Hogs - No longer Nocturnal !?!

[Mike6158]

I can't remember where I read this but apparently coyote, hogs, etc can add to or reduce their breeding cycle to offset hunting pressure. Maybe it was this thread but I didn't find it on a fast look thru.

 

[DSheetz]

In 30 years of doing predator control work I have kept records that show coyote have more pups when their numbers are lower and fewer when their numbers are higher . This also correlates to the food base being higher or lower . I suspect that this will apply to hogs as well more food more piglets less food less piglets . I haven't seen where the coyote bread earlier or latter depending on hunting pressure but then where I live there hasn't been less hunting pressure on the coyote in my life time . The coyote in sheep country is probably the most persecuted animal on earth with a reason for it . Peoples livelihood .

 

[Mach 1]

At 1,500 yards?

Yea prob. My 1940s pulled ap bullets are hell on ar500 steel. My 338 lapua doesn't affect ar500

 

[Mike6158]

Idk... my .338 Edge 300 SMK's still have 1342 fps / 1199 fpe at 1,500 (using Bullet flight to calc based on actual load velocities). My .308 loads (168gr SMK) are at 895 fps / 299 fpe at 1,500 yards.

 

[Mach 1]

Idk... my .338 Edge 300 SMK's still have 1342 fps / 1199 fpe at 1,500 (using Bullet flight to calc based on actual load velocities). My .308 loads (168gr SMK) are at 895 fps / 299 fpe at 1,500 yards.

It has not as much to do with velocity as it does the bullet being propelled . If you could get armor piercing bullets in .338 caliber then I'd say for certain your .338 edge would penetrate hardened steel better. But since there isn't any available to the public my 308s with 162 gr pulled ap bullets are hard to beat in a straight up penetration comparison.

 

[Mike6158]

Well... no argument there. I missed the AP part of your post.

 

[John Klingenberg]

In 30 years of doing predator control work I have kept records that show coyote have more pups when their numbers are lower and fewer when their numbers are higher . This also correlates to the food base being higher or lower . I suspect that this will apply to hogs as well more food more piglets less food less piglets . I haven't seen where the coyote bread earlier or latter depending on hunting pressure but then where I live there hasn't been less hunting pressure on the coyote in my life time . The coyote in sheep country is probably the most persecuted animal on earth with a reason for it . Peoples livelihood .

Yes diapause is when they delay development of the embryo until conditions in the uterus are exactly right. Stress and food sources can cause them to do it but it's not a conscientious thing, it just happens when their body isnt up to it. I think science believes all mammals can do it but it's usually not necessary, or it happens in a few animals of a herd because they're competing for food. I think it's only believed to be able to put it off a couple of months and then the embryo dies and is flushed or absorbed.

 

[Wedgy]

During our 4 year drought I took 3 wet sows with my bow of which two had 3 piglets and the other only had 2 inside, previous to the drought they would have 10 or more.

Someone mentioned pigs were practically blind, I have not found this to be the case as we have watched them watching us as we approach from ~500 yards away. They look up until we stop moving then go back to feeding and when we move again they watch us. They may only see an off color blob in a hillside of grass or think we are a cow but they can definitely see us. I would say they have eyesight more like a human and not as good as a coyote or a hawk. They can see good at night but feel more relaxed from my experience.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Someone mentioned pigs were practically blind, I have not found this to be the case as we have watched them watching us as we approach from ~500 yards away. They look up until we stop moving then go back to feeding and when we move again they watch us. They may only see an off color blob in a hillside of grass or think we are a cow but they can definitely see us. I would say they have eyesight more like a human and not as good as a coyote or a hawk. They can see good at night but feel more relaxed from my experience.

Absolutely! There have been a couple of studies and their binocular vision (though a narrow FOV) isn't much worse than ours. And then they have less refined vision that is something like 290 degrees. In daylight, I have been downwind of hogs and gotten busted at well over 100 yards.

I always love the 'almost blind' comments. As a night hunter, I have shot hogs from a sounder and then watched as the others ran through the woods, in the dark, without running into trees. I don't know any humans that could do that.

I think the real problem with the belief that hogs are almost blind is that people (in particular, hunters) confuse behavior with ability. I have heard hunters describe themselves as being invisible to the deer because a deer walked right by the hunter, even looked at the hunter, but didn't run away. They say similar things about hogs. Just because the animal doesn't run doesn't mean it didn't see you. It just means it didn't see you as a threat.

Along these lines, hogs most definitely do see red and green hunting lights. They don't see them as being red or green, but they see the illumination, possibly as a more gray light.

 

[DSheetz]

Double Naught Spy , I like the way you describe what animals do when they don't consider you as a threat . This has been my experience as well if they consider you a threat they will alarm and bolt if they are uncertain they may sound a warning to others in the area and if they see as no threat they will just not pay much attention to your presence

 

[Wedgy]

Our pigs often hang out with cows and the cows alert them to any danger, we have been busted repeatedly trying to make a stalk into bow range. I have a large cardboard cow decoy that I have used to get into range on geese across opens fields, I may have to try it on the pigs. Daytime hunting here only.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

When it comes to hunting hogs in with cattle, I perceive there to be 4 kinds of cattle. My favorite are the cattle that just ignore me. Next are those that spook. These may or may not disrupt a hunt. I have seen a lot of yearling cattle that will have mini stampedes back and forth across the pasture while I am in it. The last group are those that seem to actively disrupt the hunt, often by running at the hogs when I show up. And then the 4th kind, usually yearlings, that will follow me around the pasture. This can be good or bad. The good part is that the hogs don't seem to perceive me with the cattle. The bad part is that they can just get in the way. I have actually had cattle come up and nudge and rub on me before and while I was trying to shoot, like big dogs looking for some attention.

In all, I would say that every herd of cattle has its own personality.

 

[Hatrick]

There is another kind of cattle. We hunt PA for deer in cattle fences. We park really low and hunt high. When we got back to the truck they had licked the whole truck to get the salt from the roads.

 

[John Klingenberg]

There is another kind of cattle. We hunt PA for deer in cattle fences. We park really low and hunt high. When we got back to the truck they had licked the whole truck to get the salt from the roads.

That's funny right there!