Wild hogs are taking over the world it seems, and it’s apparently no different in North Texas. There are estimated to be more than 1 million feral hogs in Texas, and I’m starting to think that estimate is very, very conservative. Farmers, ranchers, and hunters are all doing there best to control wild hog numbers, but the best way—at least in my opinion–is to head out hog hunting!
I received this cool hog hunting story in an email and it’s a neat one because it involves a guy out hogging hunting with snow on the ground. This may not be a big thing in a lot of places, but it’s pretty rare to get a pig hunt in Texas with snow on the ground. Check it out:
“We’re on level 3 deer management at our lease, so I went up for a weekend of deer hunting. Friday, in the snow, I got to the camp a little early, so I didn’t even change clothes, just grabbed my 7 mag and jumped on the 4 wheeler and took off towards a stand. On my way, I noticed huge tracks in the snow following the road, then they turned and went towards a different feeder than where I was headed.”
“I killed the 4 wheeler and decided to take a walk and look. I followed the tracks towards the feeder, then I could see a hog under it. I crouched down, I put a big bush between me and the pig, and walked right towards him. Snow everywhere, I’m in a black Carhartt jacket, blue jeans, and a hat, no gloves, no face mask, no camo, nothing.
Walking in the snow was really dang loud, I didn’t think there would be any way I could sneak up on any wild animal. I got about 50 yards away, I stepped sideways and looked and he was still there. I could tell he was big, but didn’t realize how big. The brush was thick from this angle, but I could tell it was a hog for sure, so I aimed free-hand, waited until he was either facing me or facing away, I couldn’t tell, and shot right in the middle of the black blob through the brush.
I instantly started running towards him while reloading, but instead of limping off, he laid there kicking in the snow, blood on the ground. I watched him at gunpoint for about 5 minutes before I went back for the 4 wheeler. He was dead as a doornail, had a good hole in his head, and I did my part to control hogs in the area! It’s the biggest hog I’ve seen or killed, so it’s kinda a big deal for me.”