Hey, I'm going to get into some day and or night hog hunting. I need to know some of the basic gear you guys use. I'll be doing it with a new 5.56 build and a .308 bolt gun. Needing ideas for foot gear, flashlights, and clothing. Anything else will be a plus.

What part of the country? Night hunting with NV or red/green lights?  Stalking or sitting in a blind?

Looking at stalking hogs in Alabama or hunting from a 25' stand. I don't have any NV gear.

NV definitely adds to the excitement and of course gives you more of an advantage at night, however you can kill pigs running naked with a spear.  The gear isn't as important as you'd think. Certain circumstances require some specialty gear but you will do just fine with your AR or bolt action if you set yourself up properly.  Harvesting a pig or two for meat vs full on eradication of a depredating population is two very different scenarios, the latter of which would require much more preparation.  Knowledge of the behavior and habits of the pigs you're hunting will prove much more valuable than the gear you're hunting them with.

If you've got a stand overlooking a feeder that brings in hogs routinely, you just need to be set up at the right time and have an accurate rifle.  Most any centerfire caliber, and most any specific bullet, will do the job if you take the right shot.  It would benefit you to look at some diagrams of a pig's anatomy so that you are familiar with the location of their heart and base of their brain.  A well placed shot should be a switch - lights out - while a less than ideal shot could be a timer - runs off into the brush and eventually bleed out.  Chasing after a wounded pig isn't something even the veterans do lightly, especially when you have to search for them in thick brush or dense forest.  Wait for an opportunity to take the ideal shot and limit the possibility of a dangerous situation.  Although I said any ammo would do the job, there are definitely choices that are more effective on pigs and are more forgiving if your shot placement is off a bit. Barnes solid coppers - TSX & TTSX - perform very well and can be found in a 72gr factory load from a few different manufacturers.

Regardless of whether or not you are shooting with Granpa's old 270 or geared up like Special Forces and outfitted with a suppressor, you're most likely only going to get a single shot off, two if your lucky, before the pigs haul ass for cover. A subsonic 300BLK out of a suppressor still makes a pretty loud noise upon impact, not to mention the squeeling that ensues from the pig. I've never had an experience where they all stand around and let me pick them off one by one. Your first shot is target shooting and any follow up shots are a chaotic dance that looks like a wing shooter who just busted a huge covey of South Texas quail. So if you have multiple pigs to choose from, pick out your game - younger sow if you want a good meal or a large boar if you want a trophy - then wait for the right shot. Don't overdue the waiting though as they have a great sense of smell and could spook at any second.  

If you're planning on going soon while it's still very hot, they'll most likely not come to the feeder until dusk, and more likely come after dark. A filtered light can help you out if this is the case. Using a red or green light can aid your ability to take a shot. Start with the light pointed up over them and slowly bring it down. Even a filtered light will cast shadows which may spook them. If you find yourself stalking pigs at night, walking up on feeders, stay downwind and use your weapon mounted filtered light the same way. Always carry a pistol with you too. Knowing your surroundings and the layout of the property you're hunting is probably the most important thing.  In the thrill of the moment, with pigs suddenly appearing in random directions or pigs darting off in every direction once spooked, you need to know what's beyond the trees or over the hill that might become a bullet stop.  If you get into a big sounder and the fun begins, there's a real posibiltiy that all the excitement and adrenaline may cause you to forget about common safety, and this is even more serious when hunting with buddies. I do a lot of guiding and have seen guys do some pretty thoughtless things when 50 pigs appear suddenly and a shooting frenzy begins; even with very experienced hunters.  I don't guide more than two people at once any longer for this reason.

As for the clothing question, whatever is comfortable really. Camo is always good though.  I wear snake boots most of the time unless it's the middle of winter, and that's coming from a guy who studied snakes for a living for many years and is perfectly comfortable around them. NV and thermal don't give you an advantage at all when it comes to snakes. Hearing protection is another thing to discuss here. If you have electronic ear pro then I'd recommend using them. You want to protect your ears as always while shooting, but being able to hear everything very clearly is also important. Pigs make a lot of noise that can clue you into what's going on around you. Piglets tend to be the first to tell the group it's dinner time and Momma will scold them vocally, which can tip you off to their location or proximity. They'll also bicker and fight over food, often loudly, giving you a homing beacon to their dinner table.  You may also find yourself in a situation where you've unknowingly walked up on a pig that you can't see and get to experience a sound that, even when heard a thousand times, makes your hair stand up. It's nice to be able to hear that warning so you don't put yourself in further danger. Let's be real for a minute. I've taken three people to the hospital that got the business end of a pig. They're fast, mean and will charge you. I'm constantly reminding myself not to get too comfortable and to always be prepared for a close encounter.  It's important to respect them in this way.

Good luck with your hunt and be sure to update this post afterwards.

