newbie

[forkehornreggie]

Hey guys!!! I need advice. I have never hunted hogs in my life. I am a member of a club that has a ranch in Santa Rosa. I am planning on going up there this next week. I will probably go there and stay one night.
How do I go about finding them? Do I just spot and stalk? I have Double Bull Blinds, can I use these. I don't even know what the terrain is like because I've never been there.Also, how do I know what is ok to shoot (size wise)?

 

[bighorn67]

Spot and stalk is how most bowhunters get their pigs. Get some bear's feet to go over your shoes and quiet your steps. Taste wise sows are better, but I would take the first shot opportunity I had. Size wise, the smaller they are, the easier they are to drag back to the truck.

Good Luck

Dave

 

[forkehornreggie]

Thanks dave!! I already have Baer's feet. Do they only come out like deer - morning and night, or are they out all day?

 

[easymoney]

fork,
Do a search on this site and you will find more than enough opinions.
Mine is, pigs are one of the easier big game animals to hunt even with a bow, if you can find a spot with pigs. They have excellent hearing and smell, but can't see far at all. If you are quiet and play the wind right, you can walk right up to them(I have on several occasions within 10 feet). I take only pigs about 150lbs or less, preferably dry sows. I spot and stalk exclusively and use my bow as much as possible. For most people, finding huntable spots is the problem. If you have private land with pigs, you will do very well...

 

[slowpoke]

forkehornreggie,

The paved road leading to the ranch is exciting. The road is very narrow, down to one lane around many blind corners. If you get out early before shooting light you can often locate the pigs by the noise they make. Walk the dirt roads on top of the ridges and listen for them. As it gets lighter you can start to glass for the pigs moving up the hills. Once you locate some, they are easy to get in on if you stay down wind. As a general rule on the ranch they feed / water low and bed high. If you start above them it makes closing the distance a lot easier. Most of the ranch is fairly open and easy to glass since it is not flat. Also walking the roads and looking for tracks is a good way to find where they are. The pigs are a lot like deer in that they feed early and late, but they appear to be a lot more sensitive to vehicle traffic out there. I often park half way up a hill and then hike to the top. Then when you shoot something drag it down hill and you only have to go half way back up to get the truck. Good luck you should have a ball!