Was fishing a heavily wooded creek today when a medium sized hog showed up out of the brush. Stared at me for about five seconds, and then ran off, but it startled me as I've heard stories of hog attacks. Was not carrying a gun, only had a decent sized hunting knife. Curious what yall would recommend doing if a situation like this happened again and the hog attacked. Running would be almost impossible as there were a lot of trees and brush, and besides, I'm not beating a pig. Thought about standing my ground with the knife, but I'm assuming best case scenario I'd get out alive but crippled. Assume I don't have a gun on me. Any thoughts?

You really have only have one choice if you have nowhere to egress. Act scary and I guess fight it if it doesn't run away.

That a ****ty situation to get saddled with. Maybe find something long to try and keep it back?

Climb something if you can.

That's about all you can do. I've never had one 'randomly' attack. I've had several situations like you describe and once they figure out I am a person, they haul ass. The only attacks I've ever heard of are when they are threatened or injured from hunters or other FAFO situations as far as I can see.

Climb the nearest tree. Only need about 5-6 feet off the ground.

How deep of a creek? I doubt the pig wants to try a swim attack.

Yea if by a decent body of water I'd wade in. Once they swimming it would not be difficult to drown it.
Son and friends killed them with long knives. Stab for their heart.

Mag dump

Grandfather told me...
They couldn't see straight ahead once they lower their head, so take a last minute step to the side. Never tried to verify that of course

Quote:

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Once they swimming it would not be difficult to drown it.

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Ralph disagrees!!


In my experience, hogs generally want to get the F outta Dodge. If you're in their way, they may take a swipe at you & then keep going. Climb or move behind a tree. Worst case pretend you're Dante Hall and make a quick lateral movement when they approach, pigs can't turn on a dime. I don't know if I would wade into water, they swim very good & I've seen hogs fight dogs while swimming in a deep creek.

Shooooot Liz, Shooooot!!

I've gotten very close to wild hogs several times, so highly doubt a wild hog would run up and attack an adult unless it was cornered. Odds are probably higher of being struck by lightning.

A buddy was raising a small wild pig in a pen and got tusked in the leg. He dang near bled out so take the little ones seriously if ever close up.
Buddy also enjoys hunting hogs up close using dogs and a long knife.

My favorite way to hunt is stalking wild hogs at night on foot. Thermal vision & silenced bolt rifle with subsonic handloads. Killed dozens this way.
Get downwind and try to get within 50 steps for a head shot, you hear them and smell them.
Only drawback is I no longer deer hunt, no thrill to it.

Call for my ugly old yeller dog.

Gandalf the Maroon said:

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Was fishing a heavily wooded creek today when a medium sized hog showed up out of the brush. Stared at me for about five seconds, and then ran off, but it startled me as I've heard stories of hog attacks. Was not carrying a gun, only had a decent sized hunting knife. Curious what yall would recommend doing if a situation like this happened again and the hog attacked. Running would be almost impossible as there were a lot of trees and brush, and besides, I'm not beating a pig. Thought about standing my ground with the knife, but I'm assuming best case scenario I'd get out alive but crippled. Assume I don't have a gun on me. Any thoughts?

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Seems perfectly reasonable to me that this is a great chance to buy a gun. Let your wife know you almost died and the only option for your survival is a weapon.

Preferably a 1911.

With optics of course.

I've actually tangled or had run ins with hogs a couple times. It was never random, or truly initiated by the pig. Each time it was a wounded, cornered, or trapped pig- so not their fault.
That being said- if you can't climb something, put a tree or even some brush between you and them. Best if you can see over/around it. I don't think their vision when running/charging is great, and I've never had one follow me around an obstacle- they just run by.

Also, their lateral movement sucks if they are running forward. So, you can side step them pretty easily, just keep your nerve and time it.

If you HAD to go hands on, know that you are probably going to get cut/bit. Just know that. Yes, a boar with big cutters can mess you up, but don't sleep on a sow either. You'll be likely able to operate and fight through the initial contact. I wouldn't recomend trying to pull out a pocket knife and fight- you aren't going to hurt them enough. Maybe with a big Crocadole Dundee knife.

