Buck Snort
Member
You took his post WAY too seriously. He was just pull'n yer layg.
Not again.......! Feral Hog Control in East Texas
- Thread starter Flintknapper
- Start date
sargas23
Member
Buck,
Maybe so, but I still think that person is a troll.
Maybe so, but I still think that person is a troll.
I hope you don't hold this against all of us, I was born in California but I am trying to get out. I have enjoyed reading this thread and it pisses me off how california dreaming adds to the california steriotype. Good luck and I hope your hog problem doesn't get too too out of hand.
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Flintknapper
Member
Welcome to the forum acoop.
No....I would never let the rants of one person...color my opinion of other people (let alone an entire State).
There are many fine people in California (and elsewhere).
Flint.
No....I would never let the rants of one person...color my opinion of other people (let alone an entire State).
There are many fine people in California (and elsewhere).
Flint.
Buck Snort
Member
That's me!!
harryheadshot
Member
Flint, You are one bad mutha, this entire thread was better than most hunting shows on the boob tube, thanx for the effort and the pics man.
harryheadshot
Member
I agree Flint, yhis entire thread was better than most of the hunting shows on these days, maybe someone should just pay you GOOD and film your day to day indeavers. Keep 'em comin brother.
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Flintknapper
Member
harryheadshot
Welcome to the forum HHS and Thank You for your kind words.
Once Deer Season is over here...I will be back to slaying pigs (as they appear).
It is not anything I relish, just something done out of necessity.
But, if sharing my experiences will in any way help someone else, then I am glad to do it.
Flint.
Welcome to the forum HHS and Thank You for your kind words.
Once Deer Season is over here...I will be back to slaying pigs (as they appear).
It is not anything I relish, just something done out of necessity.
But, if sharing my experiences will in any way help someone else, then I am glad to do it.
Flint.
Erik M
Member
I don't know how I have been on THR for so long and missed out on this incredible thread. Flint, I admire both your commitment and penmanship, your thread is much appreciated. Now you've got me looking up the regulations on hunting wild boar in Kentucky, which I have found to be year round.
45-70 Ranger
Member
- Joined
- Dec 16, 2010
- Messages
- 337
Flintknapper,
Love the work you're doing. Both the primitive archery (a passion of mine as well) and the whackin' of hogs. After I retired from the P.D., like most of my peers, I moved away from the city I worked in and went to quieter locations.
Ended up in East Texas and found a job supervising a small security unit at a semi-inactive power station out in the woods. There are several sq. miles of woods and pasture infested with hogs! The mgr. of the site has a guy that sets traps all over the place and they do haul out several hogs a week. But, they're still destroying stuff right and left......
So the mgr., knowing I'm a hunter, requested me to go out and kill as many of these beasties as possible. So not being one to sit on my backside, I ventured out with my trusty .45-70 (Marlin Guide Gun) loaded up with 340 gr. LRNFP's at a modest 1350 FPS, and started blastin' piggies. Even smacked 3 with a Remington .44 C&B revolver. It is a blast.
This started in June. To date, going out only on Fri. of each week, I was able to do in two dozen hogs up to late Oct. then the hogs were not moving as much in the day. Most were out beyond my range and not easy to reach. But as winter is approaching, these large rodents have taken to the woods and are nowhere to be seen. See, only on Fri. there is no others on the site and that is the only day I have to go out, but still work the site as well. I'm limited to driving on the dirt roads that go through the area and then stop and get out to pop 'em. No night hunts as my midnight officer is a little "squirrely" and likely to do something stupid and get us both hurt.
But back to you and your continuing saga, it is something else. You sure have your hands full and at the same time are having a time of it whackin those little fur covered tanks. Have they receeded back into the deep woods on you as well?
Your flint work is great. My stuff is actually I guess "Iron Age" as I dowel out my own shafts and forage my broadheads from iron and such. Longbows and recurves are the only thing in my area all with Flemish strings. My son is allowed to shoot his....ah...compound,( Yetch, I said the "C" word!)...sometimes....if he is a good lad when he and the grandkids come to visit and shoot. But, yes, you have a real talent for the rocks! Salute!!
Well, I'd better get back to work...might just have a visitor today. Maybe not, but I'll go anyway. Have fun with those pesky piggies!
Wade
Love the work you're doing. Both the primitive archery (a passion of mine as well) and the whackin' of hogs. After I retired from the P.D., like most of my peers, I moved away from the city I worked in and went to quieter locations.
Ended up in East Texas and found a job supervising a small security unit at a semi-inactive power station out in the woods. There are several sq. miles of woods and pasture infested with hogs! The mgr. of the site has a guy that sets traps all over the place and they do haul out several hogs a week. But, they're still destroying stuff right and left......
