Just wondering if anyone has tried this for hog control?

I have never heard of it being done, but if you are referring to the type used for coyote control I see no reason why it wouldnt work if you have a well used trail. You would have to secure it to a tree or mighty big post, cause the hog wont like it at all. Be worth a try if they are that big a problem.
Good luck and good shooting,
Eterry

Yes, hogs can be caught with a snare. I personally like live traps, because I get better results. A live trap can catch several hogs/pigs at one time. This week I took a 150lb sow, and 10 - 50lb pigs with two traps set close to each other.

Hog Killer

Rickt300- Yes you can, and there is several types of snares leg hold and neck are the most used. I do animal damage control for hogs where I live and use either leg hold snares or live traps depending on the situation and terrain. Caught over 30 hogs in the last two weeks. And I use nylon rope instead of cable its easier on the animal I also check my snares daily when set.

Aloha!

It's not legal here but it is the preffered method by many of the poachers since there is no gunshot to draw attention.

Most of the time they use steel cable and the pig usually dies before they can get to it.

I came across a medium sized boar in a snare some years ago that was certainly not happy - frithing at the mouth and bleeding from the nose. It managed to snap the cable just as I got close enough to scare it.
It is not something I would like to see again, not something I really would reccomend.

Possible with a slightly elestic rope like a mountain climbing cord and a young sapling that gives some it could be less cruel, but an enclosure type trap is so easy to put together, catches multiples and doesn't harm them in any way.
I'm not all that soft on these animals, but the steel cable is really an evil thing. It cuts into the nech, which is relatively soft and the animals get really fired up.

My brother-in-law and I hunted over snares on the Big Island of Hawaii to control hogs on a coffee farm a few years ago. The guy who taught us said most hogs ensnare themselves at dusk and are thirsty, hurt, scared and seriously pissed off when you check the snares the next morning. He said we should expect them to break the snares and charge as we approached. He also said to watch the nearby brush, since sometimes hogs will guard a snared buddy and charge from the flank. So while shooting snared hogs may sound lame, it has the potential to get sporty right quick, and that made it a pretty invigorating way to wake up in the morning. This seemed like the perfect time and place for a Mauser 35 Whelen backed up by a 12-gauge with slugs, but we only had one 30-30 and half a box of 150-gr. Winchester Power Points between us. I guess you could say it was dangerous though not very sporting, if that makes sense. Either way, we didn't score, probably because we had only a few days to try it.

On that trip, I read a couple of articles in a local paper objecting to the practice. Their main point was that the snares cut the hogs up something fierce, and that the hogs often died of thirst. Those points seem valid to me. It also said that some folks were letting hogs die in the snares to avoid the danger of having to walk up and shoot them, which seems excessively cruel. Having said that, I think snares have a place in the scheme of things. If I were to use them again, I'd make sure that I had exhausted nearly all of my other options, including live traps, shooting at night, etc. Then I'd set stout snares and check them regularly. I would never do it alone. And I would first do a great deal of practice snapshooting a powerful rifle on moving targets at short range.

The State of Texas has published a pamphlet called "The Feral Hog in Texas," which contains plans for a live trap that can catch multiple hogs. It might be worth a look. Send me a PM if you want to see pictures of snares and how we set them.

Hope this helps, Okie John.

It wouldn't be legal here and I suspect that though you might find a few ranchers who would do it to get rid of the buggers, most of them find it more profitable to just sell the hunting rights to someone who will happily shoot the heck out of them or guide as a business. Personally, I like the live trap idea better. If nothing else you get less damage and the meat isn't all adrenalined up stinky. That's why spot and stalk pork tastes better than dog run. But then, with me it's "Will Hunt for Food."

Well I like the nylon rope idea and I think the best thing to do would be to camp near enough to the snare to hear the hogs thrashing and squealing so we can assault the position with flashlights and spears or maybe a net. Sounds like sport to me and if we want we could let the bugger go.

Catch and Release Hunting, anyone?

quote:

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Catch and Release Hunting, anyone?

