Hog Duty

[Ezana4CE]

Tonight I’m on hog duty. I got a call earlier in the week to come and investigate a hog incursion on some pasture land. Earlier in the week I set up a camera that I have not checked yet. I intend to check it in a few days. Today I got a call that a new calf was born into the herd and I saw it earlier. So I will be monitoring coyote activity.

This is some of the damage that I observed earlier in the week. 

This will be my first solo attempt at this sort of job. I’ve been out in a groups with dogs and ATVs before but never alone and never with an airgun. I have my Evol .30 and my .25 Edgun Lelya 2.0 with me. I brought pellets and slugs for both. I also will use my Pard NV007a along with a hog torch to survey the problem area tonight. I have my tripod and my gunrunner pack in the event that I see some activity so I am able to move in and setup a stand within about 30-40 mins if I don’t pack it all out with me on my initial round of observation. 


Right now my concern is tending to this fire so I can keep it going. It supposed to drop into the 20sF tonight. It’s currently 37F. I will probably head out around 9pm.

I have no idea how this will go, but I will try to document what I can when I can in this thread. This will be an ongoing job with all of the natural gas activity in the area that’s pushing animals out of their habitats and forcing them to relocate to new areas. I can hear heavy machinery in the background as I type this. More to come…

 

[Ranchibi]

Ezana, stay safe and warm and I wish you good luck!  

 

[Ezana4CE]

I think I’ll start with the hog light on my Lelya. I realized earlier today that I didn’t have a suitable sling for the Evol. And just now I heard the coyotes. There are a lot of them and they’re very close. I’m setting up my tripod right now.

That actually made me nervous. There are a lot of them. Tripod is up an I’m getting the Pard ready to set up on my Evol. I know I made a ton of noise so the yotes know I’m here. 

 

[ram2jeep]

Be safe out there and definitely be careful. 

 

[jwrabbit123]

Good luck be safe , How big do hogs get where you live >>>>>??? I only got one in my life it was with a 30-06 150 gr at like 90 yards , He was a big one like 275 pounds , I ate him at time lol I remember it was like eating a old shoe , I think back then I cooked it wrong , I had him mounted big giant teeth , If they look like one I got Id want more gun them my small bore pcp guns , I have seen many guys though shoot them southern small ferral hogs with airguns , If you see any show me pictures pls , so where u go you can get them in nite time ?

LOU

 

[Ezana4CE]

It’s gotten cold and everything is iced over. It’s next impossible to stalk or creep up on anything right now. The grass and mud crackle while I’m walking. What’s really got me on edge is that I cannot hear because of the drilling and fracking operations going on in the distance. The noise is constant. That and I can hear the oilfield workers yelling back and forth periodically. I put the Evol and tripod back in the truck. They too frosted over. I’m to the point where I’m not comfortable going into the wooded areas and denuded woodland because when I did attempt to I felt as if I was being stalked. The brush and trees are pretty dense and I can’t see to far ahead of my own path. Feleling as if you’re being stalked in unfamiliar territory is a bad feeling especially when you cannot hear like you need to.


I’m back at camp trying to keep the fire going. All of the wood is frosted over and most of it was damp when I collected it. I may scan some pastureland for coyotes from the treeline but that’s about all that’s going on tonight. It’s 28F right now and I have not seen any sort of movement. The coyotes sound as if they’ve moved further out for the most part. 

 

[Ezana4CE]

Good luck be safe , How big do hogs get where you live >>>>>??? I only got one in my life it was with a 30-06 150 gr at like 90 yards , He was a big one like 275 pounds , I ate him at time lol I remember it was like eating a old shoe , I think back then I cooked it wrong , I had him mounted big giant teeth , If they look like one I got Id want more gun them my small bore pcp guns , I have seen many guys though shoot them southern small ferral hogs with airguns , If you see any show me pictures pls , so where u go you can get them in nite time ?

