Shooting into the ground, Safety down range.

[jim Glass]

I'm looking into wild hog hunting in Florida probably in January of 2016. I just returned from a two month vacation in Florida and discovered a colony of wild hogs living inside a 200 acre jungle. This is almost within walking distance from the RV resort where we stay.

My concern is there are some residence living around the perimeter of this 200 acre parcel. If I hunt these hogs from a tree stand where I would always be shooting into the ground would I be safe using a high powered rifle. Would a rifled slug be safe. The safest would be a conventional shot gun or a crossbow. I figured someone here would know.
My hunting experience has been with ducks and geese (40 years). I do not own a high powered rifle or cross bow at this time. I do own a Winchester Super X2 that fires 3 1/2 inch magnums.

I'm not sure if this hunt will materialize. I have already invested lots of time watching these wild hogs. First thing I need to do is contact the property owners for permission to hunt the hogs. I actually obtained permission from one property owner to hunt but would like to contact as many property owners as possible, probably by US Mail.

Finally, before I do any hunting in Florida I'm going to meet personally with a Florida game warden to review all the rules.
Florida is a strange place. Their hunting and fishing rules are not very clear and the locals have conflicting views on the rules. I was shocked to hear about some of the rules when visiting with a local sheriff deputy.

I thought I had a hog hunt arranged with a local outfitter. But, after I arrived in Florida I tried a number of times to arrange a hog hunt but the outfitter never returned my calls. After that I discovered these neighborhood hood hogs so I began investigating hunting them.

I heard form a couple of sources that claim some people will pay to have the wild hogs hunted. If the colony of wild hogs that I discovered continue to live unchecked I think hog hunters will be welcome in the area.
Jim

[jim Glass]

Decided to include pictures of the hogs. I have a lot to learn about taking pictures in darkness. Headlights from the car provided all the light. I also tried the flash but the hogs were to far away for the light. The best pictures were take through the windshield of the car. Best time to see them was between 5:00 and 6:00 AM about an hour before sunrise. I saw one at daybreak. Evidence of serious hog rutting along the shoulders of the county roads. The reason I starting looking for them.

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Drove down the road about 1/4 mile and made a U-turn. I found another hog. By the time I got the camera ready there were 2 hogs. The hogs are not always black and white like these guys. Sometimes they are brownish with white spot on their backs. The hogs do not mind the car headlights all. I was so close to them one time I could hear them walking through the grass. Another time I tried a picture with the driver side window cranked down. The hog stood and glared at me then ran into the jungle.

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I wonder if these wild hogs are good to eat??

Hope this was of interest,
Jim

[hunter63]

If I click on your "Guest must register...." forum glitch I can see the pics.
maybe Rick of Crash will fix them....

Anyway, seems your concern is safety?........How close distance and close together are other people and buildings?...How thick?......any resections on shooting?

Thre stand will help. but just depending on shooting into the ground does not guarantee that will stop a bullet or slug....

[jim Glass]

Don't understand why I'm a guest. Been a registered member for almost 2 years.

If the tree stand was in the corner of the property I would have a 90* swing to shoot. People or dwellings would be a mile or better away.
The jungle is thick but I would not take the chance of a bullet finding a path through the jungle. When I was a kid, some 50 years ago, me and my buddies figured a bullet lost 80% of the maximum range once it made contact with the ground or fixed object. Of course if a bullet struck ice or pavement at a glance the range would be much less effected.

I was just curious what you folks thought. I don't think I'll be using a high power rifle though.

The county sheriff deputy I spoke with says in Florida, the hunting distance from a building or dwelling is reasonable & prudent. Isn't that way in Illinois. Furthermore the area I wish to hunt has NO city limits!!!!! It is all zoned county which explains all of the county police cars and no city vehicles. I guess that means anyone can shoot in their own back yard or front yard as long as know one is down range. This will all need to be verified by a Florida game warden. I'm not taking anyone's word.
Jim

[kyratshooter]

Florida fish and game will answer your questions by e-mail and you can print the answers off and keep them with you. Most of what you want to know will be on the state website.

I have done a lot of hunting from tree stands and one thing I have never worried about was the bullet striking the ground. I would have even less concern in Florida. The whole place is a sand pile!

I did see that Florida has wild hogs listed with other big game on their license list, so they are identified as game in FL. In some other states they are simply treated as vermin, not game. I did not check to see if they have their own season.

You probably need to get your ducks in a row and know you are going to take game since a FL nonresident license is pricy.

The site you describe seems like an ideal spot for using a compound or crossbow. In spite of my love of things that go bang, the fringe residential areas are always really good bow hunting opportunities.

[jim Glass]

The license requirements is another grey area. I heard once a license is not required for hunting wild hogs. Then I heard a non-resident needed a license to hunt wild hogs on public property. Then I heard if you are hunting you need a license no mater what. I think a non-resident hunting license is only $50 or $60.

I checked the Florida web site: A 10 day non-resident hunting license is $48. Annual is $150.

Quote from their hunting code Listed under exemptions:

You do not need a recreational hunting, freshwater fishing or saltwater fishing license or a *Florida waterfowl, migratory bird, deer, turkey, snook, spiny lobster, archery season, crossbow season, muzzleloading season permit or *management area permit if...

"◾You are hunting wild hog on private land."

[Rick]

Hunting license is not required. You can hunt them year round and there is no limit.

http://myfwc.com/hunting/season-dates/

[Batch]

Hunting license is not required. You can hunt them year round and there is no limit.

http://myfwc.com/hunting/season-dates/

I know that it states on the WMA brochures that a hunting license is not required to hunt hogs. But, you can only hunt them year round on private land. On a WMA the seasons will be listed. Usually through archery, muzzle loader, general gun and small game season.

Florida doesn't allow municipalities to make firearms laws. It comes from a specific state office. I think it was Department of Law Enforcement. So, for a while after that law was passed , we were living in the wild, wild west. Literally had bullets ricocheting over our heads in camp. But, you can set a gun range up in your back yard. So, long as you are shooting into a safe back stop.

I wouldn't do that and I view it as I have a dead solid backstop or I own that bullet for 3 miles.

[Rick]

The page says the seasons and dates are not applicable to WMA or other lands managed by the WMA so it would be for private land.

[jim Glass]

Florida has 5 million acres of public of WMA or public hunting areas. I spoke with a WMA manager about hog hunting. He said I could hunt them if a hunting season was in progress which small game season was open. He went on to say I would be limited to the type of firearm used. During deer season a high powered rifle could be use. During small game season only rim fire and shot guns could be use. No center fire guns allowed except any handgun can be used for small game. Don't recall rules for bow hunting. All hunters need to obtain a permit to hunt WMA areas.

This guy also said I could hunt from any trail. Not sure if hunting from horse back would be allowed.
Jim

[Old Professor]

Since you already own a shotgun, check out Hevi-Shot Hog loads. From what I have read they are very effective for the type of hogs your pictures show and would greatly reduce ricochet danger. From a tree stand in thick cover they should be just the ticket.

[kyratshooter]

Since you already own a shotgun, check out Hevi-Shot Hog loads. From what I have read they are very effective for the type of hogs your pictures show and would greatly reduce ricochet danger. From a tree stand in thick cover they should be just the ticket.

And if you use a shotgun with some choke in it the patterns tighten up and you can use the shotgun effectively out to 40-50 yards.

[jim Glass]

Since you already own a shotgun, check out Hevi-Shot Hog loads. From what I have read they are very effective for the type of hogs your pictures show and would greatly reduce ricochet danger. From a tree stand in thick cover they should be just the ticket.

Great tip, thanks