John,
hogs are mostly nocturnal cause thats what they are..but that doesnt mean they don't move in daytime- they usually move better in the afternoon than the morning, and lay up during the daylight hours in palmettos especially when its hot- in reedy beds off the ends of little humps in the swamps during the winter months..but you can definitely kill pigs during the day.
Get a puffer bottle- keep it filled with corn starch. Use it like you were out west elk hunting- constantly check the wind with that puffer- and move with the wind in your face all day long if you have to change directions 50 times do it. Work cross wind at worst, going through the palmettos in the middle part of the day and you WILL push hogs up if they arent up feeding...in cold months they will usually be moving around during the middle of the day staying warm and getting fed...in the summer...they lay up a lot when its really boiling but you can walk up on them- when they jump out of their beds its usually to go about 10-15 yrds and stop- checking over their shoulder to try to detect movement. Let's face it- if you are 10-20 yards away and can't see them, its pretty likely they don't SEE you either- they're just reacting to your movement- they do the same thing with other pigs- you watch- if a big boar walks in amongst a sounder of pigs they will all move away from that boar pretty quick- respectful don't you know...trying not to get their butts kicked- they'll do the same for you...I always give them a little reassurance grunt or two...low, not deep but out of your throat like a little hog..to make em feel safe. They usually settle right back down.
Use a partner or more than one- spread out about 50-80 feet apart and alternately walk ahead, then stop- then another walks ahead- then stops- if you jump one up there's a 50/50 shot it will move toward you or the other guys...at any rate, we have had excellent luck using this technique and I killed at least 50 hogs at Stewart with that.
If it were me, I would get there at daylight to my area, and ride the roads till I found fresh tracks crossing INTO your area. I'd park right there and get after them! Chances are you will hear them raising a ruckus ahead of you, and move in quick with the wind...its not rocket science...just move slow...watch their bodies, when they move, you move. When they stop- you better be still!
Move in as quickly as is prudent and get your shot off...the longer you mess around the more the wind will give you away..that flat ground has swirling winds all year round..if you dont like the way its blowing now wait five minutes it will switch on you.
I think it boils down to confidence...if you THINK you are going to have good luck, and know WHAT to do, you are obviously going to be more successful than when you are unsure of what to do in a given situation, and that only comes from experience. Hogs, deer, turkeys, bears- it doesnt matter what species- the more time you spend getting after them the more "luck " you will have.
But its all FUNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Topic: hunting fort stewart hogs (Read 7249 times)