Instead, I would try and get their back legs. I was able to side step a charging sow once, and as she stopped to turn. I grabbed her back legs and hoisted them off the ground. That took her motor away. I pushed her over to some brush (so she had an escape route), and waited for her to start trying to pull away. Once I let go, she was more than happy to skedadle.

All that to say- don't overthink this. 1) It isn't likely to happen with a random pig in the wild. 2) It's not like fighting a bear. Just stay out from directly in front of them, fight like hell if you need to, or get there back legs.

Champion of Fireball said:

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Gandalf the Maroon said:

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Was fishing a heavily wooded creek today when a medium sized hog showed up out of the brush. Stared at me for about five seconds, and then ran off, but it startled me as I've heard stories of hog attacks. Was not carrying a gun, only had a decent sized hunting knife. Curious what yall would recommend doing if a situation like this happened again and the hog attacked. Running would be almost impossible as there were a lot of trees and brush, and besides, I'm not beating a pig. Thought about standing my ground with the knife, but I'm assuming best case scenario I'd get out alive but crippled. Assume I don't have a gun on me. Any thoughts?

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Seems perfectly reasonable to me that this is a great chance to buy a gun. Let your wife know you almost died and the only option for your survival is a weapon.

Preferably a 1911.

With optics of course.

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I think this would be reason for a new pistol AND a rifle.

Pistol for immediate self defense, but you'll need the rifle as hogs are known to call in the rest of the wild hogs in the area (just go with it, wife won't know). So you'll need the rifle back at the truck to fight the Porcine Horde.

1911 is probably a good idea. My cousin had a run in with one and bounced a 9mm round off its forehead from point blank range. He upgraded to a 45 after that.

Kenneth_2003 said:

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Grandfather told me...
They couldn't see straight ahead once they lower their head, so take a last minute step to the side. Never tried to verify that of course

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Ok, who is willing to test this theory and video it for us?

WestTexasAg said:

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Kenneth_2003 said:

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Grandfather told me...
They couldn't see straight ahead once they lower their head, so take a last minute step to the side. Never tried to verify that of course

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Ok, who is willing to test this theory and video it for us?

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The same person who will test the theory you zigzag when running from a gator.

WestTexasAg said:

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Kenneth_2003 said:

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Grandfather told me...
They couldn't see straight ahead once they lower their head, so take a last minute step to the side. Never tried to verify that of course

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Ok, who is willing to test this theory and video it for us?

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I don't have video of it, but I've done this.

Grandpa's advice is right, but his reasoning is suspect. Just look at a picture of a wild pig- their eyes are set forward, not on the sides of their heads. They can absolutely see straight forward. And they don't really lower their heads during a charge. They don't have horns, their weapons are on the leading edge of their face. That's what they charge with.

However, side stepping can work. Here my uneducated guess as to why- what do you do if something is about to hit you in the face? You instinctively close your eyes. Many predators do this when attacking as well. I think pigs either squint or blink right before impact, or they can't focus quickly that close (same for you) - so their reaction time is slowed down. They for sure can wheel around when they go by, so I know they saw me. But I don't think they can move laterally as quickly as you can.

Champion of Fireball said:

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WestTexasAg said:

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Kenneth_2003 said:

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Grandfather told me...
They couldn't see straight ahead once they lower their head, so take a last minute step to the side. Never tried to verify that of course

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Ok, who is willing to test this theory and video it for us?

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The same person who will test the theory you zigzag when running from a gator.

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So- Mythbusters?

I raised pigs for 4-H growing up. One thing to know is their neck muscles are incredibly strong. Don't try kicking one in the head straight on. They are likely to lift you up, get you off balance, and dump you on the ground.
Moving to the side and kicking them in the rear is the best option if you can't climb or block them with something.

Cibalo said:

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Don't try kicking one in the head straight on. They are likely to lift you up, get you off balance, and dump you on the ground.

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Finally I can use my Don't Kick Hogs sign.

Gandalf the Maroon said:

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Was fishing a heavily wooded creek today when a medium sized hog showed up out of the brush. Stared at me for about five seconds, and then ran off, but it startled me as I've heard stories of hog attacks. Was not carrying a gun, only had a decent sized hunting knife. Curious what yall would recommend doing if a situation like this happened again and the hog attacked. Running would be almost impossible as there were a lot of trees and brush, and besides, I'm not beating a pig. Thought about standing my ground with the knife, but I'm assuming best case scenario I'd get out alive but crippled. Assume I don't have a gun on me. Any thoughts?

