Anybody hunted hogs at night?

[slayer1]

Any of you guys hunted hogs at night with traditional gear? I have a chance to go to TX on a hunt with some buddies. The catch is most of the hunting on this place is done late in the evening and at night. The guys I will be hunting with are mostly using wheel bows equipped with varmint lights. Can anyone offer up any tips to hunting hogs at night with traditional gear? Would it be worth trying to rig up a light on my longbow?

[SouthMDShooter]

i may be wrong but i think ive seen one of Buffs videos of him shooting one at night. im sure someone will be along here soon to help you out

[**DONOTDELETE**]

use a head lamp or a light on a tri-pod.

[Chris Surtees]

If the moon phase is good you may not need a light. This is was my favorite since I could still get out and stalk the fields.

Have also used a Petzel headlamp but make sure you practice to get it in the right spot on your head. It worked out well but make sure it casts the light to your intended shooting range.

lastly you can use the buddy system where one guy holds the light while the shoots and then switch it up.

[rockz]

I have had great hog hunts on a full moon night in Texas.
 
If they are on a caliche road or dead grass you can see them well without a light.

When a hog comes in just watch the front leg and as you get ready to shoot just follow the back of the front leg up to the body and when you get up to to his ribcasge let'er rip. You will be amazed at how well the outline of the hog shows up in the dark on a moonlit night. That arrow will bury right behing the shoulder.

Where I hunted them they were on to lights and would run at any hint of external light. It worked much better just using your night vision.

[slayer1]

Does it matter if the light is white or should it be red? I think I have a head lamp that has one of the red covers....

[TexasAg]

I think it just depends on the pigs. I hunt in Texas at night under a lighted feeder for hogs. White LED lights are what we use. The sonders don't seem to mind but the big boars are much more leery. The pig I posted under Highlights was shot like this.

I will also second the full moon. Some nights it seems that the sun never goes down and we don't use the lights at all. Where in TX are you headed?

[bigislandmark]

Aloha Scott,

I'm currently hunting them at night while the moon is full. I'll second what rockz says about lining up the pig before taking the shot and using your night vision. I like to get as close as possible about 10 to 15 yards before taking the shot.

Last week my friend Richard went into the pasture to see if he could locate the pigs and found them in a small draw. Because of the lighting, he couldn't make them out clearly and didn't want to risk a shot. They were also mixed in with cattle so shooting was out the the question.  He decided to light them up with a large dive light. The smaller pigs and sows made a dash BUT, the big male dominate boars stood their ground and started blowing. Had they been in the open and I there to light them up, he would have taken the shot.

 Moon is starting to set so we'll proberbly change tactics and do early mornings and late evenings just before dark.

Good luck Scott and I am enjoying the Great Plains bow that I bought from you. Need little mo practice before I can take it hunting.

Mark

[draco]

Either hunt on a night with good moon or use a Mini Mag flashlight, but dont use a headlight. It`s just tohard to get it adjusted. Hold the back of the Mini Mag between your 2nd and third fingers. Keep it on  a beam as large as you can,you will spook fewer hogs. Start the draw with the beam pointed upwards and lower it down slowly as you draw.You will spook fewer this way also.

Practice this beforehand and you will be amazed how well it works. It`s something you need to know how to do anyway, so you can shoot snakes after dark. And it is a lot of fun hunting rats at night also. Good luck,   Bob

[Nakohe]

Nothing better than hunting hogs at night with a full moon. That is my favorite way. Sit a water hole or corn a road. They will get pretty close if you can sit still or use a double bull.

[flatlander37]

Slayer, I'm headed to Crystal City, TX in 2 weeks also on a hog hunt and the place I'm going is like that too.  I hope it works out that I can get some shots.  Can't complain cause my bro got a deal through Whitetails Unlimited.  We get 2 hogs and a chance at an Oudad sheep for only $400 per person.  The 1000 miles one way isn't cheap, but hey ya do what ya gotta do.  Mark

[BUFF]

A lot of good advice already given. I hunt hogs at night all summer, too darn hot down here in the daylight. I have found if there is at least a 1/2 moon you can get by with no light. Practice it before you leave. I go out ion my yard at night and shoot my 3-D targets to get the feel for it. If it is cloudy or no moon I have a Hawglite I mount to my bow with a strap on bow fishing rig. Good luck but be warned it is very additive. you can hear them coming through the dark woods from a long way off and it really gets your heart pumping. I will attach a pitcure of the rig I use
 

[HATCHCHASER]

I would use a red light if possible...MMMmm baaycon..

[carparcher]

While I have not personally hunted hogs at night, I had a buddy who did it every year at the Texas ShootOut at the Calahagn Ranch.  He was one of the hosts and got to hunt after all the paying hunters left.  They would hunt them over bait (corn), and cover the ground around them w/ flour.  It's cheap, easy, and really makes the hogs stand out when the moon is bright especially.  Good luck!

[flatlander37]

Buff, How far is Crystal City from where you are.  We'll be hunting a place outside of that and I was wondering if any of you guys had heard anything about it.  The internet address is  www.huntingwithjeff.com.   Mark

[NTXStickbow]

I had a learning experience using lights...  After I turned on my headlight (red LED), I raised my bow for the shot and the hogs darted!  I assume they saw a shadow created from my bow.  Maybe a one-time deal, but if you are hunting with a partner, I'd have them hold the light slightly off to the side so shadows aren't a problem.

[slayer1]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I practiced last night with a small flash light hooked to the outside of my arm guard. It worked pretty good. If I could figure out a way to turn it on without using my string hand I think it would be the ticket.

[dnovo]

Try out a hawg lite. I think you can get them from Hornes Archery. It mounts to your bow with a gadget adapter or insert if you have one. It has a blue lens with it and a button so you can turn it on as you come to full draw.

[Biggie Hoffman]

We tried it one night but it just didn't feel fair.

As long as you keep everything behind the flashlight, you could walk up to within feet of them. If anything got in front of the light source, they'd boogie.


I couldn't get the thought out of my mind that it was an unfair hunting practice, although it is legal in Georgia, and never did it again.

[LV2HUNT]

I had a similar experience to NXTStickbow. After sitting till dark in a South Texas ground blind two bruisers showed up as I was getting ready to leave. I was desperately trying to position my big mag light to illuminate them. When I finally thought I had it positioned right I turned on the light and it promptly moved which sent those hogs out of my life  :(  . That has been the extent of my night time hog hunting.