Not again.......! Feral Hog Control in East Texas

BigBore44 said:
So I've had this little bait site set up for about 3 weeks by a very small pond. It's a different pond than the small pond in my thread "My Best Day".

The site is nothing more than two T posts, some bailing wire, and a 2.5 gallon bucket I converted into a bump or nudge bucket. That's a bucket with holes cut into the bottom. When the pigs bump or nudge the bucket it shakes a little corn out. Well the pigs took a couple days to find it. But once they did, they would empty the bucket in a day. I never put a camera out there because my cameras always get stolen. But I figured yesterday I'd take the chance.....again.

So I fill my backpack with corn, load my catahoula up and head out there. When I get there, sure enough, the bucket is empty. So I refill it about 3/4 full, set up my camera up as close as I could but not in an ideal proximity to the site. My dog was playing around the site marking everywhere like young males do. And we headed back. A couple hours later, I decided I wanted to move the camera closer so I could be sure to get good pictures. No point risking the camera getting stolen for crappy pictures. So I filled my backpack again, grabbed a small spade and headed back.

When I got there the corn I'd put on the ground was gone and there was fresh sign all over. I checked the camera and it had 73 pictures. 4 hogs had come in not 5 minutes after my dog I left and had stayed for 2.5 hours in the middle of the day (14:00-16:37) until 7 minutes before I got back to the site. So I dug a hole, set a natural post, and reset the camera. They didn't care that my dog had been there marking everything. So I suspect they are held up close enough that they can hear me refill the feeder and just wait till I leave. That's easy enough to deal with. I'll just go fill the feeder, walk off, circle around, and set up with the right wind.

So I should have some pics of dead pigs for this thread soon.
Click to expand...

Anxiously awaiting pics. Good luck!

I've got to get busy on mine too. I've hadt a group at each bait site for the last 4 days. Just been so busy doing things around the property that I haven't felt like going and sitting in the heat for hogs. Checked my cameras this morning and one group is coming in during daylight hours. Got a little bit of video of young bobcat taking out a fox squirrel on one of the cameras.

Hope you get a few piggies.

Flint.
 
The hogs have been hitting my feeder pretty heavy the last couple of days. They hit around noon today when I was in town. :( By the video camera I have 2 groups of 6-8 coming in. Then a big bore shows up during the middle of the night but no schedule.

I took a close look at my trap. I think the hog jumped out of a 5' hog panel breaking some spot welds at the top. I got some more panels, so it's going to get a top. Taking to neighbor that hunts them regularly said he has seen them clear a 5' panel.
 
Blue68f100 said:
The hogs have been hitting my feeder pretty heavy the last couple of days. They hit around noon today when I was in town. :( By the video camera I have 2 groups of 6-8 coming in. Then a big bore shows up during the middle of the night but no schedule.

I took a close look at my trap. I think the hog jumped out of a 5' hog panel breaking some spot welds at the top. I got some more panels, so it's going to get a top. Taking to neighbor that hunts them regularly said he has seen them clear a 5' panel.
Click to expand...

They can jump the panels (and roll over the top of them) but more often they 'climb' them to escape. I lose several that way every year.
 
Well it turns out I was right. Took dad this evening. Sent him to the other side of the pond while I took the corn to the feeder. Made sure to shake it a lot as I put it out. Thought about grabbing the card from the camera to see what's been going on but I didn't. Walked back around the pond and sat with him. 15 minutes later we both hear a grunt. I look to his right and here come 3 small pigs. Dad steadied his CZ 308 and they walk right in front of us at the impossible distance of....7 yards. Boom. Dead pig. I drug it back to where we were sitting and gutted it.

Thought we might see more so we sat there another hour and a half. But nothing came in. It was about 19:15 and I figured we might as well go because it is well over a mile in to where we were. And I still have to clean his pig and I have to work tomorrow. But I wanted to grab the card and see what was on it. So I walk over and when I get to the feeder I see the grass moving about 30 yards away (I know what that means). And it's shaking its way towards me. I wave to dad who is still on the other side and point at the grass. I got nowhere to hide. The grass where I'm standing is maybe kneecap high. So I clear my 10mm, sit on my butt, lean back, spread my knees and brace the pistol between them. Out pops 4 more pigs. 3 blacks and a red. Little red turns broadside at 8 yards and I put the front site on his shoulder and squeezed the trigger. Bang. Dead pig.

