Hog Hunting Tips

[Bull543]

I just got a lease on some hog hunting land and was hoping I could get some tips on hunting them. What type of feeder to use, what feed to use (planning on deer corn),stand placement etc.

Also, would like to hunt them at night. I have seen those red lens varmint lights that mount on your scope and was wondering if anyone has used them. Will the hogs spook as soon as you turn it on?

Thanks

[Snook384]

Hello Bull543. I have been known to whack a pig or two and I can help ya maybe a bit. First off where is your lease? If it is in a dry area or state then water becomes very important when determining where to set a stand. If you are in the south Like Florida then water is pretty much everywhere and then I would look to trails to start. So lets break the questions down.

What type of feeder to use?: There are many types but the spinner type seems to be the best. As to baiting them some people just dig holes in the ground and bury corn. This will keep them at it for a short while but you would be amazed as to how fast a hog will create a bomb crater and get all the corn. The standing feeder tubes are also useless due to the fact that the hogs will devour all the feed in a VERY short time. This leaves us to spinner type feeders. DO NOT get the feeders that are on a tripod. I am amazed when I see the pics of these type feeders still standing. They seem to be very useful in climates such as Texas where the earth is dry and hard but in the south where we get a ton of rain the get demolished. The pigs quickly learn to shove on a leg till it snaps or the feeder falls over. If you are in brush country you can make a hanging stand that will hold a HANGING feeder. I use pressure treated 4x4 at 16 feet long. Two more boards bolted on and an eyebolt with a winch and you are good to go. Bury it in the ground about 5 feet deep and it will hang over them about 8ish feet high. If you have big pigs you need it this high because they will stand on their hind legs and smash the feeder off with their hooves to get all the corn. You can also wire a nice burlap sack to the base of your stand and put some diesal fuel on it. The pigs will thank you for this. As for brands I have tried many, many brands. My Fatboy game feeder has worked from day one and has undergone hurricanes and floods. The American hunter digital is a worthless piece of crap. It jams, the clock fails, it wont keep time, the varmint buster SUCKS batterys dry, and it generally is a worthless piece of poop. For those of you that know me know I do not bash something unless it really deserves it. I have now owned 5 American hunter digitals and they ALL did this each and every one. With that in mind think about digital feeders......electric clock in the elements and bad weather.....it is just another thing to go wrong. If you buy a feeder use ANALOG feeders. Less to mess up.

what feed to use: Corn is the good old standard. Hogs love it and so do deer. Not sure what state you are in if it is legal to hunt deer over bait but it will serve both purposes. Some people create all these exotic mixes but it is like beating a dead horse for the pure pleasure of it. When they find the feeder it all boils down to consistancy. Pigs will become trained to the time of your feeders. My buddy has been running them for 9 years and it goes like this. 5:45 get in polaris, 5:55 arrive at feeder, 6:05 feeder goes off,6:08 shoot hog. He doesnt even call it hunting anymore it is just pig shooting. You do not need to throw a lot of feed out either. A pound of corn per spin will bring in a ton of pigs. On the order of feeding test your throw rate. Put some corn in and lower the head unit into a five gallon bucket. Spin the feeder 6 times at the setting of time you want. Remove corn and weigh and multiply by ten. 6 spins(3 days morning and evening) times ten equals thirty days of spin. This will tell you how much corn you are using in a month. Keep your corn fresh or it jams the feeder. Dump the corn out every 6 months and wipe out your feeder and bucket. Corn will let off steam and it gets moist so it builds up fungus and rot.

Stand Placement: Are you a bowhunter? Will you be using a handgun or rifle? Perhaps maybe a knife. Find out your areas weather pattern and place your stand so that most of the prevailing winds will blow your scent AWAY from the feeder. Hogs have noses that make deer look like they have sinus congestion. I have several stands with them placed so that I will have many options to choose from with wind direction. Ranges will vary with what you are comfortable with. Bowhunting place it about 20ish yards. Rifle go with 75 to 100. If you are using those little plastic swords that hold olives Then put your stand right over the feeder so you can jump down and impale the pig through the eye into the brain. On a note about scent in regards to stands. I have been stinky as hell from working in the heat and the pigs will walk up to you one day and shake hands. The next day you can have perfect scent control and they will smell you from 500 yards and haul bacon.

Night Hunting: You will hear just about everyone tell you that hogs are blind as a bat. NOT TRUE! They can and will spot you from quite some distance. Eyes are made up with rods and cones. Rods help with light and movement. Rods also help with night vision. Guess what....hogs have more rods than cones. They see better at night. The red light does not disrupt the rods as much and is very effective. quite often the hogs just continue eating so it does not disrupt them as much as say a Q beam. Or you could cheat like me and use a Trijicon TR22 scope. It is the nuts when it comes to hunting at night and has been the cause of many a slab of ham coming to dinner.


Any other questions cause I am bit bored today. No one wants to buy or sell any stocks so I am watching hunting shows at work.

One other note. Once you start feeding hogs they multiply faster than rabbits. Consider if you really want hogs or not before you go about having a pork explosion and they tear your place all to hell.

[Snook384]

pigs

[Snook384]

With a gleam in his eye

[JeffS]

Snook gave you some good advice. We have a light high up in a tree near one of our stands. It shines straight down on top of them. It doesn't seem to spook them as much as one from the side though our pigs are educated and first hint of a light they are gone. For hunting at night we have our feeders placed over a sandy bottom so the pigs stand out against the white sand. Then I usea Zeiss Conquest 3 x 9 x 50 scope. With just a little bit of moonlight I don't even need a light. We've shot as many as 5 at a time that way. They hear the shot and don't know where it came from so after a minute or so they come back and continue to eat.

[Bull543]

Thanks Snook...My lease is in North Carolina on the Tar River. I will be using mostly a rifle. I appreciate the advice on the feeder. I was planning on getting a spreader with a digital timer, but i am glad you told me about the tripods. I will get a hanger. Also I am appreciate the advice on the American Hunter Feeders. i was going to get one of those or a Moultrie. I have a gift card to basspro and they are the only two brandsthey carry. So i guess I will go with the Moultrie. You had any experience with them?

I think I will try one of those nightranger lights that have a red filter and mount on top of your scope for the night hunting. Do you treat your corn or does regular old deer corn work just as well?

[Snook384]

regular corn is just fine. Traeted corn gums up the works. bass pro used to carry fat boys (where I got mine) and I would look into them. I had a moultrie and it was "ok". couple of issues like burning up batts really quick (4 months) but otherwise reliable.

DO NOT mount a light on your scope. It MOVES. Movement means run away. Place light on tripod or stand or blind or whever and then figure out how to turn it on. Gator clamps and a battery work great. Remember if it moves they run,if not they still feed.

gl

[Snook384]

One other thing also. My knowledge is limited to the way I hunt. I bet Rebel Hog and The Rev and some others more "indeginous to your area could fill you in on the traits of the pigs around there. Yes I spelled it wrong...sue me.

[Bull543]

Thanks Snook...I appreciate the advice