I was out hunting on Saturday in Florida (didn't see anything )-: ), after the hunt I went scouting. I found an area by a creek with Oaks that were droping acrons and with several hog wallows.
When would be the best time to hunt wallows? I normally like hunting mornings for deer, but I am thinking the hogs would be using the wallows in the heat of the day like 4PM. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Currently the temps have been lows 70s and upper 80s to low 90s.
The best time for hogs is sunset... They can come out during the day, but normally they bed down until it cools off... in the heat of the summer, they may come out to cool off. Hogs do not have sweat glands, and must cool off. Also understand hogs are very nomadic, just because they are there one day, that doesn't mean they will come back the next. The predictable thing about hogs is, they are very unpredictable.
Thanks for your input. At least if hogs are nomadic maybe something else will wonder through... Either way there was a pig there once seems likely that another pig would use the area too.
in MY OPINION.. not alot of scouting is necessary for getting some hogs.
sure, some wallows and Rooting holes help.. but if there is hogs around...
just put corn in the same place for a few days and THEY WILL BE THERE.
but you never know when, usually after dark.
if your lucky, right as the sun goes down... but still enough light to see and shoot.
i have killed some at Midnight at 100yrds + with no lights..
during a full moon and they decided to come out and eat at the right time when the moon was up at its peak
The hogs here are usually very predictable. They will hit certain spots almost like clockwork. I've got certain groups that hit one water hole in the morning, and another in the evening. I've got certain other groups that do the opposite. They are at the other water hole in the morning, and the opposite in the evening. Yet another group may use the water hole in the middle of the night.
I find spots where I know the hogs are coming, and then I show up around those spots at varying times. I look at the water and look at the tracks to see if I'm early or late, and I adjust accordingly. The tracks also tell me if I'm closing in on a single, or on a group. Sooner or later, I'll be in the right place at the right time. If it is a single, I shoot it. If it is a group, I shoot one in the head, and then try to track and shoot another one or two. The hogs will run a little way, then turn and call to the one that got shot, giving up their location. If there were any hogs that got away, I will keep showing back up at the same time and the same place. I had several large groups last year that maintained their patterns until I killed the last hog in the group.
If you've got a good scope and a little moonlight, you can kill a ton of hogs at night.
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You may beat the rap, but you won't beat the ride!
Last spring, my two magic times were 5:45 pm and 7:25 am.
If I was at a fencline near one of the water holes by 5:45 pm, I would have my first hog by 5:50, and my second would be loaded in the truck by 6:00.
Near a roadway, the magic time was 7:25am. The hogs were actually there by 7:15, but they were real nervous about crossing that road and the open area beyond. So it would take them a little bit to gather their courage. Finally, one would get a little careless and poke its head out a little too far.
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You may beat the rap, but you won't beat the ride!
im sure its always different for every area and different groups of hogs..
but for SOME REASON.. i have noticed over the years.
Most of the time, in the morning... i get single hogs coming to the feeder.
while the evenings they are almost always in groups.
sometimes your biggest oldest boars roam alone.
The hogs here are usually very predictable. They will hit certain spots almost like clockwork
Well, you're dealing with different hogs there. Most of them are Texas Tech hogs. They will do anything for a free beer.
Come Jeff, tell us the whole story of how they followed you up to city of cow.
Wallows and Hog Hunting
