How to Hunt Feral Pigs
Hunting feral pigs or wild boars can be fairly dangerous, since these animals are fierce, quick and ill-tempered. Pick the right weapon to hunt feral pigs and ensure that you have your hunting licenses and permits in order, and soon you may have all of the homemade bacon and fried pork rinds you can handle.
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Things You'll Need
- Hunting license or permit
- Rifle or crossbow
- Corn or grain
- Feeders
- Hunting stands
Instructions
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1
Determine whether hunting feral pigs is legal in the area where you live and if there is a specific season for doing so. You may need to pay for hunting licenses and permits in the city or county where you reside.
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2
Choose the right weapon for hunting feral pigs. Shotguns are unacceptable because of the damage they will cause to the meat of the pig, so choose a high-caliber hunting rifle such as a .30 or .30-06. If you're truly adventurous, you can try to hunt a feral pig with a crossbow.
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3
Find an area where feral pigs frequent before you settle in to hunt. Feral pigs often travel set pathways to root for food, leaving their dens in the morning and returning before sundown. You can divert the pathways of the feral pigs by placing feeders or trails of corn and grain at specific points so that they will come closer to you.
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Allow the feral pigs to be comfortable in the area in which you want to hunt, which means resisting the urge to shoot at the first pig that shows up. You may want to establish feeding pattern days or even weeks in advance of the hunt by placing piles of grain or even automated feeders in the pathway of the animals.
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Use a hunting stand to keep you off the ground and out of the way of the pigs. These stands can be set up in trees, or be self-supporting structures, and are available from online sources such as Strong Built (see Resources below).
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Take your shot. Aim so that your shot hits the pig square between the shoulders, where its heart is located. The feral pig can run for miles if it's shot anywhere else, including the head.
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Tips & Warnings
Take a shower before hunting for feral pigs, using only hot water. Pigs have a strong sense of smell, and they can easily pick up on scents such as soap, cologne, aftershave and your own body odors. For this reason, it also makes sense to stay downwind of the animals as you hunt them.
