There is mention of SE Missouri in your post elsewhere. Here is the straight of it. I and friends of mine have hunted this area for decades now. There is a small herd of hogs scattered across one heck of a lot of remote and rugged country. I have several friends that have killed a couple big boars after much hard work and persistence. I jumped a monster hog once in the middle of a clear-cut and couldn't get a shot. I actually killed my first hog last turkey season with my shotgun at less than ten yards, a 100 lb. sow. So there are a few out there.
However, with that said this is steep and deep Ozark hill country that has suffered both ice storm and tornado damage very recently to the timber. Logs lay crisscrossed every which way and walking a straight line through this mess for even a short distance is impossible. Stalking quietly is impossible, there is just too much brush and movement required to get around. Packing a tree stand in is gonna be a back breaker and ATV use in the forest is illegal. Physically this ground will beat you down and quick. Nothing is level here, everywhere you go is either up hill or down hill. Visibility is down to shotgun range. The hogs are constantly on the move in small bands roving wherever they feel. When there are acorns hogs can eat literally anywhere they are standing, this is all oak forest. They only move when they want to most times and this is usually at night. The acorn crop failed last year and mast is hard to come by, they are really covering ground to forage. One would think baiting would be great now. Baiting is tough for several reasons. Packing enough bait in on your back through this mess of forest isn’t really practical. Squirrels, turkey, deer, crows, jays and other birds, mice, ect. are gonna eat corn and anything they can so you need a sizable amount of bait refreshed often. And, the sheer size of the country is a consideration. Where are you going to place your bait in hundreds of thousands of acres? Up to date and accurate info would be critical to have success. Then you have to give the hogs time to find the bait and become accustomed to coming in regularly. All the while keeping the bait fresh. A friend of mine did kill a big boar by baiting and it took a month for hogs to find the bait and begin hitting it often enough for him to get their schedule. Once he began sitting over it and the hogs felt pressure, they became nocturnal.
And nobody is gonna work that hard and then give up their hog hunting spot to a stranger. Local folks are enjoying their new big game animal and keep their cards pretty close to their chest. Plus, many out of area yahoos have made theirselves unwelcome because of their total lack of respect to the area. Litter, trash, illegal ATV use, trespassing, tearing up roads, shooting signs, poaching other animals, and basically making a nuisance of themselves has caused many residents to not throw out the welcome mat.
The hogs are being hunted and plenty hard too! The locals are pounding them hard at every opportunity. There are a bunch of dedicated local guys with hog dogs and mules to get way back in the forest that hunt about every weekend. These guys are the most successful. The local Conservation Agent has been shooting from helicopter to reduce numbers. The US Forest Service and Dept. Of Agriculture has employed trappers to pressure hogs and reduce numbers. Out of area yahoos drive around and occasionally wander around in the woods mucking around looking for hogs. These hogs are harassed constantly and are wilder than any deer you've ever seen. The odds of taking a week or two and stumbling into one is pretty damned slim, if you do so rush out and buy a lottery ticket! Your luck isn't gonna be that good for a long time again.