Hunting for a wild boar with a crossbow: types and features

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Before starting the article, let's warn the reader - hunting with a crossbow is officially prohibited in the Russian Federation! And not only on the boar, but on all other animals. At the same time, in a number of other countries it is absolutely legal. Why it would not be superfluous to get acquainted with its features, secrets, as well as with the weapon itself - a modern crossbow.

Why is the ban in place?

Hunting for a wild boar with a crossbow is prohibited in Russia for several reasons:

• The weapon belongs to the category of high lethality.
• The crossbow is a quiet device that does not emit loud shots. This allows it to be equated with a weapon with a silencer, which is prohibited for civilians in Russia.
• The crossbow is a throwing weapon.

Where is hunting allowed?

If hunting with a crossbow for a wild boar is your clear goal and cherished dream, then we advise one thing - to take a hunting tour to one of the nearby states:

• Belarus. More information about the possibilitiessuch a hunt will be provided to you by specialized organizations that suit it.
• Finland. Hunting with a crossbow is completely legal here, but also organized - you will need to find companies involved in this business.

Advantages of crossbow hunting

Let's look at the experience of hunters from other countries, why hunting a wild boar with a crossbow is so remarkable:

• Quality new unforgettable experience, which, according to many, you can not get during the usual action with firearms.
• Easy operation of the mechanism and its complete reliability. Hunting lovers know how sometimes a lot of fuss in the forest with a gun - it must be protected from moisture, debris, and so on. The crossbow is not at all demanding in this regard.
• Great chance of a glorious loot. The crossbow, as we have already noted, is an almost silent weapon. And the flight speed of his arrow (bolt) is up to 100 m / s with its weight of 22-27 g!
• Lower "price" of a miss, unlike the same gun, which is ensured by the same noiselessness. There is a high chance that the animal will not notice a misplaced arrow, which cannot be said about a bad shot.
• Cash issue price. You can choose a crossbow based on your capabilities - the cost of different types of these weapons varies significantly.

Disadvantages of the crossbow

Let's talk about the disadvantages of hunting a wild boar with a crossbow:

• Shooting at moving targets, especially from a decent distance, is extremely difficult, as well as taking lead whenshot. It can even be argued that it is almost impossible to conduct targeted "fire" to kill with this type of hunting - it remains to be content with only more or less static targets.
• Noiselessness can also be the reason for inhumane treatment of the animal - an unscrupulous hunter will not rush to end the death torment of a wounded animal with the final shot, but will remain waiting in ambush for other prey.
• Ban on the territory of Russia - not every hunter has the opportunity to travel to another state.
• If you already have a crossbow, you will not be able to obtain a license or permit to hunt not only a wild boar, but also any other animal.
• Requires finer aiming skills. Shooting accurately from 30-40 meters with a gun is not at all the same as hitting the target with a crossbow from the same distance.

Types of crossbow

There are two main types of crossbows for hunting wild boar:

• Recursive (classic). A simple, reliable and lightweight tool - its weight does not exceed 2 kg. Perfect for long hunting trips.
• Block. Their weight is already close to 3.5 kg, which is already becoming a noticeable disadvantage for large trips. But you get more powerful and upgraded weapons.

How powerful should a crossbow be for hunting wild boar? For a striking shot, it is enough to have a weapon with a pull force of at least 80 kg. We advise you to pay attention to models with a fuse and protection against a blank shot -in other words, produced without an arrow. The latter can cause major damage to the arms of the crossbow.

About scope

Crossbow for hunting wild boar and other large animals is already equipped with a fairly good regular sight. If you decide to replace it with another one, then remember that you should not install the device with a large magnification - the shooting will be carried out at a relatively short distance. A suitable option for a crossbow is between 4x24 and 4x32. If you have the financial ability, look at the night sight - seasoned boars are active at this particular time of day. It is worth paying attention to the collimator views, which allow for more accurate shooting.

Before hunting a wild boar with a crossbow, you should definitely get used to the sight - start training by placing the target at a distance of about 10 meters, gradually increasing it over time.

Arrows and arrowheads

Talking about the secrets and features of hunting a wild boar with a crossbow, we want to warn you right away - do not save on consumables! Poor-quality arrows and tips can cause both misses and inaccurate shots that injure rather than kill the animal. Another tip - buy several varieties of bolts and tips, test them in different weather conditions (including strong winds) and choose the best ones for you.

Let's take a look at tested products:

• Special two-bladed tips are best suited for hunting large preymanufactured by New Archery or Carbon Express - they provide the ability to pierce the carcass through.
• If you are going to hunt a gilt, a yearling or a small animal, then arrows equipped with blades that open on contact with an obstacle will be an excellent option.
• The most suitable material for arrows is, of course, carbon, reliable and durable. In the manufacture of their products, it is used by such well-known American companies as Carbon Express and Easton.
• Don't forget to equip your arrows with a tracer shank - it will help you not to lose a lot of good arrows at times.

