Not again.......! Feral Hog Control in East Texas

[Flintknapper]

Those traps cost a lot more than you making me a key to or place!

Yes, and no doubt you would be the answer to all my Feral Hog troubles. Probably a hog eradicating machine?

It might worth the price of admission just to learn from you all the things that have escaped me these past 30 yrs. I've been hunting them.

**** Sarcasm off ****

Seriously, I have no idea your level of experience or your abilities. But I'm just going to handle them myself.

And on the chance your post was 'tongue in cheek', please excuse my sarcasm. The offers to help (or more often "rid me of my hogs") grows wearisome at times.

Take care,

Flint.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Dang, he even wants you to pay for his key to access your property. Maybe you could pay for his ammo and transportation as well?

 

[skeeterfogger]

Anybody that pays to kill a feral nongame hog is a fool. Let them chew up their place. Bad enough TPW made it where you have to have hunting license to kill the vermin. Odds are sime land owners turn them loose for the sucker money.

 

[bldsmith]

From TPW website.

• A resident or non-resident hunting license is not required to hunt depredating feral hogs or coyotes on private property with landowner authorization.

Yea I hear a lot about, the landowner should thank hunters for ridding their property of hogs. In fact they should pay hunters for doing them the favor. Unfortunately many hunters are not very reliable. They leave trash, fail to close gates, shoot things that are not meant to be shot including livestock, damage pasture/crop land. Then in the end they don't do a very good job of eradicating the hog. They shoot one or 2 and call it a day.
There are some who take the job seriously. Those who spend many hours scouting, invest in high quality expensive gear and actually respect the land owners property. How do you weed these people out. If they are willing to pay a small fee to access the property is a start. It may turn into a come on down and have fun relationship. But that takes time. If I am a fool for paying to access private property then so be it. But I will surely take the time and effort to make sure my small investment is not in vain.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Anybody that pays to kill a feral nongame hog is a fool. Let them chew up their place. Bad enough TPW made it where you have to have hunting license to kill the vermin. Odds are sime land owners turn them loose for the sucker money.

You keep posting this. It just sounds like you got sour grapes because somebody didn't let you hunt for free and you think they should be made to do so. Calling people fools because they pay to do something they would not otherwise have an opportunity or pleasure to do is just plain mean-spirited.

From TPW website.

• A resident or non-resident hunting license is not required to hunt depredating feral hogs or coyotes on private property with landowner authorization.

Technically, you could be put in a position to prove they are depredating hogs, though I never heard of that happening. Texas passed a law recently that takes the "depredating" part out of that. This law won't take effect until next month (Sept 1, 2019). However, I don't know anybody that doesn't need a hunting license as nobody I know only shoots hogs. They kill coyotes and other vermin as well, that do require the same license, or they are deer hunters. No longer need a license for hogs on private property is great, but I don't think it will have the desired impact.
https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/86R/billtext/html/SB00317I.htm

 

[bldsmith]

I always pay for the lisence. Just a small price to pay to avoid possible hassle.

Btw, coyotes are also listed for depredation.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

I always pay for the lisence. Just a small price to pay to avoid possible hassle.

Btw, coyotes are also listed for depredation.

Yes, but they have to be doing something wrong (depredating, such as going after your calves or chickens). Going after deer, wild rabbits, etc. does not count. Simply being alive does not count.

 

[skeeterfogger]

Feral hogs are not indigenous game and considered a nuisance. Paying and having to have a hunting license is ludicrous. I raised hog some years back and yes some wanted all my piglets and admitted turning them loose to get suckers to pay to hunt them. Paying to shoot non indigenous nuisance pigs is a suckers sport.

You keep posting this. It just sounds like you got sour grapes because somebody didn't let you hunt for free and you think they should be made to do so. Calling people fools because they pay to do something they would not otherwise have an opportunity or pleasure to do is just plain mean-spirited.



Technically, you could be put in a position to prove they are depredating hogs, though I never heard of that happening. Texas passed a law recently that takes the "depredating" part out of that. This law won't take effect until next month (Sept 1, 2019). However, I don't know anybody that doesn't need a hunting license as nobody I know only shoots hogs. They kill coyotes and other vermin as well, that do require the same license, or they are deer hunters. No longer need a license for hogs on private property is great, but I don't think it will have the desired impact.
https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/86R/billtext/html/SB00317I.htm

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Feral hogs are not indigenous game and considered a nuisance. Paying and having to have a hunting license is ludicrous. I raised hog some years back and yes some wanted all my piglets and admitted turning them loose to get suckers to pay to hunt them. Paying to shoot non indigenous nuisance pigs is a suckers sport.

