Author Topic: Feral Hogs = Good News, Bad News (Read 5902 times)

CyberSniper · « **on:** May 03, 2006, 03:02:50 AM »

Time to get on my soap box...
Having read a few posts here, I've decided to put my 2 cents in.
In many areas, hogs operate mostly at night. Thus, many people
are not aware they are around until massive damage shows up.
Many people are not equipped to deal with them, because they operate
at night. Yes, there are those that can and do, but most people can't
or won't go to the effort to night hunt.

Then, you have the land owner type that complains about them, but
never seems to try and deal with them. I've seen this many times.
You offer to go after the things, and you get a non commital response.

Trapping works to an extent, but there's always a percentage that
become educated about traps.

In many cases, hogs do provide a year round opportunity, but I
feel this comes at the expense of local deer populations often times.
In my area, the hogs have increased, and the deer seem to have
decreased during the same time frame.

Many long time deer hunters fail to see the difference between managing
hogs and deer. Treating hogs with a deer hunting management mentality is a big long term mistake. I.E. "Don't shoot it if you're not going to eat it".
This long time conditioned way of looking at things has resulted in
deer populations suffering a decline in some areas.
Then the would be deer hunters stand around and wonder / complain
that they aren't seeing deer like they used to.

I see feral hogs as a large varmint that also happens to be edible...
Eat some if you want, but allowing them to pass when the chance
comes to take a few out may not be a good idea in the long run.

elmer · « **Reply #1 on:** May 03, 2006, 07:10:25 AM »

Amen! I listened to a guy complain for what seemed like an eternity about the hogs damaging his pecan orchards. When I offered to bring a friend and reduce the population he acted shocked. He just wants them gone, not dead.

markc · « **Reply #2 on:** May 03, 2006, 07:32:01 AM »

I think you and I agree on this topic. On my local lease we have had a feral hog problem for years. My wife and I trapped over 60 hogs one year. At that time I know of no other hog shot by another hunter. With a total of 6 hunters, this is a dismal harvest record. According to a report several years ago, the Tx P&W Dept said that in order to keep the feral hog population in check you would need to harvest 80% of them each year.

I had a list of folks I knew who wanted hog meat. When our trap was filled with 10 to 22 hogs at one time, I would make the calls and deliver the dead pork to each person. If no one wanted any, the hogs still were not released alive. You are correct, they become trap smart and if released alive, they will never be trapped again.

I'm sure it seems wasteful to some people, and I respect their opinions, but to those familiar with feral hogs, and the very real problem they present in alot of states it becomes easier to treat them like P dogs.

Feral hogs begin to breed around 6 months of age, and when having two litters each year of 4 to 8 or so piglets, it can get out of hand really quickly. Why land owners complain but not allow hunters might be explained by someone who is a landowner. I've heard of liability reasons, bad past experiences with hunters, etc..

CyberSniper · « **Reply #3 on:** May 03, 2006, 03:32:33 PM »

You're probably right about the liability concerns and all of that
some landowners might have.
Still, it makes no sense to me to gripe to a bunch of shooters
in a gun shop and then turn down all offers for help.
And, I've seen that happen many times.

markc · « **Reply #4 on:** May 04, 2006, 03:01:03 AM »

I've heard the feral hog described as the poor man's grizzley. Sometimes that seems close to being true. I have offered to trap or shoot hogs for people before when they complain about them. So far, none have taken me up on my offer.

rockbilly · « **Reply #5 on:** May 04, 2006, 12:45:45 PM »

:shock: I recently read, Texas Parks and WIldlife estimate there are over 2 million feral hogs in Texas. I just strated seeing them on my place about 3-4 years ago. I was told about 10 years ago that they were there, but I never noticed any rooting or other damage and had not seen one myself. I can't say that today. I have one area of fence along a creek that has been torn down several times in the past two years. We have taken several hogs, but we have an area next to my place (about 7000) acres that the owner will not allow to be hunted for anything. Guess where all the hogs come from............ :roll:

CyberSniper · « **Reply #6 on:** May 04, 2006, 06:05:29 PM »

Oh boy, you're ruined now !!
Dang !

elmer · « **Reply #7 on:** May 08, 2006, 02:25:12 PM »

You are probably right about the liability issues and a liability release probably isn't worth the paper it's printed on. I just get a little irritated when someone whines about a problem but isn't willing to try and solve it.

DennisB · « **Reply #8 on:** May 11, 2006, 02:42:54 AM »

...shot this guy by moonlight at about 1 a.m. Tuesday. Don't know what he weighed, but had to gut it and make a ramp out of an old pallet just to get him into my truck bed.

CyberSniper · « **Reply #9 on:** May 14, 2006, 07:07:40 AM »

I got his evil twin, haha.

markc · « **Reply #10 on:** May 15, 2006, 02:13:48 PM »

Good going guys. Just doing our part to thin out the herd. I have hunted parts of the piney woods since I was a young teen and never heard of feral hogs. A few years back a neighbor shot a very large boar and I gotta say that I was shocked to think that those hugh and scary looking vcritters had been in the woods all along. Now I hunt them regularly and love it. I agree though that they are way out of hand in Texas and some other states.

