Great site! I just recently joined, but I've been browsing for a while. I'm a late 40s IT Pro, and new to hunting (lifetime fisherman and camper). I just bought my first rifle last year (Remington 03 A3 sporterized to .280), and have been slowly accumulating some essential gear. At this time, my only interest is in hog hunting.

I am going to try some hog hunting with a couple of friends on public land in the next couple of weeks. We are looking at Blue Elbow Swamp near the LA border, and Sam Houston National Forest WMA. Has anyone hunted these areas recently, or seen any wild hogs? We've been on a couple of paid hunting trips and have not even seen a hog yet. I think I'd rather pay the $48 for a Public Hunting Permit, and at least get to go sight seeing and not be stuck in a blind.
The reason we are looking at these two locations are that we are in the Houston area, and we all use rifles. Many of the public lands are restricted to archery or shotgun. Also, these two offer year-round hog hunting.
If anyone has any hog activity reports or sightings in those areas, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Ken

Ken:

Welcome to the forum; while I'm an occasional hog hunter and most folks here have forgotten more than I'll ever know on the subject, I can say I hunt exclusively on Texas public lands, so I've learned a little about 'em in general.

The best piece of advice I can offer, other than to watch this forum, is to contact the biologist responsible for the WMA where you plan to hunt. Some of these folks are more forthcoming than others, but they're a great resource regardless...whether you call, email or visit 'em, I'm sure they'll be plenty helpful.

Mike H.

Thanks for the tip, Mike. I'll certainly do that.
What areas have you hunted and had luck at?

I was at the SHNF WMA on Monday and saw plenty of evidence of hogs but didn't actually see the buggers themselves. I'll be going back out very soon to keep looking for them. Good luck.

Check out Somerville WMA. Year round archery hog hunting and you can bait them Feb 1 to July 1.

I'm not into archery, at least at this point. I'm strictly looking for rifle hunting. I'm just getting into hunting, and want to limit my focus for now. Archery will be an adventure in itself, since I have never done it before.

Be careful out there... The rifle permissive inland WMA's can be dangerous.

I've hunted Big Lake Bottom, Cooper, Moore Plantation, Richland Creek and White Oak Creek. That last place is my favorite, mainly because it's where I've had the most luck. It's near Mount Pleasant and at almost 26,000 acres, there's plenty of room and plenty of pigs.

Like another poster mentioned, you do have to be careful at rifle-permissive WMAs, but I've only encountered one other person down "in amongst 'em" and he was an unarmed turkey hunter just doing a little scouting. If you go in heavy and check six often, you should be OK.

On my list to hunt next: Alabama Creek, Bannister and Old Sabine Bottom (better known as OSB). I know from other posts on this site OSB has got pigs, but it's 5,727 acres and can get a little crowded, IIRC.

Mike H.

SHNF has pigs in it. It'll take a little scouting and a lot of walking but they are there.

Good point, GriffGruff78. I will. Thanks.

Hey Mike H, did you have any luck or see anything out at Cooper?