Back on Hog Patrol

Yellowhammer

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Staff member
Some of you may remember me mentioning being on "hog patrol" a while back, and the proplem I have been having with the hogs coming into my yard and night.

I detailed a little of the history Here almost a month ago. Well, I have had the trap baited ever since, but they have not been back into the yard again until night before last.

My neighbor has killed a couple on his place which is all woods the last couple of weeks, so I knew it was just matter of time. I have gotten into a habit of getting up a couple of times a night and going out on the back porch to listen for the raiders, and check the trap in the mornings to make sure I didn't catch a deer in the night.

Friday morning I was going to check the trap when I heard hogs take off from the lane just out back of the house, but didn't see them. Then Tuesday night we had some thunder storms come through and twice I got up and went out to listen to see if they were out, but I didn't hear them.

Well, they came and did their dirty work sometime after the rain, and I guess I just could not hear them. This is what the yard looked like yesterday morning.

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It will take some rake work to get it back where I can mow it again. So, last night I intensified the hog patrols. Someone asked me the other day what "hog patrol" detailed.

Just think back to a Viet Nam movie where they are on patrol looking for "Charlie" in the bush. Slipping around at night intent on the slightest sound, and ready to rain death when you encounter them. Since the "bush" is about as thick as the jungle, and there are houses not to far off depending on where "Charlie" is, I have the Rem 870 loaded with #4 buckshot and equipped with a xlr100 red led. I usually make a perimeter search and venture into the neighbors woods checking the trap and listening for "Charlie" before I go to bed. I will set the alarm so I can make a couple of patrols during the night as well.

Last night I was pretty ticked and was making a long cautious sweep before going to bed, intently listening for the grunt or squeal that often gives Charlie away. The moon was full last night and about 1 am I was straining my ears and eyes for any hint of movement or sound. I thought I could hear something, but nothing I could swear to. Then I heard a subdued "grunt". Definately a hog! I ease forward and shine my hand held xlr100 but don't see anything in the tall grass. I hold up, listening in the darkness, straining at the moon light.

Then I see a dark shape take form and know a hog is getting closer. I wait until I can see a definate shape and hit him with the barrel mounted xlr100. I big hog at 20 steps, and he takes a load of #4 buckshot straight on in the face! He bellows and jumps around a little and I am sure I hear others running off, but never see anything else shoot at. He spends a minute or two doing his death moan, but then he is done.

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By the time I got into bed I was tired and slept through the alarm that was set to go off about two hours later, but I did get up and make a around at the second alarm that was about 5 am., but Charlie was no where to be found. They are out there, it is just a matter of time before strike again......

Hog patrols are in force until further notice....
 

I have a system that may work in your case. My hog hunting areas are about 40 miles from my house so I set up a wireless camera system to help monitor feeding patterns and numbers.

I made a "pig pipe" and placed it in front of a game camera mounted on a tree. The camera is a cell unit and sends the pictures into my cell phone in real time using a text only plan with AT&T (works with Tmobile also).I have had good luck with the HCO camera. It has been there 4 months without reseting or a battery change.

http://www.hcooutdoors.com/product_info.php?cPath=27&products_id=101

You could use a driveway alarm at the pipe location but every critter out there would set it off and you would have to verify what it was each time. With the camera system you would get a picture of what is actually there and know whether to get up and grab the rifle.

The pig pipe will hold corn for several days and would pull them into a kill zone that you could set up in the best area for you to stalk them after being alerted.



Picture of a Pig Pipe from the web.
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This is a picture sent into my cell phone from my pig pipe.
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I have thought of the drive way alarm system. I have seen the pig pipes but don't really want to bait them into my yard or close too it.

I bait to trap just in the hopes that the passing hogs will go into it.

I also thought of the cell cameras, but besides being expensive, I don't have cell serive at my house. I am in a complete dead area.
 
Originally Posted By: YellowhammerI have thought of the drive way alarm system. I have seen the pig pipes but don't really want to bait them into my yard or close too it.

I bait to trap just in the hopes that the passing hogs will go into it.

I also thought of the cell cameras, but besides being expensive, I don't have cell serive at my house. I am in a complete dead area.

There is a downside to baiting them in but IMO it is better to confine them to that location for shooting than have them randomly tearing up your yard. We are trying to eliminate them from this field and they are there whether we bait them or not. The pig pipe is a very subdued baiting system and they will not root your property.....just roll it to get the corn out.

