Regarding hog hunting...

Have you ever had hogs that were not at all scared of seeing a human? I stepped out away from beside a tree on Wednesday evening at sundown, in order to run off a group of hogs, and even after yelling and waving my arms all they did was trot about 10 yds and stop. A few even started walking back toward me and the feeder. There was a huge boar that was 20 yds away that started growling and popping his jaws. I thought he was going to charge me and I knew an arrow would not stop him. It's like they have never been hunted and have absolutely no fear of man.

I am a traditional archer shooting a Howard Hill style longbow.

If you want the whole story of how it all played out I'll gladly provide all the details.

Please indulge us. You can kill that pig, Howard hill killed elephants with his bow. Wait for quarter away shot and slip your broadheadin behind the shield into the vitals...then post pics

Here's what happened...

1. I mentioned the huge boar; initially he walked right in front of me, 10-12 feet away, and this guy was about 5 feet long, went about 250, and had tusks that were 5" long.

2. I'm on the ground (in full camo); no stand, no blind, no brush, logs, or sticks in front of me, standing beside a mesquite tree, on the elevated embankment of a stock tank. (Needless to say I'm a bit exposed and somewhat defenseless because an arrow ain't going to stop a pissed off charging hog.) So I let him walk right past me and he stopped about 20 yards away to my left where he turned and watched me intently. (He never did go to the feeder. There were 10 hogs in the group and 9 of them were at the feeder.)

3. I really didn't want to clean a hog since I knew I would be immediately heading home once it got too dark to see.

4. I came to the conclusion that I would shoot one and leave it laying. The buzzards gotta eat, same as the worms! Right???

5. Upon drawing to shoot at one of the smaller hogs under the feeder, the big boar started growling and popping his jaws then made a false charge of about 5 yds. I turned to face him while at full draw and he just stood there growling.

6. I let down, turned back toward the feeder, drew again (big boy started growling and popping again) and then I loosed my arrow at a 50-60 pounder.

7. And, from 15 yds, I missed!!! (Embarrassed to admit I shot low and went right under the chest of one.) I may have been a bit distracted.

8. The hogs kept right on feeding. Big boy kept growling and popping. I drew another arrow out of my back quiver (making quite a commotion) and the hogs just continued to eat 15 yds in front of me.

9. So I figured I'd just run them off by waving and yelling at them. The ones eating ran about 10 yds. then stopped. Big boy stood his ground. I slowly moved toward the feeder to pick up my arrow and 3 of them came trotting back toward the feeder. They stopped 5 yds away from me as I was under the feeder.

10. I guess I'm a p_ssy because I picked up my arrow and then slowly backed away from the feeder because the big boar was now walking toward me growling and popping. He stopped about 10 yds away from the feeder but I kept on going.

I've never seen wild animals act in such a manner. It was a bit disconcerting!

I'm thinking about investing in a stand of some sort and carrying my .44 Mag as backup.

What's your take???



PS. Sorry for the long dissertation. It is the truth and it was kind of eerie.

PPS. I know my arrows, at 715 grs each, and tipped with a Tuffhead broadhead, are more than enough medicine to pass through any hog assuming I do my part. But it won't stop 'em in their tracks!

PPPS. When, and if, I do kill this guy I'll be sure to post the photos.

I had a boar run away then return. Upon returning he came towards me then stopped and growled briefly. My 30-06 then sent him to wherever hogs with a bullet in the head go.
Thanks for sharing your story.

I've had them growl at me 20feet away through the brush...he just couldn't see me. I only had the bow, but I had trees to climb as my back up plan I don't think I would have stuck around with a large one like that growling at me.

One guy I used to hunt with would carry a pistol for that reason. After observing him and knowing his limited background, I just have concern for pistol skills when he is around me

Cool story and experience. I woulda slung an arrow into that sucker to see if it changed his attitude....

Awsome story... Had similar encounter at OSBWMA with hog dubbed Big Tooth ... i did have high-tech 70# compound bow, so a little more advantage than you... Wish was out thar now, Thanks for sharing, stay Safe Best Wishes...
Edit: just read the post under this one.... Have had ta do side step ta keep from getting run over.... 98% time huntsolo have had many strange encounters... When found THF twas hopen ta hook up with some hog hunters... Me health not what used ta be... Had hooked hp with some guys from DF area, had some great times, always felt like 3rd wheel, bargded in on em.. People used ta lease hunt with, few passed on... R.I.P. Rest no longer hunt except one, he's still on a lease we built a cabin on... We hit OSB from time ta time, for hog hunts & he has generously invited me ta lease several times... Again Thanks for sharing & good use of english... i'm a rambling man when it comes ta talking bout hunten...

If that boar would have charged me my only options were to climb a mesquite tree or jump in the stock tank.

Diving in the stock tank would have been my first choice.
Fighting off a crazed hog would have been my second choice.
And trying to climb that mesquite tree would have been the most dangerous thing in my mind. LOL

The way some people wield handguns definitely becomes a danger to any and all things around!

