Found Pigs In Thick Brush

[HogWild805]

Originally Posted by map
Hello,

While hunting Laguna Mountain my best advice is there isn't much sense in waring yourself out until you hear pigs. If everyone would just sit down and wait instead of walking around, the pigs would come out. I made this computer visualization so that I can study the terrain before hunting. The green line is my GPS track up the main trail. I left my GPS in Track Mode as I hiked up the trail before first light. It leads to the place where I sit back and relax while waiting for enough light to use my binoculars.

http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/...3&d=1236663852




Hello everyone,

This is basically my first post and its a question. Iam from Los Osos, Ca ( South End of Morro Bay) Iam sure everyone is familiar. Anywho, I have been getting into pig hunting this past year or so. I have a spot in LPNF that has pig trails up the wazooo.

I have been out there right after a fresh rain and the tracks in some of the trails were likely that day. So it has been lots of fun. However, I have yet to actually see the pigs. Very steep terain with very very thick bushes and brush and poison oak.

I have heard plenty of noise though. Lots of hooves going throught the bushes and birds flying away as they move. So I know iam on to a decent size heard. (Pig tracks were 3-4 inches in diameter all the way down to tiny piglet prints.

Once we hear them in the bushes we can pin point the general area. but then it goes quiet like they ran to the other side of the hill or something.

Should my buddy and I be pushing through the brush or should we just sit around and wait? I think the hogs are very comfy in the thick stuff and know they are well protected in there. I have not hunted there in day break but I scouted out an area to post up last Thursday and more hogs running throught the bushes stuff.

Any advice?

Thanks
Randall

 

[Bubblehide]

I can do better than give you advice, I can show you :lol bashing sign:. On a more serious note, if you know where they're feeding, and where they're bedding, then get between the feeding and bedding areas. If you can, get above their travel route, and just sit and wait. If they bed before daylight, and you know where they bed, it's a tough hunt in thick brush; best bet is to try and get above them again, and wait until you have a good shot.

Best of luck.

 

[HogWild805]

Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it. Has been lots of fun hiking around the tough terrain. Anywho, I can get above them Just behind were they are bedding. Im not going to be able to get between their bedding and feeding area though. Iam going to post up early Saturday morning and try and catch them bedding down. I hope I get my first pig. Ill keep you posted.

Thanks again.

 

[easymoney]

Welcome hogwild,
I live over the grade and have hunted all over our county mostly opn public land.
As map said in his post, most folks would be far better off by taking a seat and waiting motionless and quietly.
If you get to your spot well ahead of first light and quietly, take a seat where you can watch in the most directions. If the wind is good you should see them moving, if the wind is not good do not even waste your time as you will blow them out of there. Same works for deer and elk...
The LPNF does indeed have a few spots that produces pigs, and puts out nice bucks, but as you probably already know it is very brushy, steep and with little real access except for the few roads that everyone else is already using. But, IMHO this is one of the reasons I still like hunting it. The hoards get bruned out and do not hike in very far or sit still. I have been sitting in a tree stand near a small seep and had other hunters marching around (while talking on their radios), for a couple of hours below me. I could not understand a word of what they were saying but could see they were whipped, out of water and cursing, after they left I shot a nice forky.

 

[HogWild805]

Welcome hogwild,
I live over the grade and have hunted all over our county mostly opn public land.
As map said in his post, most folks would be far better off by taking a seat and waiting motionless and quietly.
If you get to your spot well ahead of first light and quietly, take a seat where you can watch in the most directions. If the wind is good you should see them moving, if the wind is not good do not even waste your time as you will blow them out of there. Same works for deer and elk...
The LPNF does indeed have a few spots that produces pigs, and puts out nice bucks, but as you probably already know it is very brushy, steep and with little real access except for the few roads that everyone else is already using. But, IMHO this is one of the reasons I still like hunting it. The hoards get bruned out and do not hike in very far or sit still. I have been sitting in a tree stand near a small seep and had other hunters marching around (while talking on their radios), for a couple of hours below me. I could not understand a word of what they were saying but could see they were whipped, out of water and cursing, after they left I shot a nice forky.

