What you need to know about night hunting for feral hogs

Hunting for this animal is one of the most dangerous, but at the same time, exciting types of prey. Due to their weight (up to 200 kg) and delicious meat, feral hogs are considered valuable prey for hunters. Hogs have poor eyesight but a keen sense of smell, so if the wind blows from the hunter’s side, the animal can smell it at a distance of up to 500 meters. The main task of the hunter is to disguise himself well.

Quality Firearm

Smoothbore weapons are most common when hunting feral hogs, primarily because they are more affordable than rifled ones. The hunter needs a certain amount of experience (5 years). In addition, in terms of efficiency, it is in no way inferior to a rifled one if the lethal distance is observed. Answering the question, which smoothbore weapon to choose for hunting a feral hog, we can say that any. The main thing is that it meets all your requirements. Wild hog hunting professionals recommend using the 12 gauge, which has the most excellent lethality due to the mass of the charge.

Hunting Lights

Night hunting is noticeably different from daytime hunting; this is a great way to get new bright impressions. For night hog hunting, tactical under-barrel lights are most often used. Less often, lighting devices are attached to an optical sight. They are lightweight and compact devices that are fixed to the gun and do not take your hands. With their help, you can highlight the target to identify it and make an accurate shot. Flashlights are not used when searching for prey – night vision devices and other devices are much better suited for this. In addition, the hunting flashlight is suitable for a dazzling wild hog.

Thermal Equipment

This unique equipment allows you to bring the detection and pursuit of prey to a new level. First, the quality of hunting is improved. For example, a thermal scope can fulfill all its duties from lighting regardless of weather conditions. The object’s thermal radiation allows you to find the hidden animal in complete darkness, behind any obstacles, bushes. Going to hunt wild hog with a thermal scope, you can be sure that the prey will not hide from you under any circumstances – the hog can hide in the bush at night, it may not move and not make any sounds, but its body cannot stop emitting warmth, which means that it cannot hide from the thermal scope.

Dark clothes

The preparation of a hunter for a night hunt for a wild hog consists of selecting appropriate equipment and equipment. First, clothing should be warm, dark, and comfortable. Equipment should be checked and prepared for the search in advance. Metal fittings on a backpack, binoculars, and parts of weapons that make sounds should be wrapped in a cloth and carefully checked for no sound when moving. , Yes, the presence of camouflage takes place. However, some animals rely on other organs of perception, smell, and hearing. The wild hog smells the hunter’s smell long before it can see it, which shows the futility of camouflage in this type of hunting.

Plan

There are several ways to hunt wild hogs at night, such as from a tower, approach, or ambush. The behavior of the feral hog at night is due to poor eyesight but a good sense of smell and hearing. The herd goes to the supposed feeding place, where hunters are waiting for it. Often, fattening is accompanied by loud sounds, the animal’s chomp, and grunt, so it is easier to enter the firing position in the silence of the night. This factor is convenient for approach hunting. Also, hunters recommend trying to hunt wild hogs from a tower. The towers, which are specially equipped, will be a good help for hunting. A platform on the building resembles a booth where hunters can sit and look around the area. Feeders with grain are installed under the towers. Older feral hogs can sniff and peer for a long time and only then come to the feeder. Hunters should not rush and shoot ahead of time. It is also best to make two shots for reliability so that the animal does not run away.

Conclusion

Hunting feral hogs at night are mostly about patience and skill. Therefore, when going on a hunt, you need to take care of several things: the weapon should be oiled and shot, equipment and clothes should not rustle or clink, and the hunter should exclude strong odors such as alcohol, tobacco smoke, household chemicals, hygiene products, new clothes or shoes.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.