So I'm fairly new to Texas and am used to having my own land to hunt, family land, and plenty of state land. Texas isn't like that and it can cost a bit to set up a lease to harvest white tail. I get it. Everything costs money. I'm a student and money is tight but I still want to hunt and I'm willing to save up, just not spend a fortune.

I work at an outdoors store in the DFW area, and I love meeting other avid outdoors men. All I hear at work all day is how much hogs are destroying and overrunning anything and they are a pain in everyone's' [censored]. So I try to seize the day and offer to come over and shoot some, assuring that I'll clean up after myself. As soon as I offer, all of a sudden here come the excuses. They backtrack and suddenly their land isn't huntable, the hogs aren't that bad, or they want to make a few hundred bucks off of me per day. Ughhh... If they're that bad, shouldn't you be paying me to kill them?

I'll get off my butt and do some searching for leases after the summer heat passes and fork out the cash to do some hunting, but I'm tired of all this hog talk.

ta THF.. what kinda hunten u do ? Rifle. archery ? their is some WMA public land... check lower in form Public Hunting Form ... know the feeling of tight budget hunting.. best Wishes

The problem isn't with the landowners. Everybody and their dogs want to come hunt hogs for free. If you want to hunt hogs so bad, shouldn't you be paying to hunt them?

Yes, hogs are a problem. Hogs are also a commodity. Lots of people have come before you making the same unverified claims about how they will clean up after themselves. Usually the claims also include being safe and secure. Then landowners find gates left open, garbage left behind, and things with bullet holes in them that should not have bullet holes. Letting you hunt on their land as their agent for the purpose of getting rid of hogs does present some potential liability concerns. You did explain to these people to whom you volunteered your services that you were fully bonded, yes?

Just because folks have a problem does not mean that they trust you or believe you.

If you want to hunt for free, you need to understand your position relative to landowners and the fact that you are just another person making the same offer. You aren't special. Heck, we ALL want to hunt for free. We have all volunteered to help others and have been turned down. Second, take the time to earn a landowner's trust. Third, you need to understand that until you earn trust, you may not be considered any less of a nuisance than the hogs.

Those people who made the excuses to you...they were being polite.

Just remember, they don't know you from Adam...I gather you are young (you being a student)....Where are you going to school? Are these people locals? ...if so, go hang out at the local café early when they all gather to drink coffee....get to know them and let them get to know you....you would be surprised what doors (and gates) this might open for you....

...end of rant!

So, I'll go to the hog section of a world wide internet site and complain about hog talk.

There is plenty of Corps of Engineer land within a hour. Try calling the corps offices and get leads. They get calls from time to time of homeowners with hog problems. Head out to small farming communities and hang out in the local cafeand try to build a repore with the local farmers. HUNTING FREE IS ONE OF THREE THINGS- Public Land, A good buddy that owns land and gives you a invite, Or a homeowner or farmer With a problem. IF YOU HAPPEN TO FIND A FARMER YOU CAN EXPECT TO BE THERE WHEN HE NEEDS YOU, SUCH AS PLANTING SEED CORN IT CAN BE MORE OF A JOB INSTEAD OF HOBBY FOR THE FARMERS. quit ranting and start barking up the right trees. Good Luck.

I think that you missed my point. I don't mind paying, at all and I plan to throw down dome cash this winter. I'm just not convinced individuals have hog problems that bad when they won't take offered help. I hear farmers say all day that they'd pay people to shoot 'em. I just never actually see it.

That's actually not a bad idea. I don't get out of the city much, but I was thinking about getting into the small towns and meeting some people. I'm not much of a city slicker. Like I said, I'm very new to Texas and the culture has taken a getting used to as far as the hunting but I'm adjusting. Clam down with the caps. I plan on paying for land this winter, but my point was that I think that the locals are sometimes misleading with the issue, and it irritates me.

Did you not see my post? I said that I would pay. I'm pointing out that land owner behavior is not consistent with someone who has a huge hog problem. Just because folks have a problem does not mean that they trust you or believe you. I understand trust. Many of these guys are usually buying a gun or something from me every few weeks or so and I see them sometimes as often as weekly.

