Hog Hunting Can Improve Your Success with Deer
By Mark Melotik
For many avid deer hunters a new year means new challenges and adventures. One I highly recommend, especially for those who hunt primarily from treestands and blinds, is making the commitment to take a buck by still-hunting. And maybe the best part is you can begin practicing right now and become a more deadly still-hunter this fall.
Make no mistake, still-hunting is a challenge. It’s loosely defined as sneaking slowly and quietly through areas where you expect deer to be on their feet during specific periods of the day. Once on site, you make your way around at a snail’s pace.
Maybe your cadence is taking two or three very slow and calculated steps at a time, then pausing — for a long minute or five — to scrutinize every inch of the surrounding landscape. The goal is to spot a deer before it spots you. You’ll benefit by keeping the wind in your favor (don’t forget some type of wind detector), as well as wearing ultra-silent clothing and pack (wool, brushed fleece, etc.), and packing a good binocular you’ll likely use often.
So how do you practice all this now? My suggestion is feral hog hunting. Hunting hogs has helped me hone my still-hunting skills while also offering an exciting hunting opportunity during the typical “off-season” period of late winter and early spring.
Even better news for those of us stuck in the wintry, frigid portions of the country, prime off-season feral hog destinations such as Florida, South Carolina and Texas offer a chance to experience shirtsleeve temperatures. In many areas hogs can be hunted year-round, and let’s not forget that wild pork is a tasty meal the whole family will appreciate.
The best feral hog hunts deliver plenty of up-close-and-personal, heart-pounding excitement. In addition to honing your still-hunting and stalking skills, a major bonus is typically lots of targets and plenty of opportunity. Blow one stalk (hogs have great noses but suspect eyesight), and you can soon be into another.
Most good feral hog habitat can be packed with what seems like impossibly thick vegetation, including huge stands of palmettos and other dense greenery. Yet because hogs like to travel and feed in large groups, they can be relatively easy to spot. Good still-hunting areas include forest two-tracks, field edges, dry creek beds and quaint forest openings. As a bonus, hogs’ snorting, squealing and other incredibly loud vocalizations can be easy to hear as you stalk slowly along on calm days.
Once you catch a glimpse, or get an earful, the adrenaline kicks in and the fun begins.
In several areas you can hunt feral hogs with virtually any type of weapon: pistols, shotguns, muzzleloaders, rifles, crossbows or compounds and traditional bows. Most all of my hog adventures have come while toting a compound or recurve, and I have not been disappointed. Whatever your choice, your favorite deer rig will do just fine.
Are you ready to hone your still-hunting skills on an “off-season” wild hog hunt? Ask buddies for recommended outfitters, and you can also scour state DNR websites for public access and special hunts that might appeal. Be sure to take your hip boots, meat coolers and sense of adventure.