This is a sort of philosophical question that has shifted into reality for me on several occasions. Of course, it is a play on "A bird in the hand..." and the problem seems to defy logic and so I was curious how other people resolve this issue when they are hunting.

Of course, as a hog hunter, you probably would like a crack at both the hog you have in your sights right now and at the sounder in the next field that you can see/know is there right now, but can't shoot at right now for some reason (distance, unsafe direction, etc.).

I have played this scenario on several occasions with most potential results.

I have shot the hog in the sights and managed to get to the next field where the sounder has disappeared.
I have shot the hog in the sights and managed to get to the next field and shoot members of the sounder.
I have skipped the hog in the sights and gotten to the next field and the sounder has disappeared.
I have skipped the hog in the sights and gotten to the next field and shot members of the sounder.
I have scanned the hogs in the next field trying to figure out if it is worth my while to go their first and had the hog that was in my sights disappear on me and then it turned out that getting to the sounder put me up wind and I got busted.
I have shot and hit the hog in my sights only to have it run off and be lost, and managed to get a couple from the sounder.
I have shot and hit the hog in my sights only to have it run off and be lost, and had the sounder disappear on me.

What seems to really compound matters is whether I am hunting alone, in a pair, or in a group.

Hunting singly, I have come to decide that playing a lone target (in my sights) is often my best chance for a definite success (shot, hit, and recovery) and that it is worthwhile to stalk the single or take my time to choose the absolute best shot possible to assure success. I would rather go home with a single good kill than to try to get to the sounder in the next field and risk coming away with no kills. However, in getting one kill and losing the sounder (which is common), I always wonder if I should not have gone after the sounder first, instead.

Paired hunting can go either way. Group hunting (when left to a vote) almost always opts to go for the sounder if it is at all possible.

Of course there are a lot of factors that come into play, but as a general operating philosophy, is a hog in the sights worth more to you than a sounder in the next field?

I generally hunt alone, and I come down on the side of "one in the sights is worth "n" number in the field." I've found that taking the one in the sights will give me the opportunity to get another one or two from the sounder in the field as they begin to run, helter skelter after the first shot. Sometimes I'll get one or two to actually run my way, since they don't know where the danger has come from.

I always shoot the one in front of me.

I haven't had too many opportunities to pass up a hog for the sounder in front of me, but I do remember a time my kids and I were out looking at what appeared to be a pack of hogs and had a cows in between. We were slowly making our way to not stampede the cows and had a lone board come trotting through. His shot wasn't perfect, and was in the direction of the cows but was so much closer to the point I would have felt safe with any of my kids shooting at him (plus we were elevated from him and the cows which made it even more advantageous), but the timing of his appearance, the cows in the distance, and potential to lose the sounder got the best of me and I passed on letting them shoot.

We finally made it to where the sounder was, and it turned out to be two coyotes eating off two dead cows that created a whole lot of thermal energy and movement from distance but wasn't what we were expecting. I offered the coyote to my daughter who denied it, and my son took one of them with a easy shot.

In hindsight, I should have offered my daughter the lone hog since that was what we were after, but even then I am not sure she would have "felt" comfortable shooting it in the general direction of the cows and I am not sure I would have been as cavalier allowing the shot too...

Hog in the sights should trump whatever lies beyond...sometimes the thrill of the hunt gets the best of us.

Multiple times I’ve been waiting for a big boar I have had on camera to show up when a sounder comes rolling in. They become the new target. So yes I’ll pass up a chance at any hog for another that is already in my sights.

I used to sort of drive my self crazy at our former lease, the theory playing out differently.

Do I sit in the blind and wait for hogs or hunt the field and when I'm sitting in the blind not seeing hogs what is happening in the field.

Many times I'd leave one location to go check the other and upon returning to the original spot the hogs were there - it happened more than a handful of times this way making me think the hogs were nearby and sensed my presence and once I left they came on in.

Anyhow, not what you're asking but that's what I have in my mind after reading your question.

Generally speaking, all external elements equal, if I have eyes on two sounders at one time I am going for the group that has the larger hogs in it, that just increases my chances of hitting the target from a sheer physical size aspect.

Mode of travel also will weigh into my decision:

For me its been either afoot or in truck and I've been busted more often in truck versus on foot. So if I'm in a vehicle and spot two sounders I'd prefer to bail where the vehicle sits and walk it in to the sounder that provides the best approach vector for success (wind, gates, terrain, no shoot zones).


I've never hunted via electric buggy, I bet that would change some of my tactics if you could stealthily maneuver and cover long distances quickly

I've only ever hunted in groups of two or solo - I can imagine 3 or more being a challenge

Dad always said never leave fish that are biting to find other fish
I this case believe it's pull the trigger

Truthfully, I've rarely had that problem.

It's just not that common that we simultaneously see hogs in more than one location.
When/If that happens, I'm probably going for the best opportunity (the surest thing).
If I'm with a buddy, and it appears at least probably that we might get multiple hogs, we'd discuss it and make a decision on the spot. Might not always be the same decision.

When my son was a lot younger. We pulled up on a feeder that had two pigs under it. I stuck the AR out the window and I drop a black and white sow. My 7 year old son asked my why I shot that pig instead on the black one. Look at him and said, that was the first one to get in my scope so I shot it. LOL.


One in the hand is better than two in the bush.