Feral Hog Vs. Warthog

Almost one fourth of all feral hog attacks reported in the U.S. have occurred in Texas.

In a battle against the European wild hog and African warthog, who would win? Inquiring minds want to know! I have often wondered the answer to this question myself. Both feral hogs and warthogs are big and mean and play to win, looking at you like you owe them money when encountered on their home turf. Both feral hogs and warthogs are considered to be from the wild pig family, just different species from different parts of the world.

The warthog is a medium sized hog found across most of sub-Saharan Africa, their native homeland. They have a large head compared to the rest of their body and both males and females have tusks and large ones at that.

In comparison, a feral hog has European origins and was brought to the United States by the Spaniards looking to settle land way back in the 1500s. They can grow very large in the wild and reproduce rapidly. Wild boars develop a thick shoulder plate of hard tissue which is found in all boars three years and older. The purpose of this shield is to protect vital organs during interspecies quarrels with other boars in the pursuit of breeding opportunities with sows in estrus.

Both the feral hog and warthog can be tough to ethically kill and therein lies the challenge for the hunter. In comparison on deciding which is tougher, it all comes down to the size of the animal which would dictate a few rules on selecting the right weapon with which to hunt them.

Both species possess a great sense of smell and decent hearing. Both need water close by to survive. Hunting watering holes in Africa is one of the most popular ways to hunt for warthogs next to spot and stalk hunting. In Texas, hunting for feral hogs usually means hunting a food source like a corn feeder or a freshly cut crop field at night but water sources during the day can be a great ambush point as well. Both animals are also very smart so you have to show up to the hunt with your “A game” and engage these worthy adversaries.

For rifle calibers, I recommend just about anything from 7mm to 30-06 and higher for either species. Sure you can hunt like my former neighbor did one time with me in the field with a .458 Lott, a popular African game caliber, but that can be a bit of overkill if you want the truth. My personal favorite wild boar hunting, pork procuring caliber is the venerable .308 Winchester (7.62x51mm). It has a good mix of knock down power and maintains good energy at longer ranges.

One of my new favorites in ammunition brands is Norma USA. They even have their own proprietary caliber, the .308 Norma Magnum (7.62x65mm) which is also a good hog round! Norma makes the TIPSTRIKE and Oryx lines of premium ammunition. You can even use a box of ammo five rounds at a time with their uniquely designed ammo inserts. What’s more is that you can use the empty ammo inserts as a good fire starter to cook all that wild pork you just harvested! They are made from 50% renewable raw material which is environmentally friendly.

Whatever species you chose to trek after on a hunting adventure, be safe and have fun out there!

Dustin Vaughn Warncke