No giants. But great eaters. And more memories. Oh, did I mention I found a couple ticks on me? I'll include the ones just on my right arm. Look close. I don't have freckles.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0663.JPG
    IMG_0663.JPG
    90.9 KB · Views: 111
  • IMG_0664.JPG
    IMG_0664.JPG
    85.5 KB · Views: 103
  • IMG_0666.JPG
    IMG_0666.JPG
    252 KB · Views: 100
  • IMG_0665.JPG
    IMG_0665.JPG
    174.2 KB · Views: 100
Well….put a little ‘dent’ in them. I’ve had this group coming into bait site #1 for about a week. Set the door on the pen trap yesterday, figured maybe some of the smaller ones would go in it.



Checked the trap this afternoon and had 5 pigs ranging from about 80 lbs. to 100 lbs.

As I was dispatching the hogs…one of them (the largest of course) made an Earl Campbell type ‘run’ at the hog panel nearest the trap gate. It hit it so hard that the bottom of the panel bent upward and two of the welds on the wire were broken. The hog then managed to get its head and neck stuck under the bent panel. That seemed to give it renewed purpose and energy and it started pushing even harder.

I could see that the pig was going to get out…but I was at the back area of the trap. I quickly trotted toward the hog but it succeeded in getting out from under the damaged panel. I couldn’t believe it escaped from such a small ‘hole’. If you know anything about feral hogs…then you know they can go from zero to whatever their top speed is in about 3-4 jumps (literally). And this one was ‘carrying the mail’.

While they ARE fast, they aren’t 950 fps fast (.45 acp +P) and I was able to get a somewhat rushed shot into the departing pig. I was aiming at the base of its tail…. the pig now 20 yds. distant. It crumpled at the shot but got back up on its feet just as quickly as it had gone down. It was now in the edge of the pines and brush but I could see it that it was humped up and was not moving away too well.

I went back to taking care of the rest of the pigs and then started looking for the escapee. Found good blood… but the pig had made it into some pretty thick stuff, so I will just give it overnight to expire and go look tomorrow.

Hogs_08_14_17b_zpsmtstpkcu.jpg

So...for now we'll call it four pigs. If I can find the other one tomorrow...then 5, but I won't claim anything I can't put my hands on.
 
Flintknapper said:
Well….put a little ‘dent’ in them. I’ve had this group coming into bait site #1 for about a week. Set the door on the pen trap yesterday, figured maybe some of the smaller ones would go in it.



Checked the trap this afternoon and had 5 pigs ranging from about 80 lbs. to 100 lbs.

As I was dispatching the hogs…one of them (the largest of course) made an Earl Campbell type ‘run’ at the hog panel nearest the trap gate. It hit it so hard that the bottom of the panel bent upward and two of the welds on the wire were broken. The hog then managed to get its head and neck stuck under the bent panel. That seemed to give it renewed purpose and energy and it started pushing even harder.

I could see that the pig was going to get out…but I was at the back area of the trap. I quickly trotted toward the hog but it succeeded in getting out from under the damaged panel. I couldn’t believe it escaped from such a small ‘hole’. If you know anything about feral hogs…then you know they can go from zero to whatever their top speed is in about 3-4 jumps (literally). And this one was ‘carrying the mail’.

While they ARE fast, they aren’t 950 fps fast (.45 acp +P) and I was able to get a somewhat rushed shot into the departing pig. I was aiming at the base of its tail…. the pig now 20 yds. distant. It crumpled at the shot but got back up on its feet just as quickly as it had gone down. It was now in the edge of the pines and brush but I could see it that it was humped up and was not moving away too well.

I went back to taking care of the rest of the pigs and then started looking for the escapee. Found good blood… but the pig had made it into some pretty thick stuff, so I will just give it overnight to expire and go look tomorrow.

View attachment 759966

So...for now we'll call it four pigs. If I can find the other one tomorrow...then 5, but I won't claim anything I can't put my hands on.
Click to expand...

Nice Flint. Very nice. And good shooting to hit a pig on the run.
 
BigBore44 said:
. And good shooting to hit a pig on the run.
Click to expand...

It was going straight away (he chose poorly).

Pretty hard to miss that shot.

