We were recently on a hog hunt in South Carolina. The guide said to shoot them in the head. I did not like this idea. Ido not know how large there brain is.  And if I am off by a couple of inches there is a pig running around with no lips.
So on a shot say 100 yards to 200 yards, where do you aim???
Joe Termite

For bradside head shots aim at the base of the ear. Head on head shots aim between the eyes.

My preferred shot is the heart, so I aim at the tip of the elbow on the opposite side. This is a tad bit farther back than on a deer, but a hog's chest cavity is much narrower and more cone-shaped; not the barrel-shape of a deer. For a given body size, a hog will have half the lung capacity compared to a deer. All of a hog's chest in front of the shoulder joint is hide, muscle, fat and gristle - very little that is vital. Many of the tales of "bullets bouncing off the gristle plate" are bullets passing through too far forward without hitting any vital structures or the result of using bullets that are too fragile and break up before reaching a vital organ.
I will take head shots when the critter is close enough and my rest is solid enough to ensure I will hit within an inch of my point of aim. PDM's suggestions are right on. Just remember the brain is between the ears, not between the eye and ear. A hog's skull is surprisingly long; twice as long if it has a lot of European wild hog genetics.

My preferred shot is the heart, so I aim at the tip of the elbow on the opposite side. This is a tad bit farther back than on a deer, but a hog's chest cavity is much narrower and more cone-shaped; not the barrel-shape of a deer. For a given body size, a hog will have half the lung capacity compared to a deer. All of a hog's chest in front of the shoulder joint is hide, muscle, fat and gristle - very little that is vital. Many of the tales of "bullets bouncing off the gristle plate" are bullets passing through too far forward without hitting any vital structures or the result of using bullets that are too fragile and break up before reaching a vital organ.
I will take head shots when the critter is close enough and my rest is solid enough to ensure I will hit within an inch of my point of aim. PDM's suggestions are right on. Just remember the brain is between the ears, not between the eye and ear. A hog's skull is surprisingly long; twice as long if it has a lot of European wild hog genetics.

My preferred shot is the heart, so I aim at the tip of the elbow on the opposite side. This is a tad bit farther back than on a deer, but a hog's chest cavity is much narrower and more cone-shaped; not the barrel-shape of a deer. For a given body size, a hog will have half the lung capacity compared to a deer. All of a hog's chest in front of the shoulder joint is hide, muscle, fat and gristle - very little that is vital. Many of the tales of "bullets bouncing off the gristle plate" are bullets passing through too far forward without hitting any vital structures or the result of using bullets that are too fragile and break up before reaching a vital organ.
I will take head shots when the critter is close enough and my rest is solid enough to ensure I will hit within an inch of my point of aim. PDM's suggestions are right on. Just remember the brain is between the ears, not between the eye and ear. A hog's skull is surprisingly long; twice as long if it has a lot of European wild hog genetics.

I take the heart shots if there is any doubt at all. The LAST thing you want is a wounded, angry hog on your hands. That doesn't mean I haven't busted a coconut or 2 either. If I have rifle enough I will take a heart shot over a head shot everytime. If I am limited to the 22 rimfire (like the law requires here at times) I'll pop 'em in the nuggat. Any good deer round will do a fine job on a hog. Just be sure to give them time to settle down and expire before you go on up to them. If you hit them in the boiler room where finepoint was suggesting, you will loose a total of MAYBE 2 or 3 lbs of meat from the ribs. If your off on your shot by a few inches, you'll still most likely get your pork dinner. GOOD LUCK!!!

Hitting them in the middle of the neck will also bring them down immediately, so dont feel like your earhole shot has to be perfect

Gentlemen, I would agree with everyone that has posted on this subject. However, the original queston was where to aim when taking a head shot that the guide told him to take.

Actually the question was....
"So on a shot say 100 yards to 200 yards, where do you aim???"
My answer is simple..no question in my foggy old brain....
Right in the boiler room

Even a large hog will have a brain no larger than a large Bosc Pear, and about the same shape. That's a really small target at 150-200 yds. If you can put all your shots on a 3x5 index card at that range under field conditions, then fire away. A heart/lung target is about the size of a sheet of notebook paper.
Try Googling up a bunch of pictures of pigs from different angles, print them off and spend time envisioning where to shoot so the bullet will pass through a point directly between the ear holes, in the center of the back half of the skull. Print them out so you can practice over and over until you can see the skull in three dimensions, as if it were transparent. That way it will be automatic and you won't have to re-calculate in the field. You can use the same training technique for body shots, where your target (the heart) is midway between the elbows.

Ditto on all the responses that said heart shot. Just remember a hogs anatomy is different than a deer. The heart and lungs set lower and farther forward.

