I’m excited to say that a friend I brought into the fold is friends with a turf farmer, who happens to have a hog problem. He’s invited us to join in the suppression efforts. I’m psyched.

I’m going to do my best to knock some off by daylight or at dusk, but I need an introduction to the art of spotlighting as well as a recommendation for a solid, frugal first-round buy.

Heaven knows we never night hunted in PA, so I’m out of my expertise.

If you will be hunting at night and using a spotlight or other means of equipment "Notify the game warden" shots fired. Have a signed paper from land owner for authorizing you to hunt on his property.
Just starting out night vision is good, thermal is expensive.
Sightmark is a good starter mounted to your rifle and have a hand held monoculor. Might need a upgraded light source for the Sightmark.

Curse my fat thumbs lol. That and posting from mobile. Here’s the second half of the question

Thanks for the advice! I really can’t do thermal OR nv right now, but a weapon light/spotlight would be within reach.

So a lot of these lights come with momentary switches - is the basic technique to sit quietly til the sounder walks by, then flip the light on and shoot? The internet is full of opinions on which color hawgs can’t see, should I find a filter for the light?

And if it’s dark enough to need a spotlight, do I need a blind or just now noise and scent control?

Always hunt the wind in your face if possible. Use a type of spotlight or flashlight that you can control the beam. A tight beam is better than a broad beam.
As far as color I never had a issue with white over other ones.

Dale, you’re the hero this city deserves

If it’s dark enough to spotlight, do I still need a blind?

Here's an opinion, and I swear it's worth every penny it'll cost you. Plus, I provide a double your money back guarantee if I'm wrong!

Do you need a blind if it's dark enough to need a spotlight? Maybe.
By that all-encompassing statement I mean if the moon is out enough to cast a shadow, you might need something to hide your presence. I often sit in the middle of a pasture, but I sit in the shade of a tree or bush. Even then, if the field is lit up behind you your silhouette may be visible so try to become one with the shrubbery. Take these things into consideration, but wind direction is the most important variable.

In the right conditions, I've driven to within 20-25 yards of them on my Honda Pioneer (no lights) so I don't think a blind matters. Minding your scent/wind direction and staying out of the moonlight are probably most important.

That said, I can't imagine hunting hogs at night without a thermal or night vision monocular of some kind. You can get a base-level NV monocular for hundreds of $, not thousands. Shining a white spotlight (which admittedly I've never done) around just cannot be helping things.

Charlie

Ditto. Can’t imagine doing it with a spotlight. Go thermal. I suggest the super hogster. I love mine. Hogs can’t see very good at all but there sense of smell is insane. If the wind isn’t right I don’t even bother trying anymore. I have cell game cams and can see what is at my feeders in real time. When staying at the ranch I just wait for a notification and then go to whichever feeder they are at. With the right wind every single time I have walked up to blind climbed the ladder got in and taken a shot. If the wind is wrong I have never even been able to see them. Last hog I shot I had the right wind and drove up within 150 yards of it in broad day light hopped out and shot it.

A natural blind is good, tree stump, down logs, brush, a group of trees together, tall grass. Instead of camo clothes try wearing black (night hunting and blend with shadows).

There's lots of very good advice in this thread. If you're hunting solo, a handheld spotlight will be awkward, so maybe consider a scope mounted light with a switch mounted to the forend of the rifle. You can get one of these for less than $100, and probably less than $75. This will illuminate what you're seeing in the scope. If hunting outside of a blind, maybe consider a tripod or shooting sticks for stability on longer shots. As stated above, be downwind always.

Like other members have said, wind is the most important thing to consider. On full moon, cloud-less nights try to keep it in your face or overhead so you don't cast a shadow. Also, I avoid dark clothing on those nights so I don't inadvertently silhouette myself. I've shot pigs on spotlight, NV, and thermal. If working on a minimal budget I would look into a Sightmark Wraith HD and an upgraded IR light when funds are available. Lots of videos on them. Plus it allows you to ID your background better before taking a shot.

Thank you for your advice friends! I’m shopping around for a light to mount with a remote switch.. NV and thermal would be a big ask in my current circumstances, but I think I’ve got a ways to go before I’d need it!

You do not need a blind to hunt hogs at night. I am assuming you are going to do a spot and stalk so buy a green light from someone that specializes in hog lights for guns. I do recommend a green light that will focus the beam close and far away. Start the light over their heads and bring it down slowly on them and focus your beam accordingly. You will figure it out on your own what is best. I think I spent $110 on mine and it is high quality durable and has lasted many years now. Hunt the Wind wind wind! Your best information will be learned in the field. The internet can only teach you so much but it can put you in the right direction.

I have a Unique Fire T50 with a green led pill and can see well enough to shoot out to 150 yards. Buy a mount with windage adjustment and get the push button switch. Do not buy uniquefire batteries. They are often recycled laptop batteries and can be dangerous. Pay a $1 or $2 more and get legit Panasonic batteries. If you spend more than $75 for Mount, Light , batteries, and charger your wasting money.

In my blind I set up a cctv camera w/ a 150mm lens and a 940nm T50 along with a small backup monitor pointed towards my feeder pin. When the pigs come in I can view the monitor an pick out the one I want, push the button on the rifle mounted green light and scope the pig and pull the trigger. They can’t see the green light at all.

Now I also own a couple digitalis and a pulsar thermal, I also use a Flir inspection camera as a field scanner. I really like the accuracy of a glass scope over that of both my digitals and my thermal.
One last thing, Make sure you know where your shooting as a ricochet can travel a 1000 yards. It is hard to get your bearings at night and it’s better to be safe than sorry as the say.

Hunting solo with a rifle and a separate light is darn near impossible.