I mention having patterned the hog based on it coming the previous night. That is a joke to a couple of my buddies who are of the impression that if they pattern hogs, that hogs will hold to the patterns. These guys seem surprised when a patterned hog doesn't show up for them, failing to understand that hogs don't operate with watches and day planners. Hogs do what hogs do. Some hold a pattern for a while. Others don't. I prefer not to give them enough time for their patterns to change, assuming the pattern was actually that.

LOL, I've noticed Hogs will pattern to a feeder for a time. Other than that you never know when Mr. Piggy will come out to play. Sometimes they have a predictable habit, other times they just seem to say screw it imma do something else today! Hogs are smarter than a LOT of people I know!

I think some of it is how many generations they are removed from domesticated stock. True Wild Boar are nomads and can cover a lot of territory. Four hundred square miles isn't an unusual territory, sometimes less, but typically still a large range.

Like Deer their sensitive noses pick up stuff that they need, like trace elements, vitamins and protein etc.

They may settle into an area and pick up a routine, but it seldom lasts for ever. Most times less than a month, sometimes days. A giant ripe Corn field can be the exception, I've played heck trying to get them out of giant Corn fields.

In there travels, where they bed down seems to be a main constant, where they feed varies. They may have only a dozen main bedding areas in there home range. Someplace moist, low and cool, in the summer. They use the same bedding areas for generations. If they show up at the same time, it may be the feeder is a set distance from where they bed down.

Like any rule, where they bed isn't a rule just a tendency. They may bed down anyplace if they get caught fat and happy in daylight. They just tend to use the same bedding areas. Boar can be the exception, they often tend to tail end charlie (follow) the sounder (loosely) and often bed down somewhere on or near the path to the main Sounder bedding area.

I look for the beaten path between where they bed down and where they feed. The closer you get to the bedding area, the more defined the trail gets, crushed twigs, broken bushes and trampled earth. Trying to hunt a bedding area is in my experience a lost cause, unless you can surround them. But setting up a quarter mile away can work well, ambush them on the way to food or on the way home. We aren't allowed to use feeders or large bait piles here, so we have devised different strategies.

I've had good luck hunting fields freshly mowed for hay. Like Yotes Hogs can be drawn to them, mowed fields are a dead mouse smorgasbord for most Predators and omnivores.