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Posted: 4/1/2016 1:11:25 PM EDT
Been having a bit of fun lately………the area around my neighborhood in Palm Valley (Ponte Vedra, FL) has a lot of hogs and they’ve again started rooting up more yards to include re-rooting some common grounds that the neighborhood just re-sodded from a previous rooting. Getting em one at a time isn’t making a dent so a couple of buddies brought me a pig trap to help correct the problem.
(I think it’s OK to have a little fun with your kids as you’re working on a neighborhood pig problem………) After carting it out to a spot with some help from a neighbor the kids baited the area. 
One hour later I went back to set up some game cameras and there already was a hog snacking on the bait. Looking good….. After four days of baiting the hogs were comfortable entering the trap. With 3 different sounders and a couple of singles coming at different times of the day/night it looks like there are approximately 20-25 pigs. 
This trap is open on the top and dErE can jump out 
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Posted: 4/1/2016 1:20:57 PM EDT
[#1]
With the hogs committed to entering the trap the rootstick was set and the trap made ready. The idea behind the rootstick is that the hogs enter the trap and first feed on the two thick rows of bait (one on each side of the interior edges of the trap). As more hogs enter some get displaced off the large piles and one pig will find/move to the small pile of corn that’s covering the rootstick. As that pig eats the small pile it “roots” the stick off it’s 2 points of contact thereby releasing the door trapping them.
Trap & rootstick set 
Rootstick ready to be tripped Next morning: As I started my walk to the trap I could see the door was down and as I approached the trap the 3 trapped pigs started ramming the hog panels HARD. The smallest of the 3 got its head and front shoulders out but became stuck. With it’s excited LOUD squealing a large pig ran out of the woods and charged the trap and I started backing off. The pig unstuck itself & stopped squealing and fortunately the pig (sow?) ran back into the woods. 
3 hogs 
Kapn Skinny & future sausages |
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Posted: 4/1/2016 5:08:56 PM EDT
[#2]
A week later………….Over Spring Break my daughter & I spent a week in the Key West sailing an 80 foot sailboat so before we left I secured the door OPEN and while we were in the Keys my son kept the trap rebaited every couple of days…… now baiting only inside the trap to get them acclimated to entering without fear and concentrating their numbers in the trap:
Now that the hogs are comfortably entering the trap…… the trap and the rootstick is set…… 
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Posted: 4/1/2016 5:12:01 PM EDT
[#3]
While I was typing this my neighbor nearest the trap texted me to note that there is a loud ruckus going on inside the trap……………
------------------------- The next set trapped 2 boars although the game camera photos showed that throughout the night there were multiple pigs in the trap but they didn’t trip the rootstick (I had set the rootstick in such a way as to make it more resistant to tripping). 
Walking up to them they are not happy campers. The black one broke one of the corner hog panel welds right in front of us. 
2 boars 
My buddy just texted me and said that these 2 piggies were turned into Wild Turkey maple sausages and that they taste amazing. The trapping continues…………. ---------- These mobile sausage factories continue to oblige……. 
Just set the trap for another round…………………. |
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Posted: 4/1/2016 5:12:36 PM EDT
[#4]
Trap was sprung at 0233 hours by a lone 88 lb boar. Two minutes before that there were 6 pigs in the trap but he chased them out. Certainly luck of the draw as to how many you catch each time.
Interesting way to start your school day Trap is set again. Brian |
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Posted: 4/2/2016 1:12:23 AM EDT
[#5]
Great thread Op. Pls continue to update
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Posted: 4/2/2016 1:49:24 AM EDT
[#6]
Nice. Keep it up.
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Posted: 4/2/2016 10:41:29 AM EDT
[#7]
Lots of free food!!! How are you dispatching them? I assume there are houses/people near if people can hear the pigs in the trap.
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Posted: 4/2/2016 7:56:14 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted:How are you dispatching them? Using a 22 LR pistol 
Brian |
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Posted: 4/2/2016 8:00:29 PM EDT
[#9]
Best set yet. The trap was tripped at 0349 hours by 5 pigs but prior to that it was visited by quite a few hogs but was not tripped. The 5 caught were part of a 7 pig sounder. All sows with the largest one at 108 lbs.
Door about to drop….. 
