Do people not stalk? From what I am reading, it seems people are more interested in sitting in blinds and stands over a trail or feeder. While I understand this is much more efficient, it's really not something I'm interested in. Do any of you track and stalk? If not, why not, and if you do, why?

I no longer stalk because I became disabled March of 2009. I lost my lower left leg, and haven't had much success with a prosthetic working out real well. I can walk on level ground, but that is about it.

I do when its cooler.

I stalk, but I also hunt in blinds off of feeders. Just depends on the situation. Most of my stalking nowadays is done pig hunting at night.

are you using Night vision equipment? i think i would if i had the NV equipment and a place that was more wide open. where i hunt is thick woods and underbrush. there are pipe line right a ways going through the lease that could be used but bait and wait seems to be the better way to work for now.

we have tried to follow hog trails through the woods but they run for miles.

Why don't I stalk? My place is only 46 acres. Pigs can be gone from the property in as little as a minute, maybe less, from the very center. So spooking them before getting off a shot can ruin the whole hunt.

I know, if I do it right, they should not get spooked. However, my goal isn't for a more challenging hunt, but to get rid of a problem. My land is mostly wooded as well.

I have stalked a couple of times. It is my impression that if you are stalking a feeding sounder, you can probably drive up to them in your truck and they won't notice because of all the noise they make and their preoccupation with feeding. Singular or paired boars are much more aware of what is going on around them.

Yessr, I use night vision. It's of course a lot easier to stalk them at night in the farm country (easier to see). In the thick brush we normally bait & wait at night. If I'm stalking pigs during the day I'm normally in thick brush with a pistol or scatter gun. This time of year, while it's so freakin' hot, I prefer sitting on water holes during the heat of the day vs stalking. Stalking is always more fun when it cools off

We stalk pretty often. It's pretty tough right now, because it is very hot. It takes a lot of glassing to be successful in this heat. They'll be laying up under trees and what not, and most of the time you'll spook them before you can see them.
During the winter months I don't necessarily think blinds are more effective. I think it just depends on your skill in stalking and the property you're on. If you can get in a few days after a good rain in March or April you can do really good. This March we had a spot and stalk hunt where two hunters got 7 pigs with bows, all spot and stalk, in a day and a half. With guns we could have taken 20+. This isn't always the case, but if you time it right it can be 10x better than sitting on a feeder. You can p.m. me if you'd like and I'd be glad to share some info.

Since my buddies and I came home, we have been more into stalking than sitting in the same spot. Granted, when calling coyotes we generally pick a good spot and get set up and wait, but everything is stalking. Always feel its better in the since that even if we don't see anything, we got a good walk in the woods in, which to me is better than sitting in a stand for however many hours. Its not a matter of what is more manly or sporting, its just what I'd rather do with my time and what feels more comfortable. Now hogs, its kinda of a mix. Bait several locations, and move from point to point. Also, the summer just isn't as much fun, late fall, winter, and early spring is much preferable.

-Eric

if I actually want to kill a hog instead of driving around and seeing one, I will walk in and find them. Squealing pigs usually give the herds away.

Stalk hunting is the only way to hunt in my opinion

i trip over cactus and make too much racket on gravel roads to be able to stalk at night. kinda hard to wanna go walk around when i know they will enter the field within a short time or i know they drink at this pond before they lay up. its fun, but my terrain favors the ambush more so than the assault

I love to spot and stalk, but out here in my part of the world, challenging is a gross understatement. Out little 3' mesquites and 18" tumbleweeds aren't much cover. especially for a full figured fella like myself. btw for me stalking = traditional archery also.

Lot's of things outside my control determine how I hunt hogs. 100% of that is done at night, as I've only seen hogs twice in the daytime in the last 3 years on the lease.

Heavy cover and timber limit the number of opportunites to actually see the hogs I can hear. The wind in my section would swirl constantly, and only in the winter time (or with a front coming in) could I depend on stalking into the wind with no worries in a change of direction.

Heat. It's bad enough sitting in a blind soaking wet. It's even worse trying to stalk in this heat. With all that sweat, scent cover goes out the window.

Trail cam pics. Are they hitting the feeders only? Are they hitting the pig pipes out in the only pasture that would allow a successful stalk?

Success rates. Does my neighbor need a hog for a BBQ? Or am I just out here hunting for myself? If someone asks me for a hog, I'll generally sit in the blind at the feeder as I know the chances of a kill will greatly increase. If it's for fun, then I am not so worried about putting meat in the cooler.

Either way, I tend to shy away from blanket statements like "That's really the only way to hunt". We don't need divisions within our own ranks. As long as you take ethical shots, hunt as you please and let the other guy do the same without belittling them if you prefer a different method. That was not directed at you, but we hear this all the time.

If it's legal method of hunting, then who really cares.

Stalking for from the time i hear them squealing and grunting its on LIVE ACTION

Yes I stalk and track when I go out on public lands it makes it fun to walk around with a shotgun in hand looking for a pig to shoot.

For safety reasons, I don't allow stalking on my place unless there's only a hunter or two in the field at that time, with good knowledge of the ranch, and clearly defined boundaries. By setting up blinds I can better control the line of fire and backdrops for likely shots. Turning guys loose who don't know the ranch gives me nightmares about guys getting turned around and shooting back toward camp, shooting toward other stalkers, or just walking up on hunters in blinds. I used to golf with a guy whose son was killed that way. In low light conditions he apparently looked like a hog to another hunter.

I only stalk. It's all about the method as far as I'm concerned and I won't hunt any critter any other way nowadays. It's more work to be sure but my success rate, as well as satisfaction, has gone up. For everything. I should point out though, that I don't hunt leases, and many places I get to hunt are several thousand acres in size, some backed up to one another. Once you get to know a place it's pretty easy to quickly determine if pigs are there or not! We also have many choices of where to hunt that others aren't allowed to go. That makes stalking a much easier proposition!