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

Hey Kiwi,

Good to hear from you.

The administration/mods have been nice to have left this thread in place for so long. I contribute to it as I can and solicit the input of others. Collectively, a fair bit of information has been amassed.

I hope it has been helpful in some small way.

Wes Mantooth wrote:

Every time I get back down there I always take my rifle and spend a few evenings in the stand. Sadly, it's not enough to put a dent in the population

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No, but its something anyway. For every "Sow" you take out...it probably represents several hundred offspring (cumulatively) over a period of time.

So... while you might not be beating them back...you are helping at least and we DO appreciate it.

We could arrange to ship some of them up to Kansas if that would make it easier.

Wes Mantooth wrote:

No thanks Flint, I'd rather drive down there to kill them. I've seen what they can do to the ecosystem.

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O.K. just thought I'd save you the drive.

They'll be up here all too soon anyway. Guys up here want them so they can have something else to hunt. I tell them no they don't.

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You are correct, you really DON'T want them (full time). Many parts of Kansas would easily support them however. I lived for 6 years in the Southeast corner of Kansas (Independence) just a few blocks from the Verdigris River. Perfect hog habitat!

Once the hogs are up here the state will probably make a season for them and charge an arm and a leg to get a permit.

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No doubt. Probably make them some schools mascot too (Jayhogger or something).

The land bordering my dad's was bought and they put a no hunting sign up. He had permission to hunt there from the previous owner. He had to go down and get his feeder and stand off of it. So now the hogs have a safe haven to hole up in so they can sneak in and tear up my dad's hay fields at their leisure

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Guaranteed to happen.

Rori wrote:

Apology

I just read a post atributed to me on this thread and it upset me terribly!Aparently similar abusive posts have been published on other sites. I just got back a key to my place from a person I thought was my friend and sadly found out that he wasn't AT ALL! I dont know that he posted these statements on my computer but I do know that I surely didn't and wouldn't. Believe me this one was mild compared to the other one I've seen! Therefore I want to apologize to any and all people that have read the post and assure you that the problem has been taken care of. Again I'm so very sorry this happened

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Freedom_fighter_in_IL wrote:

Huh? rori I think we may be a little confused here without knowing what you are talking about.

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FF…I believe this is the post rori is referring to:
Post #823

rori allegedly wrote:

Typical of what I see as a landowner mindset: I'm over run with these, critters BUT I wont allow anyone to hunt on my land. My reaction to that is I hope they destroy every bit of land the land owner owns. Frank

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Reply:

Rori, there is no need for an apology. It was one post in hundreds in this thread and it did not offend me in the least.

I take you at your word…that you did not write it and have posted here in order to make that clear. I completely understand your purpose for that.

But, even IF you had written it….I would not hold a sincerely held belief/opinion against you, everyone is entitled to that.

Thank you for taking the time to correct the authorship of the post…and be assured there is not (and never has been) any dissension between us.

Flint.

Well……..RATS, I was hoping the hogs would stay away until after Deer Season is over (next weekend), but this group came right through my prime hunting area last night.





Maybe…they were just passing through and won’t return but that’s probably too good to hope for.

I have about an hour’s worth of video on them, 14 pigs total in the group. On average…about as FAT a group as I have seen in quite some time.

They’ve been loading up on acorns the last 2 months and have really put on the weight.

They did a good job rooting up the woods. Not a tremendous amount in any one area…but in total probably a couple of acres.

There are hogs that just travel through (don't do any real damage) and then hogs that are depredating/destructive.

These are the latter.

Yes suppressors are legal in my State (Texas)...in fact just about anything short of poisoning them or blowing them up is legal.

We can use artificial lights at night, suppressors, night vision, lasers, full auto weapons (non game animals and appropriate weapons permits), no restrictions on caliber, round count, etc...

Texas is SERIOUS about trying to control Feral Hog numbers and allows us the "means" to go after them, but its a losing battle.

Most places...Feral Hogs are "shot on sight", hunted over bait, trapped, run with dogs, snared, hunted from helicopters, run over with vehicles and generally persecuted, yet they thrive.

To answer your question about using a suppressor, they are most effective when used in conjunction with "subsonic" ammo, since you lose the ballistic crack but still are not SILENT...(as some folks suppose). You won't get to "pick off" one after another if that's what you are asking.

As to whether or not you will get additional shots (after the first) it depends entirely upon how much pressure the hogs have been exposed to and other aspects of the hunt.