Door down 
Interestingly, this photo was taken just as the brown piglet was about to hit the hog panel HARD. It got partially through and hung up but then squirted out & took off running! 
We’ll continue to bait the trap but will keep the door tied open for a few days to cool the area down a bit. After which the trapping will continue. Brian |
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Posted: 4/7/2016 11:05:26 PM EDT
[#10]
My kids & I are still having fun with trapping the neighborhood pigs although things have slowed down a tad with the hog population decreasing in numbers and the remaining pigs not as comfortable entering the trap. For a week now we’ve continued to bait the trap daily but have the door tied open to get them calmed down a bit. The only hogs coming in is a single sounder of 4 hogs with 2 other pigs occasionally with them. On the plus side ……I’ve talked to the neighbors who have had daily hog sightings and even had their lawns rolled and they haven’t seen any hogs for over a week now.
In other photos of this sounder of 6, the two largest have been hesitant to enter 
With what appears to be a little trap shyness going on we’ve had to resort to some unorthodox strategies…….. 
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Posted: 4/7/2016 11:06:05 PM EDT
[#11]
It’s a start….. 
15 minutes later and they seem to be heeding the subliminal corn arrow message 
Although the wrong varmints seem to have gotten the message too ………… (we may be fueling another epidemic…..) 
These are the two that are hesitant to enter 
A lone boar maybe new to this arrangement Aaaaarrrrggggghhhhh…..the baiting will continue until morale improves! Brian |
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Posted: 4/11/2016 9:29:48 PM EDT
[#12]
Awesome
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Posted: 4/11/2016 10:24:55 PM EDT
[#13]
Very, very cool. Thanks for sharing.
I do not know if you can do so legally in your area, or want to, but I usually pick up a couple more bigger ones by setting snares outside the trap after they get trap shy. The bigger ones will still work outside the trap but not go in. Snares fix that. I use fermented corn when I get to that stage and have never had a deer even come close. It is pretty ripe corn when I add beer, water, and cherry kool aid before sitting out in the sun with a lid on for a week. |
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Posted: 4/12/2016 10:46:49 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I do not know if you can do so legally in your area, or want to, but I usually pick up a couple more bigger ones by setting snares outside the trap after they get trap shy. That's a good idea. A couple days ago I was researching hog snares. I think I'm gonna give that a try although I suspect that one snared hog will completely make any other hogs stop visiting the trap (?). Brian |
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Posted: 4/12/2016 10:47:43 PM EDT
[#15]
We baited for a few more days with the door tied open. Friday we set the rootstick and despite a lot of pigs in the trap overnight it was not tripped.
Bummer. So we rebaited Saturday evening but re-set the rootstick for a less robust set. 
Sunday morning my neighbor texted and stated there was some rumbling in the trap…… 
She set off the trap at 0516 hours. Heading over I see the door is down with one unhappy MEAN sow. 
In the next two photos you can see this sow has figured out how to raise the door. She either was pushing hard against the door and then pushing up or she bite the rope and pulled down. Certainly shows how intelligent these pigs are. 
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Posted: 4/12/2016 10:48:49 PM EDT
[#16]
While this piggie may look cute & innocent I can tell you she was one MEAN SOW!!! 
Casey practicing his Hunter Safety 
This next batch will be turned into bratwurst Moving forward: The game cameras are only showing 6 pigs left so we’ve left the door tied open for a bit and will try to get this next sounder. We’re only putting the bait well inside the trap now trying to get the 2 largest trap shy hogs to commit. 
The abundant coon population is not making it easy to keep the trap baited 
Once we get caught up grinding we’ll reset the trap. Brian |
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Posted: 4/12/2016 11:21:28 PM EDT
[#17]
This is a cool thread OP.
 We don't have piggies out here in my neck of the woods
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Posted: 4/13/2016 7:26:41 AM EDT
[#18]
This pic is just beggin for a caption contest.
 Great pics and thread, OP. 