LOU

I’ve seen some up to 100-130lbs. That’s about as hig as I’ve seen a wild hog up close. Seen a few good sized ones get trapped or caught live by pitbulls. I can shoot them on sight where I am, day or night. Right now it’s difficult to get there undetected. Driving or walking they’re going to hear me coming if they’re around. Hogs spook easy. I ate some once. They don’t taste too great to me. 

 

[qball]

Good luck, stay warm and safe! 

 

[N2 Shooter]

It’s gotten cold and everything is iced over. It’s next impossible to stalk or creep up on anything right now. The grass and mud crackle while I’m walking. What’s really got me on edge is that I cannot hear because of the drilling and fracking operations going on in the distance. The noise is constant. That and I can hear the oilfield workers yelling back and forth periodically. I put the Evol and tripod back in the truck. They too frosted over. I’m to the point where I’m not comfortable going into the wooded areas and denuded woodland because when I did attempt to I felt as if I was being stalked. The brush and trees are pretty dense and I can’t see to far ahead of my own path. Feleling as if you’re being stalked in unfamiliar territory is a bad feeling especially when you cannot hear like you need to.


I’m back at camp trying to keep the fire going. All of the wood is frosted over and most of it was damp when I collected it. I may scan some pastureland for coyotes from the treeline but that’s about all that’s going on tonight. It’s 28F right now and I have not seen any sort of movement. The coyotes sound as if they’ve moved further out for the most part.

That's exactly the way I felt when I went raccoon hunting solo. There is something about not being able to see that gets the heart beating fast, so I can only imagine not being able to see or hear is next level terrifying!!!

 

[Ezana4CE]

There is a yote barking outside of my tent. It sounds like it’s about 50 yrds away.There is an entrance to a pasture there with a wooded area behind it. I’m in my sleeping bag with my Lelya. That’s enough to get the heart rate up. Woke me from a dead sleep. It sounds as if it’s communicating with one off in the distance. I can barely hear the other yote. The one nearby has gone silent for now…

 

[Airgun-hobbyist]

Sounds like they are close now. You should be able to get it done. Good luck and stay warm.

 

[squirrel_getter]

Good luck!!

Is there much pen trapping of hogs in your area? While somewhat effective the hogs are smart and quickly get pen trap wise. We have had to relocate or temporarily abandon pen traps for this reason. We usually construct pen traps in different places. Hogs caught in pen traps are quickly & humanly dispatched. As you stated hogs get vehicle wise in a jiffy and spook at the sight or sound of an approaching vehicle. I have resorted to parking the vehicle a few fields away and walking to the intended hunting area. Around my area we have used dogs, still/stalk hunting, baiting, and pen trapping. It takes all of them & the hogs still get the upper hand. Dog hunting is very effective. The problem with dog hunting is a great deal of the land is in small owned tracks & you have issues with the dogs going onto adjacent lands & the property owners being irate. So this often limits an effective tool and makes the hog control even more difficult. Snares are somewhat effective in given situations if allowed. However, they often get non-target animals, so I use them only when necessary & then conscientiously & cautiously. I check them very often. The aforementioned baiting of hogs (if & when legal) will concentrate them allowing harvesting of some. They learn this trick also and it is wise to relocate the bait area often when they are hunted over the bait. Sport hunting of hogs with an air gun, pistol, bow, crossbow, etc. are other population reduction tools. Can you use buckshot where you hunt? I know in some places buckshot is prohibited during deer season and in many other instances. When it gets to close quarters control of nuisance hogs in the woods give me a multi-shot 12 gauge shotgun loaded with 00 buckshot if legal. Multiple shots & multiple hogs can then often be taken.

Again good porky hunting!

 

[jwrabbit123]

wow this sounds intense , I saw people trap them hogs , we do not have them in CT ,I didnt think fracking of oil went on still , but my guess is when oil skyrocketed again it became profitable I hear them hogs can ruin fields causing livestock to break legs and not live along with ruts ruining farm equipment 

 

[SqrlHntr]

I always suggest a quick draw backup, not doubting your marksmanship, but hogs can charge, especially if babies are around. Ain’t fun having a hog charge at you at night. Even when I hunt hogs with big bore air, I always bring a backup OhS#!t piece, which has been needed.

