{"id":9438,"date":"2022-03-10T04:29:10","date_gmt":"2022-03-10T04:29:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/?p=9438"},"modified":"2022-03-10T04:29:10","modified_gmt":"2022-03-10T04:29:10","slug":"hog-hunting-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Hog Hunting Guide\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More and more hunters are curious about the hog hunting craft. But where should you start? If you&#8217;re new to hog hunting, this guide will give you the meat and potatoes to get started.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The wild hog population is growing every year, leading many states to categorize them as invasive pests. Landowners and farmers are frustrated with wild hogs damaging their property and livestock. This demand to reduce the hog population has given hunters many exciting opportunities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s talk about the when, where, and how of hog hunting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Why Wild Hog Hunting?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People choose to hunt wild hogs for all sorts of reasons. In this section, we&#8217;ll detail some of the benefits of hunting wild hogs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here they are:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Wild hogs are destructive<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Often, wild hogs are incredibly destructive to farmers&#8217; crops and landowners&#8217; private property. For this reason, hunters must keep populations under control.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Wild hogs are growing in number<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Coyotes and mountain lions hunt young hogs; however, many adult hogs live with little fear of predation. Also, hogs breed all year long, leading to rapid growth.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Wild hogs are good-eating. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feral hogs taste similar to regular pigs, and if you bag a large one, you have a lot of meat in the freezer. No doubt, hunting hogs is a good way to keep food on the table.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Long-lasting season<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In many states, you can hunt hogs all year. This lets you scratch that hunter itch before chasing the big buck next year. Some areas are quite generous with hog bag limits and hunting licenses.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, let&#8217;s figure out how to hunt these beasts.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>How To Hunt Wild Hogs\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before we jump too far into the woods, let&#8217;s start with a list of sections we&#8217;ll cover. You&#8217;ll be able to refer to this when you need to review it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Steps to hunting hogs:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#Hog_Knowledge\">Hog Knowledge<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Habitat_Of_Hogs\">Habitat Of Hogs<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#What_Do_Hogs_Eat?\">What Do Hogs Eat?\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Regulations_For_Hog_Hunting\">Regulations For Hog Hunting\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Firearms_&amp;_Ammo_For_Hog_Hunting\">Firearms &amp; Ammo For Hog Hunting<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Staying_Safe_While_Hog_Hunting\">Staying Safe While Hog Hunting<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Where_To_Aim_When_Hunting_Hogs\">Where To Aim When Hunting Hogs\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Hog_Hunting_Techniques\">Hog Hunting Techniques\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#How_To_Field_Dress_A_Hog\">How To Field Dress A Hog\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#How_To_Cook_Up_A_Hog\">How To Cook Up A Hog\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Time to get started.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><a name=\"Hog_Knowledge\"><\/a>Hog Knowledge<\/b><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_9585\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9585\" class=\"wp-image-9585 size-full\" title=\"a wild hog in the woods\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Wild-Hog-Web-1.jpg\" alt=\"a photo of a wild hog in the woods\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Wild-Hog-Web-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Wild-Hog-Web-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Wild-Hog-Web-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Wild-Hog-Web-1-790x527.jpg 790w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-9585\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Feral hogs can increase their numbers quickly and cause a lot of property damage in a very short amount of time.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hogs are also known as <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">wild boar, wild pigs, razorbacks, <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">feral hogs<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Humans brought domesticated hogs to the United States several hundred years ago. Inevitably, many escaped captivity, becoming wild or &#8220;feral.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/tpwd.texas.gov\/huntwild\/wild\/nuisance\/feral_hogs\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wild hogs are growing in number<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. These are smart, adaptable creatures and many argue that hogs are doing serious damage. Hogs can tear up land fast, and even prey on livestock.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Male hogs:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Tend to be larger than females. Mature males will travel by themselves. These hogs can reach 500 pounds, with some even bigger.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Female hogs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The females often travel in groups, called &#8220;sounders.&#8221; Females will be slightly smaller than males.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Identifying Hog Species\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The hogs commonly hunted in the United States are of Eurasian descent (where wild boars originated). However, these hogs have bred themselves together with domesticated hogs in most of the United States, creating a hybrid of the two species.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Note<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Wild hogs can easily be confused with javelinas. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.southwestwildlife.org\/resident-animals\/javelina\/javelina.