I have shot a single hog from a group...had them run off...only to return less than an hour later... providing me another target/opportunity. I have also had hogs become confused about where the shot came from and actually run towards me (again providing for another shot).

Sometimes they will run a short distance and stop (extra shots possible) but normally....they scatter and don't return for some time. It can be the next day or might be months...just depends.

There are differences between daytime hunting and nighttime hunting as well.

Checked game cam today...previous group of hogs did not return, BUT two other smaller groups did. One group of hogs (all black) at 9:30 p.m. and another group of mixed hogs (black and spotted, not the same as yesterday) at 2:20 a.m.

In total...roughly 25 different hogs in two nights and ONE (count 'em) ONE....DEER!

Five more days of Deer Season...and every reason to believe the hogs are going to ruin it.

So....its off to the woods this evening to see about a little "pay back". I am not a vindictive person by nature, but these hogs have got to go.

Besides..its easier to stay on stand 8-10 hrs when you're mad.

Got a little satisfaction this evening, didn’t even have to wait very long.

Actually got a “two-fer”…but will have to go retrieve the second hog in the morning. Apologies for the poor picture quality…just used my cell phone.



Got on stand about 5:00 p.m. (roughly 30 minutes before dark), got settled in…adjusted my binoculars for the 100 yd. bait site, backed my scope down to 2 X in case hogs came in to the 50 yd. site first.

I was there maybe 10 minutes when I got a text message from my daughter.

While I was answering her…I suddenly heard a loud crunching sound. Looked up and five small hogs had slipped in on the logging road at the 50 yd. bait site.

I quickly looked at them through my Bino’s and determined them to be about 60 lbs each. Debated whether to even take a shot…or just wait and see if another group would come in.

I let them feed for a little while and watched to see if any of them would “line up”.

Often times…hogs of similar size will bunch up as they feed, (unlike when there is a dominant animal in the group).

Sure enough….they started feeding close together, but weren't staying in one spot very long. I couldn't find a shot with two of them completely broadside, so when one fed up behind the other ….. it formed a “T”. Good enough!

At the shot both hogs went down, the one facing broadside…dead on the spot, but the other one actually got up and ran under the fence onto my neighbor’s property.

I heard it go down probably 40-50 yds in the brush, but will wait until morning to retrieve it. I always ask permission before going onto his property, though he doesn’t mind.

When I went to remove the first hog….I noticed it had recently lost part of one rear leg. It never missed a lick when feeding…or acted crippled in any way. Testimony to how tough they are.



Anyway, the decision to take the first hog(s) to show up…was probably a wise one. I’ve been “skunked” before….letting little ones walk while waiting on something bigger.

I was able to get out of the area fairly early…so hopefully the other groups will come in later on tonight and feed. I’ll catch up with them in a day or two.

Remember….OLD YELLER! RIP.

^^^^^^^^^^ I suppose that's possible Jim, but if so...I don't think the pig was in the snare for very long. The wound was healing rather nicely and to look at it...you would think it was surgically removed.

The "stump" was at the joint on the hog that would be the equivalent of our ankle. There appeared to be no infection, no shattered bones and no torn flesh, which leads me to believe the foot was lost due to loss of circulation, but who knows.

Its possible the pig caught it's leg in a snare (or wire fence) and in its struggle...damaged the blood vessels and nerves to the point where everything below the wound site died. But that is pure speculation on my part.

I just know it wasn't slowing him down appreciably and he was in good physical condition otherwise.

I guess there are other possibilities, who has another guess/idea?

Backing out the area last night proved to be the smart thing (I guess).

The group of hogs with the “Jumbo’s” in it…came in about 4:30 a.m.

I wouldn’t mind getting up early to go intercept them,(I get up at 5:00 most mornings anyway)…but I’m not going to STAY UP all night waiting on them.



They will probably come in earlier as they become more comfortable with the set up. As long as nothing disturbs them….I believe this group will stay around for a while.

Not good for my Deer Hunting, but the deer activity has slowed down anyway.

The video I have of this group shows them feeding pretty much without concern. Some groups are spooky and are constantly running off and coming back.

I wouldn’t be surprised if this group circles the entire area before coming in.

There are 3 mature Sows in the group and they didn’t get to be the size they are…. by being stupid. No chance of trapping these (not the big ones anyway).

MicroTecniqs wrote:

You think it may have lost the foot in a snare?

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Jim, my biggest fear is that the missing foot will regenerate a HOG.

Be my luck............