Awesome! Glad to get some advice from a local. My buddy and I are going to try that Saturday morning. I hope we nail a pig.

Great job on getting the forker. Im gonna get a Ca tag this year. Oh, man my buddy and I saw a forker hanging with a 3x3 and a doe. If it were dear season we both would have had our bucks. We were way deep in the bush though.

Super steap too! As the forker ran up the hill it would jump, land right in a fat bush and then pause then do it again. It was hilarious I have never seen anything like that. Anyways, Thanks again for the information. i will keep you posted. Hopefully a picture to post.

 

[thewolfman]

Welcome to the forum... thats 1 of my stomping grounds...my only advice for u is b where u want to set up 1 hr before 1st light and b there when its raining...but key is b there before sun is up...those pigs get alot of pressure...now i would take off my pack and crawl in...but thats just me...its very dangerous even if you are experienced...you are on the rite track...keep at it... good luck and hope u bag 1

 

[KTKT70]

welcome to the forum. i used to live colse to were u are. we may have sum of the same friends if u have been there very long. Good luck with getting your first hog. I hope to b back over there on the coast soon to get my first. I have been tring to learn as much as i can hear be4 i get out and make it happen. Sounds like u are already on the right path. Congrats on the find. noe get u sum meat. have fun buddy. and as always b safe.

 

[db 183]

Also - Use the wind to your advantage. Those hogs will smell you way before they ever see or hear you so make sure you work the wind to your favor.

 

[HogWild805]

Welcome to the forum... thats 1 of my stomping grounds...my only advice for u is b where u want to set up 1 hr before 1st light and b there when its raining...but key is b there before sun is up...those pigs get alot of pressure...now i would take off my pack and crawl in...but thats just me...its very dangerous even if you are experienced...you are on the rite track...keep at it... good luck and hope u bag 1

Thanks for the warm welcome guys.

I thought about bringing some pruning shears and slowly cutting in the brush until I upset one of the pigs and get them moving. Iam not so sure about getting crawling through all the tunnels though. That is insane. I will keep at it. Nothing yet.

 

[easymoney]

What you described is prime bedding habitat for pigs. They love that thick stuff and can be right at your feet and you will never see them. Be very careful about getting down on all fours and crawling in those tunnels or trails.
One trick people use is to toss rocks in to cut them off or flush them to the direction where you can shoot.
I have jumped loads of pigs and deer in the chaparral and been unable to make a shot. Damn then waskels...

 

[dirtpoor]

Amen to the rock throwing, but what I have done for many many years with great success is to bring a slingshot , position yourself upwind and where you can see a small open area, launch a comfortable sized rock as far as you can away from where you think your quarry is, wait a minute and shoot another a little closer to you etc, its like creating your own game drive, also it's not necessary to use big rocks, a small noise that is moving towards them is very unsettling to game and should get them moving ' slowly' in your direction, I've used this technique to take pigs and deer and have had a bear go by within 20 yds, as someone else said , if the wind is wrong go somewhere else, good luck

 

[HogWild805]

You guys are great...Thank you! I will be getting out there on Saturday. ill let you know how it goes.

 

[KTKT70]

good luck buddy. be safe out there.

 

[Fredezee]

This weekend would most likely be your only chance within the next few weeks to get out there and hunt. Blm will be out there doing a controlled burn in the laguna/sweetwater area in between May 6-19 depending on when weather conditions permit. ~100acre burn. FYI

http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2013/april/lagunaprescribedburn.html

 

[HogWild805]

This weekend would most likely be your only chance within the next few weeks to get out there and hunt. Blm will be out there doing a controlled burn in the laguna/sweetwater area in between May 6-19 depending on when weather conditions permit. ~100acre burn. FYI

http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2013/april/lagunaprescribedburn.html

Hey thanks. Why is the time limited? Becuase of the burn or becuase of the summer season?