Side note: Ever seen a tannerite trap? Clean up isle 4. 

 

[Ezana4CE]

This morning I got up when I saw the first light.

The yote I heard last night was barking from the other side of that brush. There’s a small opening to a good sized pasture over there. I didn’t have a clear view from my tent an then pasture is outlined by trees I checked it last around 11-11:30pm l think. After unzipping my sleeping bag and gun bag I lay still in the prone position at the door of the tent but it remained quiet except for yotes in the distance. It was cold as hell too. I think it got to 23-25F last night. It’s about 26-28F now.

After getting dressed I first walked to check if there’s been any hog activity in the area they’d been rooting. It’s been too soft to drive down there in my truck, and today the ruts and mudholes are slushy with ice. In many other places the ground is hard and frozen making it difficult to see many fresh tracks. From what I noticed is that it may be possible that they’re coming from the creek bed, but it’s tough to tell where exactly because of the cattle trails. I saw good prints, but it’s tough to tell if they’re from yearlings or hogs. This area looks recently rooted, but I’m unsure if I overlooked it the first time or if this occurred recently. My camera is down a ways from this part of the pasture.

Next I went to see if I could find any coyotes prints and determine where some of their routes are coming through the area. And found something that may be, but it’s hard to tell with the ground being so hard.

There’s definitely some sort of predator activity around here because I found remains of fur in a couple of places. This was around the paw prints. I don’t know what this fur came from or what it was. I don’t know if it’s left over from yote feces or spit up by an owl looks kind of big to have come from a bobcat, but I really don’t know it looks old.

The paw prints led me to a property border where there’s been recent timber activity that is estimate occurred within the past 2-4 years judging by the new growth. And someone’s been deer hunting along the clearing on the fenceline. That’s pretty common. These wooded types of areas are great for predators to slip in and out of pastureland when they’re adjacent. 

These hardwoods abut this loblolly pine stand. 

Finally I warmed up and defrosted the truck to go check on the new calf. It seems to be fine. I spotted it laying down in the middle of the herd as they sunned and ate. I may try to find a squirrel for breakfast. I forgot my pot to boil water for my coffee and thought I’d use a soup can to do it, but I didn’t eat soup last night so I guess no coffee for now. Time to gather wood and leaves to start a fire. 

 

[Ezana4CE]

I always suggest a quick draw backup, not doubting your marksmanship, but hogs can charge, especially if babies are around. Ain’t fun having a hog charge at you at night. Even when I hunt hogs with big bore air, I always bring a backup OhS#!t piece, which has been needed.

Side note: Ever seen a tannerite trap? Clean up isle 4.

I thought about back up and decided this would be a true airgun experience. I have knives for back up. And honestly I’m more familiar with hogs. It’s the coyotes that worried me. First time I’ve been that close to so many. They made some hairs standup for sure. I’m also surveying the area to make some yote stands when I feel that I’m ready for it.

 

[SqrlHntr]

I always suggest a quick draw backup, not doubting your marksmanship, but hogs can charge, especially if babies are around. Ain’t fun having a hog charge at you at night. Even when I hunt hogs with big bore air, I always bring a backup OhS#!t piece, which has been needed.

Side note: Ever seen a tannerite trap? Clean up isle 4.

I thought about back up and decided this would be a true airgun experience. I have knives for back up. And honestly I’m more familiar with hogs. It’s the coyotes that worried me. First time I’ve been that close to so many. They made some hairs standup for sure. I’m also surveying the area to make some yote stands when I feel that I’m ready for it.

Best of luck out there, you got this!

 

[squirrel_getter]

I always suggest a quick draw backup, not doubting your marksmanship, but hogs can charge, especially if babies are around. Ain’t fun having a hog charge at you at night. Even when I hunt hogs with big bore air, I always bring a backup OhS#!t piece, which has been needed.