If you're gonna shoot them in the head aim between the eye and the ear when they're broadside. if they're facing you shoot between the eyes. Both shots will kill 'em right away though they may still kick around a bit. The nice thing about putting it in their knoggin is that you don't have to track them and there is no chance of finding a wounded and angry hog at the end of a blood trail.

ben

I have killed a number of wild hogs. By far the best killing shot is in the ear or neck. No tracking, DRT. No wasted meat. I have shot them thru the shoulder with a 7mag and a 175 partition and not get a pass thru at a hundred yards and it still ran over a hundred yards! Shoot for the ear if at all possible or get closer.
21buck

One nice thing about hogs. some people raise hogs for meat. go find a hog farmer and look em over and you'll get a better grip on their anatomy. Also if you can put hands on one this will show you what a tough critter they are. A pigs muslacuture is is like rock. If you can get close 100yds and have a 12ga with a rifled barrel or 75yds or less with a smoothbore that would be my choice of gun. At short range nothing matches 1oz of lead going 1200fps.

One more vote for neck shots here. Although I've only killed three, the first I shot through the lungs and had to track, that wasn't fun without a side arm at the time. The other two were neck shots that put them down on the spot. The first was an inline ML, the other two were .243 kills. I was cautioned about how thick the shoulder can be so I went with the neck shot when using the .243 since its way bigger than the brain, Neither the Remington core-locked or the winchester silver tips held together at just under and just over 100 yds, respectively so all the energy was transferred to the neck, instantly planting them both. All three were in the 150 lbs. range so not big but not piglets either, or choats I think they called them there in south central Fl.

I will be using a 308 Win. for hogs firing 150gr. Hornady Superformance SST, 200 yard max shot range, using this ammo would you suggest the neck shot?

I would just to not have to track it. The one I shot with my ML ran about 80 yds. in a fish hook type pattern so it could watch its back trail with a double lung hit, had it been still alive when I was tracking it it could possibly have got me since I went right past it on its trail and never saw it till I looped back around. I would think that combo would work either way though, just my opinion.

A hogs vitals are further forward than they are on a deer. If you shoot a broadside hog right behind the front leg you have made a gut shot!

I tell all my clients to go for the shoulder I can find a pig that {1}**** there if you hit them in the hind quarters they can pull themseves miles with little or no blood trail. Gut shots can have the same result too if they get to running the fat will work out to the bullet hole and plug it up leaving no blood trail. As far as head shots forget it we took a big ban saw and cut a hog nose to tail you would be shocked at
how thick the bone around there brain is. There is a reason they have been around from the beginning of time they are one tuff critter. you can hit them at close range in the head and it will kill them if the gun is big enough that said I have seen many bullets bounce off the head if you need to take the head shot put it right in the ear hole deal is done right there on the spot.

Maybe this will help, a hogs vitals are further forward, lower, and much smaller than a deers

the heart and lungs are covered by the leg and shoulder

   

 

Thats one heck of a display model there jwb. thanks. The "knot" in the spine at the front line of the chest is what I was ( honestly unknowingly) aiming at and hit when using my .243.

Shoot right thru the ear... They go down fast.

jbw this is easily the most educational and impressive display of where hog vitals are that I have seen in all the posts I have been researching.  Excellent work there!  I will be using a SA m1a scout and I don't think an ear hole is the target for me.  Heart and lungs are just fine.

Not long ago, it waqsn't uncommon for us (my boys and I) to go out and kill 3 to 5 hogs in a day. BUT, now that they both have families of their own and are busy taking care of them we don't get out as often. A boiler room shot on hogs is the bets course. YES, you can loose some meat BUT, that just means you can take another one to make up for it. REMEMBER, they have a "sheild" of gristle from just behind each ear down to the back edge of the shoulder that CAN and HAS stopped high powered rifle bullets in the past. IF you are a person who learns from the past, you'll remember this fact.
THAT being said, a shot placed in the heaert and lungs is STILL the best shot to take. Take your time and stalk up on them. They can smell and hear as well as or better than a deer BUT, they can not see even 1/2 as good. cent control and camo is the key. The noise factor is not a major factor IF you consider the noise they make as they feed, turning leaves and brush and all the debris on the foest floor to find a meal. Just move ONLY when they are feeding. Stalk up on them to with in 50 to 75 yards and even the largest hog will fall to a bullet placed in the shoulder, through the lungs/spine or heart and with todays modern ammunition and calibers penetration through the sheild is a minor consideration but still a consideration. Look for the oppertunity of a shot while the closest foreleg is forward or the animal is angling (quartering) SLIGHTLY away. Take your time, place the shot and be patient afterwards. Give the animal a chance to settle and die before you start tracking. Hogs are about 1/2 bulldozer, so keep your eyes, ears and nose open as you trach. Have your weapon loaded and ready for a follow up shot should the need arise. ALWAYS have an escape plan should you come upon the hog wounded hog who has not expired yet. As simple as it sounds, even a decent tree to keep between you and the hog. 
IF you take your time, use your common sense and PLACE the bullet where it needs to be. Your chances of bringing home the bacon are very good. Take your time and be safe and have fun.

  

JB, excellent pics! That should settle the vitals arrangement . As for where to shoot ? I killed 8 pigs two weeks ago with a AR 15 that I built out of parts. first couple were standing then they began to scatter some head shots some neck shot (not enough lead) I mayhave hit a couple that ran off and died in the swamp but the famer doesn't care where they die as long as they're dead . Serious problem in his area they have destroyed entire crops on his farm.