Summer Hog Hunting - Is it really too hot to hunt??
We've had numerous customers and even game ranches ask us about summer hog hunting: "is it really too hot to hunt hogs during the summer?"
On the surface, the physiological make-up of wild hogs suggest this statement may be true to an extent. Most warm blooded animals utilize sweat as a body cooling mechanism to lower your body temperature. It is not the most efficient mechanism, but it will generally keep them from broiling their insides so to speak.
Wild hogs do not have this cooling mechanism. Hogs don't sweat. The way hogs cool themselves is by rolling in mud and swimming in streams and rivers. This helps explain their affinity for mud and water. Not only does mud cool them, but it also helps keep flies and other bugs off.
How does this help us with summer hog hunting?
If you want to see more wild pigs you need to pound the brush and find them. The key to summer hog hunting is to find water. If you find water, you have a high chance of finding a sounder of hogs. The southeastern and midwestern states have a reasonable amount of precipitation for hunters to choose from. The hogs will move around from one water hole to another. If you have access to creeks, streams, rivers, or even ponds, we highly suggest you set up your feeder with your Red Hunting Light near these water sources and sit out at night to wait on them coming through your property. After all, due to the hot summer days, most hogs will not move around much until night time.
Most of the time wild pigs are on a pattern, a good method to understanding their pattern is to set up a game camera near your feeder and learn their routine. Once you understand their routine, you can hunt them at the most optimal times of the day and provide you with better chances for a successful hunt.
If you aren't sure where to start, look for hog wallows. The more fresh they are the better. An indicator of freshness is wet splashes of mud and water surrounding the wallow, mud rings on nearby tree trunks and stumps where they rub themselves, and most of all if you find wallowed wet mud on a hot day, you're in business because they're close!
When you are able to locate hog wallowed mud, start looking around for thick cover with plenty of shade. Search hard through the thick brush for a flick of an ear or swish of a tail. An old but true saying when hunting is to not look for a whole animal when spotting, look for parts and then put the animal parts together.
Keep in mind that if you go through thick bedding areas and get busted, you have probably ruined your newly discovered honey hole for a couple days. They generally steer clear of hunting pressure and will distance themselves from disturbances. Sometimes they will come back after a few days, other times they move on and never come back. Be sure to be careful when spotting hogs. If you scare them off for good, all is not lost because you have discovered a great environment for another sounder of pigs to come to.
So stay back and wait. Hogs will bed down during the day time but once night time rolls around, they will start going to feeders and food plots to feed. This is a really great time to hunt from blinds and tree stands. In summary, find a water hole, set up your corn feeder with your hog hunting light, and wait for the next sounder to come rolling through. The year-round nature of hog hunting is why it is one of our favorites. Just make sure you are using the changing seasons to your advantage. Best of luck and send us pictures of your success!!!