{"id":2119,"date":"2022-01-20T22:28:35","date_gmt":"2022-01-20T22:28:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/?p=2119&#038;fishpig=1642716952&#038;preview=true"},"modified":"2026-05-21T11:36:54","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T11:36:54","slug":"all-about-hog-hunting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/all-about-hog-hunting\/","title":{"rendered":"All About Hog Hunting"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\"><div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p><span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/all-about-hog-hunting\/#All_About_Hog_Hunting\" >All About Hog Hunting<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/all-about-hog-hunting\/#Why\" >Why<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/all-about-hog-hunting\/#Where\" >Where<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/all-about-hog-hunting\/#When\" >When<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/all-about-hog-hunting\/#How\" >How<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"All_About_Hog_Hunting\"><\/span>All About Hog Hunting<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>Hog <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" title=\"hunting\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"323\">hunting<\/a> is an underutilized activity. Here is the when, where, why, and how for your next swine-chasing adventure.<\/strong><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">All About Hog <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-best-rifle-rounds-for-hunting-whitetail-deer\/\">Hunting<\/a>. Depending on your personal opinions, the Spaniards deserve either the credit or the blame for introducing swine into the New World. In the 1500s the first hogs were released in North America to provide a reliable food source for future explorers. Five hundred years later, wild hogs have been officially documented in over 30 states and rising.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It\u2019s no secret how much damage wild hogs can cause. If you\u2019ve ever stumbled upon a previous night\u2019s rooting ground, you could almost diagnose an F1 tornado as the culprit.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The USDA estimates that feral pigs cause more than $1.5 billion of damage each year. The University of Georgia claims upwards of $2.5B. Regardless of the number, if you\u2019re a farmer, it\u2019s bleak. If you\u2019re a hunter, the prospects are rich.<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why\"><\/span><b>Why<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Apart from the financial damage assessed on farmers, wild hogs are invasive. Their lack of natural predators and quick gestation periods provide a perfect, albeit uncontrollable, environment for them to thrive. Additionally, they can transmit diseases into domestic pig populations.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As with all invasive species, <a title=\"Texas Feral Hog Hunting\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/texas-feral-hog-hunting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">hog hunting<\/a> is <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-phases-of-a-deer-hunter\/\">conservation<\/a>. All wild pigs are omnivorous. They eat acorns that deer rely on, insects picked by turkeys, nuts and seeds eaten by squirrels, and leafy plants and grasses that are necessary for cottontails. Additionally, hogs will eat turkey and quail eggs, turkey poults, and allegedly newborn deer. While hunters may relish the opportunity for a new game species, the reality is that wild hogs are a threat.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">While conservation should always be considered, feral pigs are a worthy foe. They are extremely intelligent, move mostly at night, and can smell a hunter from a mile away. Most states don\u2019t recognize them as a game animal, which allows for liberal hunting seasons and regulations. Feral bacon is also one of the finest game meats available, and the ability to hunt year-long combined with the prospects of a good ol\u2019 fashioned pig roast should incite a craving from all who enjoy the <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/avoiding-ticks-while-hunting\/\">outdoors<\/a>.<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where\"><\/span><b>Where<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">While most of the country has experienced a population explosion, <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/a-beginners-guide-to-nilgai-hunting\/\">Texas<\/a> and Florida rule the landscape. Texas holds more feral swine than any other state with Florida in second place. For the <a title=\"House Bill Would Sell Off Public Land\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/house-bill-would-sell-off-public-land\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">public land<\/a> hunter, no state can compete with Florida\u2019s 160 Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) and nearly 6 million acres of public land.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For hunters who can swing it, private land presents the best option. Though there are exceptions, <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/texas-feral-hog-hunting\/\">hog hunting<\/a> on public land is only allowed during another viable hunting season. Most states allow private land hunters to hunt year-round and at night with written landowner permission. Some states even allow hog hunting without a license. Check with private landowners surrounding WMAs. Most need help with their \u201cproblem.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Tennessee are also great states for bagging a boar. Check your state\u2019s regulations before venturing out.<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When\"><\/span><b>When<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Do you feel like hunting this weekend, but nothing is in season? Fear not \u2013 somewhere there\u2019s a hog season open. Not only do hogs provide the perfect bridge between seasons, most states also don\u2019t limit the number killed.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">While the opportunity is available all year, sportsmen commonly chew over the <a title=\"Why the 2.5-15x Rifle Scope is Ideal for Hunting\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/why-the-2-5-15x-rifle-scope-is-ideal-for-hunting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ideal time to harvest \u201crowdy pork.