When I first signed up on THR I also read this entire thread, (it's required reading, by the way).
It's probably the reason I hang around.
I am not a farmer or rancher, but
I can relate to the problems of feral hogs tearing up fields, fences, etc.
^^^^^^
They certainly do. I was forced to sit on a stand last night because hogs came in and 'hoovered' up nearly all the Oat seed I had planted for the deer about a week ago. It was just about to germinate....before they got it. I re-seeded the area the other day and hoped the hogs would not return before it had a chance to sprout and root in. No such luck of course.
Game camera showed a new group of about 10 hogs had visited the area about 9:30 p.m. the night before. I really didn't want to sit in the heat and brave the mosquitoes....but moving the Pen Trap was even less appealing since its a mile away at a different spot on the property and taking it down and setting it up is a chore in itself.
With no guarantee (but a pretty good hunch) the hogs would return...I took a shower, gathered my things, loaded up the Land Cruiser and set the A/C on high. I took my time driving down to the stand, trying to 'absorb' as much cold air as I could before parking and making the short walk to my stand. I got on stand about a half hour before Sundown. The South-East wind the weather station reported was non-existent. It was dead still, hot, muggy and just sitting there I had already begun to sweat.
Except for a few squirrels nothing was moving right up until dark. As the last rays of light slowly faded... the temperature dropped just a little. Enough to be noticeable anyway. The firefly's came out in great number...almost as if to greet me. It was quite a show for awhile, their florescent yellow flashes drifting through the trees. All the crickets and frogs had begun their nightly chorus. THIS part of sitting and waiting in the dark....I've always enjoyed. But maybe I'm just easily entertained.
About an hour after dark a couple of Raccoons showed up and starting picking up some of the corn. I like for them to be present when hog hunting because it gives me something to watch while waiting on the hogs and they are excellent Sentry's...always detecting anything approaching before I do.
About 15 minutes had passed and the raccoons both stood upright looking in a direction off to my left...then beat a hasty retreat. No doubt 'something' was coming....but you never know what. The answer to that was immediately revealed when I heard a grunt and a squeal off in the brush some 50 yds. away. I could now hear the hogs slowly approaching. No longer being vocal but stepping on sticks and pushing their way through the brush. Being intimately familiar with the site...I could estimate their position with reasonable certainty even in the dark.
I could tell they had slowed down and were now 'sneaking' up to the edge of the opening where I have the bait placed under the hog light.
Suddenly all movement just stopped. Instead of proceeding to the corn...I could hear them just standing at the edge of the brush, sniffing and emitting low grunts and huffs. They definitely didn't like something. I don't think they scented me as they would simply have left right away. I think they were having trouble with the light itself. It seems to run about 50/50 as to whether or not a group will walk in under the light the first time they encounter it.
The hogs retreated what sounded to be 20-25 yds back into the brush and were just milling around. Reluctant to come into the bait...but unwilling to leave just yet either. All of the sudden the raccoons that left earlier started fighting off to my right. Very loudly, hissing, growling, screeching at one another. For some reason...this had a calming effect on the hogs and I could once again hear them moving toward the bait.
But as before...when they reached the opening...they locked up and one of them began popping its teeth and walking back and forth.
The group moved back into the brush....but didn't leave. Nothing to do but wait it out and see what they decide.
So I reached down beside me where I had placed a light wind breaker that I sometimes use to help keep the mosquitoes off and felt something move underneath it. Something definitely larger than any insect that might have crawled up there.
Whoa-Ho......what was that? In just a second I would have my answer because now its on my BACK between me and the tree. Scurrying up and down my shirt!
OK...Flying Squirrel........Whew.......! Have had that happen before (squirrel run across your lap in the dark) but never had one on my back. It's hard to resist the urge to swat if off of you...but they are harmless and will go on their way directly. This one went from my lower back up to between my shoulder blades several times. It never got up on my shoulder or on my neck which might have been a bit too creepy for me.
So the Squirrel leaves and apparently now the hogs as well...since I've not heard them for at least 10 minutes. I went ahead and got down, tied my sweaty shirt off to a tree near the bait and put on the windbreaker. Hopefully keep the hogs out of there for the rest of the night. If I can't kill one...I don't want them coming back later and eating the oat seeds.
So.... failure last night, no hog kill(s) to report...but that's the way it goes sometimes. Will check the game camera today and try again, so stay tuned.
Flint.