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Posted: 4/13/2016 10:18:26 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
That's a good idea. A couple days ago I was researching hog snares. I think I'm gonna give that a try although I suspect that one snared hog will completely make any other hogs stop visiting the trap (?). Brian Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I do not know if you can do so legally in your area, or want to, but I usually pick up a couple more bigger ones by setting snares outside the trap after they get trap shy. That's a good idea. A couple days ago I was researching hog snares. I think I'm gonna give that a try although I suspect that one snared hog will completely make any other hogs stop visiting the trap (?). Brian No sir. I have seen them step over and eat around a dead snared hog. |
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Posted: 4/14/2016 10:36:33 AM EDT
[#20]
This neighborhood pig project has been a lot of fun but I have ta admit I’m beginning to become porked out as I’m at a point now that I have to buy another freezer. I still have over 35 more pounds to grind & stuff as bratwurst, another hog in the cooler to work up, plus we’ll set the hog trap tonight again.
This spring a friend of mine introduced me to sausage making. We processed a couple of deer I was lucky enough to get while deer hunting in February (NW FL): 
They put me on a great stand! I learned a lot from him, enough to want to take this on myself and teach my kids how to make sausage. With an abundant supply of pork coming in I got the sausage fever……. 
Although I caught a little HEII from the wifer over using this bottle of wine 
A little Taste Testing to make sure it’s “right” before moving onto stuffing. Kids gave the approval to press on. 
Neighborhood grown friendly Sweet Italian sausage |
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Posted: 4/14/2016 10:39:20 AM EDT
[#21]
Been eating the “tar” out of pork lately…… Last night’s fresh Sweet Italian Sausage spag After 4 days of baiting with the door wired up the smaller hogs are quick to enter but the 2 largest are still hesitant to enter-at least when it’s light out. I’ll have to modify the rootstick placement, closer to the door, to get the 2 largest hogs to “trip” it since they are not fully committed. 
Tonight I’ll reposition the rootstick closer to the door opening where the largest hogs are chowing Brian |
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Posted: 4/15/2016 4:13:29 PM EDT
[#22]
This is what we at Night Goggles love to see, kill em, eat em.
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Posted: 4/15/2016 5:40:53 PM EDT
[#23]
There was eleven in the trap. 
There's 24 in the trap here. Wait till you get a hold of a Jager Pro trap. The pigs get used to the box traps and then they get used to the panel traps then the NV and Thermal come into play. I have not been able to eradicate them in 10 years. |
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Posted: 4/15/2016 9:22:51 PM EDT
[#24]
Love the post Sparky!
I doubt my HOA will spring for a Jager Pro....... |
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Posted: 4/15/2016 9:23:48 PM EDT
[#25]
Well, it’s taken 3 nights to catch any pigs. On the 3rd night there were eleven (11) pigs caught in the trap…………….well…….really there were only 4 (but one was pregnant with 7 piglets). I’m fortunate to have caught her as the piglets were near term!
After the 1st night of not tripping the trap I reset the rootstick such that it would be easier to trip. 
Saturday night: It’s amazing they didn’t trip the rootstick? Interestingly there were pigs all over the trap. The next night the pigs managed to move the rootstick further down on the 2 slanted points such that it didn’t go off again. Just like before they stuffed the trap –how do they not trip it! The 3rd night I repositioned the rootstick by making the 2 stationary points almost vertical making it much easier to trip. 
New rootstick placement 
Trap is ready…………….. 
These 2 were caught over 2 weeks ago but squirted out of the panel holes. They’ve grown a fair amount in two weeks and won’t be able to get out next time 
Now there’s 3 …………………… 
With 4 pigs in the trap the rootstick was tripped and the door closed at 2108 hours. |
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Posted: 4/18/2016 6:27:21 PM EDT
[#26]
...
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Posted: 4/18/2016 6:28:22 PM EDT
[#27]
...
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Posted: 4/18/2016 6:30:15 PM EDT
[#28]
Two of the six not captured: another pregnant sow and a boar 
A Wyoming knife makes for faster initial cuts 
Infection and significant swelling of this sow’s right front leg. 
Front leg comparison As I was dressing this sow I decided to NOT butcher her. With an obvious full blown infection and throughout its fat & under its skin it had parasitic worms similar to what you can find in spotted sea trout. I’d not seen these worms in hogs before. 
Lots of ticks-most of these are Lone Star ticks. It’s a scary fact that the Lone Star tick can cause humans to develop an allergy to red meat. Current literature states Lone Star ticks don’t cause Lyme Disease. 
Chilling as they wait their turn to become sausages………… The trapping continues…………. Brian |
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Posted: 4/18/2016 6:37:58 PM EDT
[#29]
Great thread!
