Hog advice

[russ209]

Hello all first time posting on the hog category I am usually cruisin the turkey one! I have this pig tag burning a hole in my wallet and I was wondering if someone could push me in the direction towards some pigs. I work as a seasonal wildland firefighter and this year I am working for summit ranger district in stanislaus national forest. I would hopefully like to try and get it filled before we get into the middle of fire season. I was going to try and make it to FHL this weekend but I chose to fly out to Ft. Carson, Co and pay respects to my brothers who gave it all on the streets of iraq. So yea I am not asking for someones money spot just a general direction. Thanks ahead Russ!

[Where's Bruce?]

I'm in the same boat, have the time but no direction to a decent area. Hunting hogs in So. Calif. is like hunting snipe. I know I need to head up towards Paso Robles area to begin to get into decent hog territory (and I'm told the hybrids in that area taste better...perhaps because of all the vineyards) but would like to hook up with a local and enjoy to some "time away from the women"...if ya know what I mean. Bridezilla is making mom nuts and I need to put some miles between myself and them.

[Rob P.]

Russ: You have the best source of info available to you - the Ranger district. Ask them where they've seen hogs and where they haven't. They're out there all the time and should know. Since No Cal tends toward hunting more than So Cal, you should get a good idea where the critters are.

[Bubblehide]

Russ, my advice is to pick a spot that you know there are pigs, (FHL is a good public land spot), one that you can hunt on a regular basis, and do just that, getting to know the area, and how the animals use it. Hunting hogs on public land is a boot leather thing, the more time you put in, the better your odds of harvesting.

[russ209]

I talked to a lot of the wildlife biologists for the summit district and they have never seen any up that far. I think when we do some prescribed fires in the groveland calaveras units Ill try and ask them.

[spectr17]

Slim pickens on public land except for FHL so no one is going to be real open to giving up a honey hole if they have one or even pointing in a direction. A guided/trespass fee hunt or FHL would be your best bet IMHO. The other option if you're a FF is to work the ranchers and landowners you meet on fires. Some of the FFs I work with get some great invites from ranchers after they save their land plus they already know the land now and where the critters hang out.

[Live2hunt]

This time of year is really not a good time to hunt hog. Most public lands lack water source during dry hot season. Old acorns are all gone now. New acorns have not drop yet. Barley fields on private land are now in the peak of their harvest. Hogs are now concentrated on the barley fields on private lands for feed. All sows are in the peak of dropping piglets or nursing newborn piglets. They will not wonder off too far until their piglets are big enough to keep up. If you can find water on public lands with open grasslands and some thick covers nearby, you might find them. This is the time of year that my public land hog honey holes died down.

[Rob P.]

This time of year is really not a good time to hunt hog. Most public lands lack water source during dry hot season. Old acorns are all gone now. New acorns have not drop yet. Barley fields on private land are now in the peak of their harvest. Hogs are now concentrated on the barley fields on private lands for feed. All sows are in the peak of dropping piglets or nursing newborn piglets. They will not wonder off too far until their piglets are big enough to keep up. If you can find water on public lands with open grasslands and some thick covers nearby, you might find them. This is the time of year that my public land hog honey holes died down.

THIS is why I am a member of this forum.

The knowledge like this that is freely given here will save me miles of fruitless searching and wondering where I am going wrong when I can't find anything. Thank you thank you thank you......!