Irondavy wrote:
just got a little 60 pounder last night, and pulled the tenderloins off the skillet 20 minutes ago, mighty tasty!. I wish everyone know how tasty "free range" hog is, then Texas wouldn't have such a problem .
Well….not with the 60 pounders anyway.
Flint, I seem to have several sounders coming up to my feeder at 6:45 exactly every night. in four days I have taken 3 hogs at the (only) feeder on my property. Groups are looking like 10-15 each, with work being slow, and having lots of extra time to sit in my stand they still come every night at 6:45, no matter how many were shot the day before.
You are probably right (more than one group of hogs), but if you look closely…you can easily verify your suspicions. Usually, groups of hogs will vary in a number of ways.
It might be the total number of animals, age structure or just the appearance (color, physical traits) of the animals. Look at your game-cam pics or make a mental note next time you are on stand, you’ll see the difference.
I am thinking that I am running into several sounders at the same time and each group hasn't been accustomed to me yet, but sometime this week I would think each of the sounders would get used to me and change things up.
Yes, I would wager you are dealing with two or more groups and that individually…you have not (yet) put enough pressure on them to cause a change in their feeding habits.
How many stands do you hunt and can you expect the hogs to be within range of a given stand at a given time?
Personally, I am prepared to be “mobile” when necessary, but normally we run 2 stands at each bait site in order to accommodate the prevailing winds. To answer your question of what to “expect” of hogs, I would say…it depends entirely on how much hunting pressure they’ve been exposed to.
Undisturbed hogs, (on good habitat) tend to be creatures of habit and can be amazingly consistent about when and where they show up.
Or is there some amount of "educated guess", when I get a chance to hog hunt I have to drive an hour each way with sitting in the stand and gutting/Cleaning I would assume 4-5 hours each shot/kill. My time is precious and I want to make the most of my time, but I understand that I will not me productive each time.
Certainly…hog hunting (productive hunting anyway) involves knowing the habits of your quarry. Couple that with evidence gathered by means of Game-Cams, fresh sign, first hand encounters, etc…and you end up with what you aptly describe as an “educated guess”.
Since the time you have to hunt is limited….you will want to have the best Intel available. I have found no better method than the use of Game-Cameras.
They don’t ensure that you will see hogs whenever you go hunting, but they do provide invaluable insight as to what the hogs have been doing and the group structure (number of pigs and their age).
What Is most productive for you multiple stands and feeders or knowing ,really well, one group of hogs at a single feeder?
There are advantages to both….but I would caution you to avoid applying what works for me (or someone else) to your situation…as they might be very different. Nonetheless…I will give you my thoughts on it.
You can work a single stand productively for quite a long time IF the following conditions are met:
1. You are careful not to overhunt the stand. I never hunt a stand more than twice a week or two consecutive days (if pigs have been shot at the previous day….or I have been busted).
2. The habitat/area you hunt is attractive to pigs and consistently holds them.
3. You are willing to hunt during the times of day (or night) the pigs are moving (in that area).
4. You adhere rigidly to NOT hunting the stand(s) when the wind is wrong.
Hunting from multiple stand sites can pay off as well….assuming they are far enough apart to attract a different group of hogs. There is really no sense in feeding the hogs twice….simply because you placed the stands too close together.
Even though the hogs may be in a different setting, if you don’t apply the same cautions listed above….you will have succeeded only in providing them an alternate place to feed.
They will happily slip out of the area (downwind) without you ever knowing they were there and go to the other feeder to eat.
On the other hand….multiple bait sites have the potential to attract other groups of hogs, which means you can more easily let one stand “rest” but still hunt. Also, stand sites in different areas can provide a certain advantage in terms of terrain features, wind direction, funnels or other condition that works in your favor, just depends on the property.
I don’t know your purpose for hunting the hogs (it might vary), or I would offer other suggestions.
If you are hunting occasionally and are not concerned with reducing their numbers, then simply do what is necessary to keep them relaxed and comfortable with the area. That way…you can selectively harvest the animal(s) you wish…from what is present.
If your main purpose is to reduce their numbers, then I would recommend that you remove the Lead Sow (Alpha animal) from the group each time you go out. It has the effect of “dumbing down” the herd each time you take out the leader.
That method has worked very well for both my Daughter and I and we have actually taken up to half the population of an entire sounder (over a few months) before they moved out of the area.
Once again thanks for your help and insight.
Happy to help any way I can.
Best of luck on your hunts, be safe, have fun!
Flint.