Anybody hunting feral hogs, they’re start to become a big nuisance In almost all southern states. We got 5 last week. Which not even putting dent in them. I think some places are using dogs to hunt them
Wild hog hunting
- Thread starter Bottom Fodder
- Start date
Never have but it is on my bucket list.
I plan to hunt ferel pigs in Northern California. I'm trying to wait until it cools down, it's gonna be hot for the next month or two. I plan to spot and stalk. I only plan to harvest 1 pig at a time. Pack in, harvest/dress and pack it out. Not long ago I took a butcher class that was very helpful to understanding exactly what I need to do. I just put together a few pig guns, 2 x AR pistols and 1 x AR rifle. I plan mostly to use one AR pistol as it weighs less.
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1raggedhole
Silver $$ Contributor
This topic is very interesting. On one hand, everyone seems to agree that the population grows faster than you can control them, and they are severely damaging crops. Therefore they are considered a nuisance and there are no limits or seasons.
On the other hand, people see the money and are ”providing a service” to gain access for shooting them.
I wonder if the populations in places like Texas would be more under control if there was easier access to more land specific for shooting pigs. Does anyone know if the great state of Texas or other sources there are offering access or contacts for shooting without paying to do it?
On the other hand, people see the money and are ”providing a service” to gain access for shooting them.
I wonder if the populations in places like Texas would be more under control if there was easier access to more land specific for shooting pigs. Does anyone know if the great state of Texas or other sources there are offering access or contacts for shooting without paying to do it?
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okie
Gold $$ Contributor
trade an elk hunt fer a hawg hunt??
Kurz
Silver $$ Contributor
No matter who is offering opinions on feral swine control, be advised that there is NO CONTROLLING this population. Feral swine can and will out-breed any attempts at controlling their population. They are very intelligent and can outguess your supposedly clever attempt to kill them off. You may succeed once with a particular technique but you will fail after that.
The folks I know who use very sophisticated trapping with large, gated enclosures and bait, have to move all the gear and bait once they have harvested the first batch.
So culling one or 15 in an evening is not a dent in the population at all. It's certainly fun and a challenge sometimes but it's can't be construed as control.
Last Modified: Mar 16, 2023
There are a variety of techniques that can be used to manage the damage caused by feral swine. Not all techniques are suitable in every location or situation and, often, a combination of methods must be used to ensure success.
USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services (WS) wildlife biologists and field specialists reduce feral swine damage by providing technical assistance to landowners and land-managers or conducting direct operational management activities to eliminate or alleviate the damage, upon request.
The most successful feral swine damage management strategies employ a diversity of tactics in a comprehensive, integrated approach. Factors to consider when choosing a management method(s) are overall objectives, landscape, environmental conditions, feral swine behavior and density, local regulations, and available funding. The appropriate method or combination of methods for the situation can be determined by utilizing the best information available which can be gathered from surveillance of damage and signs of feral swine on a specific property.
Nonlethal management techniques can be effective for limiting disease transmission, crop damage, and livestock loss. However, lethal techniques may be a more effective means for limiting population growth and achieving long-term suppression of damage.
Prior to beginning any control program it is important to check federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding hunting, use of firearms, and traps, snares, etc. It may also be helpful to contact your state Wildlife Services program for information, technical support, and assistance.
Effective solutions to feral swine problems can vary by locality due to the differing state legal classifications of feral swine, regulations and laws regarding methods for control, and the local environment where feral swine are causing damage.
For more information and help in your area, contact USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services at 1-866-4-USDA-WS or use the Wildlife Services’ program directory to contact your local program or connect with your local Extension agency, wildlife agency or other professionals in your area.
The folks I know who use very sophisticated trapping with large, gated enclosures and bait, have to move all the gear and bait once they have harvested the first batch.
So culling one or 15 in an evening is not a dent in the population at all. It's certainly fun and a challenge sometimes but it's can't be construed as control.
Feral Swine - Methods for Managing Damage
Last Modified: Mar 16, 2023
USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services (WS) wildlife biologists and field specialists reduce feral swine damage by providing technical assistance to landowners and land-managers or conducting direct operational management activities to eliminate or alleviate the damage, upon request.
