Hog Hunt

Hog hunt is a term used by avid hunters that covers wild boar hunting, trophy boar hunting as well as hog and pig hunting. When an experienced hunter says to a friend, “Buddy it’s time for a hog hunt,” you will know this type of hunting keeps him, his friend and a good tracking dog tromping through the woods for many happy hours. During a hog hunt, the hunter will attempt to outsmart this wily critter so that he can make a kill, dress the hog out, bring him home and throw a backyard barbeque party. The wives of these hunters even enjoy having some time to themselves for two or three days while the men are gone, and of course the succulent barbequed pig is about the best meat around and she is not expected to cook. After all, it is his hog. Not only has the hunter had the enjoyment of trekking through endless miles of nature, he can watch his dog tract the hog while he communicates silently with a hunting buddy, all at one time. That is multi- tasking at its best!

Hog hunting is one of the most challenging hunting experiences available to man since the kill spots on a hog are very specific and difficult to hit. If your bullet doesn’t strike the animal in the lungs, the heart or the spinal cord, the hog will keep right on going, even if you hit him somewhere else. These hunts can be dangerous to both hunting dogs and hunters. If they are hemmed up in a corner, these guys will turn on a dime trying to slice you up and down with their 3 to 6 inch long tusks that curve up out of their mouths. A good pig can weigh about 140 pounds, whereas a full-grown boar of about eight years can weigh up to 450 pounds. The biggest hogs are the best for trophy hunting and mounting. A frightened angry hog can run you right over in what seems like a split second. So be careful!

On your first hunt, take someone with you who is experienced in hog hunting. This can be a hired guide, or a friend. Make certain you check with local wildlife authorities regarding laws and regulations for a safe legal hunt. When you hunt with a group utilizing a guide, usually you have the opportunity to sit around a campfire in the evenings shooting the bull about who got the biggest hog.

In some areas in North America, these wild animals have become so over-populated they have become nuisances to farmers and ranchers, where they invade their crops and other foliage. Hogs and pigs are born rooters, in that they plow along with their noses digging up the ground looking for roots and other food. They generally graze and root more in the early morning and late evening hours, preferring to find a mud wallow to lay in during the heat of the day. They have been known to pollute small lakes and waterways with their feces, if there is a big herd taking up residence.

In areas where they over-populate and becomeg nuisances, a hog hunt is often instigated by the farmers and ranchers in the area, hoping to thin them out. In that case by getting permission you can hunt free on their land. Don’t ever enter someone’s land without his or her permission and without knowing the local laws governing the hunt. So before you start out on your trip, do some preparation in advance.

Hope you have a challenging, enjoyable hog hunt and if you bag one for a back yard barbeque, bon appetite!