Sarge

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I have read where some people who catch hogs with dogs in areas with low hog populations let them go to be caught again. Most of the landowners in Texas would frown on that.

Catch and release hog hunters, that is someone who caught some hogs/pigs and released them somewhere new without land owner permission. Would probably be the recipiants of the SSS system. Most land owners HATE feral hogs for the damage that is done to pastures and crops.

However they do eat very well (pigs that is)

Hog KIller

I was thinking more along the lines of letting one go that might be unfit for the table like an old boar or maybe a sow with milk in her tits. Anybody got any ideas on the best rope for the snares. I was looking at some good quality woven nylon boat anchor (3/8) stuff that has a working strength of around 275 pounds.

NEVER TURN A HOG LOOSE, they breed like rats. Todays piglet is next years grand ma. NS. Kill a boar you kill one hog, kill a sow you kill hundreds If you really want to catch them alive the live traps are a much better option. The slick nylon ropes probably will not hold a hog, unless they are caught around the flank. Holding a hog with a rope just ain't easy. That is the reason snares are made from wire or small cable.

Hog Killer

Rickt- 3/8 is fine if the nylon is solid braided but would step up to 5/8 if you expect to catch large hogs ive caught some around 200 pounds with the 3/8 rope but would go with the larger rope if the area has really large hogs that might get caught just incase. You xcan also check too see if steel cable that is covered with nylon is available in your area it workd great if you can get it. Ive actually seen pigs snap more cables than rope Ive never used cable and never will I seen first hand what they do and didnt like what I saw.

Like I said the snares I use is set up to catch the hogs leg its a design that a friend and I designed ourselves and has worked very well for us to do damage control here.

ANd they do allow yo to grab the hog if they tangle up so if you desire to let one go it might work but would be careful with a larger hog. Just caught a 125# boar (dressed weight) yesterday it was fun trying to grab him so we could stab him.
My scanner just broke last night if I can i'll try to take some pics of the set up for you.

Just curious how were you going to set the snares if you were going the snare route? If you have any questions about it let me know i'll help you out. Good luck in your trapping hope all goes well.

Hog killer, personally the way the landowners are about access to hunt hogs I am glad the rooters are around. If they won't let us hunt em they get what they deserve. I don't hate hogs and just am not going to kill a sow with suckling piglets period.

Ultramag, you bet, any advice on how to set snares properly would be great. I have snared coyotes, foxes and coons but never learned to set a snare for a leg hold. Interestingly I never found a snared animal dead when using braided steel wire but I normally check them every day or as soon as I hear any racket where I set my snares.

Rick,

Obviously, you are not a landowner. Hogs are not game animals, they are pests. They do tear up large areas of pasture and crops. As for land owners being picky about who they let loose on their places with guns, they should be. You are a stranger to them they do not know if you are safty minded and aware of other things down range, like cattle, buildings, equipment, etc. Land owners have seen lots of damage to their places from idiots with 4 wheel drives and ATVs. What it comes down to is that they do not know if you will respect them , their property, or if you think that their place is some kind of mud bogging pit. Most hog hunting around here is late in the evening, poor light and such. Imagine that the land owner has Black Angus cattle with calves on the place and the hogs, are mostly the same size and color, black. Big hogs and calves are not that different in size, this is no place for snap shooting.

As for what to kill on a hog hunt on someone else's place. You kill what the land owner wants killed. If he seriously wants a dent in the swine population you shoot the sow first then the sucking pigs. If you find a land owner who will let you hunt on his place, work with him, and he will probably let you come back to hunt again. Not doing as he wishes, you will not get to go again.

Hog Killer

I have a couple of places I can hunt. One gentleman wants all hogs killed "but" he wants you to take with you the dead hog regardless if it is edible or not and no you can't find an out of the way ditch to drag it into. The other guy wants to mount hogzilla or let one of his dudes shoot him for money but any eatin size hog is open season including sows. Yes you do have to hunt what the landowner wants killed but on the other hand you don't want to have to load some boar hogzilla int the truck and pay money to kick him out of the truck at the dump either.

