Bowhunt America

Article Topics

Cattle Ranch Boars

Whether you decide to spot and stalk or opt for a more leisurely stand hunt, this sport is tons of fun.

By Tim Herald

Wild hogs seem like they were created for bowhunters. They are prolific, accessible, don’t have the best eyesight in the world and are excellent table fare. Over the past 20 years, I have hunted pigs in Africa, New Zealand, Hawaii and all over the continental US, and without a doubt my favorite places to pursue porkers are cattle ranches.

In areas where wild hogs are found, cattle operations are great bets for finding huntable populations. The hogs will make raids to steal cattle feed, and they will root up the grazing pastures. Because of their ever-increasing numbers and propensity to cause damage to cattle farms, ranchers will frequently allow hog hunting at little to no cost. This is especially true for bowhunters. Many operations don’t want rifle hunters anywhere near their precious bovines, but they are all too happy to grant archers access.

There are two good ways to hunt hogs on cattle ranches. You can spot and stalk them or hunt them from blinds or stands. Both methods can be extremely effective. You just need to use your head and decide which method will work best in a given situation.

If you can find exactly where hogs are feeding (very often right from cattle troughs), you can set or build a blind within bow range and wait them out. When they come in to steal feed, you collect your pork dinner. I find this method works very well for afternoon hunts when you can set up before hogs are really on the move.

The key to stand-hunting hogs is being able to pinpoint where they will be. On operations such as dairy ranches that feed a lot from troughs, this is fairly simple to figure out. On free-range beef operations, it can be quite tough. One way to solve the problem is to put out feed to draw the hogs in. In most areas corn works very well, and many seasoned hog hunters will let their corn “sour” before they put it out so it has a strong smell and is easier for pigs to find.

My absolute favorite way to hunt hogs is to spot and stalk. This is best done in the first and last couple hours each day when temperatures are lower and hogs are on the move. Check out known feeding areas first, and then simply cruise around the property using available cover to stay concealed.

As mentioned earlier, hogs don’t have sharp eyesight. If you stand perfectly still or use cover, you usually will not be detected visually. That being said, hogs do hear well, and their sense of smell is phenomenal. The wind is the number one factor you need to consider when stalking pigs. I use wind-checking powder and am constantly keeping tabs on the breeze.

When you get the wind in your favor, take care to be as quiet as possible. If you can approach from behind the hog, your chances will go up exponentially. You should use any cover or topographic feature possible to mask your stalk, and remember to take your time and not to rush things. You are better off making one slow, quality stalk than three hasty stalks that don’t pan out.

For the past two years, I have been hunting a dairy ranch near Okeechobee, Florida, and spot and stalk has paid off big there. My hunting buddies and I have shot quite a few porkers. Some of those have been in thick cover and some in the wide open.

The two biggest hogs I have taken were on very different stalks. Last year I spotted two big hogs in a wide open pasture early in the morning. When they finally bedded down right out in the short grazing pasture, I made a circle to get the wind right and approached the pair very slowly from behind. When I was within 50 yards, I noticed a small swell in the pasture, so I got on my hands and knees and crawled up close. I drew while kneeling and slowly stood up. The hogs were a mere four yards from me and looking away. I sent an arrow through the middle of the closest hog’s rib cage. The 300-pounder only went 25 yards before he flipped head over heels and was out.

This spring, I spotted some pigs in the tall weeds at the edge of a pond between the cattle troughs and a bedding thicket. I was just above the hogs with the wind in my favor, so I moved in until I could see bits and pieces of hogs and hear lots of grunting. When a small pig crossed into the open at 18 yards, I came to full draw. The next pig that stepped out was a red monster, and I quickly took aim and released. Although I made a good broadside shot, the big boar went about 150 yards before expiring in head-high brush. The huge pig was in the 400-pound class and was as big as I have ever seen in Florida.

One thing to keep in mind is shot placement on hogs. If possible, wait for a quartering away shot, and whether you get that shot or broadside, aim a bit farther back than you would on deer. Hogs have a thick shield over their shoulders (possibly evolved to protect them while fighting), and you want your arrow to enter behind this plate on its way to the lungs. I have seen arrows go straight into the shield, penetrate only an inch and fall out as soon as the hog ran.

If you have a chance, try some archery hog hunting. Whether you decide to spot and stalk or opt for a more leisurely stand hunt, this sport is tons of fun. That, coupled with the facts that it is generally inexpensive and seasons usually are year-round, makes it a perfect big game alternative. If I lived in an area where I could hunt hogs locally, I would be out there 12 months a year pursuing pork chops. If you get a taste of it, you will know why.

Enjoy this article? Share it!