rhetth67

I, like many, enjoy hunting hogs. Not as much as deer, but enjoy it non-the-less. I have for many years managed the quality of my hogs, just as I manage my deer population.I have taken hogs with 7 and 8 in tusks because of this. To me, that type of hog is more appreciated than taking 130 in deer. Thats just me, and I realize other people simply see them as worthless.

Recently, I have noticed a drop in my hog population. I know many people are trapping them on neighboring places, and with the popularity of dog hunting, that my neighbors are allowing more people to hunt with dogs. I am seeing dog tracks on the back side of my place(where my hogs are), have caught these dogs on my game camera and recently a dog showed up at my barn with a tracking collar and the owners came up the hill in their pick up shortly after to retreive their dog.

About two years ago, I was going to check my game camera and noticed a set of unknown 4wheeler tracks onmy placethat came through a gatenext to a county road. I followed them intomy place where someone had killed an animal, which I believe to be a hog, since it was in February and this is the time that hogs are hunted for frequently in our area. So, I have also had some poaching from someone who had been on my place before. I know this because they went straight to their kill on a fairly remote/complex trail system. On their way to their kill they drove by my game camera. Itmust have taken a picture of them and allerted them with a flash. The poacherswere nice enough not to destroy my camera, but took the film out, unrolled the film exposing it, and through it on the ground beside my camera.

I have a problem, and it is getting worse. I want stop this activity or slow it down so I can get my hog numbers back up. Feel free to comment.

Texasyukon

My suggestion is to start posting signs saying no trespassing, as well as poaching will not be tolerated so everyone is notified. Also, inform your local police department or county sheriff that this is going on and to see if they know anything about it. After that, post a seperate camera (without flash) in the area and see if you pick anything up, but since you know its happening, the only thing to do is to post up on the weekend and see if anyone drives by. If so, let them know this is not going to happen in the future or the athorities will be called out to handle the situation.

rhetth67

Thanks Texasyukon,

I have thought about posting signs, but I have felt like it might back fire on me. The nonflash cam. is a good idea, but with people coming on my place I run the risk of someone stumbling on to it and losing the entire camera. Might be worth a shot anyway. I have a tendancy to stay away from law enforcement unless I have to have them. I actually thought more along the lines of going directly to the land owner. Or getting his annual hunter's envolved, I don't think they would appreciate the idea of him letting other hunters come in with dogs. I know I wouldn't.


You have two things going for you. You like Finnish Rifles and your last name is Harrison.

txjourneyman

I think going to the other landowner is a good start. He may not know his hunters are going onto your place. I've had similar problems in the past with the " dogs don't know they shouldn't cross a fence" mentality. Ask the other landowner to tell his people to stay off. Ask him how he would like poachers and trespassers on his land. I'm willing to bet he doesn't know about the situation. If that doesn't resolve the problem posting the land and going to the authorities may be your last resort.
As far as the collared dog goes, I have a friend that had the same thing happen. The dog came up to him back in late February while he was working outside his barn. He tied off the dog and when the owners showed up he told them he'd be happy to let them have it back when they paid him $100 for hunting his land. The other option he offered was to let them pick it up from animal control after he called the Sheriff. He took his wife to a nice dinner with the $100.

Gangly

we have the same problem with 4 wheelers coming onto our property. Tresspassing signs just dont seem to work for the rednecks out here. I got a 1"x6"x8', put 4 inch nails through it, put it right under the surface of thetrail they were usingabout 10 feet intoour property. A week later i went out and found the board alll broken to pieces but they havent come back on the property since then, or atleast not that i know of. They quickly learn thatcoming onto or chasing game onto our propertyisnt worth the cost of blown out tires

JB55

You may want to check your local and state laws. In Florida it is a felony to trespass while in possession of a firearm, which would include most hunters. I had people coming onto my land, one even set up a feeder and a ladderstand (and then cable locked it to the tree) even after posting the property. I've since posted more signs explaining the law and that trespassers would be prosecuted and haven't seen anyone else. I hated to post the property but some idiots just don't realize they shouldn't mess with others' property, just like your trailcam.

Jeff

Kanga

Post signs as mentioned above, if you catch any dogs on your place warn the owners that next time they wont be getting their dogs back.

RugerM77.270

I heard of a guy here who found 5 deer dogs that ran onto his land and here put them in pins and took good care of them for two weeks. Then he called the owner and told him he found them and he could pick them up. When he got there he charge a $25 a day holding fee per dog.

I was hunting in TX last year and the guy we met down the road was a little crazy. He found two dogs chasing hogs on his land. The owner found them hanging over his drive way then next morning. That guy scared me a little. I wouldn't recommend taking that action he was arrested.

muslmutt

The warden around here said he couldn't really do anything unless he saw them(trespassers running dogs)doing it. Of course whenever trespassers saw us they took off, and the warden lives further away than we do. The warden seemed to imply(he did all but say it)that we should shoot the dogs.Of course we have always had lots of no trespassing signs up, they tear them down, and we put them back up. We put up game cams and they were stolen.Rumor has it that our hunting place is now the Bermuda Triangle for dogs, and the trespassing has subsided.

rhetth67

Hellotxjourneyman,

Been meaning to contact you about the Ruidoso trip. Wanted to get the specifics. Thanks for the email and glad you all had a good time. I wish you would have gotton a Gobbler, though. I will work with you if you ever decide to get back. I think you realize the cost effectiveness of hunting in the area.Not to mention, a great place to get the family envolved. Elk, mullies, and bear are there too(As you know).You have a chance at a quality elk in 34 or 36. I, personally, think if yourwanting to take abearwith out a lot of money. Lincoln Forest is the answer. Bear tags are cheap and over-the-counter.I know that his how I got mine. Thanks for your comments on my Hog situation. It is always good to get the opinion of like minded individuals. Call me sometime.