Game Cameras and more Game Cameras. Knowledge is power when your dealing with pigs. Now for the sad news a pig wakes up in a different world every morning or evening they are hard to pattern especially if they are pressured. Another piece of kit I like is mosquito nets. Some people will say the thermacell a pig can't smell but trust me they can smell it. I prefer to ambush them on travel ways if possible so as to not mess up my feed sites. Once you start chasing them the sky is the limit as to what you can spend. A good pair of leather gloves is hard to beat at night to for keeping thorns out to mosquito bites out. A good dose of common sense will keep you safe to at night or day. If your gut tells you to wait on a wounded hog wait a bit. Another trick is to use an old work jacket to put your scent around the area you intend to hunt just put one in a tree then swap it out every couple of days. They may spook the first few days but watch your game cameras and you will see the sounders calm down.

I'm learning a lot so please keep the knowledge pouring.

My night time hunting partner worked demo for quite a bit of his adult life and is basically deaf.  He's started wearing some of the electronic ear muffs that amplify ambient sounds and has had great experience with them.  Helps when it is not 95 degrees.  Takes modifications to use with NV helmets.  

Hogs don't seem to hear or see very well, so I usually roll out in a pair of rip stop cargo pants from Wallie World.  Barbed wire gets in the way, a lot.  Oh, and snake boots.  In my mind, they're a necessity, especially if walking in, around, or out at night.

What's a decent brand snake boot that won't break the bank and keep feet dry?

You can buy snake gaiters at a pretty reasonable price.  That way you can use your regular hunting boots and throw the gaiters over them.

http://off.com/?cid=SEM_G_off
http://www.coldsteel.com/boar-spear.html

http://www.kabar.com/most-famous-knife

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=socks+men+dress

http://www.amazon.com/Amscan-Hello-Sticker-Sheets-Multicolored/dp/B002PXP8XO


Also, a flashlight or something.


Not even kidding.  

 
And some hello kitty boxer shorts.

If you wear the colored whitey tighties. We call those Clark Kent's.

Boy this is turning Left in a hurry

Here is the gear I've had good luck with:

Footwear:  Merrell
Flashlights: Surefire for handheld and Surefire or Streamlight for weapon mounted, but you'll also need a headlamp.  I've never had trouble with any of the inexpensive Energizer brand headlamps you can buy at Walmart.
Rain gear:  USGI ECWCS Goretex and Columbia
Underwear: Nike pro combat
Clothing:  I like Under Armor heat gear long sleeve shirts, and Columbia PFG long sleeve shirts.  They protect your skin from the sun and don't hold moisture like cotton.  As for pants, I normally just find some heavy duty cargo pants to wear in the winter and some light weight pants for wear during the summer.

Also, grab yourself a shemagh.  They work well for keeping the sun off your head when it's hot out, and help with warmth when it's cold out.  You can also wet it down and use it to cool yourself or take a whore's bath in the summer.

edited to add:  I like the Nike golf baseball hats - they are lightweight and breathe well.

I'm going to hit Academy and Gander Mountain this weekend. I may also stop by Dicks to.

What retail stores do you guys normally shop for your hunting supplies besides online.  My area has Acedemy, Dicks and Gander Mountain.

I bought an old surplus "head sock" (what I call it) that was a stretchy thick knit cotton. It's been very useful out in the woods, but somethin a l'il more substantial and flexible would be great.
..Got curious about that shemagh you mentioned. Poked around Amazon and there seems to be a plethora of choices. One that seems to get glowing good reviews for quality material is the Hirbawi family brand. But it's a palestinian operation and that ain't happenin.
The quality of the Asian knock-offs seems to vary a good bit according to reviews. Do you know of any other high quality options for those?  Thanks..  d:^)  Jake..

Good stuff here. Thanks.

I was gifted mine so I don't know where it came from. Check out combat flip flops - I think you'll like the company after reading about the good work they are doing, and they should have quality goods.

As previously stated, keep it simple. No sense in getting dressed up like a Seal to kill a hog. I've done it in rubber boots, gym shorts, and an old t shirt. FREEBALLING!

Had to add this bit of wisdom...WEAR SOCKS! A half mile hike in just rubber boots makes some damn fine blisters.

I typically wear the cheap rip stop cargo pants from Walmart, whatever footwear is comfiest based on weather(ranges from Crocs to rubber boots) and I have some knee high snake chaps or gaiters I clip on. Dark colored shirt, long sleeve if mosquitos are bad. I buy a pack of white shirts from Walmart and rit dye them gray. They are cheaper then a pack of gray shirts. Most of em have the sleeves cut off bc it's hotter then hell in a hay field.  

That leads me to scent. I typically stink from sweat, hay, dust, grease, etc at the end of the day. That is the most important thing IMO. Hogs can smell for miles. One thing I have noticed is that when I am baiting a site or a trap, if I spray my boots with diesel or wet them with that stinky soured corn water as well as my hands, I don't leave any human scent. Works pretty good around here but the hogs are pickier bc it ain't Texas and we ain't overrun....yet.

Hogs don't care what you are wearing...they just want to eat. Wear whatever you have in the house and spend the money on corn and bullets.

Awwww, man. TMI!!  

Haha! I wasn't wasting anytime that night. Was asleep when my phone went off alerting me to a gamecam pic. Saw it was a hog and out the door I went. Boots, rifle, and nods stay beside the front door for those purposes