Everywhere I go, folks like to ask me what I’m hunting, and this time of year, the answer is, most often, hogs. Now, lots of folks will tell you that hunting hogs in the high heat of summer is way too hard, and so it can be. Harder still if you set out to shoot a big boar while it’s hotter than Hell’s back pasture. But Summer can be a great time to hunt hogs as they’re not prone to range far and wide and can be easier to pattern. With me being a dedicated still hunter, I’ll be setting up in hopes of ambushing one with my recurve. A fresh pile of pork in my freezer is reason enough to donate a whole lot of sweat for the effort, but my upcoming hunts also have another motivation. I’ll be filming the hunt while testing out some new camouflage. So, as long as it’s on my mind, I’ll tell you a few things that can put the odds in your favor if you want to poke a pig or two with an arrow.
First — Scout
Hogs hole up in thick cover during the days, so finding them isn’t always easy, but circle along the downwind sides of the tickets and palmetto flats and find their trails coming and going. A hog’s mighty fond of feeding, so finding their trails in and out of their daytime bedding areas can give you a definite edge when you set up to hunt. Food sources are great spots to hunt, of course, but if you want a crack at them while the sun is still giving you a little light to see by, hug the downwind edge of a bedding area and intercept Old Porky when he first heads out for his evening snack. This strategic approach can make your hunting experience more engaging and rewarding.
Second — Water Sources
As the temperatures keep on climbing, water becomes vitally important to a hog. They need access to water not only to drink but to cool down. Unlike us, pigs don’t sweat, and they’ll have to go to water to regulate their body temperatures. They’ll often visit the same wallows and water sources daily. Finding and staking out these honey holes can be a very productive way to hunt hogs during the summer. Don’t assume that hogs will only go to water early or late. If hunting an area with very low hunting pressure, they may make several trips for water during a hot day, especially if the water is near thick cover. But I am no fan of midday hunting this time of the year.
Third — Go Nocturnal
Intense heat can make hogs mostly nocturnal and in locations with heavy hunting pressure, hogs go almost entirely nocturnal. Pigs are smart and aren’t likely to hang out in the open in the daytime if experience tells them that doing so means they’re going to be shot at. In the past, a lot of nighttime hog hunting was done with spotlights, but with advances in technology and increasingly affordable thermal and night vision optics, hunting hogs at night has become wildly popular. It’s also highly productive. Pigs seem less wary at night, and you can often get much closer to them. But with no sights on my bow, I don’t need light to aim, only enough to see him by. This adaptability in hunting methods empowers you to take control of your hunting experience.
As always, I’d love to hear from you at [email protected]. God Bless, and good hunting!
