Pig hunting in Georgia...

[bassinman215]

So here's the deal. I have never hunted before and know very little about it. I'm planning on being Georgia at least another year and a half and would like to get a hog before I'm done with school.

What type of weapon is needed to kill a hog? I see that there is a summer small game period when I can kill them. Looks like I could also kill one during turkey season. Any suggestions? I'm clueless, but would like a start.

I've got two areas in mind to hunt them, either in the Athens area or on the coast near Darien. Any suggestions?


Mike

[bpberry]

I would talk to your buddies locally that know where to go , and the regulations, if you cant get any help here

[champion221elite]

What type and caliber firearms do you currently have?

Try searching the Georgia Fish and Game department website or pick up a copy of their rules and regulations regarding pig hunting. They might list a minimum caliber, or have limitations of certain types of firearms.

[secdawgs]

In the state of GA there is no season they are open game all year long. No baiting, shooting from vehicle or light over 6 volts, unless you have a land owner permit. The permit allows you to bait, shoot from vehicle and use any light you want, but that is between June 1 thru Sept 1. No turkey or deer season then. Hogs can be hunted at night, which is the best time to hunt them, they become nucturnal for the most part when they are hunted. As far as what to shoot, we hunt them with bow and arrow, but for a more affective recovery any deer rifle will do the trick. It gets expensive to hunt them with a bow, Lumenoks and Hawg Sniper Lights can cost you, but the reward is awsome. Find you some good swampy areas, find some trees with the bottoms rubbed and your sure to find the hogs. Good luck to you.

[bassinman215]

Thanks for the tips guys.

I currently own no firearms. I'd like to purchase something large enough to down a hog. I have a ways to go before I'm ready to get out there but was trying to get a place to start.

[champion221elite]

Pretty much any caliber suitable for Deer hunting will work quite well for hunting Wild Pigs. Something in the .243/ 6mm range would be an excellent starting point. Of course, folks have killed hogs with much smaller calibers, but why limit yourself with an underpowered firearm (especially if you're going to buy something anyway).

[Capw]

Use a bow. It's fun shooting anything with archery gear.

[secdawgs]

My buddies from Illinois came in town yesterday and last night killed 4 hogs the first hunt. Three guys hunting one killed a 350 lb boar all with archery. It's a pretty sweat exchange for them to come down here and hog hunt and then return the favor when we go to Illinois to deer hunt, taking one of them to Lake Eufuala in March to try to catch a HAWG.

[Astro Angler]

If you are looking for one I have a rifle that I am selling and am about 45 min away from you at the most. It is a great all around hog and deer rifle if you are interested. email me at kslynn@liberty.edu if so.
Hog hunting is a blast and since we are in GA we are allowed to hunt them year round although if you want the meet you would be wise to hunt and butcher them in the winter time since the meat has issues with it once it get's warm.

[ol man river]

if youre not planning on any long range shooting, i would get a shotgun, use rifled slugs with a red dot sight...change barrels for turkey,wing shooting....get more use out of your purchase.....

remember, the best shot placement when gun hunting hogs is just below and behind the ear.......

[Rawthumb]

I did not read all the responses, but even though there is no closed season, you do need a hunting license. No state misses the opportunity to tax, even if killing a nuisance species.

Hogs taste better when killed on a winter diet than a summer diet, IMO.

Look at WMA's in middle GA, those along the Ocmulgee, and the Altamaha.

Private property would be better if you can find someone with a crop destruction problem.

I have found hogs harder to pattern than deer. They move a lot at night as well. Rather than sitting and waiting on them, I prefer to go to them during the middle of the day where they are resting. That requires advanced scouting. For that type of hunting, the shots will be in some cover and at closer range. My preference is a semi auto 12 gauge with slug barrel and rifled or sabot slugs, open sights.

Alternately, one could set up on a field and hope that they come out to feed, and then you want the right gun for the job. It is hard to say how far you would be shooting, but obviously the closer the better. A .270 is a good flat shooting open field rifle, and a 139 grain bullet seems to be the sweet spot for the caliber. I'm mainly a .30-06 man myself.