On the ranch we hunt near Pearsall-South Texas, the feeders have been enclosed in hog panels. It used to be the hogs had trails from one feeder to the next. Now the large groups of females and offspring we used to see arn't as prevelant. On our last trip we shot three solitary boars spead out at different places. My question -- do you think these boys are marking a territory and waiting for the girls to come through or do they wander around looking for water, food and sex?

Solitary = security and because of their size they do not need the safty of numbers?

Where are you hunting around Pearsall? I've killed a few hogs around there.

Once you put panels up around the feeders the majority of sows and pigs probably moved on to find a food source somewhere else. Sows and pigs are mainly concentrated around food, water and cover but boars will roam out longer distances looking for sows in heat. Large old boars are seldom seen with other groups of hogs unless sows are in heat. They don't need security in numbers. There's nothing out there but you and me that can bother them.

In certain places where hog densities are not very high I've followed boars tracks before and they've ranged several miles in just a couple of days. Most of the time they are out looking for something in heat. Sows and pigs on the other hand will travel miles too but only if they have to when looking for food and/or water.

Also, to answer you question...boars are very territorial. When you have high densities of hogs such as many places in south texas, you see many boars with broken cutters. They are constantly fighting each other to protect their territory and their harem. That's why a lot of these places that stock hogs in game proofed enclosures will castrate the boars before putting them in there. They won't fight after that and consequently they will grow very big teeth.

I'd imagine that the 3 boars you killed were probably pushed away from the groups of sows and pigs by a bigger more dominant boar if you haven't been seeing many groups of sows around.

We are hunting about ten miles west of I-35 north of 140. No sign of the sows/piglets in three days on 4000acres and that is hunting about 5 hrs each night safari jeep style --so we covered a good bit of territory. Its been dry but there is water on the place.
Lee

That's a little surprising that you're not seeing anything but boars on a place of that size.

You must be hunting JS's place?? There should be plenty of hogs on that place especially with the Frio running along side of it.

From my observation, boars atay with the sounder that they were born in until the become sexualy active. They are then 'kicked' out At this time they begin to 'wander'. I believe that these boars are solitary. When a sow comes into heat they move in. I also believe that there are Alpha males that keep the younger males away. Both these Alpha and younger males are solitary, most of the time, but I have never noticed them to be territorial. These are only my observations and may not be anything but anectdotle observations. capt david

On our lease, we've had three large boars (>150 lbs) that hang around in the east pasture-about 200 ac. There are 4 feeders there, and a waterhole, so they have the basics. I haven't noticed them together, but when they do end up in the same sendero, whether 50 yds or 150 yds apart, I don't see any aggression between them. They don't budddy up either, but just seem to maintain their distance.

So if they are getting along as solitary boars when they are feeding. (except I do notice small gives way to big on a cornned road & the bigger ones will take a shot at the smaller if they can get close enough) Then conflict between boars is related to breeding privledges between similar sized animals. ??????

I have heard some loud pig fights with in a 50yds in daylight in thick brush during deer season.

Last observation --Ever notice how some deer are not spooked when the pigs come out and will eat very close to them. Other deer spook and leave a sendero at long distances.

Kaprota--

I've noticed the same thing re: deer and hogs in the same sendero. In fact, here is a link to a pic I took this past year of a large boar (165lbs live weight) and a buck in the east pasture.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a276/dustoffer/P1140265a.jpg

Can't agree/disagree with the rest of your observations, but have seen sounders of 25 pigs with 3-5 smallish boars (under 100 lbs) in them and the sows seem to tolerate them, although the sows will hammer on them if they get too close.