The most successful feral swine damage management strategies employ a diversity of tactics in a comprehensive, integrated approach. Factors to consider when choosing a management method(s) are overall objectives, landscape, environmental conditions, feral swine behavior and density, local regulations, and available funding. The appropriate method or combination of methods for the situation can be determined by utilizing the best information available which can be gathered from surveillance of damage and signs of feral swine on a specific property.
Nonlethal management techniques can be effective for limiting disease transmission, crop damage, and livestock loss. However, lethal techniques may be a more effective means for limiting population growth and achieving long-term suppression of damage.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Prior to beginning any control program it is important to check federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding hunting, use of firearms, and traps, snares, etc. It may also be helpful to contact your state Wildlife Services program for information, technical support, and assistance.
Effective solutions to feral swine problems can vary by locality due to the differing state legal classifications of feral swine, regulations and laws regarding methods for control, and the local environment where feral swine are causing damage.
For more information and help in your area, contact USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services at 1-866-4-USDA-WS or use the Wildlife Services’ program directory to contact your local program or connect with your local Extension agency, wildlife agency or other professionals in your area.
↓ Feral Swine: Techniques for Management
Fencing
Fencing can be installed to exclude feral swine from crops; electric fencing has proven effective in some cases, but may become cost prohibitive for fencing large areas. Traditional fencing paired with habitat modification (clearing of underbrush along fence line) can also be an effective means for excluding feral swine. However, feral swine are strong, clever, and if motivated or agitated can destroy most fences, which should be considered during construction. Harassment
While harassment can be an effective method for immediately removing feral swine from an area to provide relief from damage, it is not practical on a large scale, and will likely shift feral swine problems from one area to another. This method also makes them wary and can reduce success rates of other control methods. Vaccination of Livestock and Pets
Work with your veterinarian to keep your livestock vaccinated, parasite free, and generally in good condition to aid in disease resistance. Diseases that can be carried by feral swine and may be transmitted to livestock include, but are not limited to, leptospirosis, brucellosis, porcine reproductive & respiratory syndrome, porcine circovirus type 2, influenza, and E. coli. A veterinarian can be consulted to develop a vaccination plan suited to the disease risks of your region. For more information on animal health, visit the USDA APHIS Veterinary Services website. Trapping
There are many factors to consider with trapping, including type of trap, bait, and location. Captured feral swine should not be moved or released back into the environment, and should instead be humanely euthanized once in the trap. Feral swine are intelligent animals and if a trap is set improperly or an inadequate pre-baiting conditioning period is used, individuals from the group that are not captured will then be educated and much more difficult to capture later. Follow all trapping regulations for your state. Snares
The use of snares can be useful in specific situations, such as alongside traps, in rough terrain where traps may be impractical, or when only a few individuals remain in an area. To assure the humane capture and dispatch of the animal, snares must be checked regularly and all snaring rules and regulations for your state must be followed Ground Shooting
Shooting can be an effective control measure when only a few individual feral swine are present in an area. If larger groups are observed, shooting a few individuals of the group can disrupt the social organization and cause them to disperse even further across the landscape, thereby increasing the potential for damage. It is also very difficult, if not impossible, to shoot all feral swine in a group at one time. Ground shooting is labor intensive and is unlikely to have the desired relief from damage. It is important to understand the regulations surrounding firearms in your area and to consider safety measures necessary before any shooting operation is conducted. Aerial Operations
If the landscape is open, such as with grasslands, aerial operations can be an effective means of quickly and efficiently reducing feral swine numbers; however, this technique is not permitted in all regions and may be cost-prohibitive. Toxicants
Toxicants have potential to be a cost-effective tool for reducing feral swine populations. Researchers are currently working to identify a toxicant capable of effectively and humanely removing feral swine, without having an adverse effect on the environment and non-target species. No toxicant is currently registered for use on feral swine in the United States.I have a buddy I grew up with that lives down in Florida. He has approx 600 acres with lots of hogs on the property. Part of the property is what remains of an abandon 18 hole golf club. I have on occasion placed a swivel deer stand chair and a tripod with a hog saddle I built up on the deck of the old club house, dumped a 5 gallon bucket of corn out front about 75 yards out and in the afternoon/evenings waited for the hogs to show up. He has also set up about a dozen tree stands some with passive and others with electronic corn feeders to bait them in. The golf club still has the maintenance shed intact. There is a smaller air conditioned room complete with a 70" big screen TV (Satellite feed) a pair of futons to sleep on, a full kitchen and a 3/4 bath for creature comforts. I have the option of staying at his ranch home or at the golf club. (Although his ranch home is only a 5 minute drive from the Mt bldg, I stay at the latter where I can lock myself in and use a garage door opener to open the large metal door, unplug the electric buggy and back it out) For transportation, my buddy has an electric 4 wheel drive gator buggy complete with a dump box to troll around in at night shooting hogs out of. A few years ago I built an AR15 (6.5 Grendel) and installed an N-Vision HALO 50 thermal on it which works great for dropping hogs. I go down there every February for a week shooting them! If you ever get the chance, book a hog hunt, you will have the time of your life!
