I wrote this last year on the pm board while killing large numbers of pigs with just a light. I've since then bought a sightmark 3.5 and love it especially because of the ability to record the hunts. Remember this was written before the newer digital nv scopes were out and the starting price on a decent digital was upwards of $1400. So at the first when I say I didn't need the advantage what I really mean is I don't need it for that price. I killed 7 more pigs this year using nv vs last using lights. That's not that many. Here's the kicker I hunted last year until the weekend before dove season. This year I'm done! Operation wheat protection was a success! we killed them out of the wheat faster,less gas, less all nighters, and less butt chewings from the wife. It's a win win for me. If I didn't have any stake in the wheat and I was just killing them for fun it wouldn't matter. But I hunt this place to help the landowner because it's one of my predator hunting spots and Its some of the best dove hunting in texas. While others are out there paying untold fortunes to stand like a nobleman in the field holding a 5k over and under. I'll be sitting on a spray painted 5 gallon bucket with my trusty stoeger killin birds. More wheat =more birds More birds= happy land owner happy landowner = me having a spot cemented next year as the go to pig killer. Somebody que up " circle of life " off the lion king. 
I'm going to break this down into a few parts spotting and then shooting. It will cover being mobile with and hunting without lights. I will start off by saying I'm not a know it all and don't dislike thermal or night vision. I spent 8 years in the army and used this same type if equipment in training and in two real world deployments OIF 1 and OIF 11. I completely understand the advantage it gives a person. That being said pig hunting for me isn't a life or death situation. I don't feel I need all the edge I can get to shoot these pigs consistently.
Spotting the pigs at night
The key to using a light to spot them in fields is........ Not to use the light at all! Your first biggest and best friend is the moon. Use it to your advantage in every way possible. Your next best friend is a pair if binoculars. I have a pair Zeiss 8x30that are great for deer hunting but are terrible at night. The objective doesn't allow for enough light to be transmitted in through the optic. For this problem I started using my back up pair of Leupold river Mesa 10x50. I'm sure there are better quality optics that will do the job better. Kinda hard to argue when I can spot pigs at over 300 yards with no artificial light in a quarter moon.
What to look for without a light
When scanning look for the unmistakeable dark blob. That's all you'll see. Your eyes will start to play tricks on you, it's important to scan move 20 feet then scan again. The objects will either have moved or just stayed put. Moving also adds depth to the objects in the field. What may look like a pig just might be just be a bunch of weeds when looked at from another angle.
With a light
I have come up with a few ways to utilize the lights that work well for me. One way is to have them on a tripod. The other is to hold the light just above the binos and scan. When u are scanning use the dimmest light you have. Remember your only looking for the tell tell blob. Never shine the light directly into the field when scanning. Use your halo just like when predator hunting. You will operate just like you would if u didn't have the light. Scan sneak up a bit then repeat.
After the spot
Don't get caught up in counting or which one is the biggest just yet. You want to Confirm Your Target!! This could end up being a calf or a goat. Make sure you see the low lying body and the minimal head movements. Deer and coyotes will dart their heads up and down left and right. While a pig usually has its head movement range from straight down to just slightly above 90* while at ease. With a light move in close and check until you feel sure it's a pig. Never turn on and off the lights while on the pig. They will bust you if you do it close enough to them. So my rule is don't do it. Just fade in moving the lights halo on to the pig and fade out. You need to be able to multitask at this point. When you confirm it is a pig your looking at immediately judge the distance and the best way to make your move on them.
Setting up the shot.
You need to move quietly and quickly to your shooting position. Some hogs feed quickly through the field while others are happy just to sit and feed in the same spot. You should only use your light at this point to make sure they are in the same place and that your on track to intercept them. Never turn on your scan light under 100 yards in a field. I've seen more groups get out of town because of it. You'll hear the alarm grunt and they will all head for cover. You'll know when u get close enough because you be able to see them in your binoculars and be able to hear them chomping away.
Time to shoot
I prefer a low magnification when time to shoot. It gives me more light thru my scope, and a greater field of view for follow up shots. This has helped me get my numbers up greatly.
