Been shooting a long time, finally have an opportunity to travel to TX regularly for work.  Would like to get into hog hunting.  Some questions:

Will my Aero AR using 75 grain GD work well, even on running hogs?  It groups at 1MOA with this round.
What scope should I have on it to work with helmet mounted PVS 14 NV?
If I need a .308, do low cost SP 150 grain rounds work as well as the high priced .223 rounds? (so the cost per round is similar regardless of platform)
Where can I hunt around Houston to help with the population control issue rather than fork out $500 a day to shoot 1 hog?  Surely there are those interested in the help.

Thanks in advance for the recommendations.

Nothing works well on running hogs. They are pretty tough and have a lot of relatively empty space inside so it's all about shot placement with them. If you don't hit them in the CNS they tend not to drop when hit. They may die later and often do, but not on the spot

Once the shooting starts it's not easy to make precise hits which is why I prefer low recoil semi autos with good magazine capacity. I hunt with a 6.5 Grendel, my buddy uses Hornady Black 69gr 223. Within 100 yards we have about the same first round DRT rate as each other. Many people scoff at 223's but in my experience they are as effective as most anything else I've seen. Getting precise hits while they are in freakout mode is not nearly as easy as it seems

Do you already have a PVS14 and/or IR laser? What about thermal? There are advantages and disadvantages with each, and different styles of hunting

Thermal is the most effective for target acquisition and ID for hogs but NV is definitely better for navigation and movement. If you will be hunting from a static position it may be simpler to get a decent thermal and skip the PVS14 but if you are stalking on foot you'll need a 14 for sure. Arfcom always says get both and in this case I agree

For me it's way more fun to hunt with both. Scanning and engaging with the rifle thermal, general observation and movement with the 14. We do a fair bit of walking and get a lot of use out of both

I live in Houston and I don't think there is any place around the area to hunt hogs...you'll need to get a couple hours out, or know someone with a hog problem in the rural areas. East Texas is definitely overrun but I don't see anyone advertising they need help

See if @tmm1270 can lend any advice. He is one of the most knowledgeable pig hunters on the board for sure

Thanks very much for this info!
I don't see Hornady Black in 69 grain for a 223...can you confirm?  If a 69 grain BTHP works perhaps I can use my Bushnell Predator with 68 grain Black Hills BTHP and 10x fixed scope?  Do you mostly hunt at night or day or both?
I don't mind driving a few hours out of Houston for hunt.  I will be based on the north side up in Spring.

My bad, I thought it was 69gr but it could be the 75gr sorry

I only hunt at night these days because you have the best chance of catching pigs that way. Thermal and NV are a ton of fun but be careful, it gets addictive and it's not cheap. For me it's been well worth the money just for the sake of constantly being outdoors and doing cool stuff. Hogs or not, any night under nods is a good one for me

I don't recommend a 10x scope at all for hunting pigs. Things happen way too fast after the first shot and I doubt you'll get a second shot at 10x if you are less than 100 yards. High magnification is a real PITA for quick shooting. The most I'd do is 4x personally and you'll notice that most thermal and night vision scopes are less than 4x native

So PVS 14 and T-1 might not be a bad setup at all then?  Perhaps add a 3x magnifier...who makes the best 1 for the $?

I started out with a PVS-7 and a green Cyclops light on a 308 bolt gun.

Then found a Blackout and put an X-sight II and one of the Lasermax IR lasers. A lot of my shots are 20-30yds, I just use the laser and don't have to drop my NV to get behind the gun optic.

What you can get by with depends on how & where you will hunt.

Patrolling is more productive than stand hunting for me. More chances to see more pigs.

At deer camp in Tx, we are limited to 1000 acres. We do a half mile+ string of bait-holes, set up to be traveled with the prevailing winds going crossways, so you can work it in both  directions.

Here in Ok, I drive around with NV watching pastures and feed lots that I have access to.

Nothing wrong with a T1 at all with a PVS14 but do try to get some night practice in if you can. In low light it's harder to see through the T1 itself when looking through a PVS14 so maybe think of a decent IR illuminator on the rifle

I personally wouldn't use a 3x magnifier on a headmounted PVS14 but as a weapon mount combo behind the T1 it ought to be ok

I use a .223 at night with pretty good success and have switched to the Hornady Black 75gr'ers. The steel case Hornady has given me some issues with primmer failure. I primarily use a 6.5 Grendel during the daylight hours mainly because I don't have a suppressor for the 6.5 yet, but I hope that the 6.5 can is released from jail in a few months. I agree both thermal and NV is the way to go you will pick out stuff you don't see around the edges with the thermal Yet the NV will shine eyes in really tall grass and allow you to see trails made in the dew on the grass. As far as Houston area I don't know anything. And as far as the .308 goes I would look at the size of the fields I'm hunting and if your tight to brush where chances of more fallow up shots are slim. You might want to look harder at the .308. Just use common sense and study the place where you will be hunting and how far you have to pack equipment. If your tired your shooting will suffer so you might want to do a buddy system and split the load.   Oh I highly recommend shooting sticks more than Caliber the steadier you are the better you shoot.