Still Hunt or Walk to Hunt Texas Hogs??

[Nala]

Hey all,

I am now a new resident of Texas.  I like it here.  I am also looking forward to hog hunting.  I am just north of Houston and looking for places to hunt.  The problem is that I have to wait 6 months to be able to get my IN-STATE hunting license.  That gives me time to fine tune my shooting and work on other things.

One of the things I would like to ask you all that hunt Texas hogs, or hogs anywhere, is what technique you use.  For this argument lets assume there are NO FEEDERS where you are hunting.  Do you set up in a concealed spot, or use a blind, near an area with great sign or a water source or do you walk around looking for sign trying to be quiet as possible and hope you come upon a hog or group of hogs and then stalk in for a shot?

The few times I have hunted hogs in Florida I sat in a concealed spot and waited on them.  I have never seen one.  Since I am scared of tree stands, that is also the way I would hunt deer, from the ground, concealed.  In 3 years of hunting I never got off a shot, but seen several deer.  That was ok for me.  I just enjoyed being there with my friends and taking it all in.

I want to be more productive at this Texas hog hunting.  I want to put some on the ground and experience what it's like to take a big game animal with my bows.  I get excited just thinking about it.

As of now the only place I know I am going to be able to hunt is a National Forest and I don't think they allow baiting, so that is out as well.  Nothing says I can't go out there and scout around though, with no weapon at all.  I might do that after I get settled in and get comfortable in my new home.

I would love to find some private land before next May that I can hunt, and I am looking on Craigslist for ideas, but so far nothing.  I know that asking someone to give up their private hunting spot in Texas is about like asking to have one of their kids.  I totally understand that.  You worked hard to get permission and you don't want an interloper crashing the party.

So unless something changes, I'll be hunting Nat'l Forest Land.

What techniques would you suggest I use to up my chance of putting an arrow in a nice BIG Texas Hog?  Would the Texas DNR guys be able to give me some help if I called them?  Since I'm new, I don't know the area and surrounding places and spots and I also don't know a single person down here.  Kinda makes it tough.

Well that's what I have to work with right now and I would really appreciate it if you would post your thoughts and what techniques I should employ down here in this hunting.  I need all the learnin' I can get fellas.....

Thank you for your time and help.

Nalajr

Look for a food source and then for fresh hog sign (hog droppings, rooting, etc) in an area. Once you find a fresh area then set up a ground blind and hunt it. You can also stalk the hogs but i think your success rate would be higher in a ground blind.

Bisch

[Uncle Buck]

How far north of Houston are you? My brother in law has no problem finding hogs on his deer lease near Conroe. Bisch's advise was good. In That area if you find food and water there will probably be hogs around.

[straitera]

If you;re in the National Forest closeby, you'll want a climbing treestand near remote water. Look for a hog wallow. Texas swarms w/nocturnal hogs but getting on them is a different story. PM'ed.

[Mike Most]

When April May roll around, check out the 3d shoots, One in Chester (north of Houston) and one out by Vanderpool(NW of San Antonio), TBOT.org,the shooting and stories are always good.  Welcome to Texas

[Bjorn]

I spot and stalk for hogs. Food sources like barley fields are a bonus. If you wait in one spot you could be there forever or it might feel like that.  Talk to locals.

[MikeW]

Sent you a PM

[MikeW]

I'll add I lived there for 27 years. When ever I met somebody one of the first things I asked them was "Own any land?"  "Does your family own any land?" "Know where I could hunt some hogs?"    :D  

90% of Texas is private land. You are going to need to get a lease or meet someone with a lease or land. Lots of land owners want every hog they have killed and will let you do it for free, others will want a few bucks but it's usually cheap. Lots of day leases also where you can spot and stock corn fed roads. Usually the fee is $250 for the weekend and two hogs. Some charge trophy fees and others don't care so just watch for that. Hogs up to 125-150 are included and anything over that goes by the pound($1) it can get expensive real quick if you shoot a big one.

There is lots of public land also but it's an extra $40 permit(last time I got one)and most of it gets pounded pretty hard.