Hogs in Mills County?

[Dave Flowers]

Hey guys, I have some property in Mills County near Goldthwaite and have yet to see a hog on it. Tons of Whitetail but no hogs. Is this area of Texas known to have hogs?

I am interested in baiting for them but am guessing that would be a waste of time and money if they aren't in the area?

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

Best way to find out is bait a little with game cameras watching also look for tracks, talk to the neighbors ask if they have seen any.

 

[BigRedDog]

what other animals or livestock are on the property?

 

[RattlesnakeDan]

Hey guys, I have some property in Mills County near Goldthwaite and have yet to see a hog on it. Tons of Whitetail but no hogs. Is this area of Texas known to have hogs?

I am interested in baiting for them but am guessing that would be a waste of time and money if they aren't in the area?

There are definitely wild hogs in Mills County! Start google mapping your area and look for water. You are not far from the Colorado river. All the river areas will have hogs but once you get up into the dryer areas they tend to be scattered a bit. Also there are areas that hogs frequent different times of the year. I hunt/trap ranches where the hogs disappear for 3 months every year like clock work so keep asking around and looking for sign. If no hogs on your place they may be close or they may just pass through on occasion.

 

[Dave Flowers]

Thanks for the feedback guys. To answer the question from BigRedDog, we have lots of whitetail, fox, skunk, rabbits, squirrels and thousands of song birds (cardinals). We also have about 7 head of cattle. We have a small tank on the property that usually has water in it and a wet weather creek as well. I have not specifically seen signs of Hogs, but may not be attuned of what to look for. There don't appear to be areas of rooting. Given that they may be in the area, will baiting possibly bring them onto the property? I was thinking about bait barrels/tubes. We have 7 strand barbwire, but I am guessing that doesn't stop hogs?

 

[Wassman]

You can try some sour corn bait and pair it with a game cam to see what is coming. This is what I do when hunting new land. I make about 2 buckets of sour corn bait and dump a pile in a spot that is close to water or thick woods. Place a game cam and give it a week or so and see if that spot is worth putting up a feeder.

 

[Dave Flowers]

Thanks. Would I do something similar to a slow release type of setup or just throw a pile of sour bait out there? I am guessing that will draw every critter on four legs within 5 miles, including the cows? Sorry for the ignorant questions, but this is all new to me and I want to do it right the first time.

You can try some sour corn bait and pair it with a game cam to see what is coming. This is what I do when hunting new land. I make about 2 buckets of sour corn bait and dump a pile in a spot that is close to water or thick woods. Place a game cam and give it a week or so and see if that spot is worth putting up a feeder.

 

[Brian Shaffer]

You know, that is the thing about considering bait as an attractant to bring in hogs you don't have. It probably doesn't work like people think it will work. If they don't already know about bait on your property, then the only reason why bait is going to work for hogs is because they don't have other reasonable food sources between your bait and where they are. If they do, then they won't make it to your bait. Certainly, that may be the case during very lean times, but there are probably already other hunters in the area feeding hogs as well.

Like you said, if the baiting worked as an attractant like people wanted, then you would be getting LOTS of critters from all over coming to eat your bait. You never hear of reports of a person putting out bait (corn, soured corn, hog wild, beer corn, jello corn, kool aid corn) and then all the hogs disappearing off the neighbor's property to come eat the new bait.

It is more likely that you have hogs (and deer, etc.) making passes through your property on an occasional basis if they aren't actually already there. During their normal activities, they may pass by your bait (in relatively close proximity) and only then discover it. Then they make use of it.

Where the baiting really comes in handy is that once discovered, it tends to bring hogs back repeatedly and helps hold them in