06). Sadly, his buddy said it had 6 rounds in it. Well, a 25-25" HEAVY HORNED big whitetail walked out. He shot it, it went down (A VERY,VERY GOOD DEER). It was laying there, he voiced, I'm shooting him again (it was laying there) you could see the bullet strike it. 200 Yards+-. He videoed for 5 minutes and then the buck stood up, he tried another shot, the thing was empty,click.
That buck stood there shaking it's head and then it's tail. Minutes later it just walked away. What a waste. He looked for it for days, I'm sure he killed it, but it lived suffering for a while. A beautifull animal wasted. Not a hog, this deer was B&C, was a great animal. It now feeds the buzzards.

The moral, hit'em hard. Carry a rifle proven to you, and have extra ammo. I always prefer one shot one kill, but stuff happens. Take the shot you are confident with, but make it humane. That deer suffered and died for naught. Was a really nice deer.

[wt]

With that way of thinking come on over and Hunt Hogs with us "no lisence required" Dogs are legal,use any gun


tiredoldlion,

You have the message correct. Pigs have all but over-run my part of the country. I walk my little piece of land and see 2-3 sets of hog tracks for every one sign of deer. At the rate they reproduce, hunting will not put a dent in their population. That is why the biologist down here have recommended on open season on them and the Texas Parks and Wildlife has encouraged their decimation with policy. Think about it this way, do you think the state would lose the potential income produced from the sale of hunting licenses by allowing folks to kill them without a hunting license if there wasn't a problem?