Helicopter Hog Hunting with WRM FZY

Helicopter hunting is one of the most invigorating experiences I have ever participated in. The feeling of flying sideways, facing the earth behind a machinegun, the pilot manipulating the heard with every blade beat is next level hunting. I send 7.62x39mm Federal Fusion soft-points into the wiry thick hide of the hog. The round penetrating, then vaporizing the spinal cord, witnessed by the greyish mist exuding from the impact. The hog folds from the collision of copper and lead, sliding 20 yards to it’s demise. Rinse and repeat five to forty more times in a single flight. This is helicopter hog hunting.

Choosing a Weapon System

You can smite a hog with any weapon system or caliber with a well placed shot. The 30 caliber family tends to be the preference in Helicopter Hog Hunting. 556 OTM or ballistic tip are great, but expect to have to put a few extra holes in the hogs. .308, 7.62x39mm, 7.62 NATO, 6,8 SPC have been the primary flavors of helicopter hog hunting. Suppressed guns are very much preferred. The audio headsets provided for comms with the pilot are not the best at noise cancellation and decibel reduction. They protect the hearing of the shooter much more effectively if the weapon system is suppressed.

I personally love the CZ Bren 2 7.62x39mm Full Auto 8″. The helicopter flies between 10-50 feet above the hogs, so a shorter, more maneuverable system can make quick work for faster target acquisition. I’ve personally taken hogs with all the above calibers. The only caliber I’ve heard mixed feedback is the sub sonic 300 BLK. Subs in spin or ear shots are effective, but center of mass shots are being reported as “hit or miss” on lethality. Obviously, we aren’t trying to wound animals, but cull them completely. This isn’t hunting for food, it is systematic extermination.

Optic choice for helicopter hog hunting comes down to personal preference. We don’t recommend LPVOs, they are unnecessary with the hogs being so close on the chase. Most shooters prefer Eotech or Micro RDS styled optics. I was running an Aimpoint Comp M4 at the time. Optics with the best FOV will be your friend. Zero your weapon systems for 50 yards.

Alex patiently waiting in que for a flight.

Popular Helicopters for Hunting

R44 is the most popular, and affordable model of helicopter seen in the Texas hunting community. R44 are the gold standard for herding cattle. A low barrier to entry helicopter. https://robinsonheli.com/r44-raven-i/?gclid=CjwKCAiAgvKQBhBbEiwAaPQw3PvwHZfLGr1LEOqSkptGn_oRf7-eHgK9pWlEYCpyFazX7GhB9PW2RBoCUPIQAvD_BwE.

Last Shadow TX owns and operates turbine-powered MD600N, capable of speeds up to 175 mph. That is a 4 shooter helicopter.

“To hunt in Texas you must have a valid Texas hunting license, which you can get from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department website. Texas residents must have a Type 101 resident hunting license. Out-of-state or international clients must have at least a Type 157 non-resident, five-day special hunting license.” from https://lastshadow.com/faq/.

YouTube Video from the Matagorda Texas Hog Hunting Bae City with WRM FZY

What Gear to Take on a Helicopter

Closed toed shoes, pants, Chest rigs are essential. Depending on the bird, a battle belt setup may be encumbering. Magazine loadout is BRING AS MUCH AS YOU CAN SAFELY STORE AND CARRY. You don’t want any lost magazines. A backup mag carrier on the belt isn’t a bad option. I used a prototype Velocity Systems MCCR with Triple Feed DSM. That’s five total mags with one in the gun. I generally went through two full mags per flight. There were shooters that went through MANY more, upwards of four. Better be on the safe side and have the most opportunity per flight. With flight costs ranging from $700-1500 PER PERSON PER HOUR, be prepared.

List of quality gear to run for flights.

Velocity systems MCCR Chest Rig (Ghidorah 556/308 with Kaiju Stiffy Kit fits) https://www.velsyst.com/collections/mission-configurable-chest-rig/products/mission-configurable-chest-rig

ANR Design Ghidorah https://www.anrkydexholsters.com/product/ghidorah-556-placard-insert/

ANR Design Ghiodrah 308 https://www.anrkydexholsters.com/product/ghidorah-308-placard-insert/

Triple Feed DSM https://www.triple-feed.com/product-page/d-s-m

Haley D3CRM Micro Chest Rig (Ghidorah 556 with Kaiju Stiffy Kit fits) https://haleystrategic.com/d3crm-micro

Spiritus Systems Mk4 Micro Flight Chest Rig https://www.spiritussystems.com/micro-fight-chassis-mk4/

Spiritus Systems compatible ANR Design Ghidorah-S https://www.anrkydexholsters.com/product/ghidorah-s-556-placard-insert/

Passengers and Shooters

R44 can accommodate one pilot and 3 shooters. The MD600 can accommodate 4 total shooters. The R44 skids are tucked farther under the bird with no chance of accidental shooting of the skids. The MD600 has more exposed skids, be careful, shooting them requires a personal line of credit to fund the repair. The R44 feels like you’re flying in an empty beer can that could crumple on every high G-Force turn. It feels sketchy. It is sketchy. These pilots are all professionals and super talented.

Dylan @tuffasstats and Alex taking off on their second flight of the weekend

Animal Recovery

Animal recovery from a helicopter kills in Texas is illegal. Some pilots will land to take pictures with the downed animals, if the opportunity arises. Don’t expect that chance with all outfitters or pilots.

Pilots land for customers to take dead-pig selfies.

Just Enjoy Yourself

Hogs are most active at first light first flight and the last few hours of the day. They wallow or bed down during the peak daylight hours. Heat slows them down as well. They have similar eyesight at night, as humans, but a great sense of smell. If you have a chance to schedule your flights, do it at these peak times for maximum hog hunting opportunities.

WRMFZY put on this Matagorda TX helicopter hog hunt. It was an absolute blast.