Graybeard · « **Reply #11 on:** May 15, 2006, 06:15:59 PM »

Guys the images we host for you thru MyHostedPics.com can show as images in the forums here. Just click on the IMG tag rather than the URL tag. They aren't like the images we host thru our gallery which can't be viewed as a photo in the forums. That's why we went to the new service.

CyberSniper · « **Reply #12 on:** May 16, 2006, 04:08:30 PM »

DOH !
Thanks !

curdog · « **Reply #13 on:** May 18, 2006, 03:28:26 PM »

guys we hunt and guide hog hunts for a living. they multiply faster than we can kill them. traps only work for a short time.our dogs can and will find them. and yes they will hurt the deer population.i would not pass on a hog if i was deer hunting!!!!!!!!!!!

markc · « **Reply #14 on:** May 20, 2006, 06:33:26 AM »

I don't own dogs myself but have hunted with several hog/dog hunters. It is a blast and I am always amazed at the dogs dedication to catching hogs. The only drawback I've experienced with this style of hunting is not having enough dogs on some hunts when we really got into the hogs thick.

Otherwise the dog handlers/owners love their dogs and take good care of them before, during and after the hunts. Where are you located? DO you have any pics of your dogs on hunts that you could post?

akpls · « **Reply #15 on:** May 22, 2006, 03:01:41 PM »

Anybody know the hog situation in Commanche County? I have a friend that just bought a place there and I'd love to go help him control the hog population. He says the previous owner hasn't mentioned a hog problem, but it appears they aren't noticed until they become a problem.

CyberSniper · « **Reply #16 on:** May 22, 2006, 06:08:18 PM »

I'm in San Antonio, hunt north of Hondo in Medina county.
We don't use dogs, we simply bushwhack the hogs at feeders.
Works well.
In fact, my son in law took out a pair of hogs at 2:45 am
today with a sinlge shot from a .35 Whelen. ( 250 grain Hornady RN )
80 pound boar, 150 pound sow.
Teach them to line up, haha

As far as Commanche county goes, I have no info.
But there are only two types of areas in Texas.
1. Those with hogs, and..
2. Those that will soon have hogs.

41 mag · « **Reply #17 on:** September 20, 2006, 01:30:58 PM »

Oh my, finially someone else who understands that hogs are Vermin and not Game Animals.

Man I get so tired of folks reading me the riot act for shooting hogs in mass quantities. However these same folks consider the hogs as a game animal of sorts. Well I have shot quite a few that were indeed gamey but control, or freezer fodder was always the reason.

It has always struck me funny when I got slammed for not going after a hog when folks shoot those damn prarie rats all the time and I have never heard of any of them taking a mess home to cook up.

Sorry but read the post, relesed the rant, now I feel muuuuch better. Thanks for understanding.

BTW, I am sure all of you have seen someone somewhere holding up a prairie poodle or chuck after a sucessful hit, well here is what my new varmint rifle does to a 50# hog at 450yds,

Yep I am officailly a prairie "hog" shooter now.

markc · « **Reply #18 on:** September 21, 2006, 08:19:21 AM »

450 yards? Man I can't eve see that far! LOL Nice piggy. Looks like he had a belly ache though. Maybe some rolaids will help out.

41 mag · « **Reply #19 on:** September 21, 2006, 11:44:20 AM »

Yea they had just come up from a creek bottom which runs along those woods in the back ground. I am guessing it had tanked up a bit on water shortly before as it popped like a melon.

The rifle has grouped within 2.5" at 700 yds and 7.5" out to 900. This was in the early morning without the effects of mirage or much of a breeze.

This is a plate we shoot occaisionally at 500yds and as you can see the thing will hold it in darn near good enough to put their eye out with it. The white spot is 2.5" in dia. The road splits at the trees in the background and we have shot out to there which is 1150yds. It is MUCH harder to hit the little targets out that far. LOL

These were 195gr Wildcat's @ 3150 fps I have been testing,

These were 169.5gr Wildcat's @ 3260 fps,

And these were fireform loads using 150gr Nosler Solid Bases @ 3460 fps.

The hog was hit with one of the 169.5's, I am itching to get several lined up for a taste of the 195's, they measure right at 1.615" OAL and I have not yet got an accurate BC for them yet. It is however looking to be somewhere in the high .800's for our area. It is a totally awesome round for sure.

markc · « **Reply #20 on:** September 27, 2006, 08:34:41 AM »

The woods I hunt mostly are so thick you couldn't see a pig much over 50 yds. I've dropped 2 at once a couple of times once with my Marlin .444P, but thats about it. Most are singles when I shoot. Nice pics' Archery season begins on SAt so I may be sending an arrow or two out at pigs then. I'm wishing for deer, but those pigs are really out of control again...

