7 Bad Habits of Highly Unsuccessful Hog Hunters
The secret is out. Hog hunting is a hair-raising, heart pounding experience that is turning average hunters into full blown adrenaline junkies. Many hunters will tell you hog hunting is the fastest growing sport in the United States and with new hog hunting outfitters popping up all over the country, it’s hard to disagree with them.
Photo credit: Gum Log Plantation — Georgia Hog Hunting
Hog hunting is a year-round sport that offers an unparalleled adrenaline rush for both rookie and seasoned hunters. However, with thousands of new hunters flocking to this sport every year, it’s no surprise that more and more of these hunters are going home empty-handed and completely frustrated.
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Just by simply becoming aware of some bad habits, you can greatly increase your chances of bringing down that trophy hog and end up having one of the most exciting experiences of your life.
1. Impatience — among all of the bad habits, impatience is the one habit that frustrates outfitters the most. One prime example is how impatient hunters simply will not wait for the right shot. Instead, these hunters tend to rush their shots and will even go for the dreaded “running shot” and try to shoot a hog as it runs away. Hogs are in constant motion so practice being patient and wait for your shot — it will come. Another great example is when an impatient hunter leaves his stand before it gets dark. Hogs often move during the twilight hour so the impatient hunter misses an excellent opportunity by getting out of his stand too early. Patience is your ally when it comes to hog hunting — use it to your advantage and you will end up having memories that will last a lifetime.
2. Poor Shot Placement — another tell-tale sign of the unsuccessful hog hunter is poor shot placement. This bad habit is easy to spot because the hunter will go for the head shot in order to save meat or to impress his buddies. This bad habit usually results in a wounded hog with its snout or jaw blown off. Even expert marksmen have trouble with head shots simply because the head is a much smaller target that tends to be in constant motion. Shot placement is critical to bringing down that trophy boar so do yourself a favor and learn where the kill zones are located on a hog.
3. Underestimating a hog’s vision — unsuccessful hog hunters are notorious for underestimating how well a hog can see. It’s well known that hogs have a powerful sense of smell and acute hearing but there is a myth in the hog hunting community that hogs have poor vision. The unsuccessful hunter will habitually alert a hog to his presence by grabbing his gun or bow and ruin any chance of getting a shot. You might get away with slow movement but fast movement will get you caught every time. Stay as still as possible and never underestimate how well a hog can see.
4. Assuming he missed — another bad habit of the unsuccessful hog hunter is to immediately assume he missed if he shoots a hog and it runs away. Subsequently, the hunter refuses to track the hog after his shot. One outfitter explained that in 2008 he found over 160 dead hogs on his property that were shot by his hunters but never tracked afterwards. It’s a great feeling to drop a hog in its tracks but it’s not unusual for a hog to run after being shot. Hogs have been seen running away even after being shot with a 7 Mag so don’t assume you missed just because the hog runs away.
5. Underestimating a hog’s intelligence — a common misconception among unsuccessful hog hunters is that “a hog is just a dumb animal.” Any seasoned hog hunter will tell you hogs are quite cunning. Hogs adapt quickly to their environment and will make adjustments in real-time which can make it almost impossible to hunt them down. The unsuccessful hunter underestimates the hog so he fails to do his homework and simply won’t put in the time to scout an area which would give him a greater opportunity to be successful. Instead of thinking you are smarter than a hog, your goal should be to learn how to think like a hog and then you will be on your way to becoming a successful hog hunter.
6. Underestimating how dangerous a wounded hog can be — Approaching a wounded hog can be a fatal mistake. One of our members told a sad story where a friend of his had shot a large boar and approached the hog without realizing the animal was only wounded. The boar hog suddenly jumped up and mauled the young man who later died from his wounds. Hogs are one of the few animals in the United States that can kill you if cornered — this is doubly true when the hog is wounded.
7. Not bringing enough firepower — this is without a doubt the #1 bad habit among unsuccessful hog hunters. Many outfitters will tell you they have seen bullets bounce off a hog’s skull because a hunter didn’t bring enough firepower. Even if the hunter makes a good shot, a small caliber rifle simply cannot pierce a hog’s thick shoulder blade and gristle plate which protects the kill zone. By avoiding this one bad habit alone, you can drastically increase your chances of becoming a successful hog hunter.
