Still nocturnal but perhaps greed will prevail. These hogs are obviously well fed from all the crops in the area.

The question is do I have a big enough gun?

I setup the feeder using a tripod built from treated 2x4s and staked them to the ground hopefully to avoid the hogs tipping it over and messing up the feeder.

Yesterday I checked the dirt road near the feeder and found lots of hog tracks, apparently from a large sounder with many piglets. This bunch coming to the feeder is not the same bunch with the piglets.

I'm surprised to see such large sows with no piglets.

The first one to come in is the young boar. He's the one that's gonna get them all in trouble, because he's greedy and the others will eventually become jealous that he's getting all the corn by coming in first. That young boar spent about two hours at the feeder scrounging up corn, before the sows came in. Hopefully the competition will set in.

I'm going back down there today and pour more corn in the feeder and reset the timer to spin more corn.

I set this all up in October and it's taken this long for action. The site hasn't been hunted so far. I just hope the pork is good to eat. I will hate to waste that much pork, assuming I'm successful. If they don't start coming in before dark, I may have to try spotlight.

Another interesting tidbit of info -- at least to me it is interesting -- When I moved the trail camera to this feeder, I found that the nylon strap holding it to the tree at the other location was nearly cut into at two spots. It was barely hanging on. The only thing I can think of that could and would do that is a boar, which I got on camera. He's the last picture shown, taken from the previous site. I think the camera catches him in the act of messing with the strap.

KB

Nice hogs. I would just put up a solar powered light and a stand and wait.

This situation almost calls for a corral trap. Hummm

KB

It will be interesting to see what happens when the crops come up again in the spring. I assume they have been harvested by now and the pigs may be looking for alternate sources, like your corn.

Since I do not have a hog "problem" I would shoot them individually for fun and meat, but I fully understand the thoughts on just getting them gone.

Yes, the crops have been harvested. It does provide an opportunity, since these hogs look like they aren't use to missing meals.

Seems later than last year, but the farmers have just recently planted the winter cover crops, like winter wheat. My winter peas and wheat, etc., have been feeding the deer for about two months already, but the hogs have ignored it.

My opportunity for hogs will go well into March - as long as the weather is cool. The farmers allow me access starting the day after deer season closes, but it looks like I may have all I can handle 500 yds out my back door

I had feeders out last fall and winter but no hogs started coming in.

There are signs of hogs all around, especially at the edges of fields, near the swamps. They run the creek bottoms, of course, but there are two main places nearby where they hole up especially during the day. The adjacent property was clearcut about three years ago and it's now a jungle - prime hidyhole for piggies. Then there is a swampy area full of briers and thicket with a small island about five acres in the middle of it. That's the nursery. These hogs, boars and sounders work the surrounding areas and fields from those two home bases. It seems that the sounders with piglets prefer the swamp, and the mature hogs - sows and boars - prefer the jungle next door.

These hogs are pursued relentlessly, with the farmers sons going after them in summer with spotlights, fourwheelers and AR15s. They shoot them and leave them where they fall. The buzzards around here are really well fed. Then there's the trappers, with small traps that can be hauled to location in the back of a pickup, to the large corral traps, and even Jager Pro got in the act recently, with their remote controlled corral traps. I was told they caught over 600 hogs and pigs in about two months recently. Then comes the dogs, right after deer season, running amuck all over. They usually catch several each time out. But there are several notorious boars that have evaded capture for more than a year, and killed several dogs. I'm just learning what a big deal it is.

One of my neighbors is both a professional hog trapper and has a pack of hounds and catch dogs too. He has guys from all over the south join up with him at the end of deer season and together they raise havoc all over the place. I'm not going to mention these hogs to him, but I'm sure he knows they are there. After all, I mentioned to him that no hogs were coming to my corn and he is the one who insisted that I put a corn feeder in the exact spot it is, and he assured me that the hogs would be there. I had to cut a whole new trail down there, after prolonged dry weather, with the skid steer followed by the bush hog, to get the feeder in there in the thick stuff near the swampy area. Kinda makes one wonder how he knows specifics like that, on private property. When these guys run dogs, they know no boundries. He also knows that we have an unspoken pact that if I find him on my property we will have polite words like we were meeting at the grocery store and everything will be fine. I may not like it, and it's happened before, but I won't say no or run him off. And it's the same way with most other property owners (farmers specifically) around here when it comes to hogs. Of course he's got better sense than to show up with dogs or in person during deer season. He grew up here and his father was a hound and catch dog man, well known all over.

