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Need Help
#7837716
05/12/20 11:43 PM
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Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 68
Boar Sight
OP
Outdoorsman
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OP
Outdoorsman
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 68 |
For the last 6 months I can count on 1 hand the number of hogs I have seen at my 2 feeders. A year ago I could go out to my lease (Stephens County) and almost guarantee a shot at a hog. (I hunt thermal 99% of the time) Fast forward ahead to present. I have spent hours in the blinds and, not only are there no hogs, but the usual random coon, deer, rabbit, are gone. During the winter I attributed it to the "acorn explosion". Not so anymore. I get a sounder on game cams now and then but not while I'm there. The usual signs of hog activity are also absent. My theory? (zero scientifically based) The land owner has let the livestock graze randomly without any plan and they have destroyed the hay fields to the extent there are cows dying from malnutrition/neglect fairly frequently. No natural forage=no game animals. Am I missing something? For the record I run both feeders all the time and I'm a fairly experienced hunter. Any ideas/thoughts about the lack of all critters?????
Some people have such a toxic and rancid personality that even death doesn't want them!
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Re: Need Help
[Re: Boar Sight]
#7837778
05/13/20 12:28 AM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 15,975
Jimbo1
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 15,975 |
I hunted Thursday afternoon through Friday evening and besides the 1 coyote and 1 pig I killed, only saw 2 deer at the 3 feeders. Corn was piled up in both deer pens so I cut the throw time to 2 seconds. Shackelford County. Lots of pigs on cameras but few deer. Just that time of the year.
FJB - Lets Go Brandon BBB - Bring Back Better Awake - Not Woke!
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Re: Need Help
[Re: Boar Sight]
#7838047
05/13/20 11:01 AM
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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 146
Nakraik
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 146 |
Where I hut has no acorns nearby to judge the start of your animal absence, but the last couple of times I've gone out to hunt, almost all of my bait spots were being ignored by the pigs. I was lucky enough to drop a few because they would still come out to the food plots, but they were completely ignoring the corn, and nowhere near as many as normal coming out into the open. They all seem to be eating any form of wheat and young grasses in my area right now. I have found some scat as well to confirm. Looks like horse droppings, but there are no horses in the area. I did see a ton of deer as well, but they are also ignoring the corn in favor of the grasses.
Shot my first turkey today...Scared the crap out of everyone in the frozen food section, it was awesome!
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Re: Need Help
[Re: Boar Sight]
#7838132
05/13/20 01:08 PM
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Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 2,078
TKandMike
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 2,078 |
Are you running any cameras? I know you said you hunt thermal, are you still going out at night?
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Re: Need Help
[Re: Boar Sight]
#7838160
05/13/20 01:31 PM
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Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 4,070
Pig_Popper
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 4,070 |
This space is For Sale - inquire within ...
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Re: Need Help
[Re: Boar Sight]
#7838189
05/13/20 02:16 PM
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,701
603Country
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,701 |
Maybe nothing to worry about. Sometimes the pigs just disappear and I don’t see a pig or pig sign for a month or two. I don’t know where they go, but they finally come back. As for deer, toward the end of the season I couldn’t find a deer, but knew full well that they were still here. I put it down to lots of food in the woods. Corn started piling up under the feeders. Happily, and for whatever reason, the deer are being seen in daylight now. The corn is getting eaten. Pig sign is back too, but appears to be lone boars.
Not my monkeys, not my circus...
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Re: Need Help
[Re: TKandMike]
#7838283
05/13/20 04:25 PM
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Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 68
Boar Sight
OP
Outdoorsman
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OP
Outdoorsman
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 68 |
Running a total of 4 cameras and no high fences in area. I hunt almost every weekend. Maybe I just need to take a deep breath, relax and be more patient.
Some people have such a toxic and rancid personality that even death doesn't want them!
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Re: Need Help
[Re: Boar Sight]
#7838303
05/13/20 04:53 PM
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 9,185
hook_n_line
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 9,185 |
If your hunting every weekend you might have killed them all.
Last edited by hook_n_line; 05/13/20 04:53 PM.
Sometimes it's hard being me! But somebody has to do it.
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Re: Need Help
[Re: Boar Sight]
#7838428
05/13/20 06:32 PM
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Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 1,049
Old Shakie
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 1,049 |
I am in Stephens county. The hogs come and go. In March and April I killed about two dozen. I have taken one in the last three weeks. Deer.... only in the last two weeks have they started coming back to my feeders on a regular basis. Cows and deer....cow prefer grass, deer prefer young tender twigs. If there s not grass cows will eat twigs, prickly pears, mesquite beans, briars. I have even seen them eat old dead oak leave. It might be that the deer are going elsewhere to find lunch. Just my thoughts.
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Re: Need Help
[Re: Boar Sight]
#7838445
05/13/20 06:51 PM
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Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 2,451
Dalroo
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 2,451 |
Yes, hogs come and go. We saw almost none for a couple of years, then in late 2019 we began to see some damage. We've trapped several large boars over the past couple of months and now not seeing any significant new sign and only a very few on the cameras. On the deer, seems like most years they kind of disappear about now anyway, but the early part of this year we had so much rain that the natural forage is super-abundant. As the heat/dry summer comes, they'll be back.
My bigger question on the OP relate to having cows die from starvation and neglect. Very concerning, especially with the amount of grass available this year. Do they have access to water? Have you spoken to him about this?
Dalroo Deep in the Heart of Texas How about that Brandon!
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Re: Need Help
[Re: Dalroo]
#7838686
05/13/20 10:25 PM
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Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 68
Boar Sight
OP
Outdoorsman
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OP
Outdoorsman
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 68 |
Since I am there virtually every week I make it a point to check on livestock. Owner is aware of problem but no one does a ranch check except me. I released a cow trapped in pen and it died same week. Frustrating to say the least....
Some people have such a toxic and rancid personality that even death doesn't want them!
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