HOGS

[grizzly]

well guys the pigs made the front page of the newspaper there's even a small group runing around my county the dec has a shoot on sight order i'm afraid that this can become a real problem for our state 

[retranger]

From articles I have read and shows on TV those things reproduce faster than rabbits. Just last night I watched one and they were saying they can have up to 8 litters a year. Florida has been highlighted in one of the shows. I am certain they will be state wide soon. Everybody start eating pork!!!!![:D][:D]

[Sgtshultzy1]

A while back I was on a predator forum and there was a guy on there who had shot tons of pigs in the Tioga/Broome/Cortland county areas.  He even posted pics of all the pigs he shot.  After viewing the pics and reading the guys post, my draw dropped at the amount of pigs he was shooting.   I couldnt believe how many he and his friends were getting. 
 
I live in Dutchess County in Wingdale near the CT border and a friend of mine was telling me he found a dead wild pig on Route 22 recently.  These things may already be covering a lot of the state.

[1Morgan]

They breed like dogs, a couple litters a year. This expands the population quickly. Kill the little ones too. Gut em, skin em, loose the head, cut em in half down the spine with a saws-all and throw em on the grill. MMMmmm, good eats.

They are fun to hunt. They come to tainted corn (put in a water filled bucket covered for a week) or you can stalk em if you play the wind right. They don't see well at all. Be ready for a 2nd shot on a 2nd pig. They stay in groups, when one squeals (after a shot) others may come to help. They scatter like idiots when spooked, be ready to sidestep around a tree if being charged. They are fast but can't turn quickly.

Don't use a single shot. I was muzzleloader hunting on State property and found a few. I shot at one and they all ran in different directions. One looped around and was coming straight for me (not on purpose, just running) and all I could do was get around a tree. No follow-up shot that quick with the ML. He just continued his loop and ran off. I missed the one I shot at.

[retranger]

Thanks for all the info Dan. [:)] I just found out this morning a local newspaper did a story on them last year but they didn't think the Adirondack Mts. were good habitat for them. I guess I must of missed it. Also Scott I found out that they are in Washington County so that is probably the Adirondack location you are talking about. Dan what kind of habitat do you find them in down in SC? Area around here is all big timber, mixed hardwood and evergreen. Do you eat it all fresh or do folks do bacon and hams also?

I did hear that down in florida they could have 8 litters a year!?!?!?![8|][:-]

[SpurHuntinHillbilly]

They have up to 8 per year Retranger and can start breeding at six months. Down here in GA you can find em in the white oak/cypress bottoms. Up home they would probably hit the beech ridges and oaks looking for grub. down in the southern tier they will also be hitting the same spots but I fear that the dairy farms are gonna be taking a huge hit with the corn and soy bean fields. As far as hog sign you can definately tell that they are in an area. The ground will be tore up like old man Jones took a rotor tiller to his garden! You can find wallows (mud pits) with heavy trails leading to and from and near most active wallows you will see where they wallow and then use trees to rub themselves. The bottom part of the trees will be muddy and the bark worn off. As 1Morgan stated you can use soaked corn. I know a buddy who uses soaked corn in a bucket with holes and lets it rot. he also takes a can of beer and soaks the corn. Jell-o packets/kool aid packets added to that will ring the dinner bell. The best way to put corn out is to get a post hole digger and dig as deep as you can go. fill the corn to the top and throw a game cam out. You will know within a few days if hogs are in the area. They will dig to China to get every last kernel of corn! Man I hope that the state really does something to get rid of them. While they wont effect other wildlife too much they will destroy land and property. They can also be trapped. If you guys really want to read up on hogs go to this forum. It has a ton of info in the Hogs section.

http://forum.gon.com/index.php

Best of luck and I hope you guys drill one!

Mack

[1Morgan]

I'm in the coastal plains as well. They are in the hardwood bottoms here. The trails will look like mini-bike trails worn to the dirt. The rooted areas will look just like someone tilled up the area. If you find a fresh rooted area, get a climber get up about 6-10 feet and wait.

I've never messed with making bacon or curing the hams. Quarter it out get the loins, backstraps, and ribs. If you can get on em in the fall after they've been eating acorns for a few weeks, you will never want store bought pork again.

[retranger]

thanks guys good info. We don't have them in this area but I'm sure they are coming. I would like to try one, between that and venison I would have to go to the store for meat.[:D][:D]

[grizzly]

they may be on the way Doug latest news is comfirmed sightings in ten counties they're spreading like wild fire[8|] wayne

[retranger]

apparently no MAY about it,,,,they are here to stay and spread. I guess the only postive is they are good eating!!!! We'll have to take advice from the southern boys.