So, these surviving hogs are elusive and nocturnal except for sometimes in the summer they show themselves during daylight. I'm really surprised to capture pictures of such large sows. They have been right in the vicinity all along. I don't know what goes into making the situation where such large and apparently healthy sows are without piglets. Coywolves perhaps ??? These look to me like the best bet for me to get some good eating pork. If these sows stink, then I don't know what to do to get good wild pork around here.

It could be that I've started or perhaps discovered a problem. Regardless of all the pressure all around, all year long, these hogs are thriving. All the properties around here are hunted hard. The only safe place is the thickest of the thickets, and outa there the only safe time is night. I suspect that I'll get one shot, then that particular batch of pigs will never return to that feeder. However, after my initial post today I checked another feeder where only deer had been coming, and found the hogs are visiting it too, but it's only about 100 yds through the woods from the one where the camera is. And of course I got a picture of the big boar who tried to steal the camera at an entirely different feeder, about 1/4 mile away.

We shall see. I'll keep you posted.

KB

I've just about given up trying to pattern hogs. I've been spinning corn since October 1st and only have hogs on the trail cam Nov 7th. First at 3am that morning, then at 10:30 pm that night. Gone after that, moved on to other areas. Hogs are so nomadic. If I see one, I'll shoot it but I don't worry about trying to pattern them.

Looks to me like there will be some little piggies in a few weeks

As hoped, greed appears to be taking hold.

The trail camera was on the blink. There was plenty of evidence of visitation but no pictures. So yesterday I freshened the batteries and repositioned it to another tree further out and a little higher. The pictures below were taken last night - Just a couple selected from the more than 250 taken. They got all the corn before about 8:00, and no more activity after that, not even coons.

I sat on the stand till too dark to shoot. Looks like the hogs came in about thirty minutes after dark. That's earlier than before. Also the sows came in first. I suspect the young boar was over at the other nearby feeder.

Also, the spotted one is new to this feeder.
Judging from the second picture, the spotted one is a boar, as suspected. He may be the camera steeling SOB. He is probably why the young black boar is gone somewhere else.

I would like to shoot that big boar, but I'll bet he's stinky and tough. Given the chance, I'm going to try real hard to hold my shot till the sights are on a sow.

I've increased the time of spin on the feeder, and set it to go off once a day, before sunset (about 5:30 here). So, I think I'll set the timer again to real close to sunset.

I'm hopeful this is going to succeed.

KB

I bought one of these if I ever pattern them coming in just after dark.

http://www.sightmark.com/sm18006.html

Works great for the money. Not really using it until deer season is over.

That could be interesting, but I'm tired of spending money on stuff, when I already have lots of hunting stuff - so much that it's time to sell most of it.

I'm going to hold out hope for a while that I can get them in while there is enough light.

With a little competition, things could change quickly. today I noticed that there are lots of fresh tracks crossing the dirt road about 100 yds from the feeder, heading in the general direction of the feeder, and they are multiple sounders of piglets and sows. I estimate greater than 20. So far the camera has recorded only those large sows and the boars. They don't call them pigs for nothing. It's generally just a matter of time before greed makes them temporally stupid.

KB

One of the keys to getting hogs (and anything else) to come to feeders during the daylight is DON'T PUT OUT SO MUCH CORN!

If you allow corn to pile up on the ground, so that animals can come at any time and find corn, then they will tend to come only during the dark.

Use a timed feeder and set it to sprinkle only a half-pound to a pound twice per day -- once at first shooting light then again about an hour or longer before sundown. This way animals become conditioned to come soon after the feeder goes off or they won't get anything because others have already picked it up.