Whether they are indigenous doesn't matter in terms of whether or not people enjoy hunting them. Whether they are considered a nuisance does not matter to those who enjoy hunting them. Whether or not you raised them years ago does not matter. People enjoy hunting hogs and hogs can be hunted all year here in Texas and many other states. Not everyone has land to hunt them. Not everybody has time to waste going door to door asking permission. Calling your fellow forum hunters fools and suckers is mean spirited. This has been a nice thread without your vitriol.

 

[BigBore44]

Pay if you want. Hunt public land if you want. A lot of it depends on where you live. My house is literally a 2 minute walk to public hunting land that doesn’t get touched after turkey season until deer season. And it’s full of hogs. But NE Oklahoma has so much public land that doesn’t get touched most of the year. And there’s hogs on all of it. But if I lived in Tulsa it would be a different story.

 

[Flintknapper]

I would have kept the dog and call authorities. It may have had a chip then you would find the owner. Or tell him to come out, if not shoot the dog. They have to pay some penalty poaching/trespassing. Then they would get the message that it will not be tolerated.

Having discrete cameras scattered around with signs at entrance saying video surveillance in use for prosecution.

No....I will NEVER 'shoot the dog'. The dog is the innocent party in all of this. Only doing what its instincts and training tell it. Not to mention...unless the animal were chasing/harassing/attacking livestock, or presenting a threat to a human is it Illegal to kill it.

There are situations where a dog (or dogs) simply run beyond the area the owner's had intended to hunt. This happens...and while I don't like it, I do understand it. Those are not the persons or dogs I have problem with. It's the WANTON and brazen trespassing in order to run their dogs that galls me. Hog Doggers that 'start' their dogs at your feeders or traps, knowing it gives them an advantage.

They know the lay of the land and where the main roads are....to get out. I have tons of video of the dogs, just not the hunters. I have some of Hog-Doggers walking through my property the next day looking for their dogs and when they stroll past the camera... just walk close by it or stick their hand out to block the lens.

Eventually, one of their dogs are going to be caught in the snares that I sometimes put out (usually at a fence crossing). I take measures to discourage other animals from crossing at that site, but a dog following a hog trail would probably push right through and into the snare.

I use Cam Locks on my snares (non-releasing) so if the dog were to pull the cable up tight....it could easily suffocate. It would be most unfortunate.

 

[Isaacson372]

Hi Flint,
I know you have mentioned your cam set up on your snares. I think I read it a few years ago on the thread. (I’ve been following for a long time, you and the other members have told stories and shared experiences in a way that makes this the only thread that I get notifications on. Thank you!...) Now back to the snares, can you describe the cam mechanism and how you set those up?
Thank you,
T

 

[Packrattusnongratus]

Thought I said this recently. Thanks Flint. I have read all the way through and followed for several years. I come back periodically to see new developments. Troll. Be Well. Packy.

 

[Packrattusnongratus]

Skeetfrog is the first to be on ignore in years. A first on this venue. Be Well. Packy

 

[Flintknapper]

This little piggy did NOT go home (wee-wee-wee) or otherwise. Waiting for my Wife to get finished with her shower this morning...so I could get into the Master Bath, brush my teeth and get dressed for the day. I was walking from the kitchen to our bedroom to lay out some clothes. Happened to look out the living room window into the pasture behind the house.

Low and behold.....a group of hogs about 200 yds. out, but most of them already rooting their way toward the woods. A single pretty good Boar with the group, the rest....75lbs to 150lbs. I keep one rifle pretty much at the 'ready'....BUT I keep it (7mm-08) in the closet in the Master Bathroom. I go to retrieve the rifle, knocked on the door to announce myself (shouldn't have to after 35 yrs. marriage, but you know women). No answer. Knock again a bit louder, still no answer.

Finally, just go on in. Wife has her head bent over the vanity blow drying the back of her hair and brushing it. Flips it up just as I am headed for the closet and lets out a banshee like scream. "YOU SCARED ME..............!" I told her I knocked twice, that there were hogs out in the pasture and I needed the rifle. She just rolled her eyes and went back to drying her hair.

No time now to get dressed. Barefooted and still in my skivvies....I headed for the back porch. No good....too many of them behind the burn pile of wood and limbs I have out in the pasture. Going to have to walk out to the fence line to get a different angle. When I get there the Boar has already made it the woods and the others are not far behind, so my only opportunity is going to be one of the stragglers.