So the mgr., knowing I'm a hunter, requested me to go out and kill as many of these beasties as possible. So not being one to sit on my backside, I ventured out with my trusty .45-70 (Marlin Guide Gun) loaded up with 340 gr. LRNFP's at a modest 1350 FPS, and started blastin' piggies. Even smacked 3 with a Remington .44 C&B revolver. It is a blast.
This started in June. To date, going out only on Fri. of each week, I was able to do in two dozen hogs up to late Oct. then the hogs were not moving as much in the day. Most were out beyond my range and not easy to reach. But as winter is approaching, these large rodents have taken to the woods and are nowhere to be seen. See, only on Fri. there is no others on the site and that is the only day I have to go out, but still work the site as well. I'm limited to driving on the dirt roads that go through the area and then stop and get out to pop 'em. No night hunts as my midnight officer is a little "squirrely" and likely to do something stupid and get us both hurt.
But back to you and your continuing saga, it is something else. You sure have your hands full and at the same time are having a time of it whackin those little fur covered tanks. Have they receeded back into the deep woods on you as well?
Your flint work is great. My stuff is actually I guess "Iron Age" as I dowel out my own shafts and forage my broadheads from iron and such. Longbows and recurves are the only thing in my area all with Flemish strings. My son is allowed to shoot his....ah...compound,( Yetch, I said the "C" word!)...sometimes....if he is a good lad when he and the grandkids come to visit and shoot. But, yes, you have a real talent for the rocks! Salute!!
Well, I'd better get back to work...might just have a visitor today. Maybe not, but I'll go anyway. Have fun with those pesky piggies!
Wade
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Flintknapper
Member
45-70 Ranger wrote:
Yes, sounds like typical hogs. They are capable of doing a lot of damage in a short period of time. I am all too familiar with that.
Good luck with your pigs Sir!
Flint.
Hello Wade, welcome to the THR forum.
Yes, sounds like typical hogs. They are capable of doing a lot of damage in a short period of time. I am all too familiar with that.
Smart manager...and I like your choice of cartridge (.45-70). If you reload... there is a plethora of bullets to choose from these days. My dedicated hog gun is a .458 SOCOM built on an AR platform. So we use the same diameter/type bullets.
Well....I'd say you are doing pretty good...considering the circumstances. Your hog control is confined to targets of opportunity only.
Presently yes. It is still Deer Season here and hunting pressure affects how many hogs we see. Also, there is a lot activity going on...with a Natural Gas pipeline going in on the property and seismograph work being done. But they'll be back, they always come back.
Good luck with your pigs Sir!
Flint.
Harley Quinn
Member
Flint,
Great thread, have viewed its entirety this morn...Thanks for the education and all your effort...
I was wondering as I read this thread, how you came up with your handle, found out in the bow and arrows section about 20 pages in Old Bowman myself early 60's with Tom Jennings pre compound, nice group of bows/arrows/heads etc...
Sorry about the guy from CA coming in and mucking it up at the end of the read... Maybe someone ought to ask a mod to delete him
Thank you very much...
Hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, I am looking to read more, as time goes on...
Sure made my day
Regards
Great thread, have viewed its entirety this morn...Thanks for the education and all your effort...
I was wondering as I read this thread, how you came up with your handle, found out in the bow and arrows section about 20 pages in
Old Bowman myself early 60's with Tom Jennings pre compound, nice group of bows/arrows/heads etc...Sorry about the guy from CA coming in and mucking it up at the end of the read...
Maybe someone ought to ask a mod to delete himThank you very much...
Hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, I am looking to read more, as time goes on...
Sure made my day
Regards
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Flintknapper
Member
Let's talk hog sign.......
A question I often get:
How do I know if I have hogs?
For the benefit of those just getting started, some examples of common Hog Sign.
First, it is important to recognize that “hog sign” can appear differently in different parts of the country. The photos I have posted represent what you might expect to see in Deep East Texas (Mesic Upland).
I have tried to provide examples of “sign” that would be readily apparent to the casual observer. Hogs do leave other sign…less obvious and more difficult to discern, but we’ll leave that for another time.
We can begin with tracks. Hog tracks are generally fairly small (2” to 3-1/2”) since their hooves tend to be small in relation to body size.
But, can be larger… as in this pic.
In soft soil or mud…the print of the “dew claw” often appears as in the pic above. Hog tracks differ from deer tracks significantly…in that they exhibit a more rounded “toe” (tip of hoof) and the overall geometry is roughly 2/3rds width per length. Once you’ve seen a few…they are easy to recognize.
Another common “sign” left by hogs are “rootings”. These will vary greatly in size and depth depending upon terrain and the food source sought out. Hog rootings range from the nearly unnoticeable (leaves and debris gently pushed up), to an entire field being damaged with pot holes as deep as 18”.
