I have been hunting hogs for only about 3 years. I have learned a lot during that time, but I am sometimes “stumped” by these clever creatures. Here are a few questions that I have that maybe you could give me some insight on:

1. Finding fresh poop: When I am on a spot and stalk hunt and see fresh poop, what should be my next action? This past week I was on a hunt and saw some fresh droppings and could even smell the hogs. I stayed low and was down wind, but alas, never got on them. No idea why. What should I have done in that scenario? Keep charging hard towards them? Stop and wait? See what happens?

2. Smelling the hogs: Again, when I am CERTAIN I smell them, what should I do? About how far away are they? Can you smell them from a pretty good range or does that make them within a relatively close distance?

3. Can I make the same trip multiple times?: Meaning, the land that I was on has an entrance on the north end. The wind was coming in from the south so I walked towards the wind the entire time. Well, eventually, I got to the end and thought, “well, guess that is done”. Could I have gone back to a starting point and walk in relatively the same direction or do you think the hogs would be gone?

Maybe these are dumb questions, but I still haven’t mastered the “spot and stalk”. Some of it may be because I’m impatient or maybe I have no idea what I am doing. I will say this, I always try and track the wind and stay in a good place. One of the last hogs I have killed while stalking was actually down wind of me, head down. Had no idea I was there. Who knows. Anyway, any input would be great! For the last year I have primarily been hunting at night with a thermal which changes the game. I plan on doing more spot and stalk when Spring rolls around. Thanks!

If you can see them and stay down wind, you can get awfully close in daylight

If you do all that at night w a thermal, you can get closer

Sunday, we got within 100 yards..but first our only cover was about 2 foot tall grass and we passed thru it for at least 200 yards

Just move slow and get to cover and stay downwind

What sort of “draw” or attraction does your hunting spot have on it ?

I’d concentrate your efforts on that feature moreso than expecting to cross paths with hogs on land that doesn’t hold or keep them enticed.

For example if you’re sourrounded by high fence properties you may have far less success than if you weren’t

Also look for their bedding areas , that’s a good place to visit first mid day

Fresh poop? How fresh is the fresh poop? Is it warm to the touch? If it isn't warm to the touch, then it isn't actually "fresh" poop, not in the sense that you are talking about that it would be actionable intel. Hours old poop can still look shiny and fresh, so if you are judging it by appearance alone, the you may be wrong. And no, I am not going to make the Aggie joke about also smelling it and tasting it.



The amazing thing about smelling hogs is that you can smell them for hours after they have gone. For example, I used to be able to smell them around my feeder the next day after they had hit it and hung around for a while overnight.

You can smell boar scent on a sow for many hours after the boar has had his way with her. Boar scent is a lingering scent. If a boar rubs on a tree, that scent is apt to be fairly strong and linger for a while.



We have walked out and shot hogs in a field, dragged them into a pile, took photos, talked, etc. and then on the way out, turned to scan the field and found hogs back in the field where we were and have done that numerous times. That doesn't mean it was the same hogs that were there previously.

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Unless you can actually hear the hogs or have some other chronological indicator, I would not put a whole lot of stock into finding poop or smelling hogs other than to note that hogs have been in the are and that hogs may be in the area, but that doesn't tell you which way they are going or where they might be.

The Angelina River runs through it and there are some smaller creeks throughout the property. There are some open spots but some VERY heavy brush in a swampy area that I have hit a few times, but it is THICK. The day I went is was warm for this time of year (In Texas) at about 72 degrees. I went during the day because I think they are more active in the day time during winter, but of course, with the warmer weather they may have decided to stay bedded down. There is a lot of vegetation throughout the property and a lot of water. They should be happy.

Yeah it didn't taste too fresh. No, but I did see some "harder" poop and kept moving through that area where I then found soft poop, but did not feel the warmth. Good info to know though.




This too is good info. I had a thought in my mind that if you could smell them "you were close". I had no idea their smell could linger that long.



Yeah, as much as I have seen on "hog behavior" or articles on feral hogs I really do think we have NO damn idea. As I said in original post, I have been 20 feet from one that was down wind of me and it had no idea I was there. I've seen hogs on a VERY busy road in the middle of town about 10 feet from the road, no worries at all. I've also heard a boar no more than 10 feet from me in thick brush but never saw him. Crazy.



Again, this has all been info I have not really heard. I guess practice makes perfect. I am going out to some new land this afternoon that the owner has given me permission to use. Looking forward to seeing what we find.

if you have stands of cedar look there during the day, they like to bed under them for some reason, big boars especially.

out here I head to where I am walking with wind in my face and concentrate on ditches/small creeks, cedar breaks. walk on top of creeks and stay back so you just barely see the bottom. pigs use the bottoms for trails most of the time. look for active trails, poop, prints etc. and look for points of ambush.

they are creatures of habit for the most part, if they have a steady food source you can almost set a watch as to when they will come around most times.