At the shot the Sow went straight down (high shoulder shot), the others except for one, all disappeared in an instant. The last one for some reason took a completely different path and was running down the pasture straight away from me. I had already chambered another round and picked it up in the scope but it was about 250 yds away now and kind of zig-zagging.

Just not a high percentage shot. It was still drizzling rain here as all this happened, I didn't have a very good rest (wooden fence post) and I'm not exactly clothed...so I let it go... instead of taking an 'iffy' shot. I've shot running hogs before and shot them at that distance...but this just didn't feel right.

So one small hogs guys. But one less. I will get some corn out in that area this afternoon and see if I can get them to come back. Maybe get that Boar out of the population. I have a hog stand in that area...but its SO hot here right now and the mosquitoes are terrible...I'd rather just snipe them from the house. Call me lazy...but so much better to step out of the A/C, take a shot and go right back in.

 

[Flintknapper]

Hi Flint,
I know you have mentioned your cam set up on your snares. I think I read it a few years ago on the thread. (I’ve been following for a long time, you and the other members have told stories and shared experiences in a way that makes this the only thread that I get notifications on. Thank you!...) Now back to the snares, can you describe the cam mechanism and how you set those up?
Thank you,
T

Sure, there are several types of mechanisms (locks, washers) on the terminal end of a snare. Some are designed to be 'releasing', meaning when the animal quits pulling against the snare the 'loop' is free to relax a certain amount. Others (especially Cam Locks) are dispatching type snares and the mechanism is designed NOT to release. So....IF the animal pulls hard to enough 'choke' itself....the snare loop will not release the tension and the animal is dispatched that way.

Of course, this assumes it was caught around the neck...which doesn't always happen. Depending on the size of the hog/animal...it is possible for them to get one foot through the loop...along with their head. When that happens (usually at a fence crossing set) the loop can end up around their neck and one shoulder. So...your hog is VERY much alive and unhappy when you find it.

Another thing that can happen (see pics attached) is the hog will come through at an angle and rather than get its entire head through the loop, ends up with the loop just pulling tight upon its snout. Or worse than that....sometimes they will go through a snare loop with their mouth open and be caught by just the jaw or upper mandible. Again....you have a live hog and this time...it will REALLY be upset.

So you have to be careful when checking/approaching your snare sets. I use swivels on my snares to prevent twisting, but they still manage to do it sometimes. You might have a snare with only a few strands of wire still holding the Hog. If they make a dedicated charge at you...and there is enough cable length for them to get a running start, they will pop the cable more often than not.

I also epoxy the 'stops' on the end of the loops...since that is the only thing holding it together. I don't trust only crimped on stops to hold up. Little hogs...yes, but big hogs 250lbs or more... will try your equipment. Any kink or twist in the cable severely weakens it.

The hog pictured below managed to get only his snout captured in the snare, but the 'Cam Lock' did it's job and cinched the loop up tight. He was very Angry when I found him. VERY angry....!

 

[Packrattusnongratus]

Do you occasionally take a backstrap these days Flint? Please excuse me if I don't look back at all the entries to answer this question. Be Well. Packy

 

[Flintknapper]

Do you occasionally take a backstrap these days Flint? Please excuse me if I don't look back at all the entries to answer this question. Be Well. Packy

My Wife and I have no interest in eating them, though I'm sure some are good table-fare. Occasionally someone I know will ask for a hog....so I will call them when I have one down (cooler months) or have some trapped. I prefer not to handle them any more than necessary.

Pretty much all of them are drug off to a site where the Coyotes and Buzzards make short work of them (recycled if you will).

My only interest in hunting hogs is to reduce their numbers and prevent them from destroying our pastures. They are not a food source for me...nor is it 'sport' in any way. By necessity....I am forced to do what I can to keep them beat back.

30 years ago (or more) we had only 'Piney Woods Rooters' here. You might see a Lone Boar once or twice a year. A Sow with piglets once in awhile. Generally, we let them go their way....as they stayed mostly back in the woods and were not predisposed to giving you the right of way....anyway. Best to just avoid them.

What we have these days....are a very different acting (and looking) Feral Hog that will run at the drop of a hat (survival instinct). They are literally everywhere in Deep East Texas (even in town...some places). They are much better at surviving and reproducing than the PWR's were.

 

[Packrattusnongratus]

A buddy of mine had a place for dead critters on the farm called buzzard gulch. They dragged all manner of the dead on the farm to that locations. Coyotes and buzzards had a regular dinner there. If you raise much livestock you have some losses. Be Well. Packy

 

[Flintknapper]

On our property...we have several dedicated 'hog stands' in areas that hogs either prefer or are forced to travel due to terrain features/cover.

