Wild Pigs Kill More People Than Sharks

[Sarg]

Not sure where to put this but I think very interesting in general ?

When I was reading a post on what 3 cartridges for European hunting, the OP was referring to a 8.5x55, I mistakenly thought he meant 6.5x55 & had miss typed, then I looked up the Blaser 8.5x55 bit more than my old favourite 338/06.

Anyway when reading up on it I discovered a article about it & how handy it was in a short barreled handy Blaser for tree stands & such, also it was suitable for a special guy they get in on driven hunts who is called when the Wild Boar are wounded, point him in the direction & he does all the hard stuff.

It went on to say he was kitted out in head gear, thick jacket & “Kevlar Boar Pants” I thought WTF so looked it up, well bugger me there is a range of Wild Boar Pro Pants to protect hunters from Boar Maulings/Tusking .

https://harkila.com/en-us/shop/hunting-clothes/hunting-trousers/wildboar-pro-trousers-1101235

Many of them actually, so made me wonder how many people are injured or killed by Wild Hogs (I had a close call again this season myself) & found this article.

https://www.agweb.com/news/livestoc...e-people-sharks-shocking-new-research-reveals

Not sure if anyone is interested but it was all news to me, be great if some of our European members could add more on this Wounded Boar Mitigation Guys role in driven or other hunts ?

 

[Altitude sickness]

It’s pretty easy to have them hit a leg artery. Or knock you down and use the tusks on you. I would guess most serious injuries are from loss of blood.

 

[CBH Australia]

I have more chance of bumping into a pig as opposed to swimming with a shark.

Statistically it makes sense.

 

[HankBuck]

I have more chance of bumping into a pig as opposed to swimming with a shark.

Statistically it makes sense.

@CBH Australia - these “statistics” are always attention getting but for me it’s always “so what”?? Is anyone going to Not hunt Hogs or Not swim in the Ocean because of Sharks ? Also, the risk is more directly related to where you are - the minute you enter the Ocean - your “risk” of a Shark attack increases…but on a positive note —— your risk of a Hog Attack DECREASES. I’m certainly Not fearless - I just don’t worry about that kinda stuff and live in happy ignorance..

 

[CBH Australia]

@CBH Australia - these “statistics” are always attention getting but for me it’s always “so what”?? Is anyone going to Not hunt Hogs or Not swim in the Ocean because of Sharks ? Also, the risk is more directly related to where you are - the minute you enter the Ocean - your “risk” of a Shark attack increases…but on a positive note —— your risk of a Hog Attack DECREASES. I’m certainly Not fearless - I just don’t worry about that kinda stuff and live in happy ignorance..

True, I have been in the water and I have been close to pigs.

I hate sharks, or more correctly I am scared of them. They send a chill down my spine even though I’m sitting on the lounge.

I have been charged by a small pig, even shot one up close with a rifle. I have walked through the scrub and lignum looking for them. Some people won’t do that but since I’m pursuing the pigs I’m prepared, searching and aware of my surroundings. Hopefully it doesn’t go bad.

My preference is land over water, country over city.

Statistically I have more chance of bumping into a pig. Chances are I will be out looking for them next chance I get.

 

[cmk]

If you routinely do follow-ups on wounded wild boar, i.e. you are the guy that gets called in when there has been a traffic accident or when a shot did not land as precisely as intended, then I would consider it a good idea to have kevlar lined trousers. For the ordinary hunter... maybe the risk is not that great.

In this country there is a "network of specialized, appointed hunters" (sort of) that can get called in when the unfortunate happens (e.g. by the police or landowners). They have the right kind of dogs and equipment (and experience) to do these follow-ups. They are also allowed to cross borders into other properties when following wounded game.

 

[grand veneur]

I can add to what @cmk wrote, with which I agree. The risk of being attacked by a shark on the French or German coasts is extremely low. Walkers in our landscape are also not at risk from wild boars, but this is not the case when it comes to hunters. Almost every year we regret in our countries some deaths of hunters due to wild boar attacks. The number of injured hunters is not known because things like this are rarely reported. The circumstances are different, it comes above all when wounded wild boars are approached carelessly or when looking for wounded boars by hunters or as a result of traffic accidents. Wearing kevlar pants has protected more than one hunter from serious injury or even saved their lives.

 

[WildWill]

We have plenty of pigs on my land in Oklahoma in all that time I've had two close calls.

I was hunting a pair of boars that had setup shop on my place one season when I came across them bedded in a creek bottom. I was deer hunting at the time and only had my bow. I snuck up from the bank above and shot one of the boars making a poor hit right in his shoulder plate getting minimal penetration. He stood up looking for his attacker. Normally pigs eyesight is so bad just standing still works but being skylined and at 30 yards he spotted me and charged. We played ring around the rosie around a tree for a bit before he lost interest and wandered off.

Another time on the same property I was headed into my treestand in the early morning dark. I was quietly walking down a trail when I came to a spot that is usually pretty muddy due to a underground spring. As I went from the dry ground into the mud my rubber boots made a loud suction sound as I pulled my foot free from the mud. Almost immediately pure bedlam broke out and the stillness of the night was broken by horrible squeals and shrieks. Instantly I was struck in the legs by what was probably a sow and went tumbling into the muck. I was then assaulted by roughly a half dozen piglets from all sides that felt like extremely heavy footballs nailing me. I was a little bruised and very muddy but other then that I was OK.



