Studying The Pig

Didn't want to hijack another thread so lets do this on its on thread.
Maybe this can help some new hunters get better.

When I started hunting in East Texas a few years ago I learned to watch pigs rather than shoot a first sight. I also watched videos from my game cameras and learned that baby pigs are much like puppies in the way they play. It made me a better hunter the more I learned, and I am still learning to this day.

If you watch a group come in to a area some of the pigs will spread out sniffing around for anything that shouldn't be there. They will even bed down away from the main group in a circle which makes it hard to sneak up on them without getting busted by the grunt.

When the grunt happens and they are in the woods, not all the pigs will leave at one time, and not all the pigs stay with the group. Some will lag behind acting as a early warning system, running to the group when a predator gets close. I have even had the dominate pig(s) come looking for me when the group ran away.

Pigs also send scouts ahead looking for food for the group and to see if it is safe for the group to eat.

I have a few videos on You Tube



Give me some of your observations and knowledge please.

Good points. I know many years ago, when we used to hunt with catch dogs, a lot of times a boar would come charging back in if one of the dogs caught a small pig, and it started squealing.

Since you know where it is, it would be better if you just posted a link to your vids.

Thanks, I added them, took me a while to figure it out.

Buddy i hunt with keeps kidding me bout chooten hogs with camera... Back when shoulders were better & could archery hunt... Carried my camera with. Video the deer, hog's, squirrels, rabitt's, birds, yote's, coon's, what ever was moving about... Called in an owl one day, twas before carried my camera... Health tis pretty will shot, took cool video of a bobcat few months ago while waiten on hog in tree stand between two corn feeders set up ta video a laser-tag hog hunt... My video's not that fancy, not worth .... Thanks for shareing, android doesn't do the video's, even somr pic's dont show... Best wishes....

When the sounder is settled in feeding in a relatively open area (feeder), there will almost always be a couple holding back, just inside the closest cover. Look for one covering the trail they came in by and look for another in the direction they perceive a threat might come from.

If you are watching a single old boar that has come in on a feeder, expect several "drive by" passes...getting close, but moving off. Don't be surprised if he appears to startle and darts away. Hold tight and give him at least 15 minutes to reappear. The old wise ones seem to have amazing patience in testing and waiting to see if an area is safe.

Unless you are bow hunting, resist the urge to set up close on a feeder or bait. Big boars will frequently circle upwind of food/bait before coming in.

I have a couple of locations set up with solar panels and permanently mounted LED lights. I have tired white and red leds, at a distance they are so dim you can barely make out the hogs moving...on multiple occasions I have watched big boars and sows hang back just the circle of light while the rest of the sounder come in to a feeder.