Description
The wild boar (sus scrofa) is one of the most popular big game animals in Argentina. An adult boar can weigh up to 450 pounds (200 kg), but normally they do not exceed 320 pounds (145 kg). The lower tusks flare up and out, making contact with the shorter upper tusks, which keep them sharp. A boar with 2 to 2 ½ inches (5 – 6.5 cm) of lower tusk above the gumline is quite good; with more than 3 to 3 ½ inches (7.6 – 8.9 cm) it’s an excellent trophy. It’s worth noting that the population of wild boars in La Pampa has direct European descent.
The Hunt
Using a combination of hunting methods, we have 100% success rate with wild boar. Night hunting with full moon, both from blinds and spot and stalk, along with hunting with dogs, are the most productive methods to bag a nice boar. Field judging a wild boar is very difficult and the size of the tusks generally has no relation to body size. Hence, it’s not uncommon to find light bodied boars with good tusks.
Guns & Ammo
Wild boars are tough animals and have a thick gristle plate over their neck and shoulders as protection when fighting against other boars. This plate is not bullet proof it but does require a quality and well-designed bullet to penetrate it. Ideally the shot should produce a good blood trail since most boars, with the exception of neck/spine or head shots, will run between 30 to 300 yards before piling up. The same calibers and bullet weights used for red deer are fine provided quality controlled-expansion bullets are used.