I am looking to kill some hogs this year with both bow and rifle here in Mississippi's Wildlife Management areas and the National Forest's I have never hunted hogs so I am looking for any good tactics to be used for Scouting, stands or blinds,are scents or scent killers necessary if so what kinds just any good info would be great and much appreciated
If you pratice scent control for deer, you should probably use the same procedures for hogs. Their sense of smell is comparible to a deer. It's their eye sight that's lacking. If you're going to hunt public land, it may be a good idea to still/stalk hunt or bring a pop-up blind. Maybe even a climbing tree stand. You're kind of limited and then you have to deal with the possibility that someone could walk right through your area and blow your whole hunt. Scents generally don't work well for hogs. The most efficient method is baiting but that won't be allowed on a WMA.
What I like to do when I hunt a WMA is this... Scout it before hand if you can and figure out where you want to hunt. Look for recent sign of hogs. If the weather is hot, look for some water sources to check out also. They like to wallow and cool themselves. Once you arrive at the WMA, check the wind and park where you can begin your hunt and enter down-wind of the area you want to hunt. Move through the woods quietly, stopping often to listen and glass the area ahead of you. Hogs sometimes grunt and snort when they're eating. They'll also squeal if they're scrapping with each other.
If the WMA you're looking into holds a lot of hogs normally, you have a pretty good chance of seeing some and possibly harvesting one. The biggest problems with WMA's is that there are other people (often a lot of people) who are doing the same thing you are. Some of these people are less disciplined than most hunters and make lots of noise. You also have to take into consideration that you might be hunting during small game season where people are hunting coons and squirrels with dogs. Hogs do not like dogs and if they smell/hear them, they will move very quickly in the opposite direction. I don't know the regulations there but there might also be people hunting the hogs with dogs (if it's allowed). That will drastically reduce your chances of seeing hogs if you're still, stand, or blind hunting. The dog hunters always get the majority of the hogs. Whatever they don't get, they scare away.
__________________ Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my handgun...
If you pratice scent control, you should probably use the same procedures for hogs. Their sense of smell is comparible to a deer. It's their eye sight that's lacking. If you're going to hunt public land, it may be a good idea to still/stalk hunt or bring a pop-up blind. Maybe even a climbing tree stand. You're kind of limited and then you have to deal with the possibility that someone could walk right through your area and blow your whole hunt. Scents generally don't work well for hogs. The most efficient method is baiting but that won't be allowed on a WMA.
What I like to do when I hunt a WMA is this... Scout it before hand if you can and figure out where you want to hunt. Look for recent sign of hogs. If the weather is hot, look for some water sources to check out also. They like to wallow and cool themselves. Once you arrive at the WMA, check the wind and park where you can begin your hunt and enter down-wind of the area you want to hunt. Move through the woods quietly, stopping often to listen and glass the area ahead of you. Hogs sometimes grunt and snort when they're eating. They'll also squeal if they're scrapping with each other.
If the WMA you're looking into holds a lot of hogs normally, you have a pretty good chance of seeing some and possibly harvesting one. The biggest problems with WMA's is that there are other people (often a lot of people) who are doing the same thing you are. Some of these people are less disciplined than most hunters and make lots of noise. You also have to take into consideration that you might be hunting during small game season where people are hunting coons and squirrels with dogs. Hogs do not like dogs and if they smell/hear them, they will move very quickly in the opposite direction. I don't know the regulations there but there might also be people hunting the hogs with dogs (if it's allowed). That will drastically reduce your chances of seeing hogs if you're still, stand, or blind hunting. The dog hunters always get the majority of the hogs. Whatever they don't get, they scare away.
__________________ Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my handgun...
Pearl River WMA, hunt the Islands use a boat. Keep in downwind side of Island they love being up in the cattails! I use to hunt there many yrs ago with my Bow & ML. Took seveal of them!
Mississippi Hogs
