Perhaps you've hunted deer or turkeys for years, but now you've decided to branch out and hunt hogs. The shooting experience you have had in the past will prepare you for the actual shot, but there are some other intricacies to hunting hog that you may not be aware of. Here are four tips to make your first hog hunt a successful--and safe--experience.
Use Multiple Tracking Tactics
When tracking deer, you're probably used to relying mostly on hoof prints. The nice thing about hogs is that they leave a more distinct trail--if you know what you're looking for. You must rely on multiple tactics to stay on the trail of a hog. Look not only for hoof prints, which look like deer tracks but a bit wider, but also for uprooted soil. The soil is where the hogs have used their snouts to burrow for tender roots, which they eat. The third sign to look for along a hog's trail is holes in any mud along the trail. The hogs wallow in this mud to cool off, so if you see divots and smoothed spots in the mud, you can bet you're on the hog's tail.
Use Light
It's common for hog hunters to hunt at night, since this is when the animals are less active and are less apt to charge. Yet, hunting at night can be dangerous without a light. One of the easiest ways to find hogs is to track them until you are sure they are nearby, and then set up a feeder with an automatic light. Hide out 20 or 30 feet from the feeder. When the hog goes to eat, the light will snap on, and you'll have a perfect view for a good shot. There are hog-hunting lights made just for this purpose, and they are a great investment.
Bring Plenty of Help
Hogs are heavy. Adult males can weigh 200 pounds or even more. You won't be dragging that boar out of the forest by yourself, so make sure your bring help. Rather than have four helpers traipse around in the woods with you, consider bringing just one person along for the actual hunt, and having a few other helpers "on call" nearby. You can give them a ring when you do get a hog, and they can follow the GPS location on your phone to come help you drag the meat back.
Share30 October 2017
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