Hog is hunting is increasingly becoming the popular way to control the hog population. Three to four years ago, you had to join forums to learn about hog hunting. However, the trend has greatly changed, and you can gain valuable information on hog about from the internet without joining any forums.
Wild hogs breed quickly and are quite aggressive threatening crops and native wildlife. In Texas alone, there are an estimated 2.6 million hogs. The high number of hogs in most states has led to relaxed hog hunting rules especially in the States of Louisiana and Texas which are the most affected. However, hunting these aggressive animals is not that easy.
Why?
Hogs have adapted to being hunted by feeding at night and being active at night. This simply means you have to withstand the cold night if you’re going to kill a hog. Rarely will you see these animals during the day.
Hunting at night comes with a wide range of challenges and limitations. There is poor visibility at night and very high chances of spooking the hogs. Even worse, there is a bigger challenge locating hogs in the dark.
So, how do you guarantee yourself a trophy kill in darkness? Follow our tips below for successful hog hunting at night.
Tips for hunting wild hog at night
Hunt with feeders
Setting feeders at night is one of the best ways to take down wild hogs. You simply need to bait and wait. The highly developed sense of smell in hogs makes baiting an extremely reliable method to get your kill fast. Hogs can smell food from a distance of 5-7 miles. You need simple baits like oat, acorn, nuts, fruits, and corns.
There are several feeders on the market to choose from with some set to go off after dark. Frequent baiting in a particular area will make hogs get used to food in that area. This will make your hunting a lot easier without waiting for so long before you see a hog.
When using feeders, you need to use low-intensity feeder lights that illuminate the area but not bright enough to scare the hog. Red lights are also excellent and usually attached to the underside of the hog feeder. The lights perfectly illuminate the area offering you clear vision for a dead-center shot.
Know how to track hogs
Hog tracking skills are quite necessary for a successful hunt. There are several signs to consider when tracking hogs. These signs include:
- Rooting: Hogs root through vegetation using their snouts to find food. Search for uprooted soil to know if a hog has passed in the area.
- Tracks: Hog tracks usually resemble deer tracks but are a little wider and rounder. Look for search tracks to know if there are hogs nearby.
- Wallowing: Hogs love to cool their bodies by wallowing in the mud. They usually do this by digging land near creeks and ponds. Look for such signs and easily track the hogs.
Hog tracking skills are crucial if your main way of hunting is by shooting. You have to know where to find the hogs first before you can shoot as opposed to baiting and waiting for the hogs to come to the feeder.
Choose the Best Scope for Hog Hunting
Night vision scope is a must if you’re looking to get a precise kill. Hogs are elusive animals, and a missed shot means the hog is gone for the night. You need to choose the best night vision scope for hog hunting. You require a third generation night scope with excellent scope distance, ability to maintain zero and reliable and accurate adjustment. You cannot rely on the illumination on the feeder alone to get a clear shot. You still need night vision devices like night vision or thermal scope for a precise dead-center kill with a single shot. According Accurateordnance, there are some differences between night vision and thermal scope you need to know before choose the one fit with you.
Use calls
You can easily use a predator call to get the hogs in the open. However, remember hogs are quite aggressive and might come charging so always keep a safe distance. Instead of predator calls, you can also use a recorded piglet distress sound.
There are so many things to learn when it comes to hog hunting. Even after shooting, you still need to track the hog to the exact area of the shot. Go out there and start enjoying the outdoors today.