These small rootings are about average for this part of the country:
If the property you hunt is fenced (barbed wire), search the bottom strands for evidence of hog hair that is sometimes caught in the fence where they go under:
Hogs tend to be creatures of habit and will use the same trail repeatedly. Trails that lead to and from water/food sources or bedding areas… are often well worn and easily noticed:
Look for hog tracks in these trails to confirm the presence of pigs…(Remember, other animals make trails too).
One of the more noticeable and reliable indicators of hog presence are “rubs”. Rubs are objects that hogs “rub” against after “wallowing” in mud in order to remove parasites.
Most often this will be a tree, but hogs also LOVE fence posts and telephone poles that are treated with creosote. In any case, you will notice the mud left behind… and can tell the frequency in which they use the area by how “worn” the tree/post/object is. Examples:
Continued Below:
A question I often get:
How do I know if I have hogs?
For the benefit of those just getting started, some examples of common Hog Sign.
First, it is important to recognize that “hog sign” can appear differently in different parts of the country. The photos I have posted represent what you might expect to see in Deep East Texas (Mesic Upland).
I have tried to provide examples of “sign” that would be readily apparent to the casual observer. Hogs do leave other sign…less obvious and more difficult to discern, but we’ll leave that for another time.
We can begin with tracks. Hog tracks are generally fairly small (2” to 3-1/2”) since their hooves tend to be small in relation to body size.
But, can be larger… as in this pic.
In soft soil or mud…the print of the “dew claw” often appears as in the pic above. Hog tracks differ from deer tracks significantly…in that they exhibit a more rounded “toe” (tip of hoof) and the overall geometry is roughly 2/3rds width per length. Once you’ve seen a few…they are easy to recognize.
Another common “sign” left by hogs are “rootings”. These will vary greatly in size and depth depending upon terrain and the food source sought out. Hog rootings range from the nearly unnoticeable (leaves and debris gently pushed up), to an entire field being damaged with pot holes as deep as 18”.
These small rootings are about average for this part of the country:
If the property you hunt is fenced (barbed wire), search the bottom strands for evidence of hog hair that is sometimes caught in the fence where they go under:
Hogs tend to be creatures of habit and will use the same trail repeatedly. Trails that lead to and from water/food sources or bedding areas… are often well worn and easily noticed:
Look for hog tracks in these trails to confirm the presence of pigs…(Remember, other animals make trails too).
One of the more noticeable and reliable indicators of hog presence are “rubs”. Rubs are objects that hogs “rub” against after “wallowing” in mud in order to remove parasites.
Most often this will be a tree, but hogs also LOVE fence posts and telephone poles that are treated with creosote. In any case, you will notice the mud left behind… and can tell the frequency in which they use the area by how “worn” the tree/post/object is. Examples:
Continued Below:
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Flintknapper
Member
“Wallows” can take many forms. Basically, any place that provides a wet muddy environment can be used…but hogs do have preferred areas.
This pond has low banks (easily accessed), is fairly open (allows hog to see what is coming) and is in close proximity to cover…so they use it most often:
But, they will use something as small as a depression in a pasture…in order to soothe themselves:
You can also “listen” for hogs. A group of hogs (a sounder)…can be quite vocal if not alarmed and going about their normal routine. Grunting and squealing is commonly heard, but they do make other sounds depending upon circumstance.
Juvenile boars in a group are fond of sparring and competing for food. They are responsible for much of the “squealing” you will hear as they engage one another:
Continued Below:
This pond has low banks (easily accessed), is fairly open (allows hog to see what is coming) and is in close proximity to cover…so they use it most often:
But, they will use something as small as a depression in a pasture…in order to soothe themselves:
You can also “listen” for hogs. A group of hogs (a sounder)…can be quite vocal if not alarmed and going about their normal routine. Grunting and squealing is commonly heard, but they do make other sounds depending upon circumstance.
Juvenile boars in a group are fond of sparring and competing for food. They are responsible for much of the “squealing” you will hear as they engage one another:
Continued Below:
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Flintknapper
Member
A couple of things to look for when pursuing “mature boars” are beds and “boar cuts”.
Mature boars are solitary animals and do NOT travel with the group (sounder) unless estrous sows are present. They will then briefly join the group…or hang around the periphery…until the sows have been covered.
Often times… a boar will bed down near (but not with) the group. This “bed” is usually nothing more than a cleared off spot (unless grassy) next to some type of structure/cover. Example:
Mature boars are very territorial…and will “mark” their territory with urine (not unlike male dogs and cats) but they also make “visual” markings that other boars can see and smell.
“Boar Cuts” are made when a boar uses his tusks to “rake/cut” a tree. Often… the tree selected will be one that oozes a resin (pine and cedar around here).
The resulting wound is easily seen and smelled by other boars in the area.
Clearly, not all areas of the country have trees that can be assaulted, but for those that do, watch for them.