Too busy today to get back down there today, but will go early tomorrow morning. See if I can find it before the coyotes do, I'm confident it was a mortal wound. Usually a shot at the base of the tail will break them down right there and allow for a quick follow up shot. I'm guessing I was bit to one side. Old Man's getting rusty. ;)
 
Well I'm still giving you credit for a good shot. One thing I can't seem to get past is that where I hunt, yotes nor buzzards will touch a hog carcass. Only thing I've ever seen eat a pig was a possum.

I shot this pig the other night (one with the pistol in the pic). Couldn't get it out before a bad storm hit. So I had to leave it (after having gutted it and drug it over a mile. So I ditched it, and hid the dolly. There's yotes everywhere out here. The next day I went out there. Gut pile covered in flies. Hog was too and a possum.The next day. Gut pile covered in maggots. Hog had a few but hadn't been touched except by the possum. Now it's fully engulfed in them.

And as it turned out, dad didn't miss his first pig from my "My Best Day" thread. Because I found it 3 days later. Nothing except flies and beetles. Here's that pig. I just don't get it. Both pigs are within 50-75 yards of a big den.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0621.JPG
    IMG_0621.JPG
    240.1 KB · Views: 83
  • IMG_0635.JPG
    IMG_0635.JPG
    206.5 KB · Views: 79
BigBore44 said:
Well I'm still giving you credit for a good shot. One thing I can't seem to get past is that where I hunt, yotes nor buzzards will touch a hog carcass. Only thing I've ever seen eat a pig was a possum.

I shot this pig the other night (one with the pistol in the pic). Couldn't get it out before a bad storm hit. So I had to leave it (after having gutted it and drug it over a mile. So I ditched it, and hid the dolly. There's yotes everywhere out here. The next day I went out there. Gut pile covered in flies. Hog was too and a possum.The next day. Gut pile covered in maggots. Hog had a few but hadn't been touched except by the possum. Now it's fully engulfed in them.

And as it turned out, dad didn't miss his first pig from my "My Best Day" thread. Because I found it 3 days later. Nothing except flies and beetles. Here's that pig. I just don't get it. Both pigs are within 50-75 yards of a big den.
Click to expand...

Your Coyotes might be better fed than ours (or maybe just picky). The buzzards here will find any carcass within hours. Whatever they don't consume in the daytime, the coyotes will usually clean up at night, often times dragging the carcass a long ways away.

That is a nice pistol BTW.
 
Flintknapper said:
Your Coyotes might be better fed than ours (or maybe just picky). The buzzards here will find any carcass within hours. Whatever they don't consume in the daytime, the coyotes will usually clean up at night, often times dragging the carcass a long ways away.

That is a nice pistol BTW.
Click to expand...
Guess it will have to remain a mystery. I suppose it's possible they are better fed. And thank you. It's a RIA TAC II 10mm. I love it. Hopefully it dispatches many pigs in its tenure.
 
Ole Joe Clark said:
Flintknapper,
Are you folks OK out there? Post something to let us know. Texas is in out thoughts and prayers.
Click to expand...

Yes, doing fine where we are.

South of us (Coastal Bend of Texas) from about Corpus Christi eastward to the Louisiana State line is pretty much all flooded.

But Texans are resilient and we will pull through. Thank You so much for your concern and especially the prayers for all those affected, it means a lot to us.
 
Flintknapper said:
Yes, doing fine where we are.

South of us (Coastal Bend of Texas) from about Corpus Christi eastward to the Louisiana State line is pretty much all flooded.

But Texans are resilient and we will pull through. Thank You so much for your concern and especially the prayers for all those affected, it means a lot to us.
Click to expand...
Glad to hear all is well with you.
 
Flint and Stoney, I hope you guys are ok with all the water your seeing. I've read this thread over the last few months and feel almost like I know you. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone touched by Harvey. Try to stay afloat, take care, and please, keep posting so we know your alright.
 
They're back. They've been out morning and evening broad daylight and after dark/before sun up. The rains softened up the ground and there's a full moon, what's driving 'em I suppose. They tore up part of my back yard last night. I need to go sit this evening and in the morning and lay an ambush with my SKS hog rifle. I could use the pork, anyhow, and maybe I'll get a couple, can share one with the neighbor. There's a big, fat one, probably 200 lbs, back there.