I found it all pretty surreal. All hogs I've previously encountered would run like heck once they saw a person unless they felt cornered. But there was open ground and adequate escape routes all around and all these guys just kept hanging out. Strange!!!

Maybe they had never seen a human with sticks growing out of him. Thought you were a walking tree.

BTW

Blackcoal,

That was what I was thinking.

If my shooting ability is taken as a fear-factor measurement then I know I didn't give them any reason to be scared of man. LOL

I've only had Javelinas stand their ground with me when there was a clear exit. Hogs only charged or were aggressive when they were no escape routes. They will hit top speeds to get away when they see a truck or human.

I guess these guys were either too dumb, or too arrogant, to run from this human. Since I missed with my one shot obviously I was no threat.

Hogs really have no reason to fear humans unless they have learned to fear them. Many animals will avoid other large animals, not out of fear, but simply for the purpose of risk avoidance.

As noted, that hog may have had no experience with humans before. Or, it could have been ill or otherwise not of a normal disposition.

We tend to think of animals as having standard behaviors and then are surprised when one acts differently. Like people, animals do have personalities. Some hogs are much more docile than others. Some are much more aggressive. Thinking of animals as having standard behaviors is where people sometimes get into trouble.

I don't know if it was here or on another forum, speaking of standard behaviors, after deer season a couple of years ago, I had some deer that were at a feeder I wanted to fill. I approached and they did not run. A doe even snorted at me and stomped her front hoof like a bull about to charge. This behavior did have me concerned. I had to put down the corn and wave my arms and make noise before I was able to shoo them away and even then they didn't seem too impressed with me. Two weeks earlier and they would have been gone before I ever got to the clearing.

Try hand feeding him to see if he is maybe a feral domestic pig - report back your findings

A.P you did the right thing..I have hunted pigs in their native
land most of my life and have been charged by male hogs,many time
Without any provocation...A very hunter who had killed scores of BIG5,
writes that any hunter who hunts wild boars seldom die in bed..

Gentlemen,

Thank you for the comments, well wishes, and welcomes.

I agree that there are really no norms when it comes to animal behavior. One is best served by always expecting the unexpected. When that big boar was right in front of me, 10-12 feet away, looking directly at me, I knew that he would willingly take the fight to anything he thought to be a threat. Then after shooting, when I starting waving may arms and shouting, and the response was one of complete indifference by the hogs instead of panic, I knew that behavioral expectations were not in play. That's why I exited the area ASAP.

As for hand feeding him, or any other feral pig, I'll leave that to some other "brave soul". Momma didn't raise no fool here!!! LOL

Anyway... I found it all to be highly unusual. That's why I shared my experience. For those who say pigs will always run at the sight of man, I know for certain there are 10 fearless swine roaming my deer lease.

If I'm able to kill that boar sometime later on I'll post a few pics.

A random thought, but I would suggest a side arm that can poke a hole in them if they are that close. Sure would shoot faster than a bow. Probably give you the ability to shoot more that one too.

I plan on carrying my .44 Mag from now on.
I would have had it with me the other day but being it was archery deer season, and I was hoping to shoot a deer, I didn't want there to be any questions or problems in the event a game warden was out and about.

I believe its legal to have a firearm while bow hunting. I have seen some post where people took their AR in case hogs showed up. As far a pistol, I believe that would be a littler easier to explain to a Warden. Safety first

I don't go in the woods without a firearm. Sidearm or rifle because of the hogs. If you have an accident and are incapacitated good chance of being eaten - my theory. Hog will eat anything.
I wouldn't go to shooting unless you have an exit route or tree to climb. My son went into the woods where hogs were bedding. Shot one and about 20 chased him out of the woods. They were in a corner that had hog fence on two sides and they apparently knew the hog fence was behind them. When they came out, it sounded like an elephant moving through the woods - stuff breaking and a lot of noise. Take your side arm and make sure you have a way to retreat.
Ps - my son made it out ok but got tore up from all the briers he had to run through to escape the thundering herd. I laughed and said you got a 7 mm mag in your hand. Why are you running. His response- doesn't do much good when you only have two rounds left and there are 20 hogs chasing you. He had a point. Ah good times.

I guarantee you that I will have a gun on me from now on!!!

I have a neighbor that almost lost his leg due to a charging Boar. Twice I've had Sows not let me pass to get to my truck. I sit on a wheat field and corn the roads I walk in on. If there are a lot of deer in the field I wait till full dark to get out of the stand. Twice I've had Sows with pigs not charge me but would not let me pass to get to my truck. I would have shot them but could not see thru the scope.
They would low grunt and pop their jaws. I live here on the ranch and know it well, most of the time I leave my flashlight in the truck.
I stayed at the stand and called a lease member to pick me up and take me to my truck. I now carry a sidearm when I hunt that stand and carry a flashlight. This year is a bad year for Pigs, I'm seeing them everywhere and even in the middle of the day.