Putting out more corn may bring more total animal visits, but it is pointless unless they visit at a time that you are in the stand and have the light to shoot them.

Also, make sure that your feeding mechanism is protected from squirrels and raccoons with a varmint-proof cage. If the little devils can get to the mechanism and "steal" corn from it, then lots of that corn dribbles onto the ground where the target animals can get at it nocturnally. The bottom line is, manage your feeder(s) so that animals will tend to visit during the daylight.

Now, this certainly doesn't assure that you'll have hogs when and where you want them. Feral hogs seem to be the least habitual of any game quarry and are impossible to predict. But your chances are improved with the daylight-only feeding schedule.

Now that I think about it, this may be a fine example of the good advice of being careful what you wish for.

Last night the camera took over 700 pictures. Lots of action and the same crowd, except one addition and he's rather amazing. I was already amazed by those who had been coming in, but this guy is special, as you can see from the pictures.

They are absolutely cleaning up the corn - clean as a dog licked plate.

So, sunset is 5:32, and it's too dark to shoot by 6:00 pm. The first picture (on camera, not herein) is 6:25 pm, which is about an hour earlier than the first pictures taken previously. The competition is intensifying. The spotted boar has vanished, but a spotted sow is among them. The immature black boar shows up when the others are not present, so he's lingering back. That big boar is probably not friendly towards any other boar. The coons have all disappeared, and I don't blame them.

After about 8:30 pm there are no more pictures until I arrived about mid-day today.

Also, there are two other feeders operating within 100 to 150 yds, twice a day, but little visitation - no rooting, and the corn is not cleaned up.

KB


The four sows:


Five:


Perspective:



Big Nuts:


Meet Hawgzilla: This may be one of the dog killers that my neighbor told me about.


The big sow for perspective:



The small boar sneaking in for a snack:


The spotted boar from previous night:

I didn't go to the stand this evening. My shooting eye is bothering me.

Instead, I drove over to the neighbor's house, about six miles from here, the one who is the pro hog catcher with traps and dogs, to get advice.

I showed him some pictures, and explained that they weren't coming in daylight. He said that I should start weaning off the evening spin and start up the morning spin on the feeder. He says that they will keep coming in as long as I feed the corn, now that they've started. That is up till the crops are available. By then I don't want one anyway - too hot. He also says that I need to get one soon for good eating. Now they are fat, and soon if not already they will start eating stuff that taints the meat. That may explain the stinky hogs around here from the past, which I've shot after January. He said his granddaughter shot a fat sow yesterday, about 250 lbs, and they butchered it and it was fine.

The main point is that he thinks I can get them coming in in the mornings.

I was just in time because he was about to go check one of his traps. He had seven piglets about 25 - 30 pounds each. He took the trailer and just backed it up to the trap, opened the doors, ran the pigs into the trailer, then took them home and did the same thing again - backed the little trailer up to a horse trailer, which has a sliding door, and unloaded them into it. Pretty slick.

Too bad I didn't have my camera.

He also said he had a paying client who would pay $1500 to shoot Hawgzilla, and at least a thousand for the spotted boar. That's something to think about. I'm sure those numbers are after his commission. I left a picture of Hawgzilla with him.

I know that Hawgzilla isn't worth that much to me, since I'm meat hunting, and don't want to stretch the budget for a head mount. All I would do with him is take pictures and drag him somewhere for the buzzards. I not sure even they would eat him. It would be sorta a waste if I shot him.

He also said the boars were worth $2500 and $2000 respectively - caught and pinned - to those places that release them into a fenced in area for clients to "hunt" them. But of course there's the transport problem, which is illegal.

He says he knew about the hogs, and has been watching them for months with night vision. That explains how he knew to tell me exactly where to put the feeder to be effective. He also confirmed that he lost a dog last year, probably to the big boar. He says they are trap wise and have to be dog caught, if at all. I think I could catch them all with a corral type trap. Of course it would have to be stout, or they would tear it to pieces.

Now all that's a dilemma. But of course, wise sayings again - there's good and bad problems.

KB

Go buy some solar powered yard lights.

Thanks, I'll look into that tomorrow.

