Author Topic: The hog quest (Read 10155 times)

Machias · « **on:** March 30, 2015, 02:27:10 PM »

So I have been on a hog quest for the past 6 weeks or so. Been trying to bait some of the rare pigs here in VA. VA has a small but growing population of feral hogs. They want them eradicated at any means or cost. You are allowed to kill as many as you can, open all year and baiting and night hunting are legal. Nothing has hit my bait for several weeks. Last Aug I booked a trip to South Carolina for a hog hunt on wild free ranging hogs. Went down 2 weeks ago. First night in stand was pretty miserable, windy very cold and pouring. 9 guys in camp, 3 guys saw 4 pigs and 2 were harvested. The other 6 of us saw nothing. We could each kill 2 hogs per night.

Next night, much nicer weather, no one saw a thing.

Last night there we ask the guide if we can stay in the stands until midnight. They had been picking us up at 2200. No problem, but we have to stop hunting as our license is valid only until midnight. Sit there until 2340, hear a grunt behind me, then hear corn being crunched down past the feeder. Flip on my light and can barely make out two 50 pound shoats. No shot opportunity. 2358, more corn crunching, flick on the light and same 2 shoats. It's literally 2 minutes to go, what the heck at least give it a try. Clean miss.

So long drive back up to VA, but on the way home the guy I have been trying to bait some hogs in VA in with sends me a text, hogs on the bait. Ok that figures, I'm in SC and the pigs are on the bait in VA.

So for the past 10 days we have 5 nice sized hogs hitting the bait 8 out of 10 night. Not many pigs in VA yet so pretty happy and lucky to have them on my bait.

Well here's what happened last few days. Re-baited on Weds and hung stands. Nothing came in Weds and Thursday night. We have a wireless trail camera. So we thought maybe the batteries were dead. Decided to hunt Friday night. I drove down a bit early because I was hoping all the bait was gone and would need to re-bait. It's an hour drive one way. Nope, camera was working fine and nothing had come in. Decided not to hunt until they returned. Saturday they returned. They have been coming in earlier and earlier every night that they do come in. Originally they were hitting it between 0300 and 0500. Saturday they hit the bait at 2130. Went down last night. The other guy I'm baiting with asked if he could bring a friend. I had a bad feeling, but sure go ahead. We get into the stand and all situated by 2030. We go over shooting scenarios. I'm told I'm lowering my light a little too fast to slow down. Ok, at 2058 holy crap here comes a huge sounder in to the bait, 20+ pigs, several really nice sized hogs and several piglets. Once they get on the bait, lights on and we start to lower them and the pigs bolt. Everyone remains quiet and within 15-20 seconds they all come back in. Lights on and lower and we are going to shoot on 3. Here we go 1...2...BOOM. The guy with the shotgun shoots just as I get 2 nice hogs in my scope. Never even get the crosshairs settled. His friend also shoots a second after the first guy. 2 piglets killed and nothing else. Guy says oops I may have shot a tad early. You think! I wanted to butt stroke him right there. I knew better than have three guys sitting in stands 10 feet apart trying to time a shot in the dark. I knew before hand it was not going to work and I was right. Then the icing on the cake. I figure ok, I put my trail camera out on Weds, so I should have some great shots, it's 10 feet from all the action. I get home this morning at 0030 and find that the idiot who put the camera up on Weds did not slide the on switch past the IR Aim. ZERO photos. I'm starting to think there is 2 different sounders, because the group last night was a LOT bigger then what we have been getting on camera before last night.

Going to make a new bait 400 to 500 yards away and hunt by myself.

gramps · « **Reply #1 on:** April 04, 2015, 07:15:35 PM »

Good Luck on your hunt. I have wanted to do a hog hunt for a long time, but it is a long way from here to where there are any hogs...LOL

JimmyHoffa · « **Reply #2 on:** April 04, 2015, 07:27:19 PM »

Nice. The top one looks still pretty close to the original wild boars.

Machias · « **Reply #3 on:** April 04, 2015, 08:01:02 PM »

I started a new bait about a half a mile from the original bait, which they have not been back to. So far they have not found the new bait yet. I have some sour corn brewing that is just about there. Probably take it out tomorrow or the next day. That should get the bait fired up.

Machias · « **Reply #4 on:** April 13, 2015, 09:23:24 AM »

Look what finally found my bait. He's been in twice, both times by himself. It's on!!