Weather is cool. Skeeters are bad, but thank GOD for thermocells. :D

Yep, need to break out the SKS. :D
 
MCgunner said:
They're back. They've been out morning and evening broad daylight and after dark/before sun up. The rains softened up the ground and there's a full moon, what's driving 'em I suppose. They tore up part of my back yard last night. I need to go sit this evening and in the morning and lay an ambush with my SKS hog rifle. I could use the pork, anyhow, and maybe I'll get a couple, can share one with the neighbor. There's a big, fat one, probably 200 lbs, back there.

Weather is cool. Skeeters are bad, but thank GOD for thermocells. :D

Yep, need to break out the SKS. :D
Click to expand...

Yes, we are covered up with them here. Game cam shows them all times of the day and night. MIL called and said a group tore up her front yard. I took two small boars (about 80 lbs. each) out the pen trap this morning. Hoping for a better catch than that in the coming days. Really enjoying this cool front we have right now though.
 
Well, I didn't go this evening. Wife got home and wanted to go to the restaurant in Sheridan. The road all the way up to the county road is tore up something fierce. They're friggin' EVERYwhere. :D

I figure to walk back there about 4AM and sit in the box blind and watch the feeder. My trap is the other side of my feeder and I can't see it from the box blind, but I'll be able to hear if anything is in it. I haven't been setting it because I keep catching deer in the danged thing. If there's any animal more populous than the pigs right now, it's the deer. There are yearlings all over the place. Not too many bucks, but I did see one spike on the camera in the last few days that looked pretty tasty. :D Maybe he'll fatten up a bit more before bow season. :D
 
Well, zonked again. Got to the blind about 4AM. Bright moon. My cataracts have been getting worse, but I could see things with my 10x50 binos. Saw a couple of deer, but no pigs. Trap was empty.

I closed the trap, have to go to church tomorrow. I'll set it again probably after church and I think I'll head back there Monday morning again.

Oh, my medicare goes into affect Oct 1. I've got an appointment scheduled at the eye clinic for the 3rd. These cataracts HAVE to go. I had a heck of a time trying to see doves last week. Once I got an eye on 'em I could shoot 'em, but man, this is bad. When the sun came up this morning, I couldn't see much thrugh the glare without the glass. I was okay in the dark, though, with the green laser. :D

Today was first day of teal season. There are some ponds near me that are leased. Sounded like a war over there. :D
 
Always amazed at how quickly the Buzzards and Coyotes will clean up the carcasses of the hogs that end up 'disposed of'.

Couple of small boars that I trapped a couple of days ago. Set them out...yesterday morning late.

Small%20Boars1_zpsqkcjimet.jpg

Could find only part of one of them this morning, the other one being gone completely.

Small%20Boar1_zpsqn33pfpd.jpg

Got some video of a young coyote making off with a shoulder and front leg from one of the hogs. This game camera is about 150 yds. away from where the hogs were set out, but the coyote happened to go right past it. He got a good portion...that should fill him up nicely. These hogs when 'recycled' don't just rot down and go to waste as some folks would think. They are quickly utilized by scavengers. All part of the ecosystem.

 
Last edited:
Woohoo, just scored one! He's a little boar. I baited a spot near the woods in my back yard about 50 yards from my back porch and put a motion detector on the tree, left the receiver on in the living room. I heard the thing going off, couldn't see squat back there as the moon isn't up. I grabbed my AR and slid back on the porch, but couldn't see anything with that LED green light, but I could hear 'em fighting over the corn. I slid back in to the bedroom and got my loaded SKS out of the safe with the green laser on it, better. I could see eyes, but the things were black on a black background and what with my cataracts, I was having a time. I could see the outline of one of 'em, put it on his shoulder and fired. I could hear flopping around, wasn't sure, though, until I went and got a flashlight, put on my shoes, and went and checked. He was laying by the tree with the motion detector on it, likely dropped where he stood.

So, now I have to go out there in the dark and gut and skin the thing and get him on ice. But, hell, I'm wide awake, now. :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
  • Locked
Feral Hogs as Food
2 3 4
Replies
77
Views
9K
MCgunner
M
M
  • Locked
What gun for feral hogs?
2 3 4
Replies
86
Views
8K
BigMustard
B
D
  • Locked
Texas' wild hog numbers lead country
Replies
7
Views
3K
Greybeard
G
C
  • Locked
Feral Hog hunting
2
Replies
25
Views
3K
blkbrd666
B
M
  • Locked
Feral hogs in Texas
2
Replies
44
Views
6K
JohnKSa
JohnKSa
Back
Top