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Javelinas are &#8220;pig-like&#8221; animals<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; however, the species is not closely related to feral hogs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b><a name=\"Habitat_Of_Hogs\"><\/a>Habitat Of Hogs\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hogs are survivalists to the core. Don&#8217;t be surprised to find them in all sorts of environments. If you examine a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.climatehubs.usda.gov\/hubs\/southwest\/topic\/feral-swine-bomb\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hog population map<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you&#8217;ll see that the feral hog population has exploded in number and geographical location. Some have dubbed this the &#8220;Feral Swine Bomb.&#8221; In the right conditions, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tfsweb.tamu.edu\/uploadedFiles\/TFSMain\/Manage_Forest_and_Land\/Wildlife_Management\/Non-Game\/Feral_hogs_TCE.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hogs can double their populations in four months<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In general, hogs like low land, with access to shade and water. Some of the most common states for hog hunters are Florida, Texas, and Louisiana. If you&#8217;re looking to hunt hogs, chances are there&#8217;s a location close to you.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b><a name=\"What_Do_Hogs_Eat?\"><\/a>What Do Hogs Eat?\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hogs are omnivores, taking advantage of both vegetation and meat. You can find wild hogs eating grass, acorns, roots, dead animals, eggs, insects, and almost anything they can chew.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The hog&#8217;s vast diet and its ability to rapidly reproduce is one reason they are numbered in the millions, with no indication of slowing down.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Hogs\u2019 Daily Patterns\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hogs are smart animals. Some folks are under the illusion the hogs are easy hunting. And while this is possible in the right conditions, underestimating the hog&#8217;s natural prowess is a recipe for a failed hunt.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like many animals, hogs are active at the beginning and end of the day. Hogs don&#8217;t sweat like humans, so they look for other ways to stay cool during the day. You&#8217;ll often find them near a water hole, creating <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">wallows<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; areas to lounge in the mud.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep in mind that some hogs have become more nocturnal. Why? They are spooked by hunters or predators during the day, so they do their eating at night.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><a name=\"Regulations_For_Hog_Hunting\"><\/a>Regulations For Hog Hunting\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whenever you&#8217;re looking for information on regulations, the best answer is this: call your state and request the current rules. Regulations could change tomorrow, so it\u2019s best to get accurate information.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With that disclaimer out of the way, let&#8217;s shed some light on the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">general<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> regulations for hog hunting around the country.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In general, the hunting season for hunting hogs is long. Although, in some parts of the country, you can hunt hogs year-round. In other areas, landowners can hunt hogs without a license &#8211; especially if the hogs are causing damage.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><a name=\"Firearms_&amp;_Ammo_For_Hog_Hunting\"><\/a>Firearms &amp; Ammo For Hog Hunting\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_9589\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9589\" class=\"wp-image-9589 size-full\" title=\"federal 30-06 ammo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC7487-Web.jpg\" alt=\"a photo of federal 30-06 ammo\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC7487-Web.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC7487-Web-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC7487-Web-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC7487-Web-790x444.jpg 790w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-9589\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">If you&#8217;re hitting hogs, you want to make sure you have some knockdown power. The .30-06 cartridge does a good job of bringing home the bacon.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When looking for a firearm for hog hunting, there are several things to consider. First, as a rule, if the caliber can kill a deer, it can kill a hog. With that said, hogs have tough hides and slightly different anatomy (we&#8217;ll explain this in the section on where to aim).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Guns for hog hunting:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Shotgun<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. If you&#8217;re planning on some up-close hog hunting, then a shotgun should do the job. A 12 gauge with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/shotgun\/12-gauge-ammo?jacket_type=156\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">#00 buckshot<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or slugs will get the job done.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Rifle<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Some think the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/rifle\/243-ammo\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.243<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is as small as you should go. A .30 caliber bullet like the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/rifle\/30-06-ammo\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> .30-06 <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">will do the job well, as will others, including the 308.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shotgun or rifle for hogs? Good question. If you&#8217;re hunting wide-open land, a rifle provides an advantage. However, if you&#8217;re getting close to the hogs in dense forest, a shotgun will do the job.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Note<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: If you&#8217;re shooting hogs at exceptionally short ranges (common when hunting with dogs), the type of weapon becomes less important. Many guys will dispatch hogs with the humble .22 LR. Remember, clean headshots don&#8217;t discriminate by caliber (unless you\u2019re out there with a BB gun).<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Equipment For Hunting Hogs\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re planning on hunting hogs, you&#8217;ll need more than a primary firearm. There are several other pieces of equipment to mull over.