Posted: 7/6/2009 1:18:08 AM EDT
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My girlfriend's family has some land near Shiner, TX that has some hog problems. It's a large tract of land that has been subdivided into smaller plots for different family members. The plot that she spends time on is mostly a weekend-getaway type place with a few large stock tanks, some wide open pasture and some dense wooded area.
Last time we were there, I noticed that the pasture area was half-destroyed. At first I thought somebody had taken some sort of plow to it, but some family nearby said they had been overrun with hogs. I'd never seen this much damage from hogs before. The hogs are destroying the pasture that the cows graze on. The girlfriend's aunt said they were thinking about paying somebody to come take care of the hogs, but I told them I could try to take care of it. The problem is, we've never actually SEEN the hogs. Without spending a ton of money, how can I find the hogs? Is there a way to bring them out in the daylight? Can I spotlight them from a long distance? We only go out there maybe once a month, so we'd need something that would bring them out relatively quickly. I'm hoping that it's not considered to be wrong to want to kill these things and do nothing with the meat. I don't like hog meat (had it a few times before, it tasted like crap). We just need these things gone. They're a pest. I don't think I'd have a problem with long range shots if I had a target. The longest shot available out there is probably close to 400yds. I'd rather not take such a long shot, but I don't know how to hunt these bastards. |
If you read around here you will see that apparently hogs are pretty smart little cocksuckers and if you are not seeing them in the daytime you will probably need to get yourself some night vision equipment and hunt them at night. There is no super secret way to show up, lure them out of hiding and blow their delicious little asses away. 
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brouhaha,
Unfortunately, this time of year (because of the heat)...you are not likely to have daytime sightings of hogs except perhaps first thing in the morning. In the Fall and Winter months that can change dramatically depending upon hunting pressure. If you are committed to addressing this problem yourself....it would involve you setting up a "bait site" with an automatic feeder and a "trail-cam" to establish how many hogs you have and when they are visiting the area. You WILL NOT simply stumble onto hogs....I know you are aware. If your primary concern is to temporarily run them off, then I would suggest you contact someone with dogs to come out and "run them" about once a month. This assumes the property is large enough that dogs are unlikely to leave it during the course of a chase, OR that you have permission from neighboring property owners to let the dogs cross theirs. In terms of actually "ridding" yourself of hogs, I place the method of hunting them with dogs near the bottom of the list (unless high-fenced). But....it is an effective means by which to "harass" hogs and have them leave the area for awhile. Good luck to you Sir. You have seen firsthand what a scourge they are. Flint. |
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Quoted:
brouhaha, Unfortunately, this time of year (because of the heat)...you are not likely to have daytime sightings of hogs except perhaps first thing in the morning. In the Fall and Winter months that can change dramatically depending upon hunting pressure. If you are committed to addressing this problem yourself....it would involve you setting up a "bait site" with an automatic feeder and a "trail-cam" to establish how many hogs you have and when they are visiting the area. You WILL NOT simply stumble onto hogs....I know you are aware. If your primary concern is to temporarily run them off, then I would suggest you contact someone with dogs to come out and "run them" about once a month. This assumes the property is large enough that dogs are unlikely to leave it during the course of a chase, OR that you have permission from neighboring property owners to let the dogs cross theirs. In terms of actually "ridding" yourself of hogs, I place the method of hunting them with dogs near the bottom of the list (unless high-fenced). But....it is an effective means by which to "harass" hogs and have them leave the area for awhile. Good luck to you Sir. You have seen firsthand what a scourge they are. Flint. I've got 2 dogs (both under 60lbs) that I take when we go to the property. We walk the property daily and the dogs chase deer and rabbits. I'm always afraid, however, that they'll chase after a hog. I've heard that hogs can be very aggressive, so I don't know what they'd do to a dog chasing after them. But even with my dogs out barking and running all over, plus my girlfriend and I walking around, there's still fresh torn up pasture every morning. I think I'm going to buy some corn and some solar lights. Set up the lights on the treeline a couple hundred yards away and sprinkle corn in the area. And wait. I can't afford a feeder or a trail cam right now, at least not until I find a job. |
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brouhaha wrote:
I've got 2 dogs (both under 60lbs) that I take when we go to the property. We walk the property daily and the dogs chase deer and rabbits. I'm always afraid, however, that they'll chase after a hog. I've heard that hogs can be very aggressive, so I don't know what they'd do to a dog chasing after them.
