Pig hunt daylight tips

[GiantGreg]

I put this under varmint because most states consider them more pest.
So i been seeing alot of hog rooting in the woods. Most people i talk too say they see wilds pigs alot. Ive killed two few years ago but they found me. Anyway got any tips for locating them in daytime?
We can't hunt them in night in my state.

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[stump06]

Is it on public or private ground? Pressured? I usually have to walk a lot to find them but once I do they will usually stay in the same area until run out. Unless you know what really fresh hog sign is I wouldn't put much stock in it. I always say its not fresh enough unless there's a pig standing in it.

 

[GiantGreg]

Is it on public or private ground? Pressured? I usually have to walk a lot to find them but once I do they will usually stay in the same area until run out. Unless you know what really fresh hog sign is I wouldn't put much stock in it. I always say its not fresh enough unless there's a pig standing in it.

Public. Very pressured during deer season but your have two months after just hog hunting.. then. No more hunting till spring turkey.
But some hikers prob on trails every now then.

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[Achigan1]

We kill a stack of ‘em every year.
Deer season is about over and will be time to pile up the walking sausage makings.
I don’t pay too much attention to rooted up spots - three or four hogs (or 13-14) can jack up an acre in about an hour.
We ease upwind through the thickest cover we can find during the day - creek bottoms, live oak motts, etc.
Tons of fun with a handgun or shotgun - they are often asleep midday so glass those shadows for ears or tails flopping.
Lots of times you can hear them or smell them before you see pig.
If you do it just right you can run out of shells in the gun before running out of targets.

 

[GiantGreg]

We kill a stack of ‘em every year.
Deer season is about over and will be time to pile up the walking sausage makings.
I don’t pay too much attention to rooted up spots - three or four hogs (or 13-14) can jack up an acre in about an hour.
We ease upwind through the thickest cover we can find during the day - creek bottoms, live oak motts, etc.
Tons of fun with a handgun or shotgun - they are often asleep midday so glass those shadows for ears or tails flopping.
Lots of times you can hear them or smell them before you see pig.
If you do it just right you can run out of shells in the gun before running out of targets.

Yea. Alot of tree stand deer huntets around here complain about running out if ammo in a tree stand just so they can get down.
I've not had thsty luck

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[stump06]

It takes time to figure them out and for a "varmint" they're pretty crafty. I kill them regularly on public near me that other folks say they've never seen them so you have to find them for sure. This time of year they're prolly the farthest from access and in the thick stuff. Try to keep the wind in your face and still hunt. I like light rainy days as it doesn't sound like your walking on potato chips but hogs are noisy creatures as well. As long as they don't wind you, you can get away with a lot.

 

[weekender7]

Hogs are gonna bed where they won't be bothered, so think thick and nasty.

 

[Bubblehide]

Pigs, with the exception of big boars, are herd animals, as I am sure you already know. Not knowing your state puts me at a disadvantage in providing information. However, Here in Ca, the nights are now cold, with cool days. Body mass has a direct relationship to the need to feed. The smaller the animal is has a direct relationship to the animals need to feed more, and more often, in cold weather. As such the colder it is, the more often and longer the animal will need to feed. Of course this also depends on the amount of quality feed. For example we had a good long lasting acorn crop this year; which meant the pigs did not need to travel far to fill their bellies. However, right now, the pigs will need to cover a decent amount of ground. Pigs do not have sweat glands, just like dogs. As such, the opposite is true in the summer, and pigs will not move in the heat of the day, generally speaking. For example, I shot a pig one hot summer evening leaving water, still dripping wet, close to a pond. There was a whole passel of them following. The pigs retreated to the pond, a short distance away. That short run back to the pond resulted in pigs going straight into the water, to cool themselves. I gutted the pig, and walked over to about 30 yards from the pond. Their were still a few pigs in the pond, and numerous pigs bedded in the cool understory. They just stood there, looking at me. If they ran off from the pond, they would have overheated,. That overheating can kill them.

However, here in Ca, we have been in drought conditions. As such, once the acorns were gone, and/or coming to an end, the pigs needed to travel more to meet their needs. We just got rain recently, in a long time. So we now have plenty of fresh green plants sprouting. They are not anywhere close to being mature yet. So the feed quality condition is still very poor. Meaning they will need to cover more ground to meet their needs.

Pigs as you may know are polyestrous, meaning that they are capable of cycling into heat continuously. This does not mean they will continuously cycle. In drought conditions, Pigs generally lose weight i.e., their health decreases. So in such conditions, nature has devised a self preservation method of the pig no longer cycling into heat. Currently here in Ca, the conditions are improving. This mean that more sows will cycle into heat; which in turn means that the boars will be on the search for sows in heat. What this translates to in the field is that boars, usually big boars, will be moving during the day. Generally all morning, in search of sows in heat. So if it is legal in your state, and you have good feed conditions, I suggest utilizing sow in heat urine. Warm it before atomizing it if you can, as it makes it more effective. I use an atomizer, so that it travels further in the wind. With an atomizer, and a slight breeze, and placing it up in a tree, it can travel pretty far. Keep in mind that these critters make a living with their noses, so it does not take much to get the interest of a boar.

I like to carefully walk some of my hunt area just after sundown if there is any moonlight. To be legal, I do not take a gun, but I do take binoculars. I try to find where they concentrate to feed, their travel routes, and their bedding areas. Those areas they spend time in feeding are important to me, as they are very likely to continue to come back to, if not disturbed, as long as food remains. From there, the next day, I try to figure out where they are coming from (I often carry a small rake and rake areas clean of any tracks. Good areas where tracks are easily left). This allows me to set up closer to their bedding area, for morning and evening hunts. I absolutely do pay attention to fresh sign. But as was mentioned, if you do not definitely know fresh sign from simi old sigh, I advise you to not make much of it.

Best of luck!