Hog talk

[Bullchaser1]

So I’ve only traveled down south twice to hunt hogs, and we were lucky enough to get a couple. Hunting our deer and turkey here in PA, and elk out west etc. over time you learn to read what the animals are going to do next by how they’re acting, their head positions and with turkeys what they’re saying(or not saying). Always trying to be a better woodsman, my question to the seasoned hog hunters down south is this:  can you predict what the hogs are going to do next by the sounds they’re making? Basically what are they saying/ normal sounds when feeding or what is their alarm sound when the gig is up etc. The one hog I shot sounded like it was huffing at me, and there were other hogs with it. It almost seemed like it thought I was a boar hog and it was trying to keep me away from the other hogs?We have a blast hunting them, and it’s always fun to explore new terrain and habitat. Any woodsmanship tips on hunting these hogs is appreciated. Good luck hunting!
J

[rastaman]

When a hog huffs the jig is up. They don't usually hang around to give you a shot when you hear that at least from my experience.  Loud squealing is usually a sow in heat with boar hogs fighting to see who wins the prize.  If the wind is right and the cover is good enough you can usually get in close, but they won't be standing still.  Sometimes when it's cold a bunch of them will be sleeping in some cover.  The squeals you hear then will be from one of them pissed at their bedmates for disturbing them.  Soft grunts are usually contented sounds like when a group is feeding along.  I've never been able to predict what they were going to do based on their sounds except when you hear them huff.  There are some guys on here with a lot more hogs under their belt than me that might give some better explanations, but this has been my personal experience.  Also, this applies to spot and stalk primarily and not over bait.

[Bullchaser1]

Good to know. We do spot and stalk, and what little experience I have with them it seems they’re on the move a lot. I heard different sounds from them. Like I said the one time they seemed to huff or blow but wouldn’t go more than 15-20 yards, multiple times. Another time I was starting to draw on a boar and it huffed or blew and the whole group took off as far as I could hear them running through a swamp. When they blow out is there an average distance they go to get back on them, I’m guessing it depends on habitat? Thanks for the info

[kerry]

When they blow out, you're right, distance depends on cover and how bad they were alarmed.  You can get back on them in many cases.  Given the right wind and enough acreage.

[Mint]

I've been going on an annual Florida hog hunt for over twenty years and I'm still learning. What I have noticed though is that if they even catch the slightest whiff they are gone. If they catch you moving and they stiffen up you have about a second before they blow out.
If they catch you moving but are still moving feeding you are ok but don't move until their eyes are blocked.
They can pick up your silhouette easily but if you crouch down like another hog or cow you can get away with a lot more.

 I try to make my stalks as quiet and fast as I can and take the first good shot presented. Waiting for the perfect shot or really slow stalking up you usually get busted but if they are feeding in cover and making a lot of noise you can make noise stalking up to them since they usually assume it's just another hog in the cover rooting.

Don't be afraid to do a stalk that you think might be impossible. I stalked up to a turkey feeder in the middle of a field at least a 100 yards with no cover crawling up to three hogs feeding and there was only one foot high grass clump at the feeder. But once there I made the shot immediately otherwise I would have been busted if they stopped rooting and looked.

Old boars and old sows are really smart and won't tolerate much.

If there is a hot sow with boars around you can get away with a lot more!

[Bullchaser1]

Does anyone try calling them in?

[Mint]

I've never tried calling them in but have made feeding noises when I've been close stalking and they weren't sure what I was. It's worked about 50% of the time calming them down and the other times they busted.

[Terry Green]

I'll try and post in the morning after evaluating the Monocular.  Hogs are a LOT of fun.

[Terry Green]

Here's what I have gathered over the years....

Hogs will squeal when fighting, breeding or being shot in the vitals. I have
never heard a gut shot hog squeal, although I have recovered a few hogs
that I gut shot and several that other people shot. Of those  gut shot hogs
that I have recovered were shot with multi blade heads. Hogs are notorious for moving a lot on their own, and stepping forward, stepping quartering away when calm, or simply wheeling at the shot if nervous.

Multi blades through the guts will release more toxins and make the
animal sicker quicker causing them to lay down sooner. And believe me, the sooner the better when they are in the thick stuff. They will also most times leave more blood sign with a multiblade and even an intestinal trail from time to time.

If you know fora fact that you gut shot a hog or any animal for that matter, do not pursue immediately. It's best to leave them alone and let them lay down only one time. Bumping them is the worst thing you can do as there will likely be no more blood sign hardly at all when they get up leading you to nowhere if you can't follow them by their tracks. I have found a lot of them by following their tracks, and lost their track many times also as gut shot hogs want to 'run with the pack' much  more so than vital hits where they are more likely to single off to themselves.  'Running with the pack' is disastrous for trying to follow a single fresh track. Then pack will also 'drag' them further away most times. Wait at least an hour, preferably two.

Hogs, that huff at you have either seen you move or heard you. They huff to see if you'll move again or make more sound. They are trying to get a bead on you and find out what you are.  I have never heard a hog huff that has gotten a snoot full of my scent. They may or may not grunt when they launch to run. Hearing or seeing something has a completely different reaction than if they smell you. If they smell you, the gig is up immediately and they will put some serious distance between you and them much more so than just sound or possible sight.

Those that hear you or think they saw you will put some distance between you and them, but not as far as smelling you and they will settle down and there's a possibility of you getting on them again. However, if you do get on them again in short order, they are much more wary if they possibly see or hear you again. This second time they will put a considerable distance between you and them and the gig is likely up at this point.

Hogs talk a lot to each other. Heck, if I know what all they're saying, but
I do know that I have seen sows talk to their young ones to keep them in
line as I've witnessed this many times over the years.

[Terry Green]

Sorry for the broken up paragraphs, I email this to myself after voice to texting the above and copied and pasted this here.... heck if I know.