Frustrated... What to try next

[Live2hunt]

I will let you guys figure out fresh vs. old in the rain. Currently pouring rain and recently rain has lots of factors in determining old vs. new. I'm not sure how to explain the difference, but I can guarantee you that right after a heavy rain and there are pigs currently in the area, you need to fire up the BBQ pit before I go hunting.

 

[digglerP]

So I just spent the last hour or two reading the optics forum... That may have something to do with not seeing pigs as well. I was completely unaware good optics cost so much!

I've been using some cheap compact bushnells....I'm pretty sure my wife would kick my ass if I bought some $2k Swaro's! but I think I need to invest into a decent pair of bino's.

Hunting is getting Expensive!

 

[solus]

heres a website I found that might have them a little bit cheaper
http://www.opticsplanet.net/

 

[mtnsammy]

I too found at Camp Roberts that many times I spotted the infamous Stump Hog. Weighs in at about 2-300 pounds, gets the heart pumping fierce, then as you move in you see the branch sticking up out of it's back. Kick mud and back to glassing. Not every hunting will bring in the meat. That is killing. The thrill of the hunt is learning the biology of the game and out-witting the game. You are on the right track and the right time of year. It gets much more difficult in the summer with the heat.

My first pig hunt was on Memorial weekend several years ago in Los Padres Forest. We mapped it out read a lot and planned it to the tee. When we got there we found a great free site and even had the right forest permits. Late night spotting found some signs and we were gassed. Next morning we loaded up the quads and started out seeing hundreds of campers??? WTF??? by 7am the motorcycles started up and we found there was a bike race all weekend. Talk about scaring game. THe sound of 2000 bikes racing in circles had the pigs bedded down 2 feet below the creeks.

Keep going out as long as you can. Enjoy the hunts and take lots of notes. Let us know when you get your pig too.

 

[bisonic]

Reading hog sign

A couple of things to look at when you're trying to age hog sign is the grass in their rootings and how dry the loose stuff on top is. When they turn up the dirt the grass that goes with it will start to die and turn brown. While the rate at which it does this will vary with the weather, you can be pretty sure that if it's all brown it's at least a few days old, and if it looks just like the undisturbed grass it's pretty fresh. Likewise the loose dirt in the rootings will start to dry out. Again, the rate at which it does this depends on the temperature but you'll start to get a feel for it.

 

[easymoney]

diggler,
Sure you can spend an arm and a leg, but there are deals out there on some very good glass. Check ebay or this site:
http://www.bestbinocularsdirect.com/steiner-refurbished-binoculars
German glass for good prices.
Bottom line is that the quality of all glass has gotten much better over the last 20 years or so. Buy what you can afford but get quality from a brand name.
That being said, binos for glassing at first and last light need a large objective lense like a 40 or 50 in order to let as much light into the glasses as possible, but there is no need to go over 10 power as anything greater is hard to hold steady without a rest. For traveling light and glassing pigs a 7x35, 8x30 or a 10 x 40 is good, but if you are glassing long range in dim light a 10-12 x 50 can be much better on the eyes and spot game at greater distances but weigh more.
I have several sets of good binos from Nikon - Zeiss, but I bought a pair of 12x40 Steiners from the above link for half price. They are as clear as my Zeiss is but at a fraction of the cost. It does pay to shop around online...

 

[solus]

Vanguards, steiner and minox are all good brands and are mid priced the vanguards and minox are really under priced for the quality of glass they use. I recommend them vanguards run between $250 & $450.

 

[Live2hunt]

So I just spent the last hour or two reading the optics forum... That may have something to do with not seeing pigs as well. I was completely unaware good optics cost so much!

I've been using some cheap compact bushnells....I'm pretty sure my wife would kick my ass if I bought some $2k Swaro's! but I think I need to invest into a decent pair of bino's.

Hunting is getting Expensive!

This is what I use.
http://www.cabelas.com/binoculars-b...-F5D2-DF11-82EF-001B21631C34&mr:referralID=NA

 

[digglerP]

L2H, I was even using ones that big. I had the really small ones that fit in your pocket, 20 buck 10x25's. I saw your post about some bushnell buckhorns for under 100 bucks. Might take a look at those this weekend.

 

[Henry54]

Hey digglerP i been hunting pigs for 3 yrs now and I have only gotten 2 one at FHL TA 10 and one on my buddies property you sound a lot like me when i first started. I would go out every week and no luck and on oct 29-11 i take my son 12 yr at time only 2days with his hunting license and 1st pig tag ,he gets one at FHL i been hunting like crazy and my 12yr first time out and he gets one man i felt so pround of him because he was so happy he made 12x12 photo of his pic. It takes time and luck a nd there are lil things you can do like ask people there a guy that we meet a fhl the morning that gave us lots of advise and I hope the very best for that guy he told us pointees and the best place to go. Hang in there you moment will come.

 

[Live2hunt]

Just be careful shooting pig at the lake in TA 13W.

 

[XDHUNTER]

Just be careful shooting pig at the lake in TA 13W.

Ahhemmmm!!:rotflmao::rotflmao::rotflmao:

 

[Live2hunt]

Ahhemmmm!!:rotflmao::rotflmao::rotflmao:

:stir pot:Alrite...what's so funny?

 

[XDHUNTER]

:stir pot:Alrite...what's so funny?

:lips-sealed: dont want to icriminate...

 

[digglerP]

So just watch them until they walk over to 13E?

 

[digglerP]

Thanks for the tips Henry.Maybe I'll see you out there one of these times.

Just got a shotgun that I wanted to take out this month but plans fell through for April :-( ... Probably gonna camp there the night before the pig class in King City on the 21st but won't be able to stay and hunt as we'll have to get back that Sat night.

Looks like the next weekend we can get out isn't until the second weekend in May. At least were getting a bunch of rain lately. I've got a good feeling about the next time out. Gonna go prepared and feeling lucky