Most hogs will run from dogs, but there are exceptions (I.E. a big boar that doesn't care, a sow with piglets to defend). A mature hog is capable of severely injuring (or killing) a dog (especially small dogs). Additionally, if you were to run up on a hog unexpectedly and the dogs set upon it, it may attack the dogs. Of course, 9 out of 10 "pet type" dogs will come running right back to their owner....bringing the hog along with them (not good). But even with my dogs out barking and running all over, plus my girlfriend and I walking around, there's still fresh torn up pasture every morning.
Yes, unless really pressured...they will continue to visit the area. I think I'm going to buy some corn and some solar lights. Set up the lights on the treeline a couple hundred yards away and sprinkle corn in the area. And wait. I can't afford a feeder or a trail cam right now, at least not until I find a job.
Anything you can do will help. Best of luck with your hog hunt and job search. Flint. |
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im sure if you started allowing others to come hunt the property they would be taken care of sooner than yourself can do it visiting just once a month
Lots of guys willing to come hunt 'em for free. Theres no need to pay anyone. You might consider donating the meat to a local homeless shelter if theres one nearby. |
| I agree, find some people you trust and let them have at it. Everyone seems to be looking for a place to shoot those things. My gf's family has land all around TX and I kept wishing hogs would show up so I could have some camping fun. Then I started seeing pics of land as you described and I stopped hoping for them to invade (although I am ready to go at a moments notice when they get there). |
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Quoted:
Personally, I wouldn't mind others killing the hogs. But it's not my property, so I really have no say in the matter. I don't really think the family would like having strangers out there shooting. Agreed. Trust me.....you would find out "sooner" than "later" that this a patently bad idea on several levels. On any given day...I could have 100 yeh-hoos at my doorstep.... ready to step right in and "solve my hog problem" for me. 
Of that 100, maybe two would actually know how to hunt hogs effectively (and could be trusted not to hurt themselves, the livestock, the property or someone else). Worse yet, if someone doesn't know what they are doing, all they will accomplish is to "educate" the hogs on your property...making it more difficult than before to kill them. Now, before someone "jumps me" about the statement above let me say this: I know there are competent/safe hunters out there and I recognize you do not need to have a "degree" in hog hunting in order to shoot a few. But, it does take a little experience and knowledge to be consistently successful.....so I don't recommend letting the first "itchy trigger finger" on your place to just plug away at them. Just my .0002 on it. Flint. |
| build a big trap with tposts and hog panels leave the door open for a while and let em get used to it feed feed feed em set a game camera up.. when you see lots of hogs are entering the trap each night set the trap do this a couple times and you will be good to go... also the db hog ranch will buy them from you |
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Don't listen to all that hog-wash...LOL no just kidding.
The hogs are there right...dont do anything but go there with scoped rifle with moon light...down wind of the pasture and your wait wont be long.. just hunt a few times...then start the fancy stuff....feeders camers lights...corn arrows(LOL Flint) There are poeple near that area that hunt hogs, maybe from here...When you run into one spend time at the shooting range together, then you have a guide, with equipment. You are just another addicited hog hunter no the way LOL..It will get fun for you. |
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Friend of mine I went hunting with makes inexpensive feeders.
He takes 5 gallon buckets, drills a hole in the bottom slightly bigger than a 3/4" PVC pipe. About a 3 foot long section goes in the hole, with a PVC "T" on top. 550 cord, wire or various other attaching methods to low hanging tree branches. Scatter corn on ground and also some powdered koolaid around the area. Fill feeder with corn. Once the hogs hit the corn under the feeder their bodies bumping the pipe release more corn slowly at the hole. Very effective from what he says, the two nights we went out, no hogs (stormy and apparently they didn't want to come out to play) but there was fresh tracks and corn mostly gone from teh area around the feeder both days, so something in the hog crew hit it. He's tried the rolling feeders on teh ground out of PVC pipe and didn't have much luck, the hanging bucket type is according to him more successful. |