Wild Boar Spot and Stalk: With or Without a Scope?

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  • What do you prefer for spot and stalk hunts?


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    Bapak2ja

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    Dec 17, 2009
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    I would appreciate the insights of the experienced boar hunters on the forum about the use of a scope while stalking. I have two questions.

    1. What do you hog hunting experts do? Do you carry iron sights when you spot and stalk or do you use your scope?

    2. What is your reasoning for your choice?
     

    natdscott

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    Do you mean true Spot-and-Stalk? Or do you mean walking around and hoping to get a jump shot? There's a big difference between the two. Stalking an animal in a known location is far easier than just stalking space like I do still hunting.

    I don't know if I am 'experienced' at boar, but I have hunted them, and I've hunted a LOT of other things up close and personal.

    1) I am pretty good with irons. I still use a scoped rifle in the woods. The scope CHOICE is the difference, and by that I mean the field of view it makes available at low power. This nonsense of scopes whose magnification range starts at 3 or 4 (or higher) is absolute lunacy when it comes to shooting quickly in the brush.

    In my opinion, a maximum of 2x should be considered acceptable as the low end of your chosen optic, if you intend to do this kind of thing.

    The short rifle I use for that kinda thing wears a simple 2-7x33 Leupold. I lose maybe 5-10 minutes of late evening shooting, but it's plenty worth it for the light, handy optic.

    It's not as fast as a dot (which are, incidentally, way faster than most irons), and is slower than I am with aperture irons, but not by much.

    My FAVORITE mag range for short range is actually 1.5-6x. I consider short range anything from contact to about 400 yards, and on animals the size of coyotes, hogs, and deer, 6-7x is PLENTY of magnification for those range shots.

    I have spent a lot of time teaching my muscles to bring my scopes to my eye on target and ready to roll. That's done in practice and drilling and dry-fire.

    -Nate
     
    Last edited:

    Bapak2ja

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    Do you mean true Spot-and-Stalk? Or do you mean walking around and hoping to get a jump shot? There's a big difference between the two. Stalking an animal in a known location is far easier than just stalking space like I do still hunting.

    I don't know if I am 'experienced' at boar, but I have hunted them, and I've hunted a LOT of other things up close and personal.

    1) I am pretty good with irons. I still use a scoped rifle in the woods. The scope CHOICE is the difference, and by that I mean the field of view it makes available at low power. This nonsense of scopes who's magnification range starts at 3 or 4 (or higher) is absolute lunacy when it comes to shooting quickly in the brush.

    In my opinion, a maximum of 2x should be considered acceptable as the low end of your chosen optic, if you intend to do this kind of thing.

    The short rifle I use for that kinda thing wears a simple 2-7x33 Leupold. I lose maybe 5-10 minutes of late evening shooting, but it's plenty worth it for the light, handy optic.

    It's not as fast as a dot (which are, incidentally, way faster than most irons), and is slower than I am with aperture irons, but not by much.

    My FAVORITE mag range for short range is actually 1.5-6x. I consider short range anything from contact to about 400 yards, and on animals the size of coyotes, hogs, and deer, 6-7x is PLENTY of magnification for those range shots.

    I have spent a lot of time teaching my muscles to bring my scopes to my eye on target and ready to roll. That's done in practice and drilling and dry-fire.

    -Nate

    Thanks for the information. It is very helpful.
     

    snapping turtle

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    I have a dedicated still hunting rifle. Lever action 44 mag. Short barrel. Peep sight as backup to a scout scope.
    Ii is Brooklyn scout based of coopers principles but lacks the true firepower of coopers concepts.

    Scout scopes are not for everyone. For me when it comes to jump shooting a buck or pig when you see it and it sees you: you normally have 15 seconds max to decide to shoot, get on sight, make a good shot. The scout scope does this best for me. On a lever action it allows you to carry a lever like a lever should be carried. Heavy snow or heavy rain the scout comes off and I use peeps. Snow and heavy rain seem to effect the scout.

    On anything other than a lever rifle I would look at the ultralight Leopold 2.5 a go. If the scout concept does not work for you (eye sight issues ect) then the ultralight about the same. Big game (dangerous) professional guides use very low mag scopes often for kill shots backup of the paying hunter.

