FLAvalanche wrote:
Or they're just getting used to your scent. I never mask my scent when I fill the feeder or check the camera. I drive right up to the feeder with my truck.
I never try to "mask" my scent when dealing with hogs....because I don't believe it is possible. They have the "best nose in the business" and can literally detect several parts per MILLION of scent.
I do wear rubber boots when broadcasting corn or checking the camera to
minimize the amount of scent left behind. 40 years of traditional bow-hunting has formed habits in me that I can not break. I simply believe "no scent is the best scent".
Depending upon where you live, the hog population, the structure of the herd, hunting pressure, etc.....I would not argue that you can get away with your method.
Here....it pays to be careful.
I pee right by the feeder and my dog seems to save it just to go up there with me and let loose. It doesn't seem to bother them.
I have no doubt. Hogs (at least where I live) are constantly running into human and canine scent in the woods, so they don't necessarily go running for the hills. What seems to matter is: How fresh/strong the scent is.
A strong scent tells a hog that possible danger is nearby (or has been recently).
Conversely, an old/weak scent is of no concern to them (the reason I am careful to minimize it)
What makes me really think that they're simply getting used to me is that the only time they'll come out when I'm hunting is if I'm hunting alone. If I take someone else, no matter how much scent masking they use, those hogs WILL NOT come in.
25 years of battling hogs has taught me that hogs are quick to key in on ANYTHING new in their environment. That doesn't mean they will have a bad reaction to it....but make no mistake, they WILL notice.
They'll eat all the corn the feeder throws during the day. Then after the pigs come in the raccoon come in and knock more corn out, then the pigs come back and eat what the coons left. Rinse and repeat all through the night until about 6 am.
Sounds typical. Hogs and coons (corn bandits) will often feed together, I have tons of pics. But when things get too busy around a bait site...the coons will move off aways and wait.
Something few people recognize....is that raccoons are often responsible for hogs finding a food source to begin with (especially corn).
In any area where coons live...they are always the first animal to find water and food.
Like hogs....they are creatures of habit and will use the same trails over and over. They leave a lot of scent on the trails they use and the hogs pick up on this (coon trails).
Mature Boars especially....will follow a coon trail.
Anyway, thats a little tip for beginning hog hunters (don't shoot ALL the coons out of the area you want to hunt).
Flint.