Thread: Large boar encounter - How dangerous is this really?

A couple of months ago I was out possum shooting on private land south west of Wellington. All alone at around 12am I lay down to have a crack at a possum with my 223.

All of a sudden I hear this horror like squeal. I quickly turn to my left to see a huge boar within a couple of meters dash off into the bush squealing its head off. I didn't hear him coming to check me out, nothing. Now, i can say it was huge because we ended up getting this bugger the very next day. See attached.

I'm not an experienced pig hunter. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and my balls shriveled to the size of peanuts. I know they have tusks and can have a bit of attitude but being in the situation I didn't know what to expect and I was pretty freaked. This boar was obviously checking me out and didn't like what he smelled.

Later on I told my Dad what happened and he said the pig might have wanted to make a meal of me... Well hang on a minute! To those more experienced pig hunters out there, how dangerous is a situation like this? If you encounter a wild boar is there any need to panic like I did? I was alone and it was dark, that didn't help, but what I'm looking for here is a reality check if this ever happens again. I'll be packing a defibrillator haha

Originally Posted by BallisticTip

A couple of months ago I was out possum shooting on private land south west of Wellington. All alone at around 12am I lay down to have a crack at a possum with my 223.

All of a sudden I hear this horror like squeal. I quickly turn to my left to see a huge boar within a couple of meters dash off into the bush squealing its head off. I didn't hear him coming to check me out, nothing. Now, i can say it was huge because we ended up getting this bugger the very next day. See attached.Attachment 156136

I'm not an experienced pig hunter. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and my balls shriveled to the size of peanuts. I know they have tusks and can have a bit of attitude but being in the situation I didn't know what to expect and I was pretty freaked. This boar was obviously checking me out and didn't like what he smelled.

Later on I told my Dad what happened and he said the pig might have wanted to make a meal of me... Well hang on a minute! To those more experienced pig hunters out there, how dangerous is a situation like this? If you encounter a wild boar is there any need to panic like I did? I was alone and it was dark, that didn't help, but what I'm looking for here is a reality check if this ever happens again. I'll be packing a defibrillator haha

Lots of things cornered will be absolutely determined to go over you. I've had this happen to me from a reed buck. Came out at a dead run to my left. A boar over in Africa will definitely gore you if you miss him. Over there, they do kill and eat people fairly often, if they have the advantage.

It should only be an issue if you are blocking his escape route, or if he is being rarked up by dogs.

There’s only two situations that a pig will charge you:

1. Sow with piglets, and she feels she / piglets are threatened.
2. Any pig that backs itself if it feels cornered.

There is precisely zero situations where a boar is going to sneak up on you and try and eat you. Wild pigs are extremely wary of humans and will do their utmost to stay out of your way.

If you are threatened/chased remember always run down hill. Same rule for bears.

Generally they will piss off quickly.
My first experience with pigs, long before I used to regularly go out with a mate and his dogs, was out spotlighting, like yourself.
We ran the light over a paddock and there were 3 pigs on the far side. In a flash they were gone. They went straight thru the nearest fence into the dense pig fern. All we heard was a "ping" sound which we found to be popped staples on the old 5 wire fence. I don't think the fence slowed them down one bit.

"squealing its head off"

Boars do not usually squeal at all - ones that size I mean

Every pig thats attacked me or my dog has been like the above, female that is pregnant or has piglets

I’ll add that anyone daft enough to stalk in close on a large boar with big hooks and fail to kill it cleanly with one shot, is asking for trouble. Lots of funny videos out there of guys getting bowled over by an angry wounded boar.

There have been two times I have been seriously concerned about being nailed by a pig. One was putting rings in weaner pigs noses, their mother was climbing the woolshed walls to try and get to us.
The second was a boar the dogs had finally bailed after a long bail-break-bail-break run. When I finally caught up he was chasing one of the dogs in circles. I was about 20m away when he saw me, stopped and stared at me for a couple of seconds, then charged. I had a 30-30 but all the ammo was in my pocket.Thankfully he got distracted by a dog running in front of him, chased her for a while then gapped it. The dogs stopped him again, I caught up, he saw me, stopped and stared at me for a couple of seconds, then BOOM! Then another point blank BOOM to make sure! I tore about 3 cigarette papers before I managed to get a smoke rolled.

Originally Posted by Flyblown

There’s only two situations that a pig will charge you:

1. Sow with piglets, and she feels she / piglets are threatened.
2. Any pig that backs itself if it feels cornered.

There is precisely zero situations where a boar is going to sneak up on you and try and eat you. Wild pigs are extremely wary of humans and will do their utmost to stay out of your way.

'There is precisely zero situations where a boar is going to sneak up on you and try and eat you.' That's just a silly thing to say...They will fuck you up if wounded or cornered. We investigated situations where remains of humans were found in pigstys' either by mishap or otherwise, in Africa.

I foolishly shot a large boar between the eyes with a single shot .22 when bunny shooting on edge of Pureora in the early 80’s. He squealed, turned and trotted off with me fumbling and loading more ammo, round by round. Every time I could, I put a shot into the ear area, thinking it would track down into the brain. Boar got slower and finally stopped, to drag his arse on the ground after I whacked him in the nuts. Talk about squeal! I tried to lift him after sticking, but couldn’t manage it so went home, got the contractors wheel barrow, rolled him in and skidded the animal downhill in that. He was 120 lbs gutted from memory with nasty hooks and one and a half ears.

Originally Posted by BallisticTip

A couple of months ago I was out possum shooting......if this ever happens again. I'll be packing a defibrillator haha

I reckon you'd be better off packing a bigger gun...

G.A. will laughing his head off up there lookin down. From What I could tell from our our brief conversations, he luvved catchin pigs.

Only been "attacked" by feral hogs twice- both were sows that objected to me grabbing their piglet when their Mum was out of my sight. Faarrkk, can those girls cover ground quickly!

Looked after a guy who was gored by a boar. Had a nasty groin injury. Luckily it missed his wedding tackle and the major artery/vein/nerve that run in the area. I assumed he was pig hunting, but he said the animal was asleep under his truck when he disturbed it in the early hours. Wasn't sure I believed him, but he had no reason to lie.