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

[Flintknapper]

Lightninstrike wrote:

I think we know where the THR moniker came from now.

You guessed it!








Flintknapping is a sometimes hobby of mine.

I use many of the points I make to hunt with….but mostly hunt whitetail deer with wooden arrows and flint/obsidian/bloodstone/etc….tips.

I will occasionally kill a hog with the same set-up….but normally I use aluminum arrows with metal broad-heads on them. Not because the primitive stuff won’t kill them…its just because hogs ALWAYS break your arrow (unless you get a pass-through).

With deer….I almost always get a pass-through…but if not, I still usually find the entire arrow somewhere along the blood trail (still intact).

Its harder to get pass-throughs on hogs…lots of times there will be 10”-16” of arrow sticking out the “far side”.

Sometimes a hog will reach back and bite the arrow off…but usually they just take off like a freight train through the trees, brush and greenbriar.

With hogs…the arrows never survive, NEVER! With aluminum arrows…it’s no big deal, I can make them up in minutes. Wooden arrows take hours…sometimes days (depending upon how fancy I make them).

 

[Lightninstrike]

That is incredibly impressive. Simply incredible. I wouldn't know where to start to do something like this. But your point is good. Feral hogs don't need artistry, they just need killing. This thread and my own recent hog hunt in Texas have taught me that.

 

[tinygnat219]

Anything new on the Hog front?

 

[Flintknapper]

tinygnat219 wrote:

Anything new on the Hog front?

Nothing worth reporting. The group I had been working on have changed their habits (very random now). The boar (amazingly) still shows every couple of nights...but always at 2-3 a.m.

We have had nothing but South West winds here for the last week or so...and that simply won't work for the area these are hogs are in. Better to be patient..and let them return to some type of reliable pattern... when visiting the bait site.

All activity around the trap has ceased. The lead sow has already taught the little ones to avoid it...or she is "woofing" a warning and taking them away if they go near it.

I may set out a few snares sometime in the next week, but I want to give them a chance to settle down and maybe get a crack at the boar.

I moved my Daughter's deer stand to a corner in the fence line...near where the hogs come to feed. I can pull an "all nighter" in the box stand if need be.

Its large enough that I can lay down for awhile if I get tired. It is carpeted, has 12 v. lighting, 12 v fan, heating (don't need that), lexan windows I can close.. if the skeeters get too bad.

So.......we'll just wait and see what develops. Right now...the hogs are not tearing up any of the pastures, so they are fairly safe as long as they don't provoke me.

Flint.

 

[308win]

Too late to plant turnips - well maybe not where you are - but hogs love turnips. They would be a different bait and might make them react differently.

 

[fishhawk]

here on our place in louisiana ,if we see em we shoot em.

 

[KodiakBeer]

Flintknapper, you're an artist!

 

[Flintknapper]

KodiakBeer wrote:

Flintknapper, you're an artist!

Mehhh............they're just rocks.

 

[SciFiJim]

"Just rocks" is easy. Its the knowing how to make them into something usable that makes you an artist. I tried my had a flintknapping a few years ago and know how difficult it is to acquire the skill to do what you do.

 

[Readyrod]

Flint, those arrowheads are beautiful. I have a small collection of obsidian (arrowheads, knife blades, and an obsidian tool kit) that I picked up searching some corn fields in Mexico. But they aren't even close to as nice as your stuff.
Sweet.

 

[Flintknapper]

Been after this “lead sow” for awhile now.


Finally caught up with her tonight.


Not an old or large sow…but very smart nonetheless. I’ve been whittling down the herd over the last couple of weeks…but she has always managed to escape (by the skin of her teeth) each time.

It was extremely hot here today (106 F.)…..so I figured the hogs would be out early (6-8 p.m.) headed for water, and then feed briefly. Sure enough…about 8:15, here comes what is left of the herd.

They settle down on the corn placed in the road… and are feeding calmly. I am specifically after the sow…so I was looking for any good shot opportunity, but the hogs stayed bunched together despite the corn being spread out in a 20’ circle.

The sow wouldn’t come to the front of the pack, she just lagged along at the rear…not giving me any kind of a clear shot. This goes on for about 15 minutes….and now the hogs have just about cleaned up all the corn.

Then….just for a second…she moves to the edge of the herd. The sow was quartering away slightly…but that’s no problem for the SOCOM (405 gr. @ 1670 fps). I hurry to press the trigger before things change….and I’ll be danged if one of the other pigs doesn’t walk right in front of her….just as the trigger breaks.

KaaaaBoom……! Both hogs go down. The hog that walked in front of the sow is on its side spinning around. The sow is just laying there…. not moving at all (DRT).