KB

Couldn't wait till tomorrow.

HELP !!!!

Too many choices.

Motion detection? Constant light?

Will they get enough sun to recharge in the woods?

I think motion detection type would keep them away.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Nat...GJzOU0GjMhoCUtjw_wcB

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Def...3753?N=5yc1vZ1z0z3pd

http://www.walmart.com/c/ep/solar-flood-lights

http://www.lowes.com/pd_484685...%3D1&facetInfo=Flood lights

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UT...f=pd_sl_9p4m9v4puj_b

quote:

Originally posted by Kabluewy:
He also said the boars were worth $2500 and $2000 respectively - caught and pinned - to those places that release them into a fenced in area for clients to "hunt" them. But of course there's the transport problem, which is illegal. :roll eyes:

KB

Transport being illegal is assuming you can go in there subdue and tie up a hog that size. Good luck with that! Be sure to leave the camera on and post the pictures.

quote:

Originally posted by scottfromdallas:

KB, assuming you can go in there subdue and tie up a hog that size. Good luck with that! Be sure to leave the camera on and post the pictures.

What are you saying? So, you think I couldn't hog tie that critter?

Yea, someone would have to pay me a lot more than $2500 to try that. Catching him in a trap would be serious business too. If he got loose - look out. And the chances of him breaking out when approached is too high for me to go near that as well.

Yesterday when I was visiting with the hog catching guy, I noticed that he could hardly walk and could barely get in and out of the truck. Kinda reminded me of an old broke down bull rider. He's about five years younger than I am. He's caught a lot of hogs. Next time I see him I'll ask if he's ever caught one as big as hawgzilla with his dogs. (a wild hog that is - domestic doesn't count) Now that I think about it, it's an obvious question. I just assumed he could catch it, but now, after thinking about it and considering his condition, that seems a bit of a stretch.

Anyone here actually caught one that big? If so, that would be an interesting story.

KB

How big do you think he is? Here is one that I caught a couple of months ago that was pushing 400.Didn't tie him but could have.Caught with two dogs.

Forgot picture. Here it is.

With 4.5 stars and more light, I would try this one first, but then again I am cheap. You still have to figure out how to rig it up to the feeder or nearby tree.

Solar light

These look easier to attach.

Thanks for the info.

http://www.amazon.com/Swiftly-...11E45GS83XCSAFWQ7AW8

http://www.amazon.com/InnoGear...11E45GS83XCSAFWQ7AW8

Yea, that's what I'm talking about.

BTW, just in case it was misunderstood. I wasn't considering catching such a hog, or any hog, with my hands, personally. I may try to catch hogs with a trap, and transfer them to pen without having to touch them, but the old saying is that never wrestle with a hog because you'll get dirty and besides, the hog likes it. Obviously that saying is referring to a domestic hog. These wild boars will get you more than dirty, and he certainly won't like being wrestled with.

Besides, I don't have catch dogs or hounds. I would rely on my neighbor/buddy for that, but as mentioned, he may not be up to such a task, considering his physical condition. Apparently that's why he has so many buddies join up with him later, and he gets them do the physical part.

He does have some great dogs, which make it all possible.

quote:

Originally posted by duckman:
Forgot picture. Here it is.

I count eight hogs in this picture. I think both the black and spotted boars are in this picture. This is the first picture of two boars feeding at once. The ones I'm talking about are almost under the feeder, slightly to the right, side by side.

For reference, the top of the wood stake attached to the left leg of the tripod is 20" from the ground. The bottom of the feeder is 52" from the ground (the part that houses the timer, which is hard to see because it's black.) The horizontal bar to the left is about 50" from the ground.




This little piglet ran through later in the night. I suspect a whole sounder, but the camera captured only this one. I've been seeing lots of piglet tracks nearby, but I think they are not yet coming to the feeder. I don't know why, unless the bigger hogs keep them runn oft.