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I've hunted wild hogs in NC, SC, Geo and Tx. All of my hunts were outfitted. I started by hunting over bait with dim green lights and moved up to spot&stalk with thermals. Hunting with thermals is a BLAST. I have to admit that we miss far more than we drop and there is no way to know how many you hit that run off. Body hits rarely slow them down. I've gotta book another hunt soon. :>)
okie
Gold $$ Contributor
Truth. only a 30's type depression would put a dent in them. they are here to stay.
Yep friend of mine has trapped 79 in the last year or so plus what’s
been “harvest” deer hunting and their still standing at the trap waiting for him to rebate LOL
been “harvest” deer hunting and their still standing at the trap waiting for him to rebate LOL
WyleWD
Silver $$ Contributor
^^^Exactly correct. Totally agree. They are very good table fare too. Heck with the big boars, shoot the sows for the freezer. JME. WD
Here in FL we have come to regard wild hogs as vermin, shoot anywhere, except state or fed land, at any time, day or night, lights, thermals, etc.
I have two 358 dedicated hog ARs, one with a regular scope and one with a night scope. I use 200 grain bullets to anchor even the biggest hogs.
I have two 358 dedicated hog ARs, one with a regular scope and one with a night scope. I use 200 grain bullets to anchor even the biggest hogs.
Rube Shooter
Gold $$ Contributor
Kurz is correct and we'll never put a dent in their numbers no matter what methods are used due to the abilty to breed the way they do, or outsmart us trying to use whatever methods are legal.
In Texas we don't have any seasons or time limits on when they can be hunted, it's day or night and any legal means allowed. If you're hunting pigs on private property you don't have to have a hunting license.
In the mid nineties when I started to hunt deer in San Saba county Texas, feral pigs were rarely seen, by 2008 they were becoming more numerous and we began seeing them more often. After that their numbers exploded and we began seeing and shooting them reguraly. The property north of Greenville, Texas I now hunt on has a large creek and river to the west of it and there has been a never ending supply of pigs crossing the property that has slowed down with no feeders running but I'm sure that will soon change in the coming weeks once we start throwing corn again.
In Texas we don't have any seasons or time limits on when they can be hunted, it's day or night and any legal means allowed. If you're hunting pigs on private property you don't have to have a hunting license.
In the mid nineties when I started to hunt deer in San Saba county Texas, feral pigs were rarely seen, by 2008 they were becoming more numerous and we began seeing them more often. After that their numbers exploded and we began seeing and shooting them reguraly. The property north of Greenville, Texas I now hunt on has a large creek and river to the west of it and there has been a never ending supply of pigs crossing the property that has slowed down with no feeders running but I'm sure that will soon change in the coming weeks once we start throwing corn again.
Colorado will not allow hunting of wild hogs. I read that the wildlife authorities said that if it is legalized, people will bring them in to be hunted, then it's game over. You can never kill enough of them to control the population.
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