Alright guys..another question for you...
While we are hunting there in Texas (Feb 3-6) it looks like the moon will be coming into a full moon around the 7th of Feb so we will be there just prior. It says it will be 91-96% illuminated.
So.. For night hunting..Is this a good time to be hunting hogs? We do not have night vision scopes but do have red scope lights out to about 100yds.
Is it better for hog hunting with the new moon of close to full moon?

Thanks for any information!

Shoot Str8 and Stay Safe

Jeff

I hunted last week around tuesday, whatever date that was, and it was close to a full moon. Really really bright,I was about 70 or so yards away from the feeder. Those hogs came right in around 10 pm (30 minutes after I set up) there were really high winds too so maybe that helped push my scent away. I was able to see them coming in and see the dark figures under the feeder through my scope. I was by myself so I spotlighted them when I was ready to shoot, found one in my scope and fired. It took me 5-10 seconds to finally point the light right and my scope right. I shot it and it went right down. I can't say that I didnt spook some of them at first but that one didnt move one bit. The others may or may have not moved I am not sure. If you have a spotlight the same thing should work. Be ready to shoot, have them somewhat in your scope and just make sure you have the shot once the light comes on. I knew the hogs would come that night because they had been there the nights before because the corn was gone and there were tons of light. So you should see them ok and everything. As far as if they moon effecrs them coming or not I'm sure other experienced hunters have more input. It did not seem to effect these hogs, but the high winds and weird weather might have made them be more on the move and willing to feed. I hope this helps, I have no experience with scope lights. Good luck!

A lot of folks say that hogs (and many other critters) don't move around during a full moon. This has not been my experience. I charted the dates of my hog kills over the last 3 years and basically found that I shoot hogs throughout the cycle. I shot about as many near a full moon as I did near no moon.

This isn't to say that hogs don't have preferences. Hogs are going to feed every day/night and the presence of a moon isn't going to keep them from food several days every month. Hogs may be inclined to not be out in the open fields as much during a full moon, but they will be out and about.

You may find your red dots problematic even during a full moon at anything other than very close distances. Red dot optics work a bit like mirrored sunglasses/windows. The dot is actually projected on to a reflective film inside of the front lens and so what you see is the reflected dot. That film does block some light. As a result, red dot optics are "dark" optics and don't work as well in low light as you might want. You will likely need a good flashlight to use with the red dot, even with a full moon.

YMMV, but we tend to find them out earlier in the evening during the week or so before a full moon.

I agree though, they aren't going to skip eating just because the moon is in a certain phase. They might be out at a different time or in a different area but they're going to be out somewhere.

Thanks guys! I appreciate the input!

I cant wait to get down there and chase some hogs! Hopefully they are on the property we are going to!

Shoot Str8 and Stay Safe

Jeff

Not sure about the hogs, but a full moon with no clouds makes my Kill Light 250 a lot less effective. It works much better with a dark night. Prob a wash if it is bright enough to see shadows.....

Good point Piper. I have purchased a red light that mounts to my scope that is supposed to be good to 100yds. I also have a red light that stays plugged into a lighter outlet good to about 250yds. BUT if it isnt cloudy and the moon is near full..may have good luck stalking around looking at timber edges for hogs and making a stalk on them!

We were hoping that the landowner would have put out a couple trail cameras so that we could see what times these hogs were coming out at night..but doesnt look like he had time to.
In your guys hunts..when is the best time to go out and sit for the night hunts. Do you just go out before sunset and sit of hours? This is land we have never been on and have no idea when the hogs are coming out.

Cant wait to get down there..

Shoot Str8 and Stay Safe

Jeff

I remember a game cam on one of the two blinds I hunted from. The same on had a small night light shining on the feeder. I hunted from 3:30 to dark. Then from early morning till 8 am. Never hunted there past dark.

On my family's prop in Mount Vernon I have over 1000 pics of hogs in 2011 and only twice have i gotten a pic during daylight hours. The camera is pointing straight at my feeder too. 90% of the pics are from midnight to around 3 in the morning. His place is really the only time I saw any amount of hogs in daylight.

Thanksgiving evening. My first hunt went just like I wanted it to be, just that I SHANKED the shot when I got it. I was in the blind by 4pm. At about 4:30-5:00 I had 4-5 BIG hogs hauling butt right past the blind. Bad angle, no shot, but they were maybe 15 yards away. That was the FIRST time all year that I saw one in daylight. Was really pumped after that. Either before or soon after I could hear pigs making noises in the woods. Very exciting. Half hour goes by, far side of the feeder in the woods I see movement. BAM, at least a dozen hogs come running towards the feeder. From piglets to at least one good size boar. The boar saw me, stopped half way to the fedder, but in the open. The rest of them stopped and headed back into the woods. i had a straight on shot at the boar and guess I just missed. So now I am felling PO'd at myself. Another 20-30 minutes. I am staring at the feeder through my scope figuring the hunt is over after I took the shot and see another 6 or so hogs come straight to the feeder. One turned broadside. Take a perfect shoulder shot. I hear it squeel like hell and run off. It is in the tree about 30 yards off and I can hear it making noise. Got dark. Bob and I looked for about 45 minutes. Found a little blood by the feeder, but not much. I def hit it.

Shot the gun at the our farm a few days later and the gun was still sighted in, but not the groups I wanted. Sent gun back to H&R for a trigger job. Trigger was breaking at more than 7 pounds. 20g single shot rifled slug gun. Even from bench could not get groups I really wanted. Still should have hit that hog better though. I am blamimg it on the trigger!!!

Thanksgiving evening. My first hunt went just like I wanted it to be, just that I SHANKED the shot when I got it. I was in the blind by 4pm. At about 4:30-5:00 I had 4-5 BIG hogs hauling butt right past the blind. Bad angle, no shot, but they were maybe 15 yards away. That was the FIRST time all year that I saw one in daylight. Was really pumped after that. Either before or soon after I could hear pigs making noises in the woods. Very exciting. Half hour goes by, far side of the feeder in the woods I see movement. BAM, at least a dozen hogs come running towards the feeder. From piglets to at least one good size boar. The boar saw me, stopped half way to the feeder, but in the open. The rest of them stopped and headed back into the woods. I had a straight on shot at the boar and guess I just missed. So now I am felling PO'd at myself. Another 20-30 minutes. I am staring at the feeder through my scope figuring the hunt is over after I took the shot and see another 6 or so hogs come straight to the feeder. One turned broadside. Take a perfect shoulder shot. I hear it squeel like hell and run off. It is in the trees about 30 yards off and I can hear it making noise. Got dark. Bob and I looked for about 45 minutes. Found a little blood by the feeder, but not much. I def hit it.

Shot the gun at the our farm a few days later and the gun was still sighted in, but not the groups I wanted. Sent gun back to H&R for a trigger job. Trigger was breaking at more than 7 pounds. 20g single shot rifled slug gun. Even from bench could not get groups I really wanted. Still should have hit that hog better though. I am blamimg it on the trigger!!!

I went last weekend and had virtually no moon. The pigs we seen where out earlier than usuall. I shoot most of the pigs on our place at about 4 am. But last weeken it was around 7pm. They kinda caught me off guard, but still managed to get one. Went back out at 4 and didn't see one.