From: ems@michael.apple.com (E. Michael Smith)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Pig hunting
Date: 28 Aug 92 02:36:41 GMT
Organization: Apple Computer Inc.

This is the last thing I'm going to post on the 'pig hunting' theme
since is has strayed FAR from anything having to do with houses...

This is a copy of something posted to rec.guns (and if anyone wants
to talk any more about pig hunting techniques equipment and laws, I'd
suggest taking the discussion to one of the hunting groups or rec.guns
as a next to last resort...)

Mike

*** BEGIN QUOTED MATERIAL ***

In article <1992Aug22.030015.3876@access.digex.com> dougnews@access.digex.com (D
oug Humphrey) writes:
#
###     - A gun to bring backpacking for protection against bears and
###       general personal defense in the backcountry
#
#Bazooka?  GAU-8?  40mm grenades?  Actually, a 12 guage shotgun with
#slugs might be just the ticket for wandering around in bear country.
#Anyone ever hear of these being used on our big brown friends? Not
#for offensive hunting (longer range) but for defensive action
#(short range and getting shorter fast!)

My only experience with bears was to let one eat my lunch while
I stayed up in the tree. However, let me relate a pig hunting
experience that might apply. In my younger days I thought it
exciting to hunt wild pigs on an abandoned WWII army base near
my home. Mostly these were domestic hogs that had escaped to
the wild, but there were a few European wild boars that some
thoughtful sportsman had imported and set free.

I was making my way down a game trail in fairly heavy brush
when I turned a corner and spotted a large hog. The hog spotted
me at about the same time and immediately charged. The animal
was a 300 pound cross breed of Poland China and European boar.
I was carrying my 12 gauge Remington Mod 11 loaded with 5 rounds
of 00 buck and commenced fire. As the range closed rapidly from
an initial 10 yards, I could see dust fly from the hide of the
hog with each solid hit. But the hog didn't slow in the least.
Finally I had to fend the hog off with the empty shotgun while
drawing my early model Ruger 44 Blackhawk. I dispatched the
hog with a single shot to the head from literally arm's length.
The barrel of the revolver was touching the hog's head at
discharge, and smoke and blood came out of the hog's ears.
It dropped like a stone at my feet.

The moral of this story is twofold. First, enraged animals
are hard to stop. Second, a shotgun isn't a wonderful stopper,
even when loaded with buckshot. It should be noted that we
routinely slaughtered hogs on the farm and dispatched them
with a single .22 round to the head. They dropped instantly.
But this maddened boar was having none of that. When I dressed
him out, I found 15 shot in him, two piercing his lungs and
four in his head. My advice is to leave the nice bears alone,
or carry serious artillery.

Gary

*** END QUOTED MATERIAL ***

Now you see why I'm reluctant to suggest using a single crossbow to 
defend against a charging pig ...

If you can't carry at least a .44 Magnum, avoid the pig...

To bring this at least marginally back to houses:

Remember that you have to be at least 150 yards from an occupied
dwelling to use a gun in hunting in California.  Houses just don't
stop bullets very well.  They will go right through a wall (exterior
sheething, insulation, wallboard, etc) and another and another and ...
if they are a serious hunting round.

Even cinder block (aka concrete block) doesn't do it.  They will stop
some of the light stuff, but not the likes of a 30-'06 hunting round.


-- 

E. Michael Smith  ems@apple.COM

'Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.  Boldness has
 genius, power and magic in it.'  -  Goethe

I am not responsible nor is anyone else.  Everything is disclaimed.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house