Rick- If you check your snares daily or every other day then I dont see a problem with that and unless it caught around the neck area and cinched tight they should be alive.

The snares I use is set on trails so when the hog steps on the trip screen the loop on the ground catches on the leg above the hoof. I use surgical rubber as my springpole so to speak instead of a tree etc. like I said i'll try to take a pic of one I got set up and try to explain how to set it.

I see you guys in Texas have the same problems as we do here in Hawaii especially when it comes to damage control. Best of luck guys!

Aloha

Rick,

Do you have a homeless shelter near by? If so take them any unwanted critters. They should be glad to get so free meat to feed at their mission.

One thing to remember about trapped hogs, they will die of heat and or sun stroke. This can happen from late April till late Oct. Trapping at this time, traps should b e checked every morning. If possible set traps where they will be shaded, it will give you more time to deal with them.

Hog KIller

I agree with Hog Killer on the amount to check traps I check my traps daily and on very rare occasions the following day but something real drastic has to happen or if I cant make it I have my buddy check it for me.

They are definaetly susceptible to heat and it probably is more important in your area as Hawaii is very tropical and cool even on hot days and the rain forest is quite cool for the hogs.

Im going to start doing this full time as its real hard to have a full time job and to help this people out and also its not fair to the hogs to be in a trap any longer than they have to.

Aloha

I only keep trotlines set when i am on the lake and I would set snares only when I am nearby. I would only consider doing it in the wintertime anyway. I would do it if I had hogs anywhere on my way about my daily travels though.

Hey Rick- Got those pics but cant get hunt101 to upload the thing, man I need to find a new hosting place for my pics. Just got an 80# boar about an hour ago fieste little dude too.

Take it easy and good luck with the trapping!!!

Had a Jehovah's Witness proselytizer stop and leave a pamphlet yesterday. Seems that I'm not destine to be one of the 144,000 chosen, but in case anyone cares, according to the pamphlet the Witnesses frown on eating animals caught in a snare. Just thought I'd pass that along in case you're trying for a seat on the 144,000 bus.

I sort of frown on "Witnesses" coming 1/2 mile up my driveway, setting off my dogs, getting me out of bed to talk about wolves lying down with the sheep.

As a guy that hunts hogs with dogs, I am very much opposed to snares. If one of my dogs ever got caught up in one I'd be pretty upset. That's one thing that most people don't think about when setting snares.

I have dogs too. I am always near my dogs when out hunting with them and have plenty of time to unsnare them. Though none of mine have been snared I have released a few dogs that were unharmed after being caught. I had (have) a real coyote problem north of West, Texas with them killing my youn goats in the spring and use snare instead of steel traps as the lesser of two evils.

Rattlesnaker- Ive hunted hogs with dogs for over 30 years now and NOTHING matters more to me then my dogs they are like children to me. I would never set snares where dog hunting is allowed or would likely take place. Ive had my dogs snared in cable snares and got hurt due to the dog not being able to chew thru the cable upset is a huge understatement to describe how I felt at those who set them where dog hunting took place.

But again it deals with circumstances I set snares for damage control where box/cage traps wont work and my circumstances here is probably different then where you are in Texas and vice versa. And trust me I think about dogs every time I set my snares to control pigs especially here as in Texas where hunting hogs with dogs is a lifestyle.

Happy Huntin'

I have only set snares on my 300 acres north of West. There are a few dogs that run loose and I really don't run my dogs there if I am handling a coyote or hog problem which is an incinvenience. A number 2 steel trap almost gaurantees a broken foot or leg but a snare if you get there quick causes little harm.

Unfortunately, responsible snare setting is not generally the norm in a lot of places. I've come across quite a few snares that had obviously been there for a while without any type of supervision. However, I'm sure that there are plenty of people that put them out responsibly as well. We can't follow our dogs closely at all when we are hog hunting. If they are chasing a hog, they might run through several cross fences. Our only hope for finding a snared dog would be with tracking collars and a dog would stay snared for a couple of hours at a minimum.

Unfortunately here in Texas letting your dogs cross into someone elses property could be the last time you see em. It sucks but it is true.