That will let you hunt pigs for free?

Yes. The problem is getting in touch with the landowner. It's actually fairly easy to get permission if the land owner knows you etc because they usually want to get rid of them.

Also, not all land owners want strangers on their place etc but it can be done.

With whom can you get in contact to find out who these landowners are?

TX game and fish?

No. You might try the chamber of commerce of whatever area you are going to be in.
However, I doubt too many land owners will let you do it based on a phone call.

Every place I've ever had permission to hunt on was based on knowing the actual land owner, being introduced or invited, or getting to know them first.

quote:

With whom can you get in contact to find out who these landowners are?

TX game and fish?

As Ryan stated finding a place to hunt pigs for free usually depends on actually being aquainted with a landowner. I know it seems strange that we complain so much about the damage feral hogs are doing in Texas, while on the other hand everyone seems to want money to hunt the things.

TP&W might be of some help but I feel that the odds are not going to be in your favor. There are some landowners around that do offer lower priced hunts, but because of their habits a person could spend days on a decent sized property and never seev a live pig.

Best of Luck if you find something, and it does not hurt to ask.

Pop,

I generally try to be positive in most of my responses. This response is not meant to be personal.

What I'm going to say will probably sound negative, but it might save you some time and effort. We owned a spread for 40+ years. I can't tell you how many folk that would call me out of the blue asking if they could hunt my property. How they got my name and phone number I'll never know. What makes it worse is folks that trespass and hunt/fish without even asking and then get indignant when you catch them and ask them to leave.

Once read a book called "The five great rules of selling" One of those rules is, show a man how to get what he wants, and you can always get what you want.

What would you have to offer a landowner that would make it worth the time for him to allow you to come onto his property and hunt. You're not offering to provide labor or money. He doesn't know you from Adam. All the liability is his, there is no upside. Folks that want to hunt are a dime a dozen. He don't know if you will come down, set his place afire, leave trash, get lost, get stuck, get killed, shoot his prize bull, or mule. He don't know if you'll leave the gate open. He probably has friends at work, church, family members that are asking to hunt. He can get $350 a week-end per person for a hog hunt and usually get 6 to 12 people per weekend. I'd say find an outfitter book a hunt. You'll be time, if not money ahead.

Best

GWB

To add to Geedubya's excellent post, it can be really difficult to do any good on a strange piece of land in just a few days. Most likely the first day will be lost learning the lay and if you stray across the wrong fence, you could end up in a lot of grief. It's not always a matter of profit but usually risk assessment and liabilities. In some cases homeowner's insurance might not even cover the owner for that activity unless you were hunting as his "guest" and he were participating in the activity. Pretty unlikely that a stranger is going to stick their neck out that far unless it's tied to a charity, scholarship or veterans'support organization.

The 2 posts above pretty well cover the territory. I've had pigs running all over my place but when people show up to hunt them, they're nowhere to be found. I flat won't invite someone from any distance to hunt them because they can be so elusive. A pig "roosts" wherever he wants to when the mood strikes. They will have a spot they prefer when they are feeding in one area but they can and will move on anytime.

In addition, in Texas the heat of the summer makes them mostly nocturnal, and that nocturnal often starts at 1 or 2 in the morning. Most people aren't that serious about killing one, certainly not I.

IF someone had a camper/trailer, wanted to spend some serious time in an area, get acquainted with the locals, they probably could find a pig hunt for free, but, as mentioned above, paying a guide who knows the area and where they are is a more certain proposition. Besides access, that's what we all use guides for, local knowledge.

If I was going to do it on my own, as above, I'd pick a small town in central Texas that used to or raises peanuts in the area and start there. If you ever get access, prove you're serious and not a nuisance, then you will likely be able to hunt more in that area, but it won't come easily or quickly (see above posts).

In addition, in my area, at least, if you want a serious chance at killing pigs, you have to bait them, that usually takes a day or three and quite a bit of expensive corn, usually out of feeders, but you can put it out on the ground. So you've got time, money, and effort involved for at least 3 days before you are likely to kill a pig. Guides are cheaper IMO.

Finally, never say never, but someone is going to have serious difficulty finding free pig hunting starting in a few days when deer season opens for bow and REALLY will have a difficult time once the gun season opens. Pigs are a problem, but deer hunting is a religion in Texas.

There are National Forests in E Tx where you can pig hunt for free, but you had better be prepared to walk deep into the woods past the local's spots. They often have their own set of rules.

One method I and my dad used to get landowner approval to hunt, was to first introduce ourselves, then ask if we could "walk his property, without any guns" just to see if there is huntable game (and explain that we will stop by afterward to let him know when we were on our way out). If we got permission, we would stop at the owner's house at the end of the day to thank him and give a summary of what we saw. During that check-out visit, we would talk about our hunting background and the fact that above all we abide by all game and safety rules. We also offer to share any game which we might be fortunate enought to shoot. Then we ask if it would be possible to get permission to hunt and if there was anything in particular that the owner would ask or expect of us.

Mr. Nisbet, don't know how long you have been displaced from Texas, but the hunting and fishing scene on Private land has changed tremendously, and not neccessarily for the good.

While there are still a few around the majority of landownwers here have really good information as to game numbers and types/species of game on their properties.

Also, as was stated, starting the 29th. of this month and lasting until almost the end of January, the emphasis over most of Texas will be directed at white tails.

Pop, I wish you the best of luck, and if you can be flexible on your hunting times, you might find something easier than what some of us think.

Thank you gents for all the input.

