A Disturbing Sight

[DennisB]

I drove out to my lease Monday morning, just to get in some pre-season work and maybe later ambush a pig by moonlight.  The place is small, less than 200 acres, and I've seen very few deer and plenty of hogs the past several years, a condition I attribute to way too many pigs.  Anyway, a few miles from the gate, while driving down an all-weather road, I spotted a doe run across the road about a hundred yards ahead.  She'd no more than cleared the road when four hogs, all ~100 pounders, charged across the road on her heals.    If I'd of been going any faster, or if there's been more pigs, I would have hit them.  This was the second time I've seen pigs running deer out there.  The first time was a few years ago in early summer on a former lease not a half mile from this incident.  Then, I happened to have a rifle and ended the chase for one of the pigs, and hopefully disrupted their pursuit a bit.

[Dee]

Dennis, I don't know if hogs run grown deer. It doesn't, as a human sound logical for them to do so, just because of the way a hog is equipped, but it is possible I suppose. I do know that they will eat deer fawn, and kill does that are down for what ever reason. I would think it more likely that the deer and hogs were running from the same thing, but that too is speculation. We have a BIG hog problem in my part of Texas, and we shoot on sight no matter where we are.

[oldandslow]

I agree with Dee that the hogs were probably running from whatever the deer was running from. Hogs aren't built to chase down anything in good condition and are smart enough to know it. I don't have much experience with wild hogs but the ones I have run across were very spooky.

[DennisB]

Well, I guess I should get out more...    Both deer were full grown does, not fawns.  I just can't imagine what may have had both a deer and hogs on the run--in the same direction--at 11 in the morning.  Coyotes?  Now, the first time I saw this was a little different.  I'd been working around camp that morning.  Next to camp was a 40 acre field, overgrown with knee high broomweed.  To the left of it was another field which had a waist high patch of grain.  Occasionally I'd stop work and scan the fields.  We often had turkey and other critters cross it of a morning.  Once while scanning I heard what I was sure was a pig squeal come from the grain.  A little while later I noticed a doe crossing the broomweed in the direction of the grain field.  She went in, and a few minutes later I heard that pig squeal again--out came the doe at a trot, and right behind her was a large hog.  Behind the hog a short distance came another ten or so pigs of all colors and sizes.  By then I'd grabbed my rifle and managed to roll one of the last pigs before the whole bunch went out of sight in the brush.  Wonder what that doe said to them hogs?  Wish I'd of had a video camera--

[chutesnreloads]

My take on this is the hogs were'nt running FROM anything.They were just moving from one place to another.I've seen groups of hogs move at a trot many times.The deer just happened to be in their path and ran.Yes even in the middle of the day.