Closer look:
Of course the most telling of sign is: “Tracks with the hogs still in them”
Flint.
Mature boars are solitary animals and do NOT travel with the group (sounder) unless estrous sows are present. They will then briefly join the group…or hang around the periphery…until the sows have been covered.
Often times… a boar will bed down near (but not with) the group. This “bed” is usually nothing more than a cleared off spot (unless grassy) next to some type of structure/cover. Example:
Mature boars are very territorial…and will “mark” their territory with urine (not unlike male dogs and cats) but they also make “visual” markings that other boars can see and smell.
“Boar Cuts” are made when a boar uses his tusks to “rake/cut” a tree. Often… the tree selected will be one that oozes a resin (pine and cedar around here).
The resulting wound is easily seen and smelled by other boars in the area.
Clearly, not all areas of the country have trees that can be assaulted, but for those that do, watch for them.
Closer look:
Of course the most telling of sign is: “Tracks with the hogs still in them”
Flint.
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BigRobT
Member
I moved back to North Central Texas a couple of years ago. I can't seem to find any place that will let me come hunt these little beasties without having to pay far more than they're worth. Have gun, will hunt....
Flintknapper,
I've live in various areas of East Texas from Lake Fork down to Huntsville over the last 15 years. All rural areas have a feral hog problems. Where were those pics taken, if you don't mind? The problem is bad even in Cental Texas. Had friends up in NE Tx.(Atlanta, Tx. area) that would let trappers come in and set their traps to remove feral hogs from their land. Don't know if they charged them or not. If you get pics of Hogzilla, post them.
I had to go back and start reading through the posts. What great pics and information, I'm not much of a hunter but I know of the problems in East Texas. Lived a year East of Austin and they have the same problems with feral hogs. Seen a special on the feral hog problems all the way to Georgia in the U.S. and the study they were doing comparing this species to the wild hogs of Europe.
JT
I've live in various areas of East Texas from Lake Fork down to Huntsville over the last 15 years. All rural areas have a feral hog problems. Where were those pics taken, if you don't mind? The problem is bad even in Cental Texas. Had friends up in NE Tx.(Atlanta, Tx. area) that would let trappers come in and set their traps to remove feral hogs from their land. Don't know if they charged them or not. If you get pics of Hogzilla, post them.
I had to go back and start reading through the posts. What great pics and information, I'm not much of a hunter but I know of the problems in East Texas. Lived a year East of Austin and they have the same problems with feral hogs. Seen a special on the feral hog problems all the way to Georgia in the U.S. and the study they were doing comparing this species to the wild hogs of Europe.
JT
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thexrayboy
Member
This thread was linked over at another forum, I just finished reading the entire
thing and found it very informative and entertaining. It's probably been two years
since I last posted here at THR but this thread is a definite gem.
Makes me glad we don't have hogs here in the Great Basin desert....at least not yet.
I have had the occasional run in with black bears here and while they are probably
as smart as hogs and can with adequate incentive be amazingly destructive they
just don't seem to pose the problems that hogs do. Probably because they are fewer
in numbers and simply cannot breed as fast as hogs. Guess I'll just have to content
myself with thinning the coyote population from time to time.
thing and found it very informative and entertaining. It's probably been two years
since I last posted here at THR but this thread is a definite gem.
Makes me glad we don't have hogs here in the Great Basin desert....at least not yet.
I have had the occasional run in with black bears here and while they are probably
as smart as hogs and can with adequate incentive be amazingly destructive they
just don't seem to pose the problems that hogs do. Probably because they are fewer
in numbers and simply cannot breed as fast as hogs. Guess I'll just have to content
myself with thinning the coyote population from time to time.
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Flintknapper
Member
Just "move along" hog..........!
Noticed about 30 "Pot-Holes" in one of the pastures yesterday.
Got a pic this morning of a medium sized Boar in the same area (probably the culprit).
I'm hoping he'll just move on....but if he wants to stick around and "play", I just finished loading a bunch of bullets for my SOCOM. His choice......
Flint.
Noticed about 30 "Pot-Holes" in one of the pastures yesterday.
Got a pic this morning of a medium sized Boar in the same area (probably the culprit).
I'm hoping he'll just move on....but if he wants to stick around and "play", I just finished loading a bunch of bullets for my SOCOM. His choice......
Flint.
RudeMood
Member
The "hog sign" posts were very informative Flint. Being Texas born and grown I knew what a Hog Footprint looked like, but not the other signs that make perfect sense in your pictures. I appreciate you helping me track these buggers, as I have made it my own personal crusade to clear as many out as I can when I visit the lease in South Texas.
Cheers sir, good luck, and good work.
Cheers sir, good luck, and good work.
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Flintknapper
Member
Looks relaxing Swede……….. but, this is how we do it TEXAS STYLE:
