Super Duper Hog info thread

[Littlefeather]

TMS, To answer your question about the hunt you are going on. Im sure the Wensels have a line on a really good ranch. Im not sure because this is the first year. Im just going to speak in broad generalizations here. When hunting game ranches you must understand that the quary you are hunting is aware it is being hunted. Thats why guys have been there before you, right? Like I said in a prior post, hogs that have had their routine interrupted by having another family member shot will generally change their routine. If the animal was shot at a feeder, do you think it made an impact on the survivors? Do you think hogs will remember and be much more wary if they ever do return to the feeder?

The fact that this is the Wensels first year down here tells me the hunt should be a real good one for awhile. The more hunters, the more educated the animals will become. Once they've figured out when they are seeing the most human activity they will alter their routine. This is especially true of the Commercial Ranches you are always seeing advertized. I've been on those type ranches where you are constantly finding someone elses arrows around the ranch. You'll notice immediately that the animals you do actually see are so jumpy you could never accurately hit one. They are riding lightning all the time, living in terror of where the next arrow is comming from. These animals are driven into nocturnalism. These are the places you will want to concentrate on hunting strictly nights. Sorry, the full moon or lights are a requirment.

Your best bet is to hunt well away from feeders if many guys have traversed the ranch prior to your arrival. Actually the hunters there before you can provide you with the best info available. Ask where guys have been seeing the most game "away" from the feeders. Id also highly recommend you hunt the washes leading into pond areas. Hogs love to hit the mud in the evenings! Good luck on your hunt. CK

[beyondmyken]

Thought I would keep this one near the top.  Thank you all that have posted.  I am soaking it all in.

[swampbiologist]

Littlefeather, you are absolutely correct! Hogs have two litters a year and can DOUBLE their population in 6 months! Deer have 2 fawns per year on good habitat. Hogs can have 10 or so pigs with usually 5 or so surviving. This means that 1 sow can put 10 or so more hogs on the habitat per year. Do the math!

[Brandon]

Hello all,
Here in East Texas we too a experiencing an epedimic. A standing rule on our lease is to shoot EVERY hog. They have absolutly destroyed our pastures, torn up feeders, etc.. It is so bad here that I hear rumors of a bounty being reinstated for each pig killed. We trap them spotlight them & continue to hunt them over bait. Seeing what a herd of 40 - 50 hogs can do to a food plot over night may change your mind about shooting sows. Not saying it aint fun cause it is. However the land owner requests that they all be killed so we try and keep him happy we do our best.

Just my 2 cents

Brandon  

[citori]

I have a question about baiting.   I put out a feeder made with ADS flexable pipe.  I then put a cap on the end and put about 8 holes in it and wired it to a tree.  I saw it on the net and it is supposed to make the bait last longer.  I also dug a hole @ 2 feet deep and filled it with corn.  It has been out for about 6 weeks and the hogs have not hit it yet. I also put out peanut butter in the area to try to use the scent to attract attention. This bait is in an area with a pond where they have wallowed and rubbed trees.  I wonder why they have not hit it yet?  THe 3 thickets that they bed in are all within a 1/4 mile or less and there are tracks and rubbing all in the area.  My only guess is that there are to many acorns.......we had a HUGE crop of them this year.

Would I be better off putting the feeder right on the edge of the thicket?

We also located come tracks this past weekend that are VERY large to me.  One set is about the size of a skoal can or a little larger and the other is unreal.....it is closer to an orange than a skoal can.  What would be your guess as to the size of hog these belong to???

thoughts and ideas
citori

[Terry Green]

Curtis gave me the OK to open this thread back up.  It may have its run its course, but maybe some others just might add their techniques to this informative thread, or have a few more questions. I think its at least worth a shot.

[Luke Vander Vennen]

Curtis, I don't know if I've told you this before, but you sir have my utmost respect. I greatly admire your ability to stand up for your decisions. Thank you for the inspiration.

Guys, here's someone who's going through a lot of work to try and make hog hunting more productive and enjoyable. He's not trying to sell this hard won information, he's giving it freely. Don't bite the hand that feeds you pork.

[bluegrassbowhunter]

Real good thread...keep on going with it...
Curtis,i hear that horne brushbow you've got shoots some serious smoke......

[Ted]

Yahooo!!  I am very glad to see this opened up again.  I am relatively new to hog hunting and I have been soaking up ALL of this info like a sponge.  Thanks Troy and Curtis for presenting both sides to a controversial issue and thanks again for sharing so many hard earned insights - I am a better hog hunter due to your generous sharing.

