We've owned our place near Dime Box in Lee Cty for about 5 years, and every year I've killed 6-7 hogs, but this year seems to be different. There are far fewer sounders on the cam, mostly single bores now, and the bores are only showing up at the feeder once or twice a week, so they are hard to shoot. Is this just our place, or are others seeing a decline in numbers this year?

Maybe there's more trapping going on near by, or the hogs are staying home because of COVID?

I hunt in Lee County just a little southeast of Lexington. Not too far from Dime Box as the crow flies. I can't really say for sure, because I haven't been out in the past couple of months. But, prior to that it did seem that the hogs were fewer and farther between.

The raccoons took to emptying my feeder almost as fast as I could throw corn into it, so I stopped filling it until I could construct a cage to keep 'em at bay. I've got that done, now I just need to coordinate with the landowner a time to go out and install it. Of course, the 100+°F days we're having haven't exactly increased my enthusiasm for doing anything out in the open lately…

Around Mason County, the hog population is bit smaller than previous years, and they've gone to late night/early morning visiting hours, which I think is caused by the incredible heat and drought conditions. From what I understand, hogs don't "sweat" very well and need lots of shade and water to control their temperatures.

No shortage in north Texas (Montague County) that I can tell. Aside from one property that has been a bonanza for me, the rest of my properties seem to be typical trickle producers, which is about normal given the hunting pressure I keep on them.

Plenty of hogs in Fannin County.

JR

One of the things I noticed years ago is how patchy hogs could be. I could be in one place and blasting hogs 3 different times during the night and my buddy 500 yards away didn't even see a raccoon, feeders at both locations. OR, I could be on my property and not see any hogs and yet hear hunters on the adjoining properties shooting hogs and sending me pics of their kills. Depending on where you sample, the hunting seems good or seems bad, even in fairly local areas.

I have recently killed hogs on a property where I haven't seen hogs in 3 months and I have killed hogs there twice, now, in the last couple weeks.

I highly doubt there has been a significant change in the population numbers in Lee County. Hog feeding routines change with the season, resources, pressure, etc. They will be back.

Thanks for all the feedback. I agree they will probably be back, its just a bit frustrating since I have a routine of processing the hogs into many items my family loves and the freezer is about empty.

der Teufel,

I had a coon problem too, and finally ended up making my own cylinder shaped cage with a 24" (I think round grill from Home Depot at the bottom, and some 1x2" square mesh from the hardward store for the sides. I found that the square cages didn't work, since the coons can still reach in and spin the feeder. The grill even has a section that opens so you can reach in and check the battery without taking off the cage.

I hope they stay away from my place.

We have 320 acres rectangle shaped piece of land with 5 corn feeders. 2 of the 5 feeders were hit by hogs much more than the rest and we penned those 2 feeders and its like we dont have hogs anymore, they dont come to the others much at all, its like they disappeared. Im not complaining about them leaving, but it was nice to shoot one every now and again.

I notice that on my place. If I get a little rain they will come out of the bottoms and will use the hilltop feeders again. I have also noticed to that there is a certain moss or algae that grows down by the feeders that get hit. If it's green they will keep coming back, but once it turns brown they are gone until its green again.

You need to find out what that algae is and let us know so that we can get some and put it by our hunting spots!!!!!!

I noticed a serious drop in numbers last year, but I attributed that to the amount of pressure I was putting on them. This year I haven't been as active and the number of trail cam pictures is off the charts. Of course, it makes it easier to lull them into a false sense of security. I hope to teach a few a lesson on complacency in the next couple days.

Next time I'm out at that spot I'll take some pics.

Suburban DFW checking in. 40+ I'm seeing semi-regularly on camera. Volume wise most I've ever seen in 3 years on this place.

The hogs on this place seem to have disappeared when it got so hot and dry. They’ll be back

Southeast Stephens county. No shortage here. Seeing plenty on trail cams. More and bigger sounders. Have become more nocturnal since it has got hot.

I seen 3 singles last night and 2 sounders last night. Every single pig appeared wet in my thermal. I dropped the 3 singles and there's no doubt the were wet. The pigs are hanging close to water right now.

No shortage around here.

In northwest Jack County we had a ton of them the year before last, hardly saw any last year, and we have a bunch again this year.

Managed to find a few hogs in Lee County this week! A sounder of 20+ was showing up at a feeder morning and evening. They were mostly piglets with a few (3-5) sows.




I got this ~100 Lb sow, and then they all scattered except for one little piggie who couldn't find his way home. He stalled, obviously confused, so I ended his confusion.




Also, I managed to get my raccoon guard installed on the feeder that the corn bandits had been heavily raiding.





It's a tomato cage wrapped in chicken wire. Hopefully the game camera will start showing raccoons hanging off of it and cussing.

I'll be posting video in a day or two…

Nice pigs. The cage is a good idea but the coons on my place floss their teeth with it.