The easiest wild game animal in Texas to stalk

It's during this time of the year that I enjoy stalking wild pigs. It gives me a chance to do some post-season scouting and to look for sheds. The creek bottom where I hunt always shows a lot of hog sign, and with their poor eyesight and noise they often make while feeding and rooting, they're probably one of the easiest wild game animals in Texas that you can walk up and shoot.

Yes, their sense of smell is great, but eyesight, not so much. Probably is second only to javelina. You can drive a truck up to them before they notice it.

The very aggressive Urban Cougar

Any bar around 8pm....better to let them tranquilize themselves a little first......

Four legged.....cottontail.....

Armadillos are pretty easy.

I'd have to go with javalina myself. I stalked up on some a few years ago in 4 foot tall solid dead grass I could have heard me from a few 100 yards away and was able to get one with my bow at around 50 yards.

Skunks are easy to get close to also.....I’ve had them see me and actually come towards me.....pretty much fearless little polecats....

Yes, I remember reading they don't see very well. A friend had caught one in his live trap and asked me to help him get it out. I also remember reading that if they start stomping their feet, run like hell.

We gently laid a tarp over the trap with an opening at the door. A minute or two after opening the spring-loaded door, the little guy walked out and never paid us any attention.

Hogs don't have poor eyesight. That is a myth. Hogs see pretty darned well. It is amazing how well they can run through the forest in the dark and not run into trees, a feat most humans cannot do.

People often confuse behavior with capabilities. Just because a hog sees you and does not run away does not mean that the hog is blind. It just means that the hog isn't fearful of you, that you are not acting in a manner that the hog finds threatening.

Glenn Guess speaks of his hogs being able to tell the difference between himself and a stranger at over 100 yards, wind not blowing toward the hog. Glenn raises hogs, hunts hogs, and has developed calls for Fox Pro and Convergent.

hogs eyesight is probably the worst of any animal in the woods, down wind I could get fairly close before they knew I was coming with the feed.

Cottontails are my choice animal for teaching a young hunter to stalk, using wind and cover. You could probably club them you can get so close. Using a 22 almost seems unfair.
Cows are pretty easy too.

I agree with SS.

Javelina.

Hogs and javalina.

Not according to long term studies from sources like Texas A&M. They are not stupid. They have an excellent sense of smell.

They run through the trees in the dark because they use the same trails, not good vision. The only opinions you'll find in print giving hogs credit for having all keen senses are from hog hunters themselves that promote their hog hunting for a living and free thermal equpment.

Jacks followed by Javi’s. Truthfully it’s what ever species is the least pressured

You can fool pigs once, but not twice. Them sob's have been a thorn in my side for 25 years. Stupid, they are not!

while not an expert, would have ta agree with this. Have hunted hogs in dark, flash light off, pistal on hip, back in me caveman days. In the woods on first lease. Reason hogs can mannover better in thick tarrien, they shape like bull dog, & can bull dog threw on & off trails, try walking threw woods at night without high-tech, briars & such will rip the cloths off ya, been thar done that.
WMA ya were hunter orange, like deer, hogs see a big blob moving threw woods, they see you first. Slow & eyes roaming. Most of the torn up around the ol atv trails is done under the cover of darkness, less pressure, no hog hunts allowed, have some coon hunters. They carry lights, that can be seen a good distance away. Then i'm no expert, just what worked best for me. Some things they don't teach ya in grammar school. i got cheap posts.

Cottontails and Armadillos......

Javalina

Stalked up on a hog and shot him at 80 yards earlier in the week

Was great fun.



I prefer to hunt hogs on foot, preferably with a bow

Scariest animal on the planet.

But, I'm going with Armadillo too.

Turtles.

Oh hell no turtles will see you a long ways off

Well, that’s done. The Authority has spoken.

Reptiles don't count.

FIFY. Too many years tryin' to sneak up over tank dams. The kid's right.

Yeah, but what are they going to do about it?

But armadillos do?!

Armadillo

Darn toot’n they count:

ingredients
1 1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed (optional)
1/4 cup butter
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 armadillo, cleaned and cut into serving pieces
1 1/4 cup light cream
1 tablespoon brown mustard
1 tablespoon cornstarch

directions
Mix all ingredients of marinade and add armadillo. Marinate about 8 hours, turning meat occasionally.

Remove armadillo and reserve marinade. Melt butter in deep skillet and brown armadillo pieces.

Pour in marinade and bring to a boil. Stir in seasoning, cover and simmer until tender (about 1 to 1 1/4 hours.) Remove skillet from the fire and place armadillo pieces on a warmed platter.

Mix mustard and cornstarch, then mix in cream. Return skillet to low heat and stir in this mixture a little at a time. Stir sauce until hot, but not boiling, and thickened. Pour sauce over armadillo. Serve with steamed rice

Do you think turtles aren’t edible?

Sure turtles are edible, but they’re difficult to sneak up on.

You must make a lotta noise.

We hunted hogs a few years back where we would feed corn down the senderos just before dark, and then wait until it was pitch dark.
Using a night vision scope, we would follow close behind in single file, and you could hear the hogs up ahead grunting and feeding. The only guy who could see was the guy with the scope.
As we approached wind in our faces, you could walk right up on them and he would tell us what was in front of us, and we would spread out, take aim, and he would hit the light.
It was mayhem, and a lot of fun, and an adrenaline rush.
That was a lot more fun than long distance warfare.

Go underwater for several minutes

Then go check into a Leper Colony....

Wild animal: probably armadillo. Would say skunk but why would you want to stalk one of those?
Wild game animal: probably rabbit (classified as game animal on TPWD!).
Game animal: anything big and expensive on a high fence ranch. My vote goes to American Bison.
Animal: university campus squirrels.