New Mexico Hog Hunt

Zed

New member
Hey Guys,

Quick questions. I am moving to Albuquerque, NM from Chicago, IL in the next two weeks and I have always wanted to go for a hog hunt. I currently have a BA 243 and a 308 AR. Would one of those work for a hog? I believe so.

Second question, what else do I need to know since I have never done it before?

Any help would be welcomed.

Thank you
 
Either of those will be adequate for hogs.

I have never hunted hogs in NM, but expect they may not be as easy to find as in other places. I would say look to think areas close to water and it looks like you need to head east.

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Both rifles would be work. Your biggest problem will be finding hogs. Not many places in NM have any substantial population of hogs. There are a few around Nogal, a few in the Boot hill and been hearing they are moving into SE NM around the Pecos river area. I have killed a few in the boot hill when calling coyotes but most of them are going to be found on private land and the landowner have decided they are a commodity now and want people to pay to play.

drscott
 
Thanks Hammer & Drscott,

Would a 300BLK also do the trick? I have been looking near the Canadian River up near Conchas.

Is there public land up North on the 419? and hike closer to the river and also be ready for Coyotes.
 
Yellowhammer is correct. Pigs need a permanent water source and are usually found close to agricultural areas. Most of them I have found over the years have been on state or BLM land adjacent to Alfalfa or chili fields.

drscott
 
Welcome to New Mexico. Hope you're ready for a bit of culture shock.
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That map makes things look rosy, but I wouldn't count on finding hogs easily. There are a few out there, but most are going to be on hard-to-access private land. As said, they're in the bootheel, but all but one little group I've ever seen down there were on private. I understand they're moving up the Pecos river, but again, most of that is private. There are a few public access points though, so if you're willing to spend time and effort you might be able to rustle one up. For the time and money you'd spend finding one though, I suspect you could work a bit of overtime and spend that money driving a ways down in to Texas to shoot pigs. You can get to good, relatively inexpensive hog hunting in less than a day's drive from many parts of NM.

Spend your gas money here going trout fishing, coyote calling, or looking for elk.
 
I have spent two years trying to find hogs to hunt here in NM with no luck. I have heard where they are, but when I go to look nothing. I talk to farmers and ranchers in those area and while they have heard to stories about hogs being in their area they themselves have not had any damage or sightings. And I ride a motorcycle while looking and can cover a lot of ground. Nothing. I have seen hog hunters using dogs to locate them but that was near Ruidoso, in the mountains at about 9000 feet elevation in Nogal Canyon and I did see where they had been rooting for acorns in the bottoms of small canyons there. No hogs were seen or taken by those hunters either. I have covered the "Middle Rio Grande conservancy district" and have seen no damage or animals there along the river or irrigation ditches. The USGA says they are there, I can't find em. Contact the USGA office here they will send you maps and contacts for hog hunting. Good Luck and smart move outa Chicago!
 
Either of those will be adequate for hogs.

I have never hunted hogs in NM, but expect they may not be as easy to find as in other places. I would say look to think areas close to water and it looks like you need to head east.

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Where did this map come from and where can I find an updated map?
I am very interested in finding feral hogs, but can't seem to find anything!

Am I missing something I feel kinda like outsider! If I just had the secret code, everyone would talk, you know? :)
 
I have lived in New Mexico since 1969 and I have never seen a feral pig. Rumors do happen once in a while but that is it. Many years ago there was some hogs running in SE NM but they got exterminated by some federal hunters in helicopters, so the story goes. Other than an occasional pig sighting at a local Sonic there is not any. Do not confuse Javelina with a feral pig.
 
There is s distinct lack of permanent water in southern NM, even the Rio Grande is a sand box for much of the year in Las Cruces. The "River" that runs thru the town I live in I've only seen water in twice for a couple.days. Coming from WI and MN where I ran mink traps at the culverts(water flowed year round) on the way to work. .Rivers in NM are a real disappointment.
 
Lots of hogs in south and west Texas that don’t have that much water. That being said, they will usually be found near tanks, bottoms and rivers. Hogs can and do cover a lot of ground whether going to water or just roaming looking for food.
 
Use to see them all the time in unit 34 but we had a cold snap with temps below zero a few years ago and I haven’t seen one since then.
 
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