I think a well placed shot will take down a hog with a 22-250.How many hogs are there in southern ohio? I live in ohio and didnt think there were that many hogs in southern ohio.

I don't think the 22-250 is enough gun and I own two! For a small to decent sized sow, maybe. All of my hog hunting is at less than 100 yards, most of it is up close and personal. You do not want to be undergunned trying to finish off a wounded boar. My hog medicine is a 30-06 with open sights using a Barnes 180 grain TSX! Take both use the slug gun as back-up.

The .22-250 is too light for an animal that might weigh upwards of 500 pounds wearing an armor plate on its shoulder.
They are not known to present a broadside shot in a National Geographic pose.
I would not consider hunting hogs with anything less than a .30-30.

From my experience I do not think that there is such a thing as overkill for feral hogs. However, there is lots of room for too little gun. The fore quarters of feral hogs are armored in layers of fat and cartelige that can cause small fast bullets to not penetrate into the vitals, thus limiting the hunter to going away quartering shots. In my opinion calibers for feral hogs should begin with 3.

I'm talking Russian boars here... not farm pigs. I have personally witnessed a .357 Mag from 20 yards being stopped dead with less than 1/8 inch of penetration in the chest of a 350 pound charging boar. Their shield, built up over thousands of years of evolution to protect them from razor sharp tuskers, is very similar to three inch thick leather. The guide on that trip said it was the norm and that he had witnessed .270 Win 130g bullets stopped the same way. I believe him.

If you are walking rather than up in a tree, the boar may be charging you when you see it. They do that for no good reason... not just when they are wounded. I have been charged by three boars over 300 pounds in unprovoked attacks. They accellerate faster than a lion and reach top speeds equivalant to a deer. You won't find many well placed shots in these circumstances.

Their skull is thick and severely slanted back from their snout. Attempted brain shots often richochet in a frontal attack without doing leathal damage. In one attack, I hit a 325 pounder right between the eyes at 20 yards with a .44 Mag 240g jacketed hollow point. It did just that.

If I am stalking porkers, I don't use a .44 Mag anymore and I definitely would NEVER use a 22-250. If you have a shot at one posing at 100 yards broadside, it would be fine... just don't expect to see shots like that. If the boar is not charging you, it is likely to be surrounded by limbs and bushes so thick, you will have difficulty seeing it. Have you ever attempted to shoot a 22-250 through brush? It doesn't work.

The 12 gauge slug is the opposite of a 22-250. It is heavy and crashes through brush but stays on path to the target. It WILL penetrate the shield of a big boar and it imparts enough energy to STOP a charging boar. For example, I witnessed a charging (unnprovoked) 325 pound boar shot in the shield at 10 yards with a 12 gauge slug. It was killed instantly but slid all the way up to the shooter's feet and rolled over. A perfect shot. He may have been killed with a 22-250. If you are walking, take the 12 gauge.

If you are hunting over bait from a treestand, you can use a .22LR or the rifle of your choice. You can wait for a perfect brain shot and you are not at risk of death or dismemberment.

you will be fine with your 22-250 just shoot them behind the ear. I use a 22 mag to hut them and i shoot them behind the ear drops them like a rock.
Remember to watch the wind they can be spooky

DakotaMan is right. I believe feral hogs in the U.S. are descended for Russian boars, and are every bit as big and mean.
In countries where they co-exist with tigers, wild hogs are the main food source, but many times a tiger is gored to death by a wild boar in self defense.
Be guided accordingly.

Most of the answers come from guys and thier experience, they are doing thier best not to preach.You have been given some very good advice,Treestand put an explanation point on it with his last post.Good luck

DakodaMan I am using a 22WMR not a 22LR.

Sure you can do it with a .22 250 or even a .22 WMR but I just want to say the last feral that turned on me took two 350 grain rounds from my 45-70 and slid to a stop 5 feet from me and the idot who ut shot it with a bow. The first shot went through the left front of the shoulder and through the left lung the second round went through the bottom of the skull and into the chest cavity. Note my 45-70 round work up produces just over 3000 foot lbs of energy. Given my hunting group got roped into taking a friends new boy toy and my job was to quickly put down any hogs he shot bad. when he went 2/3on gut shots with a bow then we took his weapon away from him. (we shot for 25 yards on our knees. when he shot the hog spun a few times trying for the arrow then charged us) Take both and use the shotgun for the majority of your hunting and keep the 22-250 for yotes and piglets.

Drew, I grew up on a farm and fed big hogs my whole life. I wasn't too concerned about my first feral hog hunt. Shooting another pig just didn't seem too exciting to me. During that first hunt, I quickly realized that these are VERY wild hogs and they bare a much stronger resemblance to a rhinocerous than they do a farm hog.

They have learned to survive in the wild by being tough and by being mean. The boars are very territorial and will attack you when you enter their territory. You may not see them before they charge. I have carried my pistol at the ready and wasn't able to pull it up for a shot before they made it to me; they were that fast.

I'm frankly surprised that we don'g hear more about people being killed by them. I suspect it is because most of us manly men don't want others to know how stupid we were to hunt feral hogs with a pop gun. I'd simply suggest that you plan to be overgunned until you get a little experience and can make up your own mind.

youngfisherman, my appologies... .22 WMR it is... please keep those organ donor cards up to date. Little pigs abound but they have a granddaddy running around somewhere out there and you might meet him up close and personal one day.

I agree with those recommending the slug gun. Wild pigs are much tougher than deer. A few years ago I had to put two 12 gauge slugs in one to put it down. I've also had to shoot one twice with a .45-70.

Forgot to mention never try to shoot them between the eyes they have a very thick scull plate it can deflect smaller calibers