As co-owners of an archery only day hunting service, my partner and I are often called on to help in the tracking of bow shot hogs. For some reason we just can’t seem to make people understand just how low you have to shoot a hog with an arrow to make an effective kill shot.

Most folks want to shoot them behind the shoulder and mid-way up on the body as they would a deer. That just doesn’t work well for hogs as their vitals lay much lower in their chest than a deer’s vitals.

A high shot on a hog gets you nothing but a sparse blood trail and a lost hog. Aim LOW! You’re better off to shoot too low and miss the hog completely than to shoot it too high and wound and lose it.

Hogs are tough critters and are hard to bring down. I recommend a heavy fixed blade broadhead with a large cutting edge. A minimum draw weight of 40-45 pounds and excellent shot placement are vital for killing hogs with an arrow. Heavier poundage should be used on larger hogs as the older, larger hogs tend to develop a “shield” in the shoulder area to protect the vitals. The preferred shot on large hogs is an “angling away” shot to try and tuck the arrow behind the shield and forward into the vitals.

Even with a well placed shot, hogs can still be difficult to find. Their layer of fat and coarse hair tend to stop the flow of blood and although the hog may expire very quickly after the shot, a wounded hog can cover a lot of ground in a short time and leave a very sparse blood trail. Be prepared to get on your hands and knees to look for the tiniest flecks of blood.

The attached diagram of a hogs vitals may be helpful in understanding where your shot placement should be.

Good luck and remember – AIM LOW!

John Shelley

Pro Staff

Bowhunting North America, LLC

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