CyberSniper · « **Reply #21 on:** September 28, 2006, 05:11:48 PM »

For some reason I wasn't getting notifications of posts to my topic.
Just now checked manually.....
Hot dang, that's the way to ruin them !!
I like it 2 much !
Heavy cover situation in my area, not much over 100 yards at best.
Usually much closer.
So, I use stuff like .35 Whelen, .458 Win Mag, etc.....

rex6666 · « **Reply #22 on:** August 15, 2007, 07:11:46 AM »

i killed my first feral hog in 1969(yes you read right 1969) just across the river from Vernon.TX
in OK. i no that was not the first one around there and for sure not the last, i know people
there that shoot them on sight, and their are plenty still around. they breed like rabbits.
they also raise more of their offspring than any other wild animal. About 1972-73 some
of the ranchers and farmers around Vernon started complaining about losing calves, torn up
fence's, crops and what have you, so a friend and i offered to trap shoot or what ever.
we never got one person to say go get em, just sit in the barber shop and grip.

alsaqr · « **Reply #23 on:** August 15, 2007, 09:46:21 AM »

"When I offered to bring a friend and reduce the population he acted shocked. He just wants them gone, not dead."

Yep, sounds like a lot of OK wheat farmers. One guy was complaining about hogs rooting up the wheat. i offered to take care of the problem and he said no. Checked EWG database and the guy gets hundreds of thousands of dollars in farm welfare payments.

choctaw · « **Reply #24 on:** August 17, 2007, 01:45:38 AM »

Quote

I see feral hogs as a large varmint that also happens to be edible...

Well said. Shoot them whenever/wherever you find them. If you leave them in the field, something else will have an easy lunch.

S_J_KENNELS · « **Reply #25 on:** August 17, 2007, 04:00:38 PM »

Farmers and ranchers I hunt for with my dogs drive around with SKS' and other semi-auto rifles with several banna clips and just spray and prey. Not Caring where they hit the hog as long as it is hit. One of the farmers I hunt for LOVES it when we come out with the dogs. We adveraged in years past close to 400 hogs in 3 - 4 months. Lately not as many due to work and gas prices. What has turned into a BIG problem and usually with the city hunters in this area, is that they trap and turn loose the hogs. An on boars will cut them an turn them loose of any size. Some hate the fact that we are out there most every night hunting and killing "thier" hogs that they have even started cutting the ears off so the hogs wreck our dogs. I just wished that folk's would realise the problem hogs are and just shoot them even if they have no plans on eating them. Yotes have to eat too LOL. I read where the estamate on hogs was around 2 mill. I would have to disagree with that and say it is higher. I just read where hogs are supposed to be in every county in Texas now. A buddy of mine just killed a big boar within sight of downtown Dallas. SO what does that tell ya?? LOL

Dee · « **Reply #26 on:** August 17, 2007, 05:27:47 PM »

The great thing about feral hogs is if you kill a sow that has pigs on her, another wet sow will let them suck. And yes, they will hurt the deer population or even squirrel and quail. They are a vacuum cleaner in the way of feeding. They can march down a creek bed and inhale every available nut on the ground with that SUPER KEEN nose locating the last morcel. I shoot everyone I see, and at the same time feed the coyotes, which I dearly love to hunt.

rockbilly · « **Reply #27 on:** August 19, 2007, 08:34:53 AM »

akpls. There are PLENTY of hogs in Commanche County. There are a lot of peanut farms and pecan orchards in that area, the hogs do a lot of damage to them. I have a friend that lives in the southwest part of the county, he farms, and always has problems with hogs. It was really bad until he leased the area to a guy who traps and hunts them. The live hogs are sold to someone in Coleman County that processing them and ships the meat to Japan, as wild boar.

I have another friend that lives in Haskell County, he raises watermelons, and said the pigs can wipe out a field of melons in a couple of nights. He said they will just bite a melon, and move on to another one. (The coyotes do the same thing). He has leased to a guy that takes people out at night and hunts them. Problem this spring and summer, it has been too wet to get into much of the area.

Ireload2 · « **Reply #28 on:** October 14, 2007, 04:35:00 PM »

Quote from: elmer on May 03, 2006, 07:10:25 AM

Amen! I listened to a guy complain for what seemed like an eternity about the hogs damaging his pecan orchards. When I offered to bring a friend and reduce the population he acted shocked. He just wants them gone, not dead.

Some ranchers are kind of funny. They will take a hunters money but they sure don't want them to shoot anything. I remember listening to an old geezer griping about hunters in a diner one time. He owned the land my brothers and I were hunting. He did not know us since his son did the ranching and leasing of the land. The old guy had inherited the place and never had a W-2 form in his life. The cattle, oil and deer had paid his way all his life.

Ironwood · « **Reply #29 on:** October 15, 2007, 10:09:49 AM »

This will be my 38th. year in my hunting lease here in the Pineywoods of East Texas. I killed my first hog the first fall I was in the lease. There were lots of hogs back then and even more now. I can't put up a tube type deer feeder and keep corn in it. The hogs will empty it the first night. They keep the deer away from the automatic feeders also. I let a couple of guys hunt a small lease I have. In the 6 years they hunted the lease they didn't kill one hog! Now I have some work to do to get some of them killed out.

This is one of the first hogs I killed back about 37 years ago.

Oh my.... I had hair back in those days and it had some color to it!