My first hog hunt

C

cnelk

New member
Mar 23, 2017
5,542
Headed to Texas this week for my first hog hunt.
Over 3000 acre free roaming ranch.

Taking my Marlin 44mag lever action with 225gr Hornady FTX handloads topped with a 1.6x6 Nikon

Also taking my Winchester 270 model 70 with 130gr Hornady Interrlocks handloads, topped with a Burris 3x9

Atvs are loaded and gear is packed.

Anyone have any hog hunting info/stories to share?
 
Sounds like an awesome time Brad. I've never had the opportunity to go, but it's definitely a bucket lister for me. My tip: bring a lot of coolers! I've heard they are very good eating. When I finally do it I want to bring one back whole and do a big pig roast at my place.
 
Dang! And you didn't invite me? I've been hanker'n for a piggy poke for a long time. Oh well, have fun and watch out for the buzz worms.
 
Brad, if making a heart shot, it's super low on a hog.  If hunting at night, do you have a spotlight?  I bought a Cyclops that clips on my scope and it's great in the dark!  You can use a handheld spotlight too - best to have a red filter lens or they'll spook with white light.


If taking running shot on a hog, I'd track with cross hairs on end of snout when firing and should end up behind ear....all depends on the gun and shooter obviously.


Field dress, skin, quarter all like a deer or elk.  Hide is super tough so bring sharpener for knives.


Hog hunting stories?  You bet!  I would have to get permission to share though!


Unless far South TX, I think the rattlers shouldn't be out yet but always good to be cautious.




 
Son is headed down there in a couple weeks. Pay for the first, the rest are free. He wanted me to go, but that dang 4 letter word got in the way. WORK.
Have a ball Brad and be careful, they can have an attitude.
 
Brad and jstephens61, if on a paid hunt, please share a review of the outfitter/place once the hunt is over because I think there are others who'd be interested in doing something similar.  I've got places to hunt that hold hogs but never predictable and in OK it has to be during a current season and no night hunting without a special permit.


Anyhow, you'll have a blast and end up with some great table fare!
 
Ill have to see if this place is available for advertising to others.
I got invited with a group, so I know nothing about it - other than I get to go hunt hogs :)


It was cheap enough - $525 for 5 days/ incl lodging + license
 
Brad, you are in for a great time! I have been on several hog hunts, but only one of which was successful. I was hunting a free range ranch as well, so it definitely makes for a way better experience than shooting a pig under a feeder.

This particular hunt was my favorite as we were fighting a crazy hail storm in May! That's western Texas for you. As the sun was dropping, we spotted a group of about 10 at roughly 1200 yards and the stock began! We were fortunate enough to have a two-track next to us so we could quickly drive up 500 yards to get in better range. Only problem was as soon as we got to where we were going to park, the rancher was there standing outside of his truck and said (loud as can be) 'YALL SEEM DEM PIGS?" Well, not anymore because they are running back into the salt cedars. I can't be upset, this land is a friend of a friends so we could go whenever we wanted and it was free.

We decided that we would go check the outcrop of a wheat field and see if anything was going to push it's way up the canyon in the evening. As we pull into where the combines are parked, you could see them out in the field. Got a quick range and opened the door to the pickup... The didn't like that. They took off back to the canyon. All but one made it... 1 shot=1pig. Running head shot at 120 yards with a 6.5CM 143gr ELDX. My intention was not to shoot it in the head, but I got on the board!


Free range pig hunting really is one of the better hunts in my opinion. These things are FAST, low to the ground and although they are basically blind, their noses are very tough to beat.

Good luck and have fun! Can't wait for the stories!

 
cnelk said:
It was cheap enough - $525 for 5 days/ incl lodging + license
Click to expand...
That's not bad at all! You would expect to spend that much just for a hotel room in most places.
 
Wear old hunt'n clothes that you don't care much about. Everything in Texas has stickers on it. And you'll probably just want to throw them away after the hunt rather than pick stickers out . 5 days of spot and stalk hog hunting and you'll feel like a whipped pup! :ill:
 
I?m pretty stoked.
I am also bringing my ecaller as it has a baby pig distress call.

Anyone ever try this? I see on YouTube people have success doing it
 
On way home today. No cell service where we went so trying to catch up.

It was a real hunt. Success was had too.

I?ll tell the story this week after I get home
 
Thanks for the patience. :)
Had to catch up from being gone for a week...


We had a good time, shot some hogs. I learned that they are very, very tough


The ranch was basically some fields and some brush. The hogs would come out to the fields in the evenings like WT deer.


I wanted to do some still hunting thru brush and have upclose encounters - using my 44 mag lever gun



 
I slip thru the brush with the wind in my face. The hogs would be bedded in the thick stuff near small openings.

 
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