When your positioned and ready to fire this is the time to point your light to the sky and slowly bring it down. Some pigs will freeze. Some will continue eating. There is always at least one that looks right at u and stares. It can go back to eating or grunt and start the retreat. It's important to focus and make your first shot count since they will kick it into high gear. Try and keep yourself from whooping and hollering and celebrating. You can follow the herd with your light but once again not on them. Sometimes they will stop and regroup giving you another shot. Just repeat the process.
Once again this is just works for me and my buddies. Feel free to ask questions or comment. If my punctuation is less than stellar I want to apologize since this has all been done from my iPhone.
I'm going to break this down into a few parts spotting and then shooting. It will cover being mobile with and hunting without lights. I will start off by saying I'm not a know it all and don't dislike thermal or night vision. I spent 8 years in the army and used this same type if equipment in training and in two real world deployments OIF 1 and OIF 11. I completely understand the advantage it gives a person. That being said pig hunting for me isn't a life or death situation. I don't feel I need all the edge I can get to shoot these pigs consistently.
Spotting the pigs at night
The key to using a light to spot them in fields is........ Not to use the light at all! Your first biggest and best friend is the moon. Use it to your advantage in every way possible. Your next best friend is a pair if binoculars. I have a pair Zeiss 8x30that are great for deer hunting but are terrible at night. The objective doesn't allow for enough light to be transmitted in through the optic. For this problem I started using my back up pair of Leupold river Mesa 10x50. I'm sure there are better quality optics that will do the job better. Kinda hard to argue when I can spot pigs at over 300 yards with no artificial light in a quarter moon.
What to look for without a light
When scanning look for the unmistakeable dark blob. That's all you'll see. Your eyes will start to play tricks on you, it's important to scan move 20 feet then scan again. The objects will either have moved or just stayed put. Moving also adds depth to the objects in the field. What may look like a pig just might be just be a bunch of weeds when looked at from another angle.
With a light
I have come up with a few ways to utilize the lights that work well for me. One way is to have them on a tripod. The other is to hold the light just above the binos and scan. When u are scanning use the dimmest light you have. Remember your only looking for the tell tell blob. Never shine the light directly into the field when scanning. Use your halo just like when predator hunting. You will operate just like you would if u didn't have the light. Scan sneak up a bit then repeat.
After the spot
Don't get caught up in counting or which one is the biggest just yet. You want to Confirm Your Target!! This could end up being a calf or a goat. Make sure you see the low lying body and the minimal head movements. Deer and coyotes will dart their heads up and down left and right. While a pig usually has its head movement range from straight down to just slightly above 90* while at ease. With a light move in close and check until you feel sure it's a pig. Never turn on and off the lights while on the pig. They will bust you if you do it close enough to them. So my rule is don't do it. Just fade in moving the lights halo on to the pig and fade out. You need to be able to multitask at this point. When you confirm it is a pig your looking at immediately judge the distance and the best way to make your move on them.
Setting up the shot.
You need to move quietly and quickly to your shooting position. Some hogs feed quickly through the field while others are happy just to sit and feed in the same spot. You should only use your light at this point to make sure they are in the same place and that your on track to intercept them. Never turn on your scan light under 100 yards in a field. I've seen more groups get out of town because of it. You'll hear the alarm grunt and they will all head for cover. You'll know when u get close enough because you be able to see them in your binoculars and be able to hear them chomping away.
Time to shoot
I prefer a low magnification when time to shoot. It gives me more light thru my scope, and a greater field of view for follow up shots. This has helped me get my numbers up greatly.
When your positioned and ready to fire this is the time to point your light to the sky and slowly bring it down. Some pigs will freeze. Some will continue eating. There is always at least one that looks right at u and stares. It can go back to eating or grunt and start the retreat. It's important to focus and make your first shot count since they will kick it into high gear. Try and keep yourself from whooping and hollering and celebrating. You can follow the herd with your light but once again not on them. Sometimes they will stop and regroup giving you another shot. Just repeat the process.
Once again this is just works for me and my buddies. Feel free to ask questions or comment. If my punctuation is less than stellar I want to apologize since this has all been done from my iPhone.