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Fix this part.

Carry a pistola or fish in a boat or both. Those pistols work on snakes and maybe gators too depending on how big they are

I think I may show my GF the OP's post as a reason why I need another gun.

I don't own an AK. I'm thinking of getting I "need" an AK to fight this upcoming porcine apocalypse.

I have never been concerned about being attacked by a wild hog. Most years were are covered up with them, and according to my game cams, this is going to be one of those years. I have encountered wild hogs an many occasions and they always run the other way

GeorgiAg said:

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I think I may show my GF the OP's post as a reason why I need another gun.

I don't own an AK. I'm thinking of getting I "need" an AK to fight this upcoming porcine apocalypse.

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You're welcome

Back in '78 my wife and I were looking at buying a lot in Ft. Bend near the Brazos river that had been1500 acres of cattle ranch and was being subdivided into 5+ acre tracts. The area near the river was nicely wooded and had roads cut through for the hands to chase after cattle that were back in there. We drove down in our Camaro and parked near the river bank on one of the roads. As we were walking along the road looking at the trees and underbrush, a few hogs came out of the woods. She had an uncle that always claimed he'd been treed by hogs out near Cuero when he was young, so she was very skittish and wanted to go back to the car. As she approached the car, with the windows down, about 10 feet short of it I started to stamp my feet and yelled "here they come!" I've never, and I mean ever, saw her move so fast. About 4 feet from the car she literally dove through the open window head first. As she looked to make sure I was safe, she figured out pretty quick I was BS'ing her because I was rolling on the ground laughing. Man, was she PO'd at me. And yes, after 51+ years, she is still married to me, and not quite so mad. We're laughing about it right now, so thanks for posting this and helping us remember a good time.

About 20 years ago I was walking back to my truck from the deer stand along a yaupon edged field. I was the only one hunting and it was almost dark enough to need my flashlight. Caught some movement in the corner of my eye, couldn't figure out what I was seeing at first. About the time I realized it was a sounder of piglets, I heard snorting and yaupon crashing as the sow was charging me from the brush. Instinctively raised my Remington .280 semiauto and saw nothing but pig in the scope. Emptied it into the sow and she crashed 5 feet from me. All five shots hit home but she kept coming. It took me a minute to calm down and breathe after that. It happened so fast I didn't have time to think about it until it was over. Close, close call! To sum it up: keep shooting until you win or are out of ammo!

I worked with wild pigs in very close quarters for right at nine years.

I ran the plant where they all go to piggy purgatory and their meat mostly goes to Europe. I was in pens with100-135 pigs on a daily basis. For the most part, you can side step and most pigs will run right past you.

However, pigs, like people, are sometimes hard to judge. I had more than several close calls and three or four who found their mark. Never any stitches, but have had a tusk put into my shin and other pretty bad scrapes. Most of the time, the side step will work, but I've had a couple that were nimble enough to react and run into me head on. I weigh ~265 and the 130# pig nearly put me on the ground.

DO NOT try to kick a hog. I tried it once on a 100-120# pig. It nearly dislocated my knee and bruised my toes pretty bad. No effect on the hog.

Most exciting time was when a 275#+ boat was super pissed in the pen next to where I was working. He decided right off he didn't like me. He would charge the fence and shake the entire pen. Then he started jumping. Nothing like standing 6'1" tall and looking up to see a LARGE pissed off hog coming over a 6' fence at you. Fortunately I was able to use my attitude adjuster (grubbing hoe handle) to push him back before he got his front feet over.

FWIW, 200+# hogs can clear a 5' fence if they want to.

P.H. Dexippus said:

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How deep of a creek? I doubt the pig wants to try a swim attack.

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I know that pigs swim, but once the feet are not touching bottom, it would be easy to just drown them.

Buy samurai sword

Have theatrical stare down with boar and draw your katana, find inner peace

Boar charges with sheer strength and aggression, everything slows down

Sidestep the charging animal with a simultaneous single downward swing, head is cleanly severed as the body's momentum carries another 5-7 yards.

the beast no longer threatens



idk or buy a gun