I have 4 free places right now, plus a 5th for squirrels and hogs if I see 'em. Just depends on something, but I can't tell you what.

quote:

Originally posted by dustoffer:
I have 4 free places right now, plus a 5th for squirrels and hogs if I see 'em. Just depends on something, but I can't tell you what.

Prolly just your good looks and boyish charm!

Best

GWB

I wouldn't be discouraged by the previous answers. Hunting non-trophy hogs and meat deer in Texas is quite inexpensive. While not free, it's certainly very reasonable.

Hard to do it from 1500 miles away though....

Not really. Go to the Texas Hunting Forum web site and check out the Guides and Outfitters section. Look for offers with multiple satisfied customers. I've had successful and unsuccessful hunts, but the vast majority have been legitimate and I've felt that the guide has given a best effort.

quote:

Originally posted by analog_peninsula:
I wouldn't be discouraged by the previous answers. Hunting non-trophy hogs and meat deer in Texas is quite inexpensive. While not free, it's certainly very reasonable.

I'd agree with that. Two to three days of hog and predator hunting go for $300-350 if you feed yourself. That can be all the hogs you can shoot or a limit with $50 or $75 each after the limit depending on the location and the extent to which the landowner is over run with hogs. In places they inhabit, you can usually get a javelina thrown in for free or very little. Right now you just have to be careful to avoid areas that suffered drought this year. Animal count will be down regardless of how good the price looks.

In these days of liability and stupidity all coming down upon the Owner's head... it's not going to be nearly as easy as it once was....

I agree with many here....
1. Get to know people... Church is a surprisingly good resource for this sort of thing.... although if that's the only reason you show up - people see through it pretty quick...

2. Be friendly and helpful... If you get permission - help cut brush away from gates that need to be easy to open... Find holes in the fence and at least volunteer to assist with fixing them... Help alert the property owner to illegal use, trespassing, or nuisances....

You got to look at this as a long term proposition... A chance to build a friendship or a relationship...

For example.. I got permission to hunt varmints off of a local older couple's property....

The first day - I spent the better part of 6 hours chopping brambles, saplings, and old wild roses out to get to the gate... It was 10-feet deep, 10-feet tall, solid overgrown.. This was only to get the gate moved enough to walk through... not drive a car...

Then - I finally get out to scout a couple weeks later... Find horse and cow sign all over the property.... Not supposed to be there... Not going to hunt with the chance of the neighbor's livestock wandering over or possibly trying to trample me...

Contact the land owner... Probably going to go help cut fallen trees off the fences and help mend fences in the coming 2 weeks...

This still gives me no assurance... They may change their mind any day... but it's all in good faith.. Be a decent, fair, helpful person... you get a good reputation... you get goodwill... you get to come back!

So many folks want to come take... but none want to give... and "Mystery hunters" are particularly bad about this... Show up out of nowhere... Get lost, get hurt, get stuck, want the Landowner to rescue them and want to hold the landowner liable for their trouble... Cut fences, burn stuff, leave trash, shoot farm animals or game that wasn't agreed upon, camp out, grow illegal drugs, etc... You gotta prove that you are not one of those folks...

Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by Geedubya:
... All the liability is his, there is no upside. Folks that want to hunt are a dime a dozen. He don't know if you will come down, set his place afire, leave trash, get lost, get stuck, get killed, shoot his prize bull, or mule. He don't know if you'll leave the gate open. He probably has friends at work, church, family members that are asking to hunt. He can get $350 a week-end per person for a hog hunt and usually get 6 to 12 people per weekend. I'd say find an outfitter book a hunt. You'll be time, if not money ahead.
GWB

Quite accurate.

Yep, we complain about them, but complaining is cheap compared to the trouble with giving hunts away.

I don't know you, but I can attest to the fact that many who came before you ruined it for the rest of guys who are honest, ethical, responsible hunters.

You wouldn't believe how disrespectful some people can be when you give them something for free. Next thing you know, the landowner is over run by all this guys friends. Seen it before. It doesn't end well.

Maybe you will luck out and find something. But I have to go with those who say, "Buy a hunt."

TruckJohn has it right too.

Offer to trade. Labor for hunting.

Anyone willing to put in some hard work for the privilege of hunting is a rare breed these days.

I found a “Free” place to hunt in Texas near Abilene. I talked to many people to find this place. I try to be the opposite of the slob hunter, pick up trash I see, help with the chores, stop and fix the fence if I can and if not tell him where the bad spot is etc.

Although he does not charge me I always bring him something as an appreciation gift. When I brought a windmill his wife said I could hunt there forever.

Mark

If you want to hunt hogs in Texas,, look at when deer season closes, which for most of Texas is the first Sunday in January and book a hunt through an outfitter or agent after that date and normally prices go down. There are many good places with good hog populations and it is not that expensive. Most of these places have been guiding deer hunters and know the patterns of the hogs, feeders are positioned and "timed " to go off and many times the deer feeder is like ringing a dinner bell for them. My favorite month to hunt them is in Feb. You will still have to buy an out of state license but a 5 day set up is pretty cheap, not like an out of state deer license. A lot of places have a daily rate and a per pig fee. Do yourself a favor,,,free is sometimes exactly what it is worth.
I can tell you as a landowner,,, if I don't know you,, and I wouldn't loan you my truck or gun,,or let you drive my kids to school,,,,, you won't be hunting on my property. The liability now is totally prohibitive of letting anyone hunt or fish on your property. No matter what happens,, anyone gets hurt on my property,, I get sued. I can get you to sign a release,, I still get sued....
Hunting for anything in Texas now is big business and finding anything worth doing for free is almost impossible.