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Things to bring when hunting hogs:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Binoculars<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. If you&#8217;re hunting hogs in wide-open spaces, binoculars will help you spot them before they see you.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Night vision equipment\/spotlights<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Double-check the legality of night-hunting hogs in your area. If you go night hunting, you&#8217;ll need a way to find the hogs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Sidearm.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Many hunters opt to carry a pistol for self-defense. Hogs can be dangerous in close quarters.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>First aid kit.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Don&#8217;t wander into the wilderness without basic features to help yourself. Tourniquets and bandages are a good choice.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You&#8217;ll notice the omission of camouflage gear. In general, hogs have poor eyesight. However, they have an excellent sense of smell. Keep that in mind.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b><a name=\"Staying_Safe_While_Hog_Hunting\"><\/a>Staying Safe While Hog Hunting<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you don\u2019t already know, hogs can be dangerous. The boars can get big, and often have sharp tusks. When you\u2019re ground hunting hogs, it\u2019s often wise to have someone with you. Second, lone boars are some of the most aggressive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you come across an aggressive hog, you can find safety in a tree. Otherwise, don\u2019t play dead. Fight back and try to stay on your feet. If you have a chance to safely get off a shot, make it count. To do that, you need to know <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">where<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to shoot a hog.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><a name=\"Where_To_Aim_When_Hunting_Hogs\"><\/a>Where To Aim When Hunting Hogs\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_9606\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9606\" class=\"wp-image-9606 size-full\" title=\"where to shoot a hog\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Where-do-you-shoot-a-hog-Web.jpg\" alt=\"a photo of where to shoot a hog\" width=\"1024\" height=\"679\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Where-do-you-shoot-a-hog-Web.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Where-do-you-shoot-a-hog-Web-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Where-do-you-shoot-a-hog-Web-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Where-do-you-shoot-a-hog-Web-790x524.jpg 790w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-9606\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">To drop a hog with a rifle, aim behind the ear to break the neck. With a shotgun at close quarters, fire a 12ga slug into the brain to quickly end the threat.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>There&#8217;s a belief that hogs are bulletproof. Some hunters will shoot them cleanly and then watch in disbelief as the animal runs away. For example, this idea probably comes from the differences in a hog\u2019s anatomy.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The heart and lungs of the feral hog are situated further forward than the deer. So, if you shoot a hog like a deer, you&#8217;ll likely only strike the back of the lungs. While a lung-shot will kill a hog <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">eventually<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, many hogs can run a while before going down.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What&#8217;s the answer? First, if you&#8217;re hunting with scope, you can try a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=NGjSGe8-fqM\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">spine shot<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Aim for a shot just ahead of the hog&#8217;s shoulder, in the middle of the neck.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Second, if you&#8217;re looking to stick with a traditional heart shot, wait until the hog is quartering away and shoot right behind the shoulder. Obviously, a larger caliber will create a more devastating wound cavity, dropping that animal faster.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><a name=\"Hog_Hunting_Techniques\"><\/a>Hog Hunting Techniques\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_9581\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9581\" class=\"wp-image-9581 size-full\" title=\"a man and his dog hog hunting\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Hog-Hunting-Web.jpg\" alt=\"a photo of a man and his dog hog hunting\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Hog-Hunting-Web.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Hog-Hunting-Web-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Hog-Hunting-Web-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Hog-Hunting-Web-790x527.jpg 790w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-9581\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">There are several methods for hunting hogs, depending on where you live, night hunting might be more productive than day hunting.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Perhaps the most interesting thing about hog hunting is the many ways you can approach the hunt. The rules and regulations will vary by state. However, all the techniques listed below are legal in some states.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Ground Stalking Hogs<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sneaking up on hogs in the daytime will have varied success depending on the conditioning of the hogs in the area you&#8217;re hunting. Some hunters state they are surprised at how close they can get to the hogs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the downside is this: once you spook the hogs, they might be gone for a while. In general, begin by scouting your area. You can plan your attack once you know where the hogs like to hang out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Note<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Some people hunt feral hogs with dogs. The dogs will pin the pig, and then the hunter will make the killing blow with a shot to the head or even a knife to the heart.