Night hog hunting tips
As feral hog numbers explode, hunting them after dark is an essential control method. Their nocturnal nature means most of the action happens at night. But darkness poses visibility and spooking challenges. Follow these expert tips to hunt hogs successfully once the sun goes down.
Here's a condensed list of the main tips for hunting hogs at night:
- Nocturnal Advantage: Hogs are active at night; hunting during these hours expands opportunities.
- Locate Hotspots: Check fence lines, use trail cameras, and observe power pole bases for hog activity.
- Approach Stealthily: Use darkness and wind direction to close in within 200-300 yards without spooking them.
- Gear Essentials: Stick to familiar rifles, prioritize shot placement over caliber, and invest in quality night vision tools.
- Effective Shots: Aim for vitals, adapt to hog positions, avoid shield-like forehead shots, and track wounded hogs responsibly.
- Ethical Responsibility: Finish wounded hogs swiftly and practice under realistic conditions to hone skills.
- Purposeful Hunting: Understand the broader impact of controlling hog populations for ecosystems and agriculture.
- Maximize Success: Embrace expert tips to enhance nighttime hunting proficiency and share additional insights for collective learning.
Why Go Nocturnal?
Hogs primarily feed from dusk to dawn, so daytime hunting only targets a small window. Their eyesight also dims after dark, reducing wariness. Night hunting lets you intercept entire sounders at feeders or water sources with the right tactics.
Many Southern states now allow hog hunting at night, sometimes with lights or night vision.
Taking advantage of their active hours is key to protecting crops and landscapes from destructive rooting.
Locate High Traffic Areas
Survey fence lines for repeated dug-under sections that allow hogs to enter and exit a property.
Set up trail cameras near these hotspots.
Place bait pipes - PVC tubes filled with corn and staked down - to identify areas of heavy use.
Hogs will knock them over and root out the kernels. Revisit in a week and move cameras to find more spots.
Check power pole bases rubbed smooth by hogs coating themselves in creosote. Cattle pastures are another hog magnet.
Approaching Hogs at Night
On small properties, target feeders. You may only get one shot before they bolt. Larger ranches allow driving and scanning with night optics until you spot them.
Use darkness and wind direction to slip within 200-300 yards. But avoid direct upwind approaches. Thermal and night vision let you identify hogs and avoid shoot mishaps.
Choosing the Right Gear
Stick with a rifle you know well if you are new to night hunting. Visibility hampers handling guns unfamiliar in daylight.
Hogs withstand bullets, so shot placement rules over caliber. Light recoiling guns excel for headshots. For body shots, heavier bullets in .243 or above ensure penetration.
Quality night vision, either night vision monoculars or night vision scopes, is a must-have tool.
So are red lights, like feeder-mounted hog hunting lights, that temporarily switch on when hogs appear.
Ideal Shot Placement
Remaining calm is essential. While broadside heart/lung shots work, quartering hogs often require aiming slightly forward to hit vitals.
Avoid head-on shots at the shield-like forehead. Penetrating shoulder shots drop running hogs immediately as bones slow bullets.
If safe, track and finish wounded hogs quickly. Leaving them to suffer is unethical. Practice under realistic conditions to hone techniques.
Best scope for hog hunting at night
The ATN THOR 5 Series is another exceptional offering that caters to the nuanced demands of hog hunting at night. Designed with both novice and seasoned hunters in mind, this series offers a balance of advanced technology and ease of use. It stands out for its remarkable sensitivity, enabling hunters to detect minute temperature differences between the target and its surroundings.
This high sensitivity is particularly useful in Texas, where the landscape can vary dramatically, affecting visibility conditions.
Why Hunt Hogs at Night?
Beyond enjoying a new challenge, hog hunters perform a vital public service. Curtailing populations protect ecosystems, agriculture, and property.
Your efforts support the environment and economy. And you gain free-range pork. Follow these pro tips to maximize success after dusk. The nighttime is the right time to bag wild hogs.
Let us know if you have any other tips for hunting hogs in the dark!
