Feral Hog Info

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Thanks to Len and Jill for this video

Thanks to all LRH members for adding information to this Post. There are many Posts about HOGS on LRH already. We didn't think that this would get this much traction. Just thought it is just another interesting video on Hogs and surprised to see some Hunters getting attacked.
About 40 years ago I had a cousin that was hunting Hogs in FL and was attacked. He said it attacked him so fast he couldn't react and tried to get away by climbing some brush trees and dropped his shotgun. That Hog stomped that shotgun up while it was on the ground. Maybe that Hog was really smart!
This video around 2:39 minutes reminded me of his story.

 

[WYO300RUM]

I'm not completely sure I have a grip on solving this.
However, I can tell you one thing for sure. After reading all this, very good dialogue, I am ready to get back down south and bust the chops off some hogs. Anybody that wants to see some layin still, I'm ready!
This has got me fired up for it. With the job, I haven't been able to shoot a hog since 2008. I think I'm just about overdue.

Come on man ! Getter done ! I'm living thru you !

 

[P7M13]

I dont.
Ive heard the same rumors about the Cali border but I've never tried down there. It make sense since California does have a feral hog season some may cross over ( to their quick demise. )

A friend was the pest management on a vineyard in the Russian River area. For two years he was trapping and shooting hogs there.
Then he got married. LOL.

Thanks to all LRH members for adding information to this Post. There are many Posts about HOGS on LRH already. We didn't think that this would get this much traction. Just thought it is just another interesting video on Hogs and surprised to see some Hunters getting attacked.
About 40 years ago I had a cousin that was hunting Hogs in FL and was attacked. He said it attacked him so fast he couldn't react and tried to get away by climbing some brush trees and dropped his shotgun. That Hog stomped that shotgun up while it was on the ground. Maybe that Hog was really smart!
This video around 2:39 minutes reminded me of his story.

I found it hard to believe, only five documented deaths from pig attacks since the late 1800's. A co-worker lost two brothers in Cali while hunting hogs, Rambo style. They had trained dogs that would herd hogs through a chute area. Their testosterone fueled method was to drop on the hogs back and slit its neck. Both were found gored and their entrails stomped.
I've only bowhunted hogs in Texas and Louisiana, unsuccessfully. While I have tracked and found them, they go from 0 - 25mph in a heartbeat, and I'm not a good enough archer to get off a shot on that. The ones in the bayou didn't run straight, they would weave and bob, and cut around trees like a barrel racer on rocket fuel.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

A friend was the pest management on a vineyard in the Russian River area. For two years he was trapping and shooting hogs there.
Then he got married. LOL.


I found it hard to believe, only five documented deaths from pig attacks since the late 1800's. A co-worker lost two brothers in Cali while hunting hogs, Rambo style. They had trained dogs that would herd hogs through a chute area. Their testosterone fueled method was to drop on the hogs back and slit its neck. Both were found gored and their entrails stomped.
I've only bowhunted hogs in Texas and Louisiana, unsuccessfully. While I have tracked and found them, they go from 0 - 25mph in a heartbeat, and I'm not a good enough archer to get off a shot on that. The ones in the bayou didn't run straight, they would weave and bob, and cut around trees like a barrel racer on rocket fuel.

When I lived in Hawaii I went on a Native "PIG" Hunt with Spears. I didn't get any Pigs but other locals did. Now in South GA there are guys that hut hogs for a living for the meat and to take hogs off of properties. This was 20 years ago so thing may have changed. This was when hunting on Private land was free to shoot hogs. These "HOG HUNTERS" would have a refrigerator truck with a cleaning station and a place to hold the dogs. They would set the dogs out and the dogs would corner the hogs and these guys would go in after the hog with a big Bowie style knife and slit the hog's throat. These guys all had gore marks somewhere on their bodies and the dogs wore Kevlar vests. It was a site to see this type of Hunt!
Now speaking to how fast a hog can run and make 180 degree turns, I have hunted hundreds of hogs and I would not want to be close to one or be attached by one. I like hunting them at night from a tree stand so I am nowhere near them.

 

[dan1953]

Most pros that hunt with dogs around here, central Florida, stick them in the heart. You can do it with a 4" pocket knife, I have seen it done. The dogs hold the pig, the hunter grabs the back legs and controls the pig like a wheel barrow. Flips it on its side, puts a knee on it and slips a knife low and under its front leg and bleeds them out.

 

[SemperFi]

The idea that ranchers want them as an income stream is preposterous.

Ranchers will let people trap them for free but most will not let just anyone hunt for a fee.

Plus, every bit of ground in most states that have deer is leased and the pigs usually go with the lease.

If it's not leased, a lot of these bigger ranches bear the hefty cost of helicopter eradication.

So that argument that ranchers want them around for income holds no water with me.