Now… the first pig drags itself off the road and into the brush. I don’t hear anything else from it….so I assume its dead. (IT’S NOT).

I give the rest of the group about an hour to come back (sometimes they do), but nothing shows. I got down to go remove the two hogs from the area…but the one hog is not there (well rats..!) I find a blood trail, follow it for about 100 yds…but I can hear the hog staying just out ahead of me in the thick brush.

Decided to just back out…wait until morning (not push the animal) and see what I can find (if the Coyotes don’t find it first).

Everyone knows….I truly hate hogs…and will kill them on sight, but I dislike having one wounded. It was just a matter of bad “timing” for the bugger. I’ll track it down tomorrow.

Flint.

 

[Flintknapper]

Edit: Update….didn’t have to follow last nights blood trail too much farther to find the second hog. Coyotes made it easy for me to drag the carcass out.

They had eaten the entire rear portion….up to the rib cage.



They must not have found it until late last night; usually there would be nothing left by morning.

Now…if I can just trap the remaining six shoats….this group will be gone.

Pesky hogs!

 

[MattTheHat]

See, coyote's must like bacon too!


-Matt

 

[FLAvalanche]

What you should have said was that while the SOCOM didn't kill the first pig it did run away in two different directions. You just haven't located the back half yet...

 

[DesmoDucRob]

I can see it now: "Not again........!: the coyote thread."

 

[Flintknapper]

FLAvalanche wrote:

What you should have said was that while the SOCOM didn't kill the first pig it did run away in two different directions. You just haven't located the back half yet...

Funny, but in the interest of keeping things honest (though the humor is not lost on me), I'll just have to tell the truth.

As it is....I find that hog hunters are second only to fishermen...in their willingness to "embellish" the weight of hogs....and tell wild stories.

The story above...would make a good one though. Made me chuckle.


Flint.

 

[Cobrageezer]

I feel like I'm watching an endless loop of starship troopers. These things really are giant cockroches aren't they! A plauge upon them named Flint. I wish you continued sucess.

 

[BRad704]

I love this thread... And those handmade bows and arrows are simply amazing! I started researching how to do it a while back, and it seemed like a much more intestive and long-running project than I cared to get into...

 

[Sebastian the Ibis]

Do the Coyote's hunt hogs/piglets too, or do they just scavenge?

Those arrows are beautiful!!!

 

[FLAvalanche]

Coyotes will take a stray piglet if it's separated from the mother. They usually aren't dumb enough to take them while the mother is with them.

 

[SuperNaut]

How did I not know this thread existed?

Great stuff Flint, I hate to say I'm entertained by your misfortune, but I am. I spent a lot of time on a hog farm and people never understand when I tell them that hogs are cunning and devious and nothing at all like Wilbur. It's nice to find others who do understand.

 

[DasFriek]

I too found this in a link in another thread and im amazed at what im seeing.
I have known of the feral hog issue in the south on TV, But the size of the one taking up the whole bucket in the front end loader about made me spit out my drink. That thing is HUGE!
I love pork chops as well as the next guy, But a man needs a big Beef steak once in a while also. Too bad not much else cant be done with the excess carcasses. A pest is a pest and if it cant be used due to so many factors you gotta do what you have to at that point even if it means wasting meat.

Id love to shoot a 458 SoCom, Well even holding one would be cool. But taking a few of these pests down would be fun with that round.

You see the show "Swamp People" on one of the cable channels that follows alligator hunters who shoot them with .22lr's?
I know if i had such a dangerous animal on the other end of a rope it wouldn't be a .22lr id be pointing at it.

Any chance you've taken a few hogs with a .22? Not that i would, But hey everyone is different.
The show i watched about the hogs they used dogs to track the hogs, Mostly pit bulls for obvious reasons. But i had a hard time watching that as the dogs were getting hurt and even killed by the tusks. So im glad to see no dogs are being harmed by you using them for hunting the hogs.

How i can show sympathy for one animal and none for another is odd, But so is life i guess. I have some family in WV that would love for these hogs to show up there as they really live off the land ALOT. Plus isnt to much crops or pastures to destroy either so mainly would just be a good food source.

 

[SSG B]

Flint-

I created a log in name and password just for this thread, it has been both informative and great fun to read! Thank you.

This fall/winter we are planning a trip to somewhere to take care of these critters. There are a few questiosns that I have not seen/read the answers to through out the 22 pages. I see that you have a flashlight mounted to the hog hammer, however it appears that you have other electronic itmes mounted as well? Laser? I have read that a red lens filter on the light is less likely to "spook" them, with your experience is this something you have found to be true?

