Hog Hunting Strategies
- Building a hog trap isn't too difficult for beginners. Two main styles of hog traps are used. The first type is a "swing door trap," where a spring is used. A beneficial feature of this trap is that once a hog has entered, the door to the trap does not close right away, allowing for the possibility of one or two more to enter.
- The second type of trap is a "permanent trap," in which a large fenced pen is set up. A permanent trap should be set up where there is a large area of space and a clear entrance way to the front gate. The key is the get the attention of the hog long before he enters the trap. Get them focused on bait and lure them into the pen. Two common methods when using a permanent trap is to let the hog(s) travel in and out then set the trap or to catch hogs one by one and trap them immediately once they enter the pen. The style you use fully depends on your experience and the abundance of hogs at the time.
- Feeder lights are a great strategy to use when hunting during the evening or night. It has the potential to be very productive, since hogs are a nocturnal species. The two main types of feeder lights are red and white lights. Red lights are the best for night hunting because the hogs have a tougher time seeing this type of light and it will not scare them away. White lights are primarily used for campsites or different setups such as monitoring feeders with cameras to track activity. However, it may take additional time for hogs to get used to the idea of a brighter light being present in the area.
- Ground blind hunting, also known as stand hunting, is a more natural way to hunt for hogs. If you choose to use this strategy, it is best to set up your stand near trail intersections that are close by feeding areas. If the area has a good amount of rooting, this can be very beneficial as well. It is also a common practice to set up your stand directly over bait for a clear shot.
- The spot-and-stalk strategy for hunting hogs is most beneficial where there are high points in a large plane to aid in locating hogs in the open. The key is to locate the primary food source as a basis as to where to stalk for any possible game. On the hotter summer days, hogs tend to be much less active than on the cooler winter days, so it is important to keep the weather conditions on your mind.