first pig hunt

[redneckfowler1]

I plan on going on my first pig hunt pretty soon.  I am trying to get a hunt with a guide on tejon ranch.  I was wondering if any one had any tips for me on hunting them and picking a good guide service if I can't get tejon ranch.

 

[Bill in SD]

Redneckfowler1, Tejon ranch sounds like a winner.  I have not heard any negative comments about the ranch.  Are you hunting with a rifle, bow, shotgun, muzzleloader?  

There are other good places to hunt pigs in California.  And there are bad places.

Look through the threads on this forum and you can get an idea.  

Also, some places hunt pigs with hounds.  I have heard of people booking hunts and then finding out when they arrive that the hunting methods are by hounds.  Not that there is anything wrong with hunting pigs with hounds, but some people, including myself do not prefer to hunt pigs with hounds.

When you narrow your search down ask the guide all kinds of questions.  Are meals provided, what are the sleeping arrangements, how is the hunt conducted, how big is the hunting area, and most importantly references, and if possible references from guys who did not score.

I have never gone on a guided hunt for pigs.  To me, $500 plus for a pig is not worth it (I am cheap!!!).  

Although, I have hunted at Hogs Wild, near Coalinga.  They charge $275, which is not bad.  I hunted there 3 times and scored on a pig once.  They have a fenced in one square mile area for archery hunting.  And there were lots of pigs, and they were very wild.  I guess being hunting all year by bowhunters makes them that way.  

I heard last year from a friend, whose friend told him he had hunted there recently, that there were not many pigs left.  Apparently, guys had been hunting there very hard, very frequently, and very well.

The other thing about it is, that they take in groups of 7 guys, no more.  If you know all the other 7 guys, you would have a great time.  If you don't know the other guys, it could be a bad time.  The one time I went and got a long real well with the other hunters.  The other two times were not real enjoyable.  One time a guy drew his bow on me and claimed that I should not have been sneaking around the brush, because he thought I was a pig.

I would go again, when there are more pigs and only with a group of other bowhunters that I want to hunt with.  The other guys on the hunt can make it or break it.

Good luck
Bill

 

[Bill in SD]

I forgot to mention that Hogs Wild also offers a rifle hunt at $450 on the surrounding open area and on leases.  I think those hunts are pretty good as well as the archery hunts.  

Take care
Bill

 

[redneckfowler1]

I will probably use my 30-06 for my first hunt.  And my shotgun if I am hunting quail or if I need to

 

[nextrodeo]

I went to HOGS WILD last year with a mixed group of hunters that didnt know each other, we got along just fine. I have hunted hogs all my life and did some guiding in the old days on private ranches and have never seen so many hogs in one place. But your not going to sneak up on them, my preferred meathod, you have to let them come by you. I killed my pig the first day with my recurve and my buddy sat in my spot that evening and killed his first hog, on his first bowhunt, 300 lbs with 3 inches of teeth showing. Larry will tell you exactly what the game is so listen closely. The other guys in camp were chattering among themslvesand didnt pay attention, none of them got hogs.

 

[Bill in SD]

Nextrodeo, I heard that late last spring that there were not many pigs left at Hogs Wild.  What time of year did you go, and were there many pigs?

Yes, Larry and his son will tell you how to hunt his land.  The hunts normally start at noon on Friday and end at noon on Sunday.  Larry recommends waiting to hunt the first evening on Friday and not "beating the brush" during the day.  He said that if you chase the pigs around the first afternoon, then they will come out after dark that first night.  And the first evening is the best opportunity to kill a pig, since they have not been disturbed for several days.

He was right, the first time I was there we all beat the brush hard on Friday and Saturday during the day.  And all we saw were the rear ends of the pigs.  And on Friday and Saturday night the pigs came out when it was too late to shoot.  None of us scored on pigs and we busted our butts.

The second time I hunted we all waited until the evening of on the first Friday and did not beat the brush during the day, and some of the group scored.

On the third time I went, the group hunted the evenings and almost everyone scored.  

Bill

 

[nextrodeo]

Hey Bill, I went exactly when your talking about, late spring, last year, But you know how it is, the guys that didnt get any all said there must not be any hogs left. What got me going was the fact that the hogs I saw were freaking huge. My buddys was 300lbs wieghed, and believe me we saw alot more that were way, way, bigger. Maybe I just found a good spot but I was impressed.

 

[Bill in SD]

Nextrodeo, someone told me that Larry's son said that there were only about 10 or 20 pigs left, late last spring.  Now that story was told to my friend, who told me, and now I am passing it along.  So, it is just hear say.

Bill