And now that everything is ready, let's introduce you to the features of crossbow hunting for wild boar.

Who can't be shot at?

Let's start the conversation with those who should never be chosen as prey:

• Female with piglets. As an exception, it is allowed to shoot defective cubs, as well as crossbreeds with a domestic pig. All this is discussed directly with the huntsman. But still, the hunter will always bypass such a family.
• Adult seasoned boar. Cleaver, wild boar with already formed fangs - "dividers". The animal can be safely called an analogue of a rhinoceros - with its weight of a quarter of a ton. Remember that by the beginning of the hunting season, the boar will already acquire a "kalkan" - a kind of "armor" made of connective tissue, complemented by a durable woolen mat, built up over the winter. This "shield" falls just on the slaughter zone - the neck and chest. Sometimes it’s impossible to break through it the first time with a bullet, but fromwounded, the beast will become furious. But hunters bypass the billhook not only because of fear of him. The young male is the main producer of offspring.

Who will we hunt?

By the way, elk, wild boar and deer are being hunted with a crossbow. However, it is the boars that are considered the most desirable prey. Here's who it's permissible to target:

• Old boars. They are no longer manufacturers, and the purpose of their existence is the same - to show their superiority by hitting younger rivals.
• Underyearlings. The piglet is a little more or less than one year old. It is considered the best option from a gastronomic point of view - soft tasty meat, high nutritional value. The animal is lean, straight-looking, shaggy, without a hump and with barely distinguishable sexual characteristics. Weight - 25-40 kg. This is no longer a milk striped pig, but a boar with a lighter coat than adults. As a rule, they try to choose a male as prey.
• Gig. Age - 1.5-2 years. The underyearling looks more serious - withers, bristles appear, weight reaches 60-70 kg. However, distinguishing a pig from a boar is still not so easy.

Types of hunting for a wild boar with a crossbow

When choosing a crossbow as a weapon, one has to stop only at static methods of hunting. You also need to refuse the help of four-legged friends - dogs. There is a high probability that a dog that has shot up to prey can itself become a victim of an arrow. Therefore, the following remains - hunting with a crossbow for a wild boar from a tower, ambush, storehouse, tristand(mobile warehouse).

Before the action itself, it would not be bad to practice and test your strength - choosing not flat, but voluminous targets. And best of all, if they somehow resemble a wild boar in their outlines. The last training should be done with such a target on the tower. Before hunting in a particular place, your crossbow should already be shot from different angles at all multiples of 10 distances - up to 50-60 meters.

You will be ready for hunting when the accuracy of your hits from a tower or a storehouse into the kill zone of a target from different distances will be at least 90% of the total number. It’s not bad if a huntsman or a friend watches your training - flaws and mistakes are more visible from the side.

This moment…

Hunting begins with your capital placement on the storehouse near the feeding grounds - first of all, load the crossbow and put everything you need at hand. And then - just wait. Needless to say, you can not make noise, eat, drink, smoke. The best time to start is in the evening. Be prepared that you will have to sit out until the morning.

Usually, families with small piglets are declared first. Then - billhooks, at once dispersing the whole pack. Whom to shoot, you must discuss with the huntsman in advance. Take aim at your prey and track its every move. The shot should catch the boar at the most convenient position for you - a certain distance, with the beast in profile towards you.

According to the reviews of hunting for a wild boar with a crossbow "Cheetah" it can be judged that the most successfulthe area is rather extensive lungs, a paired organ, penetrated by a dense network of blood vessels. To hit the heart or liver with an arrow-thrower, you need to have a truly natural talent. Head, neck, spine - this is not your option. It will bring nothing but the torment of an animal.

Do not rush to run to the prey after the shot - even a deadly shot wild boar will be able to rush far into the forests on adrenaline. Wait for the animal to lie on its side and calm down.

After the shot

The most successful option is when the arrow pierces the prey through and through. It is convenient to trace this along the tracer shank - the light enters the side of the boar, fades for a second and lights up again a little to the side. You can also follow the behavior of the boar about a successful hit: he fell to his knees, began to spin in place, fell on his side. Such a beast obviously won't get far.

Do not go down from the tower until the huntsman arrives. Briefly and clearly explain everything you saw to him and only then move forward to the X site. Abundant blood stains, especially with air bubbles, parts of torn internal organs again indicate your luck - the beast will be easy to find even at night.

There are no blood stains, and the tracks of the beast go in a straight line - this indicates a miss. But the following is much worse - a broken arrow, some blood stains, a straight run. The huntsmen are already looking for a wounded animal with dogs in all areas, but the searches are often in vain. Note that such a "service" adds up to a "penny" for the hunter.

Hunt fora wild boar with a crossbow is a pleasure inaccessible in Russia and expensive in other countries. And, as you have seen, it is quite specific, requiring experience and thorough preparation.