Here is the thing unless you have a 5k-10k thermal able to take 15-20 hogs a night your not going to be able to help the farmer much going up to a farmer with a day scope and a dream does not set you apart from the other thousands of yahoos wanting to do the farmer a favor. Heck the farmer can go out himself and kill one or two hogs with a day scope. But to fix his issue you need to take 15-20 hogs a night minimum for weeks. I have seen single group of pigs in the thirties at my blind while my buddy is getting the same thing half a mile away.

Bingo. Whenever you can show a land owner that you have gone out and killed 15-20 hogs a night consistently, it is my experience that they start to listen. Referrals from neighbors are also a great way to get in the door on new land and increase the amount of land you can hunt in one spot.

Being a Hill Country landowner myself, I generally agree with a lot of what some of the others have said about getting offers from tons of individuals to come take care of my hog problem. Only those few I know and trust are allowed to hunt on my place. I don't know you and you might be a great guy, but I suggest you follow the advice of several folks who have suggested you work to get to know landowners and maybe they'll let you take some hogs (or other game). I can tell you this, waiting until the end of the summer to look for a lease for this fall is going to make it very tough for you to do so. In fact, unless you get real lucky, you might already be too late.

As others here have stated, hunting for free is a somewhat rare privilege. I'm fortunate to have a long-time friend whom I've known for over 30 years who bought several hundred acres of mostly wooded land. Before either of us even thought about hunting hogs, I helped him with plumbing, land clearing, and mowing, and I still operate his tractor more hours each year than he does. Over several years I got to know some of the neighbors, and eventually they gave me permission to shoot hogs on their land on a limited basis. I say "shoot" instead of "hunt" because even thought we've gotten to know each other, I really only have the okay to shoot hogs that I see from my friend's property. I don't wander their land searching for hogs.

Getting permission is tough. You can try posting on Craigslist, but I'd suggest simply mentioning to your friends and acquaintances that you've hunted before, and sure wish you could find a place to hunt hogs here in Texas. Your friends may just hear of or know someone who wants some hogs gone, and a reference from a friend whom the rancher already knows is worth quite a bit. It may never turn out, and if it does it probably won't have fast results, but on occasion I've been offered a place to hunt simply because someone who knows me mentioned to one of their friends that they knew someone trustworthy who shoots hogs.

Good Luck,
--

just go door ta door, ask permission ta try take a hog for en & chillen ... worst they can do is say no... After all the hogs are not your problem... cost's you gas & time & remember they probly have family & friends that are wiling ta help... i've had great success on public land...

Just remember there are hundreds if not thousands of guys out there saying the same thing. You have to set yourself apart and stand out in a good not bad way. Lots of good advise above.

If a land owner has a true hog problem he'll pay you to eradicate them.

If you're paying to hunt hogs the land owner does not have a hog problem.

X2

I don't know if I am onboard with that. Problem or not, hog hunting has become very popular. It is a huge driving force in the night vision market. For landowners it has become a commodity. Something to earn income off of. Many have figured that out. No reason to let someone hunt for free when they are lining up to pay. Your hogs are dead or pressured off the property for a while either way. There are arguments against this for sure...and some have been stated here, but cash is still king...and often wins the day. Just because you have a problem doesn't mean you let folks hunt free. It can be an opportunity, depending on a number of factors.

LeadKisses

I've heard of landowners complain about hogs but very few will allow strangers on to their
properties to hunt for free.

If you're willing to pay to hunt hogs I can hook you up for $250 a weekend. PM me your info , we'll chat

Are you leasing your lease San?

wish i had hog problems ... i could use the extra bucks...

Hehe!

I did some trading with a landowner many years ago where I would work for a chance to hunt. I was an electrician and I wired up a barn and added lights and outlets here and there. I almost became better than family when he saw gates had been fixed, trash was picked up, and blinds had been repaired when I would go out hunting. And he got a report every day on what I saw or shot. I can still call and go hunting there any time I want.
So, if you have a trade that can get your foot in the door, it might be worth a try.

No , I m not leasing out my lease or land

Just a weekend thing for folks that want to kill some hogs

You bought some land?