wild feral hogs snow winter
Bigstock

By Travis Smola

Deer season is now just a memory. We can hear some of you sighing that your chance at that big whitetail buck is gone for the year. Or maybe you tagged out like I did. But either way, you may not have gotten your full hunting season fix.

There is an endless supply of wild pigs out there and in most places the season is open year-round. Why not take advantage of this additional hunting opportunity? Here are a few tips for success hunting hogs in cold weather.

Don’t just focus on nighttime hunting

 

In most places in the United States, you can hunt feral hogs in the dead of night, when they’re very active, using thermal or night scopes. That’s how many hunters choose to pursue wild hogs. It’s a proven method of successful harvest, but most veteran hog hunters agree, late winter is a time to be looking at midday hunting, too.

Look for feral pigs to begin moving into feeding areas in daylight more often in the winter months. Some of them get desperate for nutrition this time of year and will break daylight hours when they normally would not.

Most seasoned hunters will agree winter is a good time to pursue a trophy-sized wild boar as they are more likely to throw caution to the wind in search of food, giving you a better chance at bagging a big one.

Zero in on those food sources

 

It’s true that most big hog hunting states like Texas and Oklahoma don’t get much snow, but the premise of hog hunting in winter is much the same as going after whitetails in a state with heavy snow cover; focus on the food.

Remember that hogs are eating machines and not much is going to stop them from rooting out their next meal. Even in snow, if you live in an area where feral hog populations encounter it. While they will root out natural food items like acorns that are buried if they must, hogs are also lazy.

Again, regarding states like Texas and Oklahoma, where deer baiting is common, those walking slabs of bacon are going to be much more vulnerable to bait the later in the year it is. Especially if your neighbors quit filling their deer feeders once the season ends.

If that’s the case, it makes it easier to hunt hogs, as they will tend to concentrate on the feeders that are still being filled. Just make sure it’s legal to bait them in your state before you do it.

Pattern them on your game camera

 

Sometimes, hogs will range over huge areas in the winter months and can be a bit harder to find than normal. The good news is their movements are usually fairly predictable. This means you can use a trail camera to figure out their patterns and set up a perfect ambush for that big boar or a sow and her piglets.

Just remember to watch your scent when checking the cameras. Hogs have a keen sense of smell that may be greater than even that of a whitetail. That means you must be extra careful not to overly-contaminate the area before your hunt. We recommend wearing gloves and spraying a little bit of cover scent to mask your presence.

Go in after them (spot and stalk)

 

Wild hogs love to hang out in dense, brushy areas. Going into these areas in the warmer spring and summer months can be tricky and potentially dangerous because the vegetation conceals the hogs. This is especially true in states like Florida or Louisiana where hogs often have dense, swampy areas to hide.

But in the winter, most of the leaves are off the trees and brush and it makes it harder for any swine to hide from you. That means it’s easier to do a spot and stalk or to even sneak a shot into heavy cover.

Also, sometimes the hogs are ranging over a huge area in search of food in the winter months and the only way to find them is to start walking and look for them. A lack of leaves is going to make that a lot easier.

Alternatively, you could use a quad or UTV to ride around and glass for them. Either way can work. Winter or not, many times you’ve just got to go in and get the hogs instead of waiting for them to come to you.

Watch for changing weather conditions

 

There are many parallels between deer hunting and hog hunting. Oone of them is that a sudden shift in weather conditions can cause a surge in hog activity at any time of year, not just winter. But if you’ve got an incoming snowstorm, rain or cold front, you’d best be hitting the woods, because they’re more likely to be up and active.

Keep a close eye on the weather forecast through the winter. Time your hunts to coincide with these shifts and you’ll likely be putting some meat in the freezer nearly every time you head out.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

14 COMMENTS

  1. Oh great, what an improvement. Now every G-D time I open an article I have to squeeze down the page so I can get to the X in the corner and close the SUBSCRIBE!! pop up. Every. Damn. Article. I have TTAG saved in my favorites; adding to my burden of mail to delete is the last thing I need.

    Did someone tell you that having too many readers is a bad thing? Because you’re about two pop ups away from losing one.

    • Same here, you’d think TTAG would have learned that this new format is, by a wide margin, unpopular to say the least. Not very organized, not user friendly, not mobile friendly, and an overall eyesore. Not to mention the very annoying subscription tab at every page change.

  3. That is good information for anyone hunting wild swine.
    Obey all laws and support your local game conservationists.

  4. I’ve been following this site for quite some time and think I’ve commented maybe twice. This new format is absolutely terrible. Why?! Seriously, why?! The old format was fine; new at the top, scroll down for older stuff. W*F is this new nonsense?! Who did this to you?!

    It’s unintuitive, overly complicated and unnecessary. And yes I do find it bad enough to not visit this sight anymore.

    We get it, you hired some hip new team, prob paid some good money to some savvy nerds. Guess what? It sucks. Mission failed.

    When you guys police this garbage up I’ll happily come back. Until then I guess it’s just TFB.

    This is like the digital equivalent of your favorite restaurant changing the menu. Or loud neighbors moving in next to you.

    Seriously though, this was one of my happy places in this cruel cruel world. But F*** us I guess, just do your own thing.

    I hope whoever did this gets gum in their hair, or steps in dog sh**, or has to get a replacement birth certificate in person, gets a canker sore and has to go to a lemonade tasting party, oil stain on their favorite shirt…

    I literally gave my phone the middle finger while writing this. Hate you guys!!! FIX IT!!

  5. Dear Coca-cola Company, I am writing to you to complain about your reformulated “new coke”… I don’t like it and don’t know why you changed your recipe. It tastes funny, and don’t tell me that it might be the Rum I’m putting in it . Bring back the old Coke, or I’ll change to Pepsi forever !!! Thank you, pb

  6. Don’t think I’ve ever commented but I’ve been reading for years. I like new and exciting things. This new format sucks though. Pb_fan59 made the best comparison I’ve read equating it to “new coke.” Don’t fall into the new must be better trap. Ammoland and TFB it is for now. Please email me in the event you return to a more user friendly format so I’ll know it’s worth coming back. At least I can navigate them easily and don’t get spammed with pop ups after every click.

  7. Also, sometimes the hogs are ranging over a huge area in search of food in the winter months and the only way to find them is to start walking and look for them. A lack of leaves is going to make that a lot easier.

    Alternatively, you could use a quad or UTV to ride around and glass for them. Either way can work. Winter or not, many times you’ve just got to go in and get the hogs instead of waiting for them to come to you.
    HEY YOU WANNA KNOW THE TRUTH BEHIND THIS ARTICLE… http://www.right75.com

Comments are closed.