Went to home depot. Selected a LED solar powered outdoor light rated at 70 lumens, which is the strongest one they had. The directions say it takes 8 to ten hours of direct sunlight to recharge the batteries, and that provides 6 hours of light. It's not a motion activated light. The directions also say that it takes 8 to ten days of full charge and full discharge for the max output to build up. Right now I've got it setup in the yard to try it because I figure it's not ready yet for the woods. For the duration of the time I plan on using it, I may have to fetch it each morning and place it in sunlight, then take it back before dark.

Since I got it home and did some research, perhaps 70 lumens is not enough light.
We shall see.
I saved the receipt, just in case.

It could be that I need something like this one: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HMX8J9C?psc=1

Flood light with 1000 lumens.

KB

At night 70 lumens is a lot of light. You can always put one on each leg of the tripod, or attach one to a tree and still be cheaper, and maybe better directionally.

That's encouraging.

I just got home after visiting and talking with some guys from Florida who have a deer lease about five miles from here. They say they are run over with hogs too, eating all the corn at the feeders at night - total nocturnal.

Anyway, now it's time to go get on the stand.

KB

Judging from the results, it looks like the solar powered light will be ready for the first night in the woods tomorrow evening.

With only about three hours of sun, it's still shining four hours after dark, but of course the batteries may have had an initial charge. Anyway, they should be totally discharged by morning. It doesn't matter if it's fully up to speed by tomorrow dusk, it's going to the feeder anyway, so the acclimation to the light can start. The camera will tell the tale.

I'm going to set it up for quick removal, so I can bring it back with me from morning hunts, and let it soak up direct sun here in the yard. Then return it discretely, perhaps about 4:00 pm. There's not much direct sunlight where the feeder is.

KB

Good luck tomorrow night, KB! Please keep us posted!

Again, over 500 pictures, so I selected a few for you to see. I counted ten individual hogs, up to seven in one frame. I have good pictures of the big spotted boar, which is almost as big as the black hawgzilla. After the main bunch has finished, there are stragglers which show up, three smaller hogs, one is spotted, and I think it's a young boar. They started about 7:00 and were washing dishes about 8:00

Looks like either a really fat, or pregnant sow in that second picture. Good eating.

The night light is set in place. The unit is the type that is intended to stake in the ground, so I found an old piece of 1 & 1/2" galvanized pipe about 9 ft long and drove it in the ground about a foot. The stake on the unit fits into the hole in the pipe. I placed it behind the pine the camera is attached to, off the right side about four feet, pointing down at the area around the feeder. Also it's back in the vines and saplings which hopefully will discourage anything from pushing it over. There is no evidence of rooting there now.

Also, I hadn't really looked before, with a solar panel in mind, but there is good sunlight most of the day there from the south arc. So, I'll just leave the unit in place, and thus minimize my visitation to the site. I've been wearing rubber boots just in case it helps when I check the camera and change out the memory card. Apparently my scent isn't a deterrent.

KB

Talking about fat sows:



To me, those things are awesome. If I didn't know for sure I could think these were well fed domestic hogs. But there is no doubt that they are feral, and they have certainly been eating well.

To me this is big game, and even more awesome is that it's happening five - seven hundred yards from my back door.

I've shown the pictures to my cousin and brother in law, and they are real interested. We knew there were hogs, but nothing like this. My brother in law hasn't hunted in over twenty years, just talked about it. But since I did all the work with the feeders, stands, food plots, etc., he has been over here several times, and got a really nice buck - about 18"spread. He's real interested now. Maybe next year I can get him and my cousin to share in the expenses too. I've really enjoyed myself, and haven't shot a deer so far, but past up many opportunities. I've enjoyed looking and being out there and sharing it with others.

We're already talking about cutting another trail in with the skid steer and bush hog, right down next to hoggy epicenter, and putting in a permanent stand with a roof, and a small clearing for a feeder. Anytime next fall from Sept till the winter rains come is usually dry enough down in there. I've stuck the skid steer twice so far, and that's a mess. I misjudged the situation after the winter rains had started. The creek bottoms and lowplaces cannot have any standing water, or the water table is too close to the surface. Those skid steers vibrate the mud into runny slop and the machine just sinks in further, real fast, and a normal small tractor can't budge it. It took us hours of hard work to get the damn thing out. We basically had to winch it out, backwards.

