Don Roley said:
I have always wanted to go wild boar shooting with handguns. Massaad Ayoob recomended it IIRC. When I visited Catalina Island in Claifornia, I remember hearing something about wild boars that were allowed to be hunted, but I could not find out any information about the legalities in time to do anything about it.
John Bishop, as someone who has gone after both boars and rabbits, what are the differences between the two? The strengths and weaknesses of both? I would think that rabbits would be faster and harder to hit, but less chance of injury and thus less adreneline. Is that correct or do you feel the same while hunting both?
The challenge of bow or handgun hunting any species is the fact that they all have far superior senses then humans. Their hearing and sense of smell is very acute. And their eyesight is telescopic, although only black and white. So you have to stalk into shooting range without being detected by the animal. You wear clothing that breaks up your outline. You move slowly and quietly with the wind in your face. You move when the animal is not looking in your direction. You make sure there are not other animals that will see your stalk and flush, thus warning your prey. The last 100 yards of a stalk may take a hour or so, depending how open the area is. Each step you check to make sure your not stepping on a dry leaf, twig, or pebble that will make noise. When the animal lifts it's head from eating, or looks your way, you freeze. Because they only see in black and white, they may not be able to tell your human if you have good camoflage, and a good background behind you. So they will stare at you for several minutes to see if you move. Deer will snort, or stamp their feet trying to make you move. Eventually they'll either go back to eating, or move on if they suspect your human or preditor.
Of course rabbits, like most non-preditors pose no risk to the hunter. They do have very good senses. One thing they will do that many large animals won't, is to freeze and try to blend into the background, hoping the hunter will walk by without seeing them. And I believe that hunters probably walk past 5-6 rabbits for every one they flush, or spot before it flushes.
Pigs are considered idea game for bow and handgun hunters, because of their poor eyesight. They have excellent hearing and smell, but their eyesight for stationary objects is weak. But they can detect movement very well at long and short distances. And if they see you move they'll run, even though they may not know what you are.
Most times a boar charges he's just trying to leave the area, and dosen't see the hunter between him and where he wants to go. But if you corner one or wound one, and they do see you, they will charge swinging their head side to side. They don't actually try to bite you, but since their tusks protrude outside their jaws they can swing their head and slice you. (Much like a escrimador) Their tusks are razor sharp and will cut thru your pants and slice you at about calf height.
Anyway, it's very rare that hunters get cut by boars, but they do kill hunting dogs quite often when they're cornered.
) Ruger Blackhawk .45 Long Colt. Though I don't know much about handguns... The blackhawk is a pretty nice firing gun (atleast the .45 LC) The .44 mag has to be pretty sweet.
