Wild boar hunting is truly the most popular choice of hunters worldwide. But the question is: how can you hunt a boar successfully? Wild boars tend to reproduce, which is not a problem for hunters and nature lovers.
Hunting this species can help maintain balance in our forests, especially since it is known to have caused damage to farmers’ crops. However, hunting is a discipline that requires respect for the animal. Hunting in a reckless or abusive manner is unwise and could lead to legal consequences.
How to Hunt a Boar – Step by Step
Now let’s see how to hunt a boar in our step-by-step guide…
1. Choose Your Weapon
If you’ve decided to hunt wild boar, you’ll need to consider the weapon that will be most effective for you. Choosing the right caliber is crucial; it needs to be powerful enough to take down such a muscular and robust animal. Additionally, your choice of weapon will impact the effective shooting distance, so selecting wisely will ensure you’re well-prepared for the hunt.
While it may sound unconventional, a pistol should never be your primary weapon for hunting, but it can be useful in emergencies—you never know what nature might throw at you. For situations where a sidearm is necessary, a powerful caliber like a .44 Magnum, .454, or even a .50 can be a solid choice.
Shotguns are a popular choice for hunters, but they have a limited range, requiring you to be close to your target. For smaller boars, a 20-gauge shotgun is sufficient, but for larger boars, a 12-gauge is more appropriate.
Rifles, arguably, are the hunter’s preferred choice, primarily for their ability to kill from a distance. Most calibers are suitable for these wild pigs (preferable caliber: 0.22 and the 25-20 Winchester). For better accuracy, equip yourself with a hunting scope.
If you hunt with a bow, throw your arrow with the greatest possible force to bring down the beast. Remember that when hunting with a bow, keep a distance of no more than 30 meters. Otherwise, you will only see a wild boar escaping.
2. Don’t Forget Your Hunting License
Be sure to set a reminder on your mobile for your hunting license just before the trip. It’s an essential step, often overlooked, that can prevent significant issues. In any country where you plan to hunt, a valid hunting license is required. In some areas, hunting is encouraged due to high populations of certain species that impact local agriculture. With a bit of online research, you may even find invitations from landowners for guided hunts.
It’s crucial to familiarize yourself with the local hunting laws. Violations can carry severe consequences, and even an unintentional mistake could be deemed illegal. To stay on the safe side, always carry your hunting license and gun permit. You never know when a forester might ask for verification. Forgetting these documents could lead to serious restrictions on future hunting privileges.
3. Use a Good Knife
It’s not mandatory to carry a good knife during a wild boar hunt, but a hunting knife is a tool and also an adaptable and useful weapon in some cases. While hunting wild boar, ending the life of a boar on the verge of death can be an easy task with a good knife and can replace the gun we have already recommended.
In those small moments, the quality of the knife will have a big effect on how you end the poor man without him suffering. A well-designed knife will be a good tool within reach and serve you well if you maintain it.
For wild boar hunting, you will need a knife with an anti-slip handle and a blade of at least 17 cm in length. The blade must be fixed and solid and must be well-tapered. The blade must be solid and thick (0.7 mm at least is the recommended standard) to prevent it from breaking.
4. Wear the Right Clothes
Like any outing in nature, you will need to wear suitable clothing that will be breathable and durable. Eliminate clothes made from cotton from your list because they absorb all sorts of small particles and make it hard to get rid of them. Aim for clothes that will be made to push dust away and prevent it from sticking, or also clothes that are designed to be easy to wash (because you’ll get dirty).
One of the necessities of a hunter is a bright jacket, especially when hunting in groups. Speaking of shoes, you’re not going to have a choice, durable hiking shoes will do. Be sure that those pairs of shoes you are going to buy are water-resistant before you wear them on a boar hunt.
You are also going to need a sturdy backpack with enough volume in it. When hunting in a group, perhaps one backpack will be sufficient to carry the essentials, but your weapon must always be with you.
5. Be Sure to Carry a First Aid Kit
Recommended for any activity outside the city, the first aid kit remains essential equipment that must be easily accessible in our backpack and that must never be forgotten, obligatory to carry it during a wild boar hunt.
A perfect hunt is a hunt where no one will be harmed. But predicting the future is impossible. Wild boars remain wild and dangerous animals who panic at the slightest danger felt by their instincts. These beasts are unique in their way of defending themselves. The other species escape when they see the danger, but the wild boar decides to fight and defend his little boars.
By following the instructions of the hunting pros, this will never be a problem. A nice shot will rid you of those hesitations and doubts, but first aid kits are designed for extreme cases.
- First aid kits can be found in different stores. Look at your local hunting or even sports store.
- Surely you can create your first aid kit yourself, but never forget these following components:
- 1- Sterile gauze pads and a roll of gauze for wound treatment
- 2-Hydrogen water as a disinfectant
- 3-Safety pins to fix the bandages
- 4-Pliers to remove splinters
6. Have the Necessary Equipment to Move the Game
After completing your quest and hunting your boar, you are going to need to move the game. These creatures are huge, which eliminates the possibility of seeing them carried by you alone with your own hands and arms. Surely, you are going to need equipment to be able to carry these tens of kilos of meat.
To move your boar you just need to equip yourself with a rope: Preferably it is made of nylon, you will attach it to the head of the little monster and move by pulling it. To facilitate this task, a piece of plastic or a large towel placed under the boar can increase the slip coefficient and make the task easier to perform.
7. Decide the Hunting Time
One of the problems that hunting poses to the hunter is that he must adapt to the habits of the animal. The boar is a nocturnal creature, it spends its time during the day sleeping and wakes up as soon as the sun goes down. They are only active during the evening until dawn. So if you can adapt to it, wild boar hunting will be more successful after sunset.
Equip yourself well; a hunting light and night vision goggles will be mandatory equipment. Never hunt at night without sufficient light to clear your sight. Check the regulations imposed by the local authorities. Some regions prohibit night hunting due to certain problems that the latter can impose (The probability of injuring a human by believing that it is your target)
8. Eliminate Any Smell From Your Clothes
Wild boars, like many other species, have a strong sense of smell that can distinguish a human scent from hundreds of meters away. Boar hunting will require you to forget your scent and even attempt to remove any scent from your hunting clothes. If you forget to follow these steps, the slightest wind and you will see a wild boar escaping.
Baking soda powder is the most economical way that do the trick. Mix it with another liquid, maybe with your liquid soap, and take a shower by putting this small mixture (do not put the baking soda powder directly on your, this can irritate your skin). Wash your clothes with water mixed with baking soda powder, plus a fragrance-free detergent if you have it to remove any odors that may spoil your adventure.
Diesel will also be effective in removing odors from your camouflage hunting tent hide. However, it can cause an inconvenience since its smell is strong but really useful. There are also products sold at hunting shops that will not only disperse your scent but also attract wild boar to your location. But, it is still recommended that you perform the previous steps.
Conclusion
Throughout this guide, we’ve explored key elements like understanding boar behavior, choosing the right gear, and applying effective hunting strategies. Remember, safety is paramount—always follow local hunting regulations and guidelines. Boars are intelligent and resilient creatures, and a successful hunt demands patience, skill, and respect for the natural environment.
Have more questions? Feel free to leave them in the comments.