Judging from what I see right now, there is going to be good hog hunting here for a long time. To me this is a big deal, since we can shoot as many as we can get in the sights.

I don't think I'm counting my chickens before they hatch with this one.

Just in case anyone is interested here are some pictures of rutting bucks who never showed in daylight:





These are two different bucks, same tree. For some reason, probably those low arched limbs over a clear spot, every year they use this tree for a scrape, and several bucks share it. And there's more.

Until I set up the trail camera on this big scrape, I thought that a scrape was the possession of the buck that made it, and smaller bucks or even other bucks any size would avoid it and make their own. With this scrape there were several bucks who visited it, large and small. So, that answers the question of whether bucks share scrapes. We can check that on off our list of mysteries and myths.

KB

It may take them a few days to get used to the light, but they will. You'd be surprised at how little light you need to shoot by. If possible I wouldn't put it right on top of where they eat. Silhouetting them will work fine.

Silhouetting - that's a good idea. I wouldn't have thought of that. That's do-able. Basically, if I can see the cross hairs, there will probably be enough light. Unfortunately I have developed a big problem with my shooting eye. Up until about a year ago I enjoyed near 20-20 vision. Then, because of an eye injury from a blueberry bush in Alaska some months prior, that set off something bad. My sight has been steadily deteriorating in the right eye, and doctors haven't been able to stop it. I checked out left hand shooting a few days ago, and that will work when the time comes. For now, I need pretty good light to do it right handed. Fortunately, if or when I have to switch, I have a super accurate Encore in 7.62x54R, and lots of good handloads for it (Barnes). That short, handy carbine will be easier to deal with left handed, and basically I'll get only one shot anyway. After that, if things get worse, I'll switch to a red dot and get closer. Never figured I would have to think of a plan B and then a Plan C, etc.

If I had been paying attention, and knew before, what I know now, I would have worn those safety type glasses every time I went outdoors. The sad truth is that we all know it and have enough info, but we ignore it. Think of all the times of close misses on eye injuries we all encounter in our outdoor activities. We take it for granted that it will be ok. Now, IMO it's just a matter of time and age - the odds against you increase with age. I would highly recommend some form of safety glasses, as a habit, to anyone. Although somewhat inconvenient, they are good for so many things, such as keeping bugs out of your eyes, sawdust - there are too many things to list that could cause injury. After my next eye doctor visit, and with a fresh prescription, I'm ordering some tough prescription safety glasses, not for reading, but for everything else. I'm talking about the wrap around type, with big lenses and side protection too. I don't care how I look, but how I see. I seldom look at myself, and others looking at me is their problem. Since retirement, I'm operating too much machinery, bush hog, chainsaw, power saws, grinders, and spending a lot of time in the bush and woods. The odds are really stacked up. Safety glasses are cheap, considering the alternatives.

We're into a warm spell right now, and it's supposed to rain for a few days.

I hate butchering a hog anyway, so I'm waiting for cool temps. Every little bit helps when dealing with a nasty job. Also I cut my finger today, and a fresh wound is not a good mix with butchering a hog. I looked for my rubber gloves and haven't located them yet. Tomorrow I'll get a new box of them.

KB

No visitation last night at all. No pictures except one fat doe right after daylight this morning.

They didn't like the light.

KB

Like Gato said, they will be back.

After the above post, I made the rounds and checked other feeders, refilling, etc. There is rooting activity now at another feeder, the closest one nearby. Just like the one with all the big sows, where it started small, with little evidence, then where the pictures are being taken, grew to what you see. I may have to shut down the feeder without the light.

The good thing is that the deer are on the corn. For a while they seemed to disappear after the rut. I was planning on taking a doe, but now I'll wait some more because I can use only so much meat, and if I get a sow, and it's good meat, that will be plenty.

KB

This is my after shot of a 160 lb boar I shot earlier in the year.

I checked the camera this morning -- nada.

The corn is just accumulating, so I turned the feeder off till I see some action.

KB

Your post has me hooked from the other side of the world. I check in every day to see the progress, so keep it up!