Early season rain and hogs . . . the secret to success?

[sfhoghunter]

Hi Folks!

Just joined the forum, in part because I have a burning question ever since last weekend's hog hunt. I hunt a mini-ranch (180 acres) NE of Paso Robles. Because it is so small, no hogs live permanently on the property, so it is a matter of being in the right place at the right time. My attempts to hunt hogs on the property have been a process of learning what makes for the right place and the right time.

This last weekend I saw more hogs on this property (and surrounding properties) than I ever had before. Unfortunately, we didn't get any, although I would have if I had not loaned my gun to my girlfriend's brother . . . but that is a different matter. I'm trying to figure out what brought them onto the property (which is mostly open and flat pasture) this last weekend when normally they are so scarce.

My theory is that the recent rain (they had a cloud-burst about 1 1/2 days before I got there) softened up the ground for rooting. I have never seen so much sign . . . hog tracks and rooting everywhere. It was really unbelievable.

Anyone else ever had the experience of an otherwise 'dry' property suddenly getting overrun with hogs after a rain? I've been there hunting during winter, when everywhere had been wet for a while, and didn't see any hogs at all. I think the key to the hogs this last weekend was a big rain after a long, dry year.

Any input and opinions/experience would be greatly appreciated . . . I need to figure out how to hunt this property!

Oh, and one last detail . . . the owner said that the rain never dropped much further South than his property . . . 2 miles to the South didn't get any rain at all.

 

[Speckmisser]

I think you're onto it. The rain brings up some green grass, and also starts some other stuff growing under the ground.. some kind of mushroom or tuber, I've never been able to get it straight...but it gets the hogs rooting and brings them out of cover.

There are a ton of acorns down there right now, so the pigs don't need to come out to find food, which (other than the acorns) is pretty scarce right now anyway.

If you get a good, long, drizzly day in the next week or so, I'd get out there the second half of that day or the following morning and be ready.

 

[SDHNTR]

Speck nailed it. Right now, the pigs are hitting the acorns hard as that is about all that is available. Hunting the water (if any) on the ranch would be productive too.

 

[barel74]

After rains(or irregations), as soon as the dirt is dry enough not to stick to their noses, is when hogs seem to be out working the ground. Or at least that seems to be the way the ranch I hunt works.

 

[sfhoghunter]

Thanks for the replies. Barel74, what you said makes sense, because the downpour had occurred at least 1 1/2 days before I got there, and they were all over the property while I was there. The delay in activity could also be for the reasons Speckmisser cited, because as quick as things sprout in dry climates after a rain, it does take a little bit of time. And SDHNTR, that is how I got my first hog - a big boar was approaching the one accessible water source on the property, and I shot him when he was about 75 yards away from the water, coming towards it.

My guess is that the combination of damp pastureland (good for rooting) after a long dry spell when other nearby properties are dry is what brought so many hogs onto the property last weekend. If only we had been able to bag one.

And yes Speckmisser, I'll definitely be monitoring the weather down there, and try to make it down as soon after the next rain as I can.

 

[jesunter]

Why not setup a trial cam or webcam?

Then you could ascertain the presence of hogs before driving up, or at least determine a pattern.

 

[MikenSoCo]

I'd bet on the last hour before dark, don't go in early

 

[FRISCOHNTR]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MikenSoCo @ Oct 30 2007, 04:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I'd bet on the last hour before dark, don't go in early[/b]

My two cents;
Listen to Mike in SOCo:
If you have oaks, strong rain will float the acorns into small steep ravines and the hogs will work them all day slowly. Don't hunt hogs like deer, they are lazier/spookier and will bed as close to sweet grass and acorns as they can (where they can find all-day shade), they don't usually have a "favorite area" when grass/food is easy(unlike summertime when water is the key).

But it is still warm and sunny so they won't work easy food during the day when it is warm 55+ degrees, unless totally unpressured (they don't sweat well). Jumping them in the area is possible but presents a low percentage on shot opportunity.

Sit on the the places they have been (early and late) and if the same rooted up area isn't totally worked over they will be anxious to come back and feed. so........Find a place to sit and......CHECK THE WIND

CHECK THE WIND....
CHECK THE WIND...
CHECK THE WIND....
AND WAIT........

Good Luck, Jason

p.s don't run a quad, jeep, truck within an 2 hours of last light..

 

[sfhoghunter]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (FRISCOHNTR @ Oct 30 2007, 11:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MikenSoCo @ Oct 30 2007, 04:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd bet on the last hour before dark, don't go in early[/b]

My two cents;
Listen to Mike in SOCo:
If you have oaks, strong rain will float the acorns into small steep ravines and the hogs will work them all day slowly.[/b][/quote]

Thanks for the advice. I did notice that the areas where water had flowed out of the arroyos had been heavily rooted . . . in every place water had flowed hogs had rooted along the margins of the flow. Makes perfect sense, now that you mention it. All the little goodies (acorns and other mast) will naturally get deposited on the side of the flows, thus the rooting patterns.

Unfortunately I wouldn't be able to put up any web-trail cams, as the internet access down there is poor at best. However, I might have to buy a trail cam just so I can keep track of the most heavily used pig trails.

Next time I'm down there I'll take your advice and post up along heavily rooted routes. Wish me luck.