Hunting the lease in Spicewood I have noticed that the big sounders have all but disappeared. They were there for years. Now all we seem to be getting are the big boars. I'm no expert, so I put the question out there to more experienced hog hunters: do the boars run the sounder off? I mean, I have been posting photos on this forum that show 10 to 15 hogs at times. I assume they roam, but the sounders we have been seeing on the gamecams have been pretty consistent over the years. Few of the guys on our lease hunt hog, so....And I assume the neighboring leases are hunting, but still. Our lease is about 700 acres, more or less. We still have two feeders spitting our Mumme's corn each afternoon around 1930. Any ideas?

Hogs are transient by nature, so you won't see the 'same' sounder(s) around for long periods. But what you are saying is: You aren't seeing the numbers of hogs (groups) that you once did, but are instead seeing Boars (lone boars, most likely).

Clearly, something has changed. Most likely...'hunting pressure' is responsible, but significant changes in the habitat (drought conditions, food sources, water sources, bedding areas, general cover) will also cause hogs to look for more suitable surroundings.

If you don't keep cameras out year 'round and check them frequently...then you don't really have a good basis upon which to claim there are fewer hogs. Certain 'seasonal' aspects can make you think your hogs 'are gone' when they might only be more 'spread out'. For instance during the 'Spring Green Up' period (happening right now), food sources and cover are more abundant, so hogs are able to find good living conditions almost anywhere. In terms of sustenance... they don't have to travel as much (though they might choose to).

Even though hogs can (and do) breed all year long, there are periods when Sows are having litters more than others. Right now is one of those times. Sows will find a safe bedding spot to have their litter and don't travel very much until the young are about 10 days old and can easily follow her. That can account for a decrease in sightings.

Take a good look at the entire property. Look for evidence of hogs being present (besides just game cam pics over a feeder). Rootings, obvious travel routes, rubs, wallows at water sources, hair on bottom strands of wire fencing, droppings, etc....

IF you fail to find those things, then you might rightly surmise they truly are not there. In which case...I would suspect hunting pressure (even if from neighboring property) is the reason.

Look it over real well....you will figure it out. Boars did not 'run them off', boars are just there for one of two reasons.

1. Traveling through in search of Sows.
2. Breeding Sows that are on your property.

^^^^^^^^ THIS ^^^^^^^^ are hogs will disappear for 10-12 days a few times per year, once there offspring are up and moving they are right back. If you haven't seen in months I would lean towards hunting pressure and food and water sorce ! Give it some time, others will show up !!!0

same here. Hunting presure, read the post from others. At WMA do most of my hog hunts, AK's hit first then the AR's. High-tech has truely made it 24-7-365. Tis gone from wondering about the woods with & flash-light off, ta sitting in tree stand laser-tag.

Some one prob trapped them.

I hunt on about 700 acres in Lee County, with permission to shoot hogs that I see on neighboring properties that amount to a few more hundred acres. That is, I don't actively 'patrol' the adjoining land, but if I see hogs I'm allowed to shoot them. At times there are a lot of hogs around, but other times they disappear, just as you've noted.

Hogs are a lot like humans regarding their wants and needs: Food, Shelter, Sex — not necessarily in that order at any certain time.

As Flintknapper stated, right now things are pretty green and hogs are not forced to travel very far for food or water. Shelter needs may change as the weather gets hotter, they'll look for cooler locations that are perhaps closer to water.

Unless something has fundamentally changed in your area, it's likely they'll come back eventually.

They will be back. They move from host to host like a virus. Sometimes like clock work you will notice them back in a certain amount of time, if not over hunted/pressured and the food source is still there. We used to have a couple groups on a 4 week rotation on a lease we had in Seymour. Then on the Lambshead Ranch in Albany I was with a large group on a 2500 acre place. 1 guy would be covered up in pigs and no one else would see any, then it would change to another guy in a week or so.

Thanks, gents!

They shall return!!!!

yagh, that thar waiting for de big one ta popout can be a real pain. An whin it does, i reach for Equate Hemorrhoidal Cream, its soothing fast action, takes de pain outa de equation of sitting on stand. Tis a not officail spokesperson, job pending. Its alot better on video. i got cheap posts

Went ta switch SD cards, along the creek, seen some sign of hogs. Nothing on cam's though, this cam shuts off at 7:00pm. Putt more time on the spin cycle. Might go sit this evening. freezer is full. May just go take a nape & injoy the out doors.