I have hunted hogs for years in Tx, Ok. They limit the number of hogs [usually 2] per hunter. When i asked why, they said they don't want them gone only managed. This was through an outfitter. Now the price has gotten way out of hand and and I can no longer afford to go.

 

[akdad]

Most pros that hunt with dogs around here, central Florida, stick them in the heart. You can do it with a 4" pocket knife, I have seen it done. The dogs hold the pig, the hunter grabs the back legs and controls the pig like a wheel barrow. Flips it on its side, puts a knee on it and slips a knife low and under its front leg and bleeds them out.
View attachment 585198View attachment 585198

I've had the chance to hunt pigs with dogs both in Australia and Hawaii and it's incredibly fun!!! Kinda different to not be using a firearm but it's definitely its own thing!!! We also used to keep them live on occasion if we didn't want to deal with meat right then

 

[dgpcpa]

I have hunted hogs for years in Tx, Ok. They limit the number of hogs [usually 2] per hunter. When i asked why, they said they don't want them gone only managed. This was through an outfitter. Now the price has gotten way out of hand and and I can no longer afford to go.

SemperFI - I agree. A property owner that has hogs has an invasive destructive issue to their property - not an income stream. Maybe I am biased since I am not the property owner and want to have fun killing hogs. But I've always shook my head in disagreement when I hear there is a "charge" by the land owner to those that are killing these destructive beasts. I just don't get it. And as a result, I hunt hogs very infrequently. I guess there are always others with enough money to spend that will keep me out of the loop.

 

[synfinatic]

And Kommiefornia Dept.of fish and Wildlife charges for pig tags. A feral non Indigenous animal. Extortion. Next pay for coyote tags. Most pig hunting in Ca. is on private land. Where they charge an average $500 to kill a pig. Cheaper to buy in market. A big business that doesn't want to eradicate feral hogs.

CA got rid of pig tags starting this season. Many guides are charging $800+ though from what I've seen. People will pay since public land has lots of hunting pressure and they move onto private land where there is less. So yeah, good money to be had if you have a "pig problem". I can't imagine why we can't eradicate them from here.

 

[Hard H2O]

I know I'll get "pushback" on my comments, so here it is.
If ranchers and landowners and guides are "charging fees" to allow a person(s) to take care of a problem animal population, then there isn't a problem. Because more hogs means more money, there is no desire to burn down the money tree that hogs appear to be.
So, whether my state has feral hogs is debatable, it apparently is bringing money into businesses across the US whom generally manage to make money off of a purported disaster in the making. Why would these feral hogs go the way of the carrier pigeon?
Plus, even if there was a workable strategy to eradicate feral hogs, it would be a range war between the feds and private landowners simply unwilling to allow eradication efforts and masses of outsiders to descend on those properties.

More states are outlawing hog hunting. Listen to the Meateater Podcast Cal's Week in Review and he has a snippet about that.

In states that allow it it became and becomes part of the culture. Many who profit from hog hunting and claim to want to eradicate them in fact release hogs to add to the population. Hunting them has been claimed to make them more wary and harder to trap. Trapping is a good way to get rid of a lot of them at once.

 

[Buffalobwana]

Many who profit from hog hunting and claim to want to eradicate them in fact release hogs to add to the population.

These guys only release them on fenced properties where they can't escape. You know who they are because they charge by the lb for each pig.

 

[HRM Johnny]

A friend was the pest management on a vineyard in the Russian River area. For two years he was trapping and shooting hogs there.
Then he got married. LOL.

 

[Brother Buckwheat]

A friend was the pest management on a vineyard in the Russian River area. For two years he was trapping and shooting hogs there.
Then he got married. LOL.

I hunt the western Russian River area going towards the coast as I have access to thousands of acres here. Hills, brush, oaks, redwoods surrounded on 2 sides by vineyard. Some 8-10 years ago I could guarantee a pig every time out, the pigs were busy rooting the areas nightly for miles, but something has changed, now I'm lucky to see a single once every 3-4 times out. Talking with others, Fish and Foul biologist says the pigs have picked up some sort of disease that is causing the sow to abort but that is secondhand information.
I can't speak of areas East of Hwy 101 as I have no contacts in that area.

As for getting married, he married the wrong woman. But if he was a nice feller, he would let me in on his contacts.

 

[westexhunt]

Most pros that hunt with dogs around here, central Florida, stick them in the heart. You can do it with a 4" pocket knife, I have seen it done. The dogs hold the pig, the hunter grabs the back legs and controls the pig like a wheel barrow. Flips it on its side, puts a knee on it and slips a knife low and under its front leg and bleeds them out.
View attachment 585198View attachment 585198

I've killed them with a knife. Same method but we just pick them up by a back leg and slip a knife in the heart from the ribs, don't try to get them down. They die standing just fine.