    No real need for major magnifying power for most of my hunting. Few animals have been taken over 100 yards and if I am in a bean field stand on an afternoon I can use a gun with a high power scope. Normally my first couple days are spent in a stand and the rest is on foot still hunting. True still hunting is a skill few have the time to master.
     

    Brad69

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    I have hunted wild pig while stationed at Ft.Polk,LA.

    They do not follow set patterns unless on a feeder very unpredictable animals. Pigs have excellent hearing and better sight than most prey animals. I used a Ruger .44 auto with open sights.

    btw I would think a red dot would be the ticket?
     

    natdscott

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    Oh, and I forgot another thing about scopes.

    Unlike with irons, even a low magnification optic presents you with a LOT more ability to visually penetrate the green wall.

    -Nate
     

    KJQ6945

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    I am by no means an expert, but I recently went. I primarily hunted with a thermal scope, that the minimum magnifacation is 9 times. While it is awesome for scanning a large field at several hundred yards, it would be pretty worthless up close and personal.

    The solution I went with, for the over magnification, was to bring along a SBR with a red dot. It was a whole lot easier to carry around while looking for downed or wounded pigs. I just kept it in the side by side or the truck, until needed.
     

    yetti462

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    Depends on the cover you are hunting. Around me when we drive them or spot and stalk thickets, my go to is a open sighted 45/70. If the cover is thin and you can spot them 100+ yds away, Id have a scope. Hogs hold tight in cover and I've shot them as close as 10 yards. Scope at 10yds is not useful.
     

    two70

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    IMO, the only reason to use iron sights would be for nostalgia or to add additional challenge. A low power scope or a red dot are both better options if you simply want to put some pork on the ground.

    Depends on the cover you are hunting. Around me when we drive them or spot and stalk thickets, my go to is a open sighted 45/70. If the cover is thin and you can spot them 100+ yds away, Id have a scope. Hogs hold tight in cover and I've shot them as close as 10 yards. Scope at 10yds is not useful.

    I used a scope set on 3x to drop a pig running flat out at about 7 yards without any problem. Considering the size, or lack thereof, of that pig, the scope was very useful. :D
     

    yetti462

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    IMO, the only reason to use iron sights would be for nostalgia or to add additional challenge. A low power scope or a red dot are both better options if you simply want to put some pork on the ground.



    I used a scope set on 3x to drop a pig running flat out at about 7 yards without any problem. Considering the size, or lack thereof, of that pig, the scope was very useful. :D

    You don't understand the term "thicket".
     

    two70

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    You don't understand the term "thicket".

    Lol, apparently you don't know how thick palmettos typically are. I have hunted everywhere from grown up southern Indiana clearcuts and blow downs to the south Texas brush country with a scope and never had a problem. IF you know how to use a scope and have it set properly, it is far superior to iron sights for both shooting quickly and in the thick stuff.
     

    Sniper 79

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    I have hunted them in TN and FL. The FL dudes swear by 30-30 lever actions with irons as the best tool for the job.

    I myself don't own a gun without a scope and am without a doubt a scope guy. I used my AR with the scope dialed back to 3 power. Was able to double tap hog on the run and the 50mm objective was easy to shoot both eyes open. Acquiring the target is quick. However a scopes downside is not being able to see the reticle on a black hog in any type of low light woodsy area. I had to pull up on the horizon and find my reticle then drop back down and pinch the shot.

    I cant vote either way. Its a personal choice and what you feel most confident with. We killed a bunch and used a bunch of different stuff for fun. Old smith 38spl off the side of the swamp buggy, 12ga 870 with slugs, rifles with scopes. Dead is dead and it doesn't matter what you hit them with or how you do it.

    If I was leaving tomorrow to hunt them again I would grab for my 20ga smooth bore pump gun with slugs for up close stuff and my AR for longer shots. Absolutly have a pistol to finish one off if need be or if things get nutty.
     

    roscott

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    I've only ever used knives for hogs. :dunno:

    But a lever action with buckhorn sights is pretty fast, in my opinion. A red dot would likely be faster, but then you don't get to feel like Doc Holliday.
     
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