Night hunting hogs

[ZEKEDAWG]

Just a random question. I know in texas it is legal to hunt hogs at night, maybe other states. When doing this do you use something like this
Sniper Hawg Lights - Home
or do you just spotlight them with a big spotlight or flashlight. I was talking to a buddy back east and he said that the red light like the one above was better than "freezing" (blinding) them with a spot light. I am totally ignorant to the game, never hunted at night.

 

[larrysogla]

When we hunted in Houston and San Antonio, Texas.............we always timed it to go there on a full moon. With the full moon...........we could see the hogs in the bright moonlight. I use illuminated reticle telescopes on my .300WM and on my .338WM and my buddy uses a laser sight on his Marlin 45-'70 Guide Gun loaded with 420 grain Garrett +P loads. That hot load 45-'70 hits the big hogs like a freight train colliding with a Volkswagen. When hit on the shoulder with that hot load 45-'70 the big hogs(one a 300 lb. and another a 350 lb. hog) drop to the ground..............and don't get up. We were actually banging these hogs with moose ammo...........but the good thing about it is that we haven't lost a hog yet that we hit in the torso). We don't spotlight the hogs because they are very clear to see in the moonlight and also peering through the telescope it is even very, very much brighter and clearer. Even under the trees.............you could see the dark silhouette of the hogs with the subdued moonlight under the trees. In the open grass, the hogs clearly standout with the eyes, ears, legs and tail very identifiable up to 30 yds. In the open grass, the silhoutte of the hogs are identifiable up to 100 yds. The hogs don't know what hit them when we open fire without spotlights. Of course.........all this time we are up in the treestands looking down on the hogs just directly below us feeding noisily on the sacks of corn bait spread on the ground. Just too bad my good buddy sold his Houston ranch about 4 years ago, otherwise we would still be at it. Now we are looking at several Texas ranches that offer $100/day/hunter...............only thing is that we don't know how good the hunting is on these ranches. We have been burned before already on something similar to these discount ranches. M'ebbe we can get a good quality referral from some of these Texas guys that post in this JHO. 'Nuff said.
larrysogla

 

[CAjackrabbitWCP]

Use NVG's and and IR laser mounted on your gun........

 

[huntingbret]

I don't think night hunting for pigs is legal in CA. I was just going to recommend hunting on a full moon so you don't have to carry any extra equipment.

 

[larrysogla]

Night hunting is allowed only in certain areas of California and ONLY for predators. NO HOG HUNTING AT NIGHT AT ALL. No baiting also. Also............laser sights are not allowed to be mounted on a gun used for hunting(as I recall on the CA DFG regulations)?????? The best thing is to go to Texas and you can do DEER and HOG night hunting and baiting is allowed also. 'Nuff said.
larrysogla

 

[huntingbret]

I guess everything is legal in the state of Texas. LOL

 

[larrysogla]

No poisoning and no use of explosives allowed in Texas hog hunting, everything else is OK. The hogs have been declared a nuisance animal in Texas and if you are a landowner suffering damage from the hogs........you or your authorized persons can kill or capture the hogs without the need for a hunting license. It is as good as it gets. The hogs come to your bait in herds............sometimes as many as 15 medium sized hogs come to our corn bait. After killing a hog under the bait............if it is still early in the evening............don't go down the treestand..............just wait a few hours and a different herd of hogs will come over and you can shoot again. It is a hog infestation is what it's like over there at that Houston ranch. We like to use the heavy stuff, 12 gauge slugs, 45-'70, .338WM and the .300WM............(all copper .300WM or .338WM or Garrett 45-'70 Hammerhead 420 grn. +P).........................that way we nail 'em good. 'Nuff said.
larrysogla

 

[goldfinger]

you can hunt at night if doing depredation. and have permits...
i like the idea of the hawg lite. just attach it to what ever your shooting, and theres a pressure switch so you dont have to take your hands off the weapon to turn the light on and off.

 

[sheridany]

I am new to hunting hogs at night. Going to texas in August to bowhunt hogs. If you use the sniper hawg light, do you have to illuminate the pins on your sight? If yes, what do you use.

 

[goldfinger]

I am new to hunting hogs at night. Going to texas in August to bowhunt hogs. If you use the sniper hawg light, do you have to illuminate the pins on your sight? If yes, what do you use.

the pins silhouet, so there is no need for illuminating pins. it couldnt hurt though. maybe you would want illuminating pins for shots over 20 yds. but at night your shots should be close range anyways. your talking bow killin right?

 

[Jagermeister]

Like others pointed out above, a large / bright scope, possibly with illuminated crosshairs will be all you need a 3/4-full moon. That's how it is done in Europe. Also correct is that you can hunt hogs at night in CA on a depredation permit. I have personally done so, but with a bow. My experience was that they'd bail on flash light contact. I was in bow range though, which may make the difference.

George