Of course, without cell service it's a moot point.

I use one of these when I have a problem squirrel around that needs getting rid of. I think you can put up to 4 sensors on one unit.

http://www.gadgetshack.com/reporter.html

 
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Last night's patrols resulted in one pig being shot. I had made the rounds before I went to bed about 11pm and nothing. I woke up about 1am and went out to check. I could hear them in the bushes just to the left of the top photo where they had rooted up the yard the other night.

The moon was full almost like daylight out with the cloud cover. I was watching and waiting, and I saw this pig emerge from the bushes. I'm almost certain there was another one behind him too. I figured one or two in the hand was better than a bigger one in the bush, so I blasted him from about 10 yards. I could hear other hogs grunting and crashing, but never saw them.

I slipped around a little more and went back to bed. 3am and 5 am patrols were unproductive.

This would have been a perfect size for the pit, but it was hot, 1 am, no ice and I had to coach 12U softball at 9:30 so I just dumped him this morning.

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Nice going on the hogs.

GMan, I'm interested in learning more about your camera. Do I understand correctly it will send photos to your phone (iphone) or computer?

Does it use your alloted monthly texts, or is there a monthly fee that must be paid?

Does it send photos one at a time to your phone? I assume that could accumulate quite a long line of photos to view, or can you send it to a folder?

Sorry for all the questions. I've just been thinking about a camera like this for a while and want to learn more about them, what they can and cannot do, any costs involved etc.

Sorry as well for getting off topic.
 
Went out last night got in at 6am, left just before thunder storms reached the area I shoot pigs. Saw 2 40lb er's and 4 10-15lb er's, figured if I shot the bigger ones the yotes would eat the small ones . So I left them to get a little bigger. Had to open fields for 14U boys at 10am but thunder storms flooded the fields, so I got to sleep in.
 
I've got a good problem with "yard hogs" too, I nailed two nice boars about three weeks ago and have not seen one since then, but I know that they will be back, just a matter of time.

I am on hog patrol around my property virtually every night of the week.
 
Hog patrol wrecks havoc with a man's sleep. Getting up ever couple of hours is no fun after the first night. Nothing last night exept lost sleep.

I'd have shot the bigger ones and hoped the coyotes ate the rest and I usually do.

Now back to the softball tournament if the rain allows.....
 
You would do well with a FLIR PS-24 or PS-32 thermal scanner so you could scan for any from the comfort of your porch without having to walk around looking for them, plus once you saw them you could zero in on them in a heartbeat.
 
Unbelieveable!

Last night I took the wife out for our 23 wedding anniversary and was not on hog patrol, when I got home the backyard was raped by hog rooting!!! I would have been armed and ready for them except for the celebration eating out at the Japanese Steak House Hibachi..

But I am home and ready tonight!!!

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I hate those sons of guns! They can do more yard damage in one night than I can fix in two weeks, not to mention I have things I would rather spend my time and money on than yard work.

I thinking short of land mines, I may end up having to build a hog wire fence around my yard.
 
No kidding, I spent two hours on the tractor with the disc dragging just trying to smooth things out and it still looks like beep...
 
HaHa, that boar did not get away.
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Nice ending to a great Memorial Day weekend.

Saw him near the game cam tonight @ 175 yards with the FLIR thermal and put one Barnes 70 grain TSX through his lungs.

He made it about 150 feet and died. The shields on this dude were a solid inch thick when we took out the loins for a BBQ party next weekend, each loin weighed 10 pounds....

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I was having problems with coyotes, up to 7 at one time fighting thru the fence with my dog. She came in bloodied up one night and that was when I declared war. After a few sleep deprived nights of waiting I spent the best $15 ever on the cheap driveway alert. I got 4 that week and 2 more in the next week. There's one left and boy is he jumpy. Mine is set up about 200' away and works great for a very small investment.
http://www.amazon.com/Driveway-Patrol-Sensor-Receiver-Kit/dp/B0000645RH
 
Originally Posted By: Wedgy After a few sleep deprived nights of waiting I spent the best $15 ever on the cheap driveway alert. I got 4 that week and 2 more in the next week. Mine is set up about 200' away and works great for a very small investment.


Great solution, Wedgy. Ougta work for hogs as well.

Originally Posted By: WedgyThere's one left and boy is he jumpy.

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Bet he isn't sleepin' too soundly right about now, either. Even if ya don't get that one, at least you're getting revenge for all of your sleepless nights.

Regards,
hm
 
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