Might have hogs, want to know if I need a different .308 load.

Saw some disturbing tracks when I took a walk up on our back hill this last weekend. Hoof prints, about 3" long, but they were far too round to be deer. No other sign but the tracks, but I will be doing some more serious scouting this week. I might not always agree with NYDEC on all their policies, but I do agree with them 100% on the subject of feral hogs. If there are any out there, I want them gone, and will do what I can to help make them go away. Luckily, I just acquired a new .308, which will be put to work if I find any pigs. It seems to like Federal Fusion 150 grainers (first load I have had an opportunity to feed it since I brought it home, and it gave me a 1" group. Talk about luck, eh), and I was wondering if that is enough medicine for hogs, or if I should try to find something a bit heavier. I probably will find/work up a better hog load further down the road if necessary, but I would just like to know whether or not what I have right now would be sufficient if I find any pigs before then.

Also, any tips on hunting/stalking hogs would be greatly appreciated. No experience in my family with hogs outside of a barnyard. Except, if you take his word for it, my brother in law. But he is one of those guys that talks a big game, but from what I have actually seen, is kind of a lousy hunter.(Don't get me wrong, he is a decent enough guy, I just don't take any hunting advise he gives me all that seriously).

Ok, so it sounds like I should be good, then. I know that domestic hogs are pretty tough critters. I've seen them shrug off some stuff that would have laid out a bull twice their size, and barely slow down, so I wanted to check. The only experience I have killing them was with a 20Ga slug to the brain at point blank, with their heads in a bucket of feed, which doesn't give me much practical experience to draw on for hunting bullet choice.

Also, am I correct in assuming that my priority should be to take out sows if I find an hogs, not boars. Seems to me that that should have the most impact on population growth, but this is kind of unfamiliar territory for me.

Southern Chenango Cty.

Don't know your local laws, but if you can shoot over bait, there are some who put together a sweet or sour mash to draw them in.

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Since hogs are a invasive, non-game species, baiting them is perfectly legal. However, having been born, raised, and taught to hunt in NY, baiting is not something I really feel all that comfortable with. My conditioning since I started hunting has been that baiting "just isn't how things are done". I know it might limit my success, but early training is hard to overcome sometimes. I might give it a try if I strike out on other methods, but only as a last resort.

Also, if the bait station gets found, I might need to convince DEC that it was for hogs, not deer, which could be an uphill battle. Innocent till proven guilty is not always a concept they are familiar with.

That's the rub. I know that hogs are something that needs to be eradicated by any means necessary before they get a foothold, and that baiting is very effective to that end, but it butts up against 20 some odd years of being taught that baiting isn't right. Heck, even food plots are something of a touchy subject around here. I know that the legal and cultural prohibition against baiting is intended(and only really applies to) deer and bear, and that pigs are fair game in both senses, but is sort of a tough mental block to get past.

If I can manage to get past that, though, are there any baits/baiting techniques that would be more likely to attract pigs than deer or bear. Like I said, if DEC found(or get told about) the bait station, they would probably claim it was intended for deer or bear, and it would be up to me to prove otherwise(again, sort of contrary to the accepted norm, but that's DEC for you)

That does make sense. I am going to need to call them if my suspicions are confirmed anyways. DEC asks that hogs be reported, to monitor spread, and I am willing to let them know. Chenango county has been listed as clear till now, but I have a sneaking suspicion that might be more to do with lack of reporting, due to a , shall we call it a less than friendly relationship between locals and DEC, since they have them in 3 out of the 5 counties around us.

Got out this morning and did some scouting.

Found some tracks and scat that aren't from any deer.









There is a pretty clear path that they have been using across the hilltop.



Didn't see any signs of rooting or wallowing, though with it being all mud up there the way the frost has been heaving I might not have noticed if there was. Gonna talk to my dad about getting a couple trailcams set up.