Most if not all the injuries I've heard of people sustaining around here come from people using dogs to hunt them. It's fairly common for those dogs to get pretty cut up and many have begun using Kevlar vest for their dogs. Most of the human injuries come from guys trying to capture the hogs live or those who insist on using knives for a up close dispatch.

 

[HankBuck]

I can add to what @cmk wrote, with which I agree. The risk of being attacked by a shark on the French or German coasts is extremely low. Walkers in our landscape are also not at risk from wild boars, but this is not the case when it comes to hunters. Almost every year we regret in our countries some deaths of hunters due to wild boar attacks. The number of injured hunters is not known because things like this are rarely reported. The circumstances are different, it comes above all when wounded wild boars are approached carelessly or when looking for wounded boars by hunters or as a result of traffic accidents. Wearing kevlar pants has protected more than one hunter from serious injury or even saved their lives.

@grand veneur - I think wearing Kevlar Pants, to protect your “legs”, against Wild Hogs is a waste of money….BUT I’d spend $10,000 for some double thick Kevlar UNDERWEAR to protect “whats really important”

 

[grand veneur]

Luckily I have never had a problem so far, but the hunters I know who were attacked, mainly had bite wounds on their lower legs. The kevlar pants protect the legs, the groin and the lower abdomen.

 

[grand veneur]

The females rather bite, the male boars strike with their tusks. The fatal injuries are in the area of the thigh or groin and if you fall down, the neck. You bleed to death from arterial injuries.

 

[HankBuck]

The females rather bite, the male boars strike with their tusks. The fatal injuries are in the area of the thigh or groin and if you fall down, the neck. You bleed to death from arterial injuries.

@grand veneur - or they looked down, saw their “junk” was ripped off and decided to slice their own artery

 

[mark-hunter]

I was reading a thesis, on this subject published by local game management university.
Researched covered period of one or two years, on animals attack on hunters.
Hunting community is cca 60.000.members.
Typing this from memory, there was approximately 9 attacks on hunters during period of this research.
All attacks, or almost all were by wounded animal.
1 attack by bear.
1 attack by wounded roe deer
The rest of attacks was by wild boars.
All attacks were by wounded animals.

I can also add, number of hunters shot by another hunters annually is at least double then number of attacks by wounded animals.

 

[grand veneur]

The fatal injuries are always due to arterial injuries in the area of the lower abdomen or legs. Such injuries also occur during combat actions and have a good prognosis if they are treated urgently, but unfortunately the hunters are often alone and bleed to death before they are declared missing and help arrives.

 

[grand veneur]

I was reading a thesis, on this subject published by local game management university.
Researched covered period of one or two years, on animals attack on hunters.
Hunting community is cca 60.000.members.
Typing this from memory, there was approximately 9 attacks on hunters during period of this research.
All attacks, or almost all were by wounded animal.
1 attack by bear.
1 attack by wounded roe deer
The rest of attacks was by wild boars.
All attacks were by wounded animals.

I can also add, number of hunters shot by another hunters annually is at least double then number of attacks by wounded animals.

That is a very different topic.

 

[pilar]

When I was the manager of a large hunting lodge, I had a hunter shoot a wild boar and wound it, when we went to follow the boar , it was hiding in some heavy grass and brush, and attacked him when he got close enough to finish the boar off
Luckily he used his gun to block getting bit in the face & neck, I had to shoot the boar off the top of the hunter with my 300wm , even a point blank shot didn’t kill it, but did definitely divert the attack, he and I then each shot it twice with a 300wm & 45/70
Luckily he didn’t get bitten and only broke his ribs and sternum and rang his ears from my rifle
It did scare the hell out of me and everyone else present!
I learned a lot that day about hunting DG as I had never considered a hog as extremely dangerous! Having a dog present imo would have made a big difference
I was present when a wild bush cow attacked a man and my uncle had to kill it with his only gun a .243 win
Lesson learned is always expect the unexpected

 

[Firebird]

Is it always hunters being injured/killed by boars or are there casual wilderness users (joggers. Mushroom gatherers etc) being struck as well?
I suspect hunters at greater risk from boars whereas shark hunting/fishing not so many injuries. Compared to thousands of potential victims visiting the beach and subsequently the ocean. ?

 

[grand veneur]

Is it always hunters being injured/killed by boars or are there casual wilderness users (joggers. Mushroom gatherers etc) being struck as well?
I suspect hunters at greater risk from boars whereas shark hunting/fishing not so many injuries. Compared to thousands of potential victims visiting the beach and subsequently the ocean. ?

As I have written above, there are hardly any cases of non-hunters being attacked by wild boars, despite the fact that there are many various non-hunters in our fields and forests. There are always reports of so called dangerous encounters, but I don't know that there were any injuries or deaths.

 

[Hillcountry63]

I've got a pretty good scar on my calf just above my boots that a boar gave me and I've been bit by a couple of sows also. All were the product of dispatching said pigs after my hog dogs had caught them. Point being, a pig can and will hurt you if you get carless around them or if they're fighting to get away.

 

[Certus]

@CBH Australia - these “statistics” are always attention getting but for me it’s always “so what”?? Is anyone going to Not hunt Hogs or Not swim in the Ocean because of Sharks ? Also, the risk is more directly related to where you are - the minute you enter the Ocean - your “risk” of a Shark attack increases…but on a positive note —— your risk of a Hog Attack DECREASES. I’m certainly Not fearless - I just don’t worry about that kinda stuff and live in happy ignorance..

I don’t swim in the ocean..