Midwest hog huntin

slimjim7878

New member
Hi Guys,

I live in Iowa and am looking for a short range hog hunt. I know the best place is probably tx but thats too far for me right now. Have anyone been hunting them in Iowa, Missouri or Illinois? Any tips hints or info would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Slim
 
My hunting partner, also a member on here, and I have been thinking the same thing. I would love to hunt some hogs!! They would make a nice target for the 25/06! I would be in for hearing about some info on hog hunting nearby, as well.

kevlars

Hey, Jim!! I just noticed you live in the Quad Cities. I live just south of the QC, and my buddy does as well. Small world, huh??
 
Here is another thread that I started on another site talking about this. There is a good bit of information concerning public ground.

I would have thought their would be more info coming from this site but maybe they are so scarce in MO that nobody wants to give up their spot.
 
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.
 
GC,

Thanks for the info. Sounds like fun... The description you are giving sounds about like what I have been thinking. Rugged ground and dispersed very intelligent critters would make for very hard hunting. I had not planned on baiting or using tree stands. I was thinking more along the lines of spot and stalk and or a drive of sorts.

If you were going to try a specific section of public land could you tell me which area that would be?

thanks again. You are the first person from the area that has responded to my questions and I appreciate it.
 
The US Army Corp of Engineers lands around Wappapello Lake in Wayne County has had the freshest herd buzz I've been privy to lately on this side of the state. Actually better hunting is found around Shell Knob near Stockton Lake in the central/southwestern part of the state. Fort Leonard Wood in the center of the state has good hunting also. But if the SE is where you're bound and determined to go then look at Wappapello Lake. The Fed's will have their rules for you and the state will have theirs also so you'll need to do some homework with both. Contact these folks:

http://www.mvs.usace.army.mil/wappapello/

And the Wayne County Missouri Conservation Agent. I don't know who that is currently but the Region Office can provide the exact details of who and what number to call. Here is contact info and a phone number for the Region Office:

Missouri Dept. of Conservation
2302 County Park Dr.
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
(573) 290-5730
 
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