Ted

[swampbiologist]

Thanks Curt for reopening this thread. There is too much information here to let it die. Down south here, hoggin' is wide open since deer season is now over. Things are calming down and hogs will have to hustle a bit more to fill the viod and there are plenty of hogs that need killin'! Go get 'um guys and gals!

[southpawshooter]

Awesome!!! Thanks for opening the thread back up and allowing us 'newbie' hog hunters learn from more experienced folks    

[gregg dudley]

Good move to open this thead up.  Good information here.  Let the lessons resume!

[Tradesmen4]

All this information is going to cost me money. Now I want to go shoot a bunch of hogs. Thanks Curtis keep it coming!!!!!!

[Littlefeather]

Dabble, dabble, dabble(toes touching the water)......The heart is warm but the water is a tad cold. Im gonna rest tonight gang. Just a tad rung-out at the moment.

Like I said at the beginning of the thread, there's a hand full of full blown pig killers round this site that could be sharing their info too. I kinda feel like I've been on stage alone so far. The fact is that we all hail from different states where laws are different and peoples upbringings mandate their own techniques. That spawns different feeling about techniques as well. Not to mention legalities    . Of course I think I've said that after posting many things so far.  The fact is, you've only heard "my" techniques, developed in deep south Texas. I feel I must be truthful and open if I am going to be able to share. Truthfullness keeps getting me in jams. Everything I've said so far is legal here so understand that up front. Im not advocating bait, or night hunting or anything else if it is not legal where you live. "My" successes are based on the whole spectrum mentioned above. Sorry if theat breaks ethics. Once again, Ethics are all together a different subject. I'll drop by tomorrow and see how things are progressing. Good evening gang! Rest well! CK

[trashwood]

well for better or worse let me tell ya the story of a BIG red pig and Wingnut.  I was hunting swamp rabbits down in the boggy bottoms
when I first spotted Rojo Grande.  He was by my guess the biggest feral pig I had seen.  Wingnut (my hunting partner) had never shot a pig
and had a real hankering to do just that.  I called him on the phone to see if he is interested.....he was, real interested      

I went down to the boggy bottoms the next day to kinda get thelay of Rojo's lair.  I saw him agian but stayed well out of his way. the next day Mike (wingnut) came out to look the situation over. While we were looking around we stumbled on to Rojo again.

Rojo didn't give us any ground at all.  Stood his ground a sent nasty pig challanges our way.  Wingnut had just unstrung his bow, I still
had my strung.  Rojo was beded down in tall grass in an open spot as they often will during the day.  He hauled butt to the edge of the
thick stuff and there he told us what he thought of us and what  he was gonna do if we came into his kingdom.  I got a shot at him
but it was sent haywire by a mesqute limb.  I was glade really cause I thought this would be a great pig opener for Wingnut

round 1 goes to Rojo Grande

[trashwood]

The next day Mike comes by and we take 100# of corn, tree stand, and some strap on steps to rojo's place.  We found a tree in a good spot to put the stand in, and put the stand and steps up.  We scattered 25# of corn out in a good area for a shot.  

I can't remember if it was the next day are the day after the Wingnut made it back to our pig sit up.  Rojo had been feasting well but was a no show that day as I remember.  Wingnutty put out some more corn.

Rusty

[beachbowhunter]

Holy Hogbreath Batman, this thread is about to head into Trashwood Country! Cant wait for Round 2....

[wingnut]

Man I remember that day like it was yesterday.  I'd just put my bow in the Jeep unstrung when all heck broke loose and a red VW Bus came out of the tall grass and headed for the trees.  I remember looking at my little 50# BBO and saying I gotta get more bow.  He wasn't holding his ground like Rusty said, He was coming, slow steady and with attitude.  I was yelling at Rusty to shoot, not to kill it but maybe to turn it til I got in the Jeep.

Rojo Grande was a very big pig.

Ok more story

mike

[trashwood]

After the first day on the stand with all the corn gone, Mike set the stand for two days running without a sign of hide nor hair of Rojo.  I was going to go in the third morning a set the stand.  I got there a bit late and Rojo Grande was in on the corn.  I backed off the stand without bothering him and called Mike.  Mike went that afternoon.  When I got off work I went to the stand to try to sneek in   and get some video......I was too late but I'm gonna let Mike pick up the story here.  Rojo Grande! We luv you     all 400# of ya (give or take a pound or two)

rusty

[Doc Nock]

Does my sagging cranal synapse tell me I read this story some years back?  If so, it's like all the TV shows now...favorite re-run times. I can't wait to hear this even if it's the 2nd time...shoot, I can't recall what I had for breakfast..let alone rmember a story in detail!