One of these (the most convenient) is a mere 300 yards behind our home in a deeply wooded area that has a spring fed 'branch' running through it. The hogs like that area, especially in the hot summer months because of the cool water source and shaded surroundings. However, from about Mid April until Mid November the area is thick with mosquitoes.

Consequently...I have named that stand the 'Blood Donor'. You have to REALLY want to hunt, if you plan to sit on that one. It has always been a good producing stand for hogs, coyote and bobcat, but you'll pay a price for it in warmer months.

I need to build a box stand down there so we can successfully use a ThermaCell. At present there are only a couple of Two-Man ladder stands with canopies over them. So...once the mosquitoes find you...the misery begins.

Anyway, I was bush-hogging some pasture recently in that area and could see where hogs had been rooting around. So I started baiting out the Blood Donor and checking the game camera each day.

A group of about 15 hogs...mostly younger Sows and their offspring were all I was seeing the first few days. But soon a medium sized Black & White Boar joined the group. Not wanting to battle the heat and mosquitoes myself...I text'd some video of the group to my Brother's oldest boy.

He lives about 2.5 hrs away and was eager to come up and have a crack at the hogs. He is well aware of the mosquito problem down there, having hunted that stand before, but said he would 'take one for the team' . OH.....to be so young and bold again.

They got here about 6 p.m. and we quickly got Sean into the shower and dressed for warfare. I drove him down close to the stand leaving him only a short walk. I didn't expect the hogs to come in until after dark...but cautioned Sean to stay alert because they could show up at any hour.

As luck (his) would have it, he was barely on stand 15 minutes when back at the house we heard the roar of the SOCOM. I just shook my head. It NEVER works out the way for me...not on that stand. I always end up donating blood for a few hours first. So...soon we get a text message that he has killed the boar and is going to sit on the stand until an hour or so after dark. Personally...I'd have quit while I was ahead, but he wanted to hunt....so more power to him.

Almost exactly an hour after dark...I get a text message saying "OK...I can't take any more, please come pick me up". I just chuckled to myself, got Sean's Dad...jumped in the Land Cruiser and we headed down there. Dragged the hog out and got a few pics. Took the back-straps (Sean wanted) and then took the rest of the carcass off to the bone pile.

Surprisingly, he wanted to go back this morning and see if any other hogs might show up. He was up and out of the house at 5:00 a.m. so we will see.


,

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

The statement about being young and tough rings true here. I was outside while it was still cool this morning, I heard what sounded like shotguns and thought about dove season. When I was young I would have been out there, now I just read about the young guys and gals having all the fun. I can't stand the heat and humidity, (100° F here yesterday), or the blood suckers. I really enjoy this thread.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[Flintknapper]

The statement about being young and tough rings true here. I was outside while it was still cool this morning, I heard what sounded like shotguns and thought about dove season. When I was young I would have been out there, now I just read about the young guys and gals having all the fun. I can't stand the heat and humidity, (100° F here yesterday), or the blood suckers. I really enjoy this thread.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

I understand completely. I am 65 now and while I can still get about and do things...I DO have to limit my activities, especially with regards to the heat. Like you...I live in a very hot and humid area. June through mid October are brutal months, the rest of the year is pretty good though.

Take care my friend,

Flint.

 

[Tuskanraider]

Whew 97 pages of reading. Took two months off and on. Seems what is needed are a few miniguns and a truckload of ammo. I have no qualms about hunting anything, and after reading this thread, especially hogs.

I hope after my hip is fixed I will be able to hunt. I have not hunted for close to 30 years. I am forced to retire, so I might as well do some sort of good. I found this thread while researching the SOCOM. Plenty of valuable information here. Keep killing the vermin fellas.

 

[Jeb Stuart]

Fascinating tread. Have learned quite a bit, but plan to go back and do some more. You really have a lot of knowledge about these Pest. You probably should write a book. I wonder if game biologist have much knowledge as you have accumulated? Seems like you would be a great asset for them to learn.
Thanks for all your hard earned work.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

When I first signed up on THR I also read this entire thread, (it's required reading, by the way). It's probably the reason I hang around.

I am not a farmer or rancher, but I can relate to the problems of feral hogs tearing up fields, fences, etc. I also wonder where the folks that whine about not being turned loose on a plot of land to "take care of the hog problem" get their information. They leave trash, gates open, and do more damage than the vermin they propose to erase.
Rant over.

Welcome to the forum, there are lots of good folks that hang out here, and a few old guys like me.

Have a blessed day,

Leon