Boar Hunting

I’ve hunted a fair few animals in my time; from the bread & butter British deer species, to the more exotic, like African plains game, moose and Chamois. But one stands out as my favourite, wild boar! My first encounter was in Germany as a soldier in the 1970s. Me and my shovel were going to ‘drop off some timber’ as it were, when an angry sow protecting her piglets tree’d me. Scared as I was, I could not help but admire the beast.

The start of an obsession

When we started Shooting Sports after the handgun ban and I got back into hunting, I received a call out of the blue from a Croatian guy called Tomo Svetic, who was to become a life-long friend. He had been reading SS and my old pistol mag Guns & Shooting and asked me if I’d like to come driven boar shooting with his company Artemis Hunting in Croatia? Alan Rhone kindly loaned me a Krieghoff Classic side-by-side double rifle in 9.3x74 R (rimmed), which seemed to me to be the ultimate tool and calibre for the job. Topping it off with a Swarovski Z6i 1-6x24 and 285-grain Norma, SP ammo I was ready!

The trip was an eye-opener, and as it went I never shot a pig, but had an amazing time that only fueled my enthusiasm. Driven hunts are daytime affairs, with beaters and dogs pushing the boar onto a line of pre-positioned guns; much like a pheasant shoot. Only the birds are replaced by hairy, 150 kg, pissed off pigs coming at you. Hunters are placed about 100m apart and given arcs of fire for safety.

Tough as

First drive, I was at the top of a valley with an Austrian guy with a 300 Win Mag, Browning BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) on my left. I watched three big pigs charging up the hill, only to see them break left onto my neighbor’s arcs. Coming on like race horses, they crested the hill and down the other side, I watched in amazement as his BAR started banging and in the bright November morning could see the hits and rounds knocking mud off their coats and steam coming out of the wounds. But none went down! All three leapt the track and literally fell down the mountain on the other side; Christ, I had a lot to learn.

I saw a few animals, but they were either too far or outside of arc. Tomo kept asking me why I did not shoot, and I explained, but he simply said: “if you see one, just shoot mate, don’t worry about the distance.” A lesson it took me some time to learn.

The next day, the drive was over when I heard a single shot and Tomo’s usual, dark brown voice sounding rather high. Before we started, he told me that if a boar is coming at you, then it’s best practice to take a big step to the left or right before shooting. In truth the pig is simply taking the shortest route to get away and if you are in the way you will get hurt. I found him standing with his rifle in his shoulder and the biggest pig I’d seen to date about 2ft from his feet. He explained in an uncustomary high voice that it popped out of the woods and ran for him, swinging his rifle up (something he’d doubtless done hundreds of times) the gun went click and not bang. No ammo! And he admitted he froze, luckily is mate Niki swung in and head shot it at about 15 ft away and it slid to a stop at his feet. This monster weighed 180 kg; wow!

First pig

I had a couple more trip with Artemis and again no results; in truth, it’s a lottery and more about being where the pigs might run, I know some guys who’ve yet to shoot one and been at it longer than me. Years later, in Czech Republic with Norma, we were in a valley and about a dozen pigs came running down towards us, but not one came my way, though the guy on my left got three; there you go!

My first kill was in Hungary in 2008. Late afternoon, myself and my guide had been pushing through some woods in search of red deer, when he left me and returned saying we should go to a low seat up a hill and to keep quiet. We arrived, and I slid in and down below about 100m were a load of pigs, the big male (keiler) and leading sow were off limits, so I picked a younger, ginger sow and dropped it. It was an easy static shot, but I was still very pleased with myself, finally I’d got one!

Back in Croatia again with Tomo, I got numbers two and three and if I’d been a bit quicker and observant number four too. Two was strange, as I put it down to a shared kill; I was next to a guy at the base of a hill, when a group of pigs burst out of the trees. We both swung on and realised we were facing each other, he pulled ahead and shot, and I waited until he was clear and fired apparently with no result. What seemed like hours, but was seconds later, I heard a crashing of undergrowth and the pig I’d aimed at rolled back down the hill dead! I felt sure it was mine and he thought it was his, so we claimed half each.

Open your eyes

Later that afternoon I saw about five pigs running in a group and proceeded to shoot at them and seemingly missed, my moving target technique was yet to be perfected. As they ran, I noticed the one at the rear slowing down, he stopped at 100m and I took a shot off a tree and finished him. Not my finest hour but another one down! Number four was a case of seeing but not looking; pigs can be crafty and are adept at sneaking through the woods, seemingly invisibly.

I’d been waiting on the gun line for about an hour and was getting a tad bored or less alert than I should, in front of me was an uprooted tree, with its roots sticking up. I suddenly realised there was a pig in front, which had stealthily made its way up and through the woods. I tried to raise my rifle fast but slowly, but it saw me and bolted; damn! And so it goes on, not every trip is a success, but I always enjoy myself regardless.

Magic moments

Here is a selection of some moments I will never forget!

First time in Croatia; waiting as the mist cleared and hearing the hunting horns and the beaters shouting and the dogs howling with excitement, puts a real chill up your spine. Man, pig and dog must have been doing this dance for over 1000-years.

Best kills; Hungary 2015 up a big high seat and very cold, after about two hours, a group of pigs comes out at 100 yards, I start shooting with my Mauser M03 and dropped three in a row- result! Flushed with victory I get onto the ladder, which promptly broke and dropped me on my back 12 foot below, winded and in pain I was very lucky to walk away from that one. Which was not helped by a mile over flooded fields to get back to the road.

Czech Republic, suddenly seeing a pig slowly making its way up the hill towards me, then realising that the tress were so closely packed in, the chance of a shot was impossible.

Finally, getting my lead right and keeping the gun moving, as you must, and watching a pig roll over to the perfect shot, now that is a rush.

Watching tiny but suicidal Dachshunds going into a big sow, backed up to a tree by the rest of the dog pack, who were keeping their distance. They streaked in like black and brown Kamikazes, nipping her belly then managing to get away. Hearing her visceral screams of rage and pain were blood chilling and exciting by the same quota. Then, one of the beaters stepping in and popping her in the head with his 9mm pistol.

Missing my biggest pig ever from a low seat as it ran by at about 10 yards away, I totally messed up my swing and lead and ended up shooting under its chin and well in front. Then remembering what Tomo and my friend Andrew Johnson always told me; keep the gun moving Mr. Moore and shoot Pete, just shoot!

Standing in the square with fires at each corner at the end of the day, with snow coming down, animals laid out by species, gender and rank, while we honour the beaters, hunters and our noble quarry. And receiving your Waidmansheil from a beater for your downed pig and the customary branch for your hat and a second in the quarry’s mouth as its last meal.

If you like your hunting raw and on the edge, then take my advice and try driven boar; you’ll never look at a roe buck in the same away again!