Helicopter Hog Hunting

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 4/6/20 | N Perna

[w1n1]

A hunter and his wife take to the air to help eradicate invasive feral pigs, fulfill bucket list dream.
It had been on my bucket list for a long time. I’ve been fortunate to do a lot of cool things from helicopters. I've parachuted out of them, rappelled out of them, and have even been in a low-speed crash landing in one (no injuries, but we ran like hell!). But the one thing I hadn't done, and had always wanted to, was shoot from a helicopter. Lean out the door with a rifle and engage some targets!

So, when I had the opportunity to do this in conjunction with one of my favorite hobbies, hunting, I jumped at the opportunity. My wife made it all possible for my 50th birthday, the perfect time for a middle-aged man to satisfy one of the items on his "bucket list."
A couple of shout-outs first. We’re members of Wilderness Unlimited (wildernessunlimited.com), a members-only club that gives members access to some of the best hunting and fishing in California and Oregon.
They also team up with companies that offer the same opportunities in other states and countries. Through WU, we hooked up with Serge Engurasoff of Urge 2 Hunt (urge2hunt.com). Serge works with Wilderness Unlimited but also coordinates trips through outside vendors. Serge set us up with two firms in Texas that would make this trip possible. First, lodging. We booked with 10-2-4 Ranch (1024ranch.com) in Commerce, a small town about an hour and a half northeast of Dallas.

The 10-2-4 Ranch is a first-class act. They have over 11,000 acres of property available for hunting. They have what you’d expect in Texas, like deer and fowl, but they also offer exotic hunts for game imported from Africa and elsewhere. The 11,000-square-foot ranch house is awesome! With eight large rooms, it is big enough to host a lot of hunters. We made this a family trip, so we rented two guest rooms, each with a private bath and two double beds. The ranch has great WiFi and an enormous pond (stocked, of course, with largemouth bass) just a short walk from the great room.

AS GREAT AS the 10-2-4 Ranch is, I didn’t travel 1,500 miles to play shuffleboard or teach my kids how to play pool (although we did have some great family fun).
I came to hunt. Specifically, I came to hunt pigs from helicopters. Texas, like a lot of states, is overrun with feral pigs. These formerly domesticated beasts tear up crops and threaten native wildlife. According to the USDA, there are over 5 million feral swine in at least 39 states.
It is estimated that they cause over $1.5 billion in damage annually. In many states, including Texas, you don’t need to purchase expensive tags to hunt feral hogs. Even in a restrictive state like California, you can hunt as many as you want (no limit) during a year-long season (tags are required, though).
Other states have similar depredation types of permits, as the feral hog issue is not unique to Texas or California. Texas makes it easy for out-of-state residents to hunt. Temporary hunting permits can be purchased online and are mailed to you. The state also provides you with your license number online, in the event you don't have the physical tag in your possession.

THE ONE THING we can't control is the weather. We planned our trip far in advance for mid-February. We thought our four-day itinerary would provide us plenty of blade time, a night hunt, along with some sightseeing and fishing at the ranch. Unfortunately, it started raining the day we arrived and didn’t let up until the day we planned to leave. This was not your normal winter drizzle either. Rather, it was a storm of biblical proportions, a Texas-sized rain that caused roads to flood over.

Finally, on the last day of our trip, the weather cleared enough for us to go airborne. We met Chris at the “airport” – basically, a hangar large enough to house a few aircraft and a small, dirt air strip. It reminded me of some clandestine “Air America” airfields used to resupply guerillas in Central America. Chris provided everything. We were geared up with AR-15s (with red dot optics) and unlimited .223 ammo. Our rifles were equipped with GoPro cameras, and additional cameras were mounted on the helicopter Shooters are seated to the left side of the aircraft. My wife occupied the front left seat, Chris manned the controls to her right and I sat in the rear seat. Read the rest of helicopter hog hunting.

[M1903A1]

This is actually a full-time business in Australia and (to some degree) New Zealand...though I get the impression .30 caliber is the round of choice in those parts.

In Australia, being involved full-time in feral culling is about the only way one can acquire a Class D license to own a centerfire semiautomatic rifle.

[2banana]

Cool family vacation idea.

[Bonemaker]

Hmmm, that gives me an idea!😎

[lizma2]

Make your reservations now!!! ...for later.

https://www.tednugent.com/sunrize-safaris-hog-hunts/

[Zhang Fei]

[In Australia, being involved full-time in feral culling is about the only way one can acquire a Class D license to own a centerfire semiautomatic rifle.]

---

Given how arid the country is, I’m surprised there’s enough foliage to it to have a feral hog problem.

[Candor7]

This is the nearest thing to when pigs fly.

You do the flying for them.

[JimRed]

The cost per hour for a chopper makes this a rich man’s sport.

[DIRTYSECRET]

Sounds expensive. Leave them lay? Guess you have to from a hellicopter. What about an ATV? What’s the best caliber?

[katana]

Sorry, but can't help but think of Full Metal Jacket.

Any hog who runs is a target. Any hog who doesn't run is a well disciplined target. Get some!

[Pelham]

It can get pretty moist in the Northern Territory around Darwin. Average annual rainfall over 72 inches. Close to double the annual US average. Seasonal though, they have a distinct dry season during their winter.

[real saxophonist]

That actor was originally cast to play the Drill Instructor, but when Lee Ermey showed up as a technical advisor and demonstrated how it was done, some changes were made.

[know.your.why]

I paid for an hour flight in a Schweitzer 3-place once. The pilot owned a flight training outfit and was a very skilled rotorwing jockey. He showed me how he would chase down coyotes so that a shooter in the right seat could kill them. The coyotes that he scared up had zero chance of getting away. I could have shot them with a bb gun...it was that close.

[bobby.223]

“You guys should do a story about me sometime!”

[Candor7]

What’s the best caliber?>

Depends on the shooter.

For me it would be .223, flat trajectory and fast.

Others might use a 45-70. Slow with huge kinetic energy.

[DIRTYSECRET]

I would think .30-06.

[Charles Martel]

The range is pretty close on those helicopter hunts (there are videos showing 12 gauge shotguns with buckshot loads being used); a .300 Blackout has more than adequate thump. I think I’d stick with .223, though I’d use a good sporting load with an expanding bullet. You definitely want a rifle/cartridge combo that allows a decent magazine size. You don’t get that much time aloft; better to be shooting than loading.

[M1903A1]

Not just feral hogs either—deer, donkeys, camels, goats/sheep, kangaroos...big continent with a small population, lots of open space for farm escapees to become feral populations, and herds to protect from disease vectors.

[Old Yeller]

I would think .30-06.

.30-06, .30-07, whatever it takes.

[sgt_lau]

“Why should we do a story about you?”
“Because I’m so damn good!”