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Re: Where are the hogs?
[Re: JTPinTX]
#8860653
05/31/23 07:14 AM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 12,160
kry226
The General
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The General
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 12,160 |
Well after a couple weeks of almost no damage to our peanut fields we decided pig numbers were way down and let our guard down. Had plants pushing up with seed leaves on, we should have been good to go. Came out to start spraying today and found out we got hammered over the weekend. Time for me to get out my HAM'R and hit back. We will be out tonight to see if we can catch them on two different fields. May be a lot of walking in plowed sand to get on them, or we may get lucky and catch them along the road. They are coming in from several directions. Just a couple of the multiple spots of damage. What a shame.
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Re: Where are the hogs?
[Re: Wilson Combat]
#8860762
05/31/23 02:04 PM
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Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 610
JTPinTX
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 610 |
Kry226, tell me about it. What is bad is that most of the plants are up, but a few aren't. They are rooting up 5-10 sprouts just to find the one nut that isn't up yet. But they paid for it last night. Doubt they will be back for a few days. Stalked a sounder of about 20 pigs last night. Moon was really bright and we got a little greedy, tried to get too close and got busted. Had to start shooting with them on the move. We still hammered them pretty hard though. Lots of littles got away but the 3 biggest sows took the dirt nap out in the field. 2 more decent sows made it out of the field but they were hit pretty hard and struggling. I doubt they will make it. 3 Big sows went from probably 175-210 or so on weight. For sure got some big baby factories taken out.
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Re: Where are the hogs?
[Re: Wilson Combat]
#8860769
05/31/23 02:15 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,523
RiverRider
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,523 |
I can really appreciate how you guys who try to grow stuff feel about pigs and I understand why you'd like to eradicate them. I'd be kinda bummed if they all disappeared, though. I enjoy shooting them.
It's been a few weeks and I need to get back out there!
"Arguing with you always makes me thirsty." -Augustus McRae
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Re: Where are the hogs?
[Re: Wilson Combat]
#8860800
05/31/23 03:28 PM
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Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 610
JTPinTX
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 610 |
Well the good news for those who like to hunt them is that eradication is never gonna happen, not even close, lol. Not without poison. And I'll be honest about it. I love going out and shooting them too. Just wish we didn't have to have the crop damage to go with it. But that is part of it.
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Re: Where are the hogs?
[Re: Wilson Combat]
#8860835
05/31/23 05:13 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,523
RiverRider
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,523 |
I guess they could eradicate them if there was a way to mitigate all the collateral damage to all the desirable wildlife out there, but they won't because there isn't. One thing about your perspective and motivations---killing hogs probably gives you much more satisfaction than I get (and I'm not complaining at all!).
It'll be interesting to see how this pans out as the summer wears on. This has been an interesting discussion.
"Arguing with you always makes me thirsty." -Augustus McRae
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Re: Where are the hogs?
[Re: Wilson Combat]
#8860876
05/31/23 06:44 PM
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Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 610
JTPinTX
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 610 |
Well, sitting and talking with my main pig killing compadre last night while we were waiting on pigs, several topics were discussed. He is a big farmer and rancher, has lots of places scattered over 2 counties. Also like me, he has a degree in Wildlife Biology, and is very interested in the status of various wildlife species and keeps up with habitat issues. He is a very smart and observant guy who has been farming around here his whole life. He sees the cycles come and go and has a very broad perspective from both the education/biology side, and from the practical/hands on side since he deals with his own crop damage all the time. He helps me on my places, I help him on his.
Anyways. We both agree total numbers are down. Still plenty of pigs around but not what they were 2-3 years ago. My theory is quite a bit of it is rooted in compensatory reproduction. Pig numbers were high, then drought, hard winters, and in our area in particular the last 12-14 months the crops our pigs feed on were in very short supply due to crop prices and the corresponding crop rotations involved there. Basically population was up and resources went down so litter size and survivability went down as well. Plus with the reduction in cover the pigs that were here got hammered by thermal and aerial gunning. In addition to that the areas that did have the resources, the pigs migrated there. Which is another reason lots of folks are saying no pigs, but others are saying we have as many as ever.
In regards to that conversation he said the last couple of weeks he is all of a sudden seeing pig tracks everywhere. Not always lots of tracks, not necessarily big groups of pigs (though some are), but seeing at least some tracks on every one of his places. Places where he has not been seeing any sign at all the last 6-12 months. Up here we have gone from a pretty hard drought to being very, very wet in the space of about 4 weeks. All of a sudden we have water everywhere that is staying around and not drying up. Tons of cover. Lots of food. It has created the perfect opportunity for pig dispersal and spreading back out. Our theory is that the next 12-18 months as we come into the La Nina that there is going to be a pig explosion. As the pigs spread back out into their old territories which once again have plenty of resources litter sizes will go back up. There may not be as many big pigs but I bet 12 months from now there are going to lots of smaller to mid size pigs.
If I'm wrong y'all can come back then and tell me I was full of it. Which I might be, lol. Would not be the first time.
Oh, and as far as getting the satisfaction about killing them. I know one thing, that from my perspective I have no remorse about killing any and all of them I can. Littles, bigs, sows, boars, whatever. I don't hate them. It is just a problem to be worked in a methodical manner. The big baby factories always take priority. Even over nice big boars. I do hunt big boars for fun. I like it. It is a rush. But in a field full of pigs the big sows get hit first. Every time.
Last edited by JTPinTX; 05/31/23 06:51 PM.
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Re: Where are the hogs?
[Re: Wilson Combat]
#8860893
05/31/23 07:34 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,411
rickt300
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,411 |
Well I camped out, fished all weekend, three days straight. Found new hog sign almost everywhere I looked. The corn is up and the creek is almost at normal level. Might shoot a couple if luck is with me.
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Re: Where are the hogs?
[Re: Wilson Combat]
#8860974
05/31/23 10:03 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 12,160
kry226
The General
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The General
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 12,160 |
Great job hammering those sows!
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Re: Where are the hogs?
[Re: Wilson Combat]
#8881567
07/13/23 12:32 AM
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 507
DavidK
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 507 |
All of my hog hunting buddies and I are having a tough time finding hogs up in the NE (Bowie, Lamar and Red River counties) now and it seems the population has been in decline for the past 2 years. I'm blaming a lot of it on a local guy who does lots of helicopter shooting as well as lots more hunters now having thermal.
Also the hogs I do find are now completely nocturnal (I probably don't see more than one group of hogs per month during daylight hours now) and MUCH more wary than they were a couple years ago.
Is anyone else seeing this trend? Yup, sparse in west Texas, I feel your pain
Wilson Combat Pro Staff
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Re: Where are the hogs?
[Re: Wilson Combat]
#8881869
07/13/23 06:39 PM
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 300
lmd59
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 300 |
They've all moved to my place. The travels of these wild hogs comes and goes. Sometimes I'm loaded with them, sometimes it's hard to find them.
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