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Posted: 4/18/2016 10:44:57 PM EDT
[#30]
That looks like fun but you can keep them down there
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Posted: 4/19/2016 10:54:14 AM EDT
[#31]
Are they all covered in that many ticks?
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Posted: 4/19/2016 12:14:54 PM EDT
[#32]
I hunt hogs a little south of you all the time and I've never seen so many ticks on a hog before
I see them on hogs here but usually just one here and there...not like yours. |
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Posted: 4/19/2016 1:28:10 PM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Are they all covered in that many ticks? That's the norm here in Florida. They are always tons of ticks on each one. What is the tick-on-hog situation in Texas and other states? Brian |
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Posted: 4/20/2016 12:44:41 PM EDT
[#34]
With only two pigs left in this sounder and these two having been “educated” a bit I was thinking it was gonna be tough to get the last two pigs. The pregnant sow looks like she’s gonna download any day…………
Hog snares and sniping are the next tactics in mind if trapping didn’t work. Not to mention the coons have been relentless ………… 
For different blocks of 25 to 55 minutes at a time these two just circled the trap but would not enter. 
No pigs trapped Monday night…… Thinking that maybe an enticer would help motivate them to enter the trap I sprinkled Gatorade powder inside the trap and mixed it in with the corn under the rootstick. When I use Gatorade powder on new stands to attract hogs it’s well received and they tear up the area to get to it. 
Gatorade powder….it’s not just for Gators 
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm….something smells good 
but still not willing to enter 
Unlike the night before the pregnant sow goes in 
She’s about to pop! 
The boar wants nothing to do with entering just yet….. |
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Posted: 4/20/2016 12:48:00 PM EDT
[#35]
At some point during the night the boar does enter and he gets trapped by himself.
This boar went 106 lbs and was Mean Mean Mean! I’m constantly amazed the spot welds on the bed frames to the hog panels hold up under their hitting the panels HARD! 
106 lbs 
Cutters and whetters (top) 
It’s just amazing the amount of parasites they have…..it’s tough being an animal in Florida! 
Bad ticks 
My neighborhood still has a couple of lots for sale…… Gotta step up the sausage making with 6 pigs in the coolers………. The trapping continues ………… Brian |
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Posted: 4/28/2016 10:50:18 AM EDT
[#36]
Final Update:
After a few days of no pigs on camera we’ve suspended our hog trapping. Over that last few days the coons were tripping the trap and it’s been hard keeping the trap corned up with all the raccoons devouring it (I’d note that even soaking the corn in diesel the coons still ate all the corn). The final tally after 45 days of trapping were 14 hogs captured out of the sounder of 15 (5 boars & 9 sows –with one pregnant sow that had 7 piglets that were almost full term). Only one hog was not captured out of this sounder and this hog, a pregnant sow, has not come to the trap for a few days. In the game camera photos you can see her abdomen has dropped and her nipples are extended so I suspect she’s gone off to drop her litter of piglets. 
Lone pregnant sow not captured. Note the coons already tripped the trap….. Trapping has been a fun family activity and teaching my kids how to make sausages has been just as much fun. The last few pigs were worked up as bratwurst and they far exceeded how I thought they would taste. 
Trimming & cutting 
Initial grinding with 3/16” plate |
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Posted: 4/28/2016 10:51:48 AM EDT
[#37]
Sampling the bulk sausage to see if it needs any additional spices before stuffing into sausages 
Linking 
Sausagemeisters 
Beer brats simmering as we continue to grind & stuff 
Pretty darn tasty neighborhood-friendly bratwurst Here’s hoping for a hogless summer for the neighborhood……….. Hoo Yah!! Brian |
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Posted: 4/28/2016 12:17:51 PM EDT
[#38]
Thanks for all the photos. Too bad you didn't get the last one. You did make a big dent in them.
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Posted: 5/2/2016 8:54:03 AM EDT
[#39]
When handling raw feral pork always protect yourself with gloves at a minimum. Scientists at UF say that wild pork is infected with brucilosis with rates as 80%. Be careful protect yourself and protect your kids
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Posted: 5/2/2016 10:13:47 PM EDT
[#40]
Nice work!
I was trained as a wildlife veterinary virologist and always wear gloves until everything is well done.... 
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