Elkrunner · « **Reply #5 on:** April 13, 2015, 09:27:55 AM »

Good luck. It looks like a lot of fun. You will have to let us know how they taste.

Machias · « **Reply #6 on:** April 13, 2015, 11:34:45 AM »

I hope I get a chance to tell you

h20hunter · « **Reply #7 on:** April 13, 2015, 12:01:36 PM »

Hope they taste better than the texas hogs we killed.....

Machias · « **Reply #8 on:** April 14, 2015, 07:28:51 PM »

They do, haven't you heard of Virginia hams?? LOL

Machias · « **Reply #9 on:** April 16, 2015, 06:54:18 PM »

The rest of the sounder found the bait this morning

MLBowhunting · « **Reply #10 on:** April 19, 2015, 08:53:47 PM »

Get them.

Todd_ID · « **Reply #11 on:** April 19, 2015, 09:36:02 PM »

Good luck buddy! I'm living proof that pictures don't fill freezers, so you gotta get out after them. Have fun with them!

Machias · « **Reply #12 on:** April 20, 2015, 05:43:11 PM »

LOL Oh yea I'm right there with you. Was planning on hunting Friday and Saturday night but the one wind direction that I cannot hunt is out of the North and of course Friday evening it swung around and has not stopped blowing out of the North, I got one shot tomorrow night and then 5 days of North wind so I'm going to sit in the stand all night tomorrow night.

WAcoyotehunter · « **Reply #13 on:** April 21, 2015, 06:36:47 AM »

Does anyone there run dogs for them?? You need some curs back in your life!!!

Machias · « **Reply #14 on:** April 21, 2015, 09:00:51 AM »

No one in Virginia that I'm aware of. There are actually still very few hogs in VA. Only 2 or 3 counties have them. They have been trying to eradicate them for about 12 years and I think they are loosing the battle and they are set to take off. When that happens I fully expect the houndsmen to be all in. As soon as I move out of this rental and back to the NW I'll have a few Leopard Curs.

Machias · « **Reply #15 on:** April 22, 2015, 05:22:12 AM »

Ok, the frustration level hit a new high last night. I got into my stand at 7pm. At 11pm had a whole bunch of hogs come past the bait at about 15 to 20 yards. I just knew I was about to get a shot with my bow. They were so close I could clearly hear one shake his head and his ears flop back and forth and one scratched his side on a tree for about a minute. But none walked into the bait. The night before I have them on camera being at the bait site for over an hour, about 25 of them. I did have 2 deer and a coon come in and feed while I was there. Severly underdressed last night and shivered bad for about 3 hours. I could see my breath on the walk back to the truck at 2am. Got home at 3 and up for work at 6. I'm getting too old for this.

flcracker · « **Reply #16 on:** April 22, 2015, 07:57:45 AM »

I don't know if you could do this where you're hunting but I used to shoot them all the time in Florida by just sneaking around in the woods and listening for them. They make a ton of racket and you can often here them fighting. They can be pretty easy to sneak up close too as long as you watch the wind (not very good eyesight and they don't really care about a little noise). Hope you get one to put one the smoker.

Machias · « **Reply #17 on:** April 22, 2015, 08:18:03 AM »

The cover is not conducive to stalking, so thick I can't see more than 20 yards in most places, actually less in a lot of areas. Plus these pigs never move during the day...ever.

Machias · « **Reply #18 on:** April 22, 2015, 03:21:20 PM »

Couple of photos from 2 nights ago, check out how close to having a litter this sow is and check out the hair on this one dude!!

Yelper Guy · « **Reply #19 on:** April 22, 2015, 03:30:10 PM »

That Bad boy is one cool looking Razorback!
Keep at it Machias, your time will come.

carpsniperg2 · « **Reply #20 on:** April 22, 2015, 03:40:06 PM »

Hope you get into them! I love shooting some pigs

Machias · « **Reply #21 on:** April 25, 2015, 07:35:25 PM »

Ok, these guys are really ticking me off!

I sat on the stand last night from 1930 until 0400. At 2220 I had a large group come past the bait. Several were within 20 yards. None came into the bait. They all came back at 0210 and I literally had hogs all around me until 0245, but again none came into the bait. Grrrrr suckers are messing with me.

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Author Topic: The hog quest (Read 10155 times)

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