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Stand Hunting Hogs<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can also hunt hogs from a stand or blind. With this method, using bait is helpful to draw them in. Corn mixed with something sweet is a common bait for feral hogs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, you can also use hog calls. You\u2019ll find that the sound of a squealing piglet draws the attention of both male and female hogs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Night Hog Hunting\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we said at the beginning, hogs are smart. In some areas, the pigs eat at night to avoid hunters during the day. However, no matter where you are, hunting in the dark can be exciting, and it will give you a chance to get a shot at big hogs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You&#8217;ll need special night equipment, careful safety precautions, and local permission before hunting at night.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Helicopter Hog Hunting\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Helicopter hunting (also known as &#8220;aerial gunning&#8221;) hogs is common in Texas. While aerial gunning may seem like the stuff of an action movie, it serves a practical purpose.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, for landowners and areas that need to reduce the hog populations, helicopters allow you to get that job done fast. A skilled pilot can safely bring hunters close to the hogs, allowing them to get good shots at multiple hogs at a time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><a name=\"How_To_Field_Dress_A_Hog\"><\/a>How To Field Dress A Hog\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let&#8217;s talk about field-dressing hogs. If you&#8217;ve never dressed any animal before, it&#8217;s a good idea to have some help the first time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Steps to gutting a hog:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Safety gear<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It\u2019s smart to wear a pair of long, waterproof gloves, protecting you from any pathogens. Also, safety glasses wouldn&#8217;t hurt.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Cut to the side of the genitals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Cut to the side of the genitals down toward the pelvis. Careful not to puncture the bladder.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Free up the anus<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Cut around the anus, freeing it from the pelvis. You&#8217;ll also need to cut through the top of the pelvis (easier with a saw).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Slice up the abdominal wall<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Use your fingers as a guide to preventing the knife from puncturing the intestines. Always try to cut <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">away<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from the guts and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">away<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from yourself.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Cut the windpipe\/esophagus.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> After you&#8217;ve cut up to the ribs, carefully follow the lungs to find the windpipe. You&#8217;ll need to dig up there pretty deep.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Free the diaphragm<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. After cutting the windpipe and esophagus, begin to roll back the heart and lungs toward the pelvis. You&#8217;ll find some resistance right below the lungs. Cut all along this line, taking care not to puncture any organ.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Roll everything out<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Now, everything should be mostly free. You&#8217;ll have to pull back with some pressure, but you should get the entire roll of guts to pull right out.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ve heard the saying, \u201cthere\u2019s more than one way to skin a cat,\u201d well, there\u2019s also more than one way to skin a hog.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While you can use these steps as a guide, the best way to learn how to do this is to watch someone do it, so here&#8217;s a good <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TLNOG-sw6u4\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">video on how to field dress a hog.<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><a name=\"How_To_Cook_Up_A_Hog\"><\/a>How To Cook Up A Hog\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_9576\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9576\" class=\"wp-image-9576 size-full\" title=\"pork cooking on a grill\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Mmmm-Pork-Web.jpg\" alt=\"a photo of pork cooking on a grill\" width=\"1024\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Mmmm-Pork-Web.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Mmmm-Pork-Web-300x195.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Mmmm-Pork-Web-768x500.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Mmmm-Pork-Web-790x515.jpg 790w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-9576\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">There&#8217;s no shortage of recipes available when it comes to cooking pork, the only real limit is your appetite.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can eat wild hogs any way you typically eat pork. Bacon, ham, ribs \u2013 you name it! If you&#8217;re curious about trying new recipes, you can browse<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beckandbulow.com\/wild-boar-recipes\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">wild hog recipes here.<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One thing that\u2019s helpful is to learn the<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/kitchenteller.com\/pork-cuts-guide-diagram\/#18_Bacon\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">parts of a pig<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. As you\u2019re dressing and butchering your pig, you don\u2019t want to accidentally throw out the bacon!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>One word of caution:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> many wild hogs are tasty. However, you may come across some hogs who have been partaking in less than fresh diets; in this case, the meat might not be as palatable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Adventures In Hog Hunting<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hog hunting offers adventure, excitement, and the opportunity to subdue a worrisome rise in the feral swine population.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do all the reading and research you can. Staying ahead of the game will ensure you have the tools and knowledge to harvest monster hogs safely.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After you find that monster boar, gear up for your next expedition by reading our<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/turkey-hunting-guide\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">guide to hunting turkeys<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>More and more hunters are curious about the hog hunting craft. But where should you start? If you&#8217;re new to hog hunting, this guide will give you the meat and potatoes to get started.