Side note: Ever seen a tannerite trap? Clean up isle 4.

I thought about back up and decided this would be a true airgun experience. I have knives for back up. And honestly I’m more familiar with hogs. It’s the coyotes that worried me. First time I’ve been that close to so many. They made some hairs standup for sure. I’m also surveying the area to make some yote stands when I feel that I’m ready for it.

Best of luck out there, you got this!

Sows with pigs are especially dangerous.

Last year I was quail hunting and some single birds had flushed into a fallow field about 150 yards away. I had killed one bird & crippled a bird on the covey rise and watched the cripple fly across a harvested field and appear to fall dead in the same fallow field the singles had pitched down. One of the dogs had seen the bird that I killed and retrieved it I was not going to hunt any of the singles but instead headed to the fallow field in an attempt to retrieve the downed bird. Upon entering the weed laden field with the dogs to hunt the crippled bird a hog charged me and my 2 bird dogs at close range. My shotgun was loaded with #7 1/2 bird shot only. I quickly fired a shot over the hog in a futile attempt to scare it but it kept coming. I followed up with 3 shots starting at a range of about 10 yards to the hog's face and head as the hog charged. It dropped with the last shot at about 5 yards. I believe the hog was totally blinded and enraged by the first shot to the head. All this action was in just a few seconds. I was shaking in my boots.The hog still had life in it so I loaded up again and cautiously eased up to it with shaking hands and fired point blank into the head. It was at that time I saw the piglets & sized up the situation. It was a sow with piglets I had stumbled upon. It was most likely a wild hog because there are no pen raised hogs within miles of the location. I don't believe the piglets were big enough to survive on their own so I dispatched them. I would have anyway because I was not leaving feral pigs to become hogs. By the way when it was all over & the dogs and I calmed down only a little, I went further to where I thought the bird had fallen and called dead to the dogs which found it. The bird was indeed dead. That was the end of a scary hunt. I went back to the truck in a daze and loaded the dogs into their dog box and sat in the drivers seat contemplating the near tragedy. I suppose the buzzards and other critters ate well. I left them plenty of hog meat to eat. Sows with piglets can be deadly. A side note: hogs destroy a lot of quail and turkey nest by eating the eggs when they stumble upon them. But there are many, many other predators that also eat the quail and turkey eggs. Yep I kill every feral hog I can. I also respect the fact that they can do the same to me. Walk softly and carry a big gun! Not only do I have to worry about rattle snakes but also mad hogs.

 

[Ezana4CE]

Walking the creek bed looking for tracks, scat, and bedding areas. So far I’ve seen a couple tracks and some scat. I’ve also found a hickory tree, an old pine that woodpeckers turned into a motel for squirrel, and a couple hollows that may be home to some raccoons.

Can someone help me identify what type of scat this is?

I estimate that I covered about 40-55 acres this morning. I walked part of the perimeter and a cross section that the creek bisects. I didn’t see any bedding areas. I saw a little deer scar in one area I was surprised I didn’t see more I saw some other scat that I wasn’t sure what it was and the above photo. I’ve seen the scat pictures above a lot around my regular hunting grounds. This will take some time. My game camera should tell me more about the hogs. The coyotes are an entirely different story. I’m thinking of breaking out the Bulldog for them. 

On my way back to camp I saw this paw print. It was leading into the pasture behind my tent. I was probably 100-150 175-200 yards out. 

This is the path I was apprehensive to take in the dark. I started and turned back around. The trees and brush were too dense for me to get decent light penetration with my hog light. It also sits on an incline which puts me at a disadvantage when trying to stalk or if I was being watched.

View facing more towards the trees and brush from the same spot the picture above was taken.

 

[SqrlHntr]

Not certain on the scat. It looks like a plop or tubular but pellets as well. The print could be a yote but the one side has indication it could be just a dog. Hard to say,