I plan on bringing an AR in .308, however the ammo has not been purchased/loaded yet. I see that you recommend a high quality projectile, is penetration preferred over expansion, or are the hogs dense enough to expand even a non-hollow point or expanding bullet? Are heavier projectiles preferred over higher velocity?

We plan on rougly a 7 day trip (which includes a whole lot of time driving south). Are there any tips you could provide on locations, or setting up that could improve our odds? Scents to both cover our own or used to attact them?

Locations? I do not know anyone personnally who has an infestation of them, and you have made it clear that your family's land is off limits to strangers, are their locations available that are not through a "hunting service"? Do land owners post their names on the state/county websites that are willing to have people hunt their land?

Thank you in advance.

EDIT- By the way the arrows, bows, and points are amazing! I could not hit the floor I am standing on with an arrow, my hat is off to those that can.

 

[Flintknapper]

SSG B wrote:

Flint-

I created a log in name and password just for this thread, it has been both informative and great fun to read! Thank you.

Welcome to THR....we are glad to have you.

I see that you have a flashlight mounted to the hog hammer, however it appears that you have other electronic itmes mounted as well? Laser?

25mW green laser and 250 lumen tactical flashlight are ALWAYS on my rifle.

When I anticipate having hogs 75 yds. or under....I will also mount another device that I have (red LED spotlight with momentary switch).

Keep in mind....all that I have mounted on my rifle is NOT necessary, it just lets me "cover all the bases" when I go out after hogs.

I have read that a red lens filter on the light is less likely to "spook" them, with your experience is this something you have found to be true?

You will find varying opinions about lens colors and hogs spooking, but yes...IMO red is the least likely to cause a reaction. Light intensity...and angle of incidence have more to do with spooking hogs than anything else.

How hogs react (or not) to light is a very involved subject and best addressed in another thread, but I would recommend that you use a light that is NOT "filtered"....but starts as a pure color/wavelength (such as Cree LED's).

I plan on bringing an AR in .308, however the ammo has not been purchased/loaded yet

.
.308 is more than enough for any hog (assuming proper shot placement).

I see that you recommend a high quality projectile, is penetration preferred over expansion, or are the hogs dense enough to expand even a non-hollow point or expanding bullet?

Ideally....you want both. Any modern bullet designed for hunting medium to large game will give you adequate performance. Stay away from FMJ (full metal jacket) rounds.

Are heavier projectiles preferred over higher velocity?

Conventional wisdom when hunting hogs....is to lean towards the heavier side of bullet weight for any given cartridge. The reason for this...is that you don't know what size hog you will encounter.

Where I hunt, I am just as likely to see a 250+ lb. boar as a 100 lb. sow.
Also, you might not be presented with a perfectly broadside shot. Heavier bullets (of like construction) tend to penetrate deeper and hold their energy better.

The importance of this (to me) is that it affords you more options in terms of shot angles....while still being ethical.

We plan on rougly a 7 day trip (which includes a whole lot of time driving south). Are there any tips you could provide on locations, or setting up that could improve our odds?

Depending upon where you go....baiting hogs might be legal and if possible to have someone put out bait a couple of days before your arrival...it should make a difference. Just depends upon where you go and how you intend to hunt them.

Scents to both cover our own or used to attact them?

I am not adverse to using certain scents to attract hogs (sow in heat for boars), but you can save your money on "cover up" scents.

Odor eliminating products are worthwhile....but forget about "covering" your scent. It just isn't going happen. Hogs have the best nose in the business and can literally detect several parts per million of scent. Just do what you can to remain as scent free as possible...and use the wind to your advantage (always stay downwind of where you expect to see hogs).

Do land owners post their names on the state/county websites that are willing to have people hunt their land?

In Texas....nearly all land is privately owned. I am sure there are persons somewhere....willing to let "responsible" hunters enter their property to hunt hogs....but I do not have any lists.

It is sad, but in these litigious times....it has become increasingly difficult to find a landowner who will permit a person he does not know... onto his property (for any reason).

If you know the region you wish to hunt, then checking with game officials from that area, county extension agents or the owners of local feed stores "might" turn up a lead for you.

Otherwise, you will be relegated to paying for a hunt somewhere (probably your best bet anyway).

Good luck to you.


Flint.

 

[TuckerNielson]

Best thread ever

Thanks for the hours of entertainment Flint. Keep up the posts and the pictures. this is absolutely fascinating for me. Here in Utah we have some BIG feral hogs but to my knowledge they aren't the problem that they are in other areas of the country.

Thanks again.