Bowhunting wild hog
Wild hogs (feral pigs) are one of the toughest bow animals in North America and the only unrestricted-season option in many Southern states. A big boar carries a shield of cartilage and gristle over the shoulder up to 2 in thick, plus a small vital zone tucked forward and low. Kinetic energy has to punch through the shield to reach the double lung. Shot placement is critical.
Kinetic energy threshold
No formal minimum in state law, but experienced hog hunters call for 55 ft-lb minimum, 65 ft-lb preferred on big boars. A 60 lb draw with a 480 gr arrow at 275 fps delivers 80 ft-lb at the bow, roughly 55 ft-lb at 25 yd.
Broadhead recommendation
Cut-on-contact fixed heads dominate hog camps. Slick Trick Magnum, Cutthroat single-bevel, Iron Will S100, and G5 Montec are the four most-cited on Bowsite Southern forum. Mechanicals lose favor because the shield can close them or shear locking tabs. Cut diameter 1 in to 1-1/8 in is the range; wider heads risk stopping in the shield.
Shot placement
Hog vitals sit forward and low, behind and below the shoulder. Broadside on a moving pig: aim tight behind the front leg, 1/3 up. Quartering-away preferred. Frontal shot on a charging boar is a last-resort with the target being the center of the chest below the jaw. Never take the quartering-toward on a big boar; the shield is thickest at that angle.
Arrow build
480 to 600 gr total, 15% FOC or higher. Easton Axis 5mm 340 with 125 gr broadhead + 100 gr insert builds to 500 gr at 13% FOC. Gold Tip Kinetic Kaos and Black Eagle Rampage are the hog-forum picks. Micro-diameter reduces drag past the shield. Feather fletch flies through night-hunt setups better than plastic vanes for the traditional bow crowd.
What bowhunters actually say
The shield stops any broadhead that will not cut its way through. A 100 gr Rage on a 60 lb bow will just bounce off a 250 lb boar.
Bowsite Wild Hog forum, Texas contributor
Cut-on-contact and a 550 gr arrow. That is the hog answer. I have killed 40+ pigs with the same Iron Will S100 head, resharpened on a strop.
Archery Talk Hog Hunt thread, 2024
Shot placement matters more on hogs than any other animal I hunt. Miss the crease by two inches and you hit shield.
Rokslide Wild Hog thread, veteran Southern hunter
Check your state F&W dept for local rules. This is research summary, not legal advice.