\u00a0 The wild hog population is growing every year, leading many states to categorize them as invasive pests. Landowners and farmers are [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":9575,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[693],"tags":[1070,1071,1072,1067,1068,1069,463,467,707,1049,1073],"class_list":["post-9438","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hunting","tag-feral","tag-feral-hogs","tag-helicopter-hunting","tag-hog-hunting","tag-hog-hunting-ammo","tag-hog-hunting-gun","tag-hunting","tag-hunting-ammo","tag-hunting-rifle","tag-hunting-shotgun","tag-night-hunting"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Hog Hunting Guide\u00a0 - Wideners Shooting, Hunting &amp; Gun Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Check out our how-to hog hunting guide if you&#039;re ready to get out and bag a monster boar. Bring home the bacon this hog season!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hog Hunting Guide\u00a0 - Wideners Shooting, Hunting &amp; Gun Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Check out our how-to hog hunting guide if you&#039;re ready to get out and bag a monster boar. Bring home the bacon this hog season!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Wideners Shooting, Hunting &amp; Gun Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-03-10T04:29:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Hog-Hunting-Guide-Art-Web.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"722\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jacob\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jacob\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/\",\"name\":\"Hog Hunting Guide\u00a0 - Wideners Shooting, Hunting &amp; Gun Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Hog-Hunting-Guide-Art-Web.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-03-10T04:29:10+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d2abdb8d05ffcd8d8dfdc82eceac8d85\"},\"description\":\"Check out our how-to hog hunting guide if you're ready to get out and bag a monster boar. Bring home the bacon this hog season!\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Hog-Hunting-Guide-Art-Web.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Hog-Hunting-Guide-Art-Web.jpg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":722,\"caption\":\"Hog Hunting Guide\u00a0\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Hog Hunting Guide\u00a0\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Wideners Shooting, Hunting &amp; Gun Blog\",\"description\":\"Tips for shooting, self-defense, hunting and more\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d2abdb8d05ffcd8d8dfdc82eceac8d85\",\"name\":\"Jacob\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5bdba7577a660520515347744ce0021410b59d9014114ab3102fe61b012fd341?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5bdba7577a660520515347744ce0021410b59d9014114ab3102fe61b012fd341?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Jacob\"},\"description\":\"Jacob is a general firearms enthusiast, hobby gunsmith and avid plinker based out of East Tennessee. He has a bachelor's degree from Carson-Newman University and enjoys writing and covering firearms related articles and events. He has a background in the journalism industry.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/author\/jacob\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Hog Hunting Guide\u00a0 - Wideners Shooting, Hunting &amp; Gun Blog","description":"Check out our how-to hog hunting guide if you're ready to get out and bag a monster boar. Bring home the bacon this hog season!","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Hog Hunting Guide\u00a0 - Wideners Shooting, Hunting &amp; Gun Blog","og_description":"Check out our how-to hog hunting guide if you're ready to get out and bag a monster boar. Bring home the bacon this hog season!","og_url":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/","og_site_name":"Wideners Shooting, Hunting &amp; Gun Blog","article_published_time":"2022-03-10T04:29:10+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":722,"url":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Hog-Hunting-Guide-Art-Web.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Jacob","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Jacob","Est. reading time":"12 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/","url":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/","name":"Hog Hunting Guide\u00a0 - Wideners Shooting, Hunting &amp; Gun Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Hog-Hunting-Guide-Art-Web.jpg","datePublished":"2022-03-10T04:29:10+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d2abdb8d05ffcd8d8dfdc82eceac8d85"},"description":"Check out our how-to hog hunting guide if you're ready to get out and bag a monster boar. Bring home the bacon this hog season!","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Hog-Hunting-Guide-Art-Web.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WRS-Hog-Hunting-Guide-Art-Web.jpg","width":1024,"height":722,"caption":"Hog Hunting Guide\u00a0"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/hog-hunting-guide\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Hog Hunting Guide\u00a0"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/","name":"Wideners Shooting, Hunting &amp; Gun Blog","description":"Tips for shooting, self-defense, hunting and more","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d2abdb8d05ffcd8d8dfdc82eceac8d85","name":"Jacob","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5bdba7577a660520515347744ce0021410b59d9014114ab3102fe61b012fd341?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5bdba7577a660520515347744ce0021410b59d9014114ab3102fe61b012fd341?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Jacob"},"description":"Jacob is a general firearms enthusiast, hobby gunsmith and avid plinker based out of East Tennessee. He has a bachelor's degree from Carson-Newman University and enjoys writing and covering firearms related articles and events. He has a background in the journalism industry.","url":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/author\/jacob\/"}]}},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9438","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9438"}],"version-history":[{"count":52,"href":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9438\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10128,"href":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9438\/revisions\/10128"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9575"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9438"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9438"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9438"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}