\u201d Some hog aficionados argue that hunting<\/a> in hot weather is preferred due to the predictability that pigs will eventually need water. Others claim that colder weather creates a stronger need for calories and therefore more active hogs foraging after daylight and before dusk.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The most compelling argument for ideal timing takes us back to feral swine\u2019s relationship with native game species, notably turkeys and deer. Many consider the dead period between deer and turkey season as the primo time for chasing pigs. When successful, hunters are thinning a food competitor for pregnant does and bucks recovering from the rut. Simultaneously nest predators are reduced prior to turkeys laying eggs. Even this argument connects back to that of conservation.<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How\"><\/span><b>How<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">By no means does the status of \u201cinvasive\u201d mean these animals are easy to hunt. Keen senses and high levels of intelligence serve as a pig\u2019s main defenses. A hunter\u2019s method should be somewhat dictated by his or her location and style of hunting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><figure id=\"attachment_2121\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2121\" style=\"width: 706px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2121\" title=\"All About Hog Hunting\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Hog-Calling-w-TORIC-2-10x42-1-1024x851.jpg\" alt=\"All About Hog Hunting\" width=\"706\" height=\"587\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2121\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">All About Hog Hunting<\/figcaption><\/figure><p style=\"text-align: justify\">Calling hogs can be very effective utilizing the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/convergenthunting.com\/product\/convergent-hunting-bullet-hp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Convergent Hunting Bullet HP<\/a> Bluetooth Game Call.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When possible, hunters should consider hunting at night with a spotlight or night vision. Where legal, hunting over bait is also extremely effective. <a title=\"Go Prairie Dog Hunting\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/go-prairie-dog-hunting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hunting with dogs<\/a> is illegal in some areas but is one of the most exciting hunts of any type when allowed. Hanging deer stands over water holes and wallows may test your patience but is nearly always successful in the end. Electronic calls can also be a great tool for would-be hunters.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hog hunters should be very selective about their equipment. In many cases hog herds can quickly scurry into or out of a kill-zone. Long range shots are rarely taken, and once the <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/shooting-22lr-rifle-in-a-whole-new-way\/\" title=\"Shooting a 22LR Rifle in a Whole New Way\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"594\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">shooting<\/a> starts, a herd of pigs will scatter like a firework going off. A <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/riflescopes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" title=\"scope\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"208\">scope<\/a> with a wide, bright field of view is extremely beneficial for target acquisition and follow-up shots. TRACT&#8217;s new <a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/riflescopes\/toric-30mm-lvpo-rifle-scopes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TORIC UHD 30mm LVPO<\/a> mounted on a semiautomatic rifle is an extremely premium hog hunting setup that should be considered by all serious hunters.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Regardless of your motivation, hunters who pass on pig hunting are missing out on a fun and meaningful outdoor activity. Though the Spaniards get the blame, hog hunting has evolved into an entirely all-American pastime.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/all-products?product_list_dir=desc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1338 aligncenter\" title=\"Hunting Gift Ideas\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/TRACT_Hunting_Scope_728x90.jpg\" alt=\"Hunting Gift Ideas\" width=\"728\" height=\"90\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/12\/TRACT_Hunting_Scope_728x90.jpg 728w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/12\/TRACT_Hunting_Scope_728x90-300x37.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/12\/TRACT_Hunting_Scope_728x90-600x74.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/12\/TRACT_Hunting_Scope_728x90-150x19.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px\" \/><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>All About Hog Hunting | TRACT design and engineer performance-grade optics without the added retail costs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12137,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2258,2259,2265],"tags":[2460,2676,2797,2812,2813,2844,2845,2846,2847,2848,2849,2850,2852],"class_list":["post-2119","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hunting","category-hunting-rifle-scope","category-rifle-scope","tag-big-game-hunting","tag-hog-hunting","tag-hunting","tag-hunting-calibers","tag-hunting-calibers-for-deer","tag-hunting-rifle-caliber","tag-hunting-rifle-caliber-chart","tag-hunting-rifle-caliber-for-deer","tag-hunting-rifle-calibers","tag-hunting-rifle-calibers-by-size","tag-hunting-rifle-rounds","tag-hunting-rifle-scope","tag-hunting-rifle-sizes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2119","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2119"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2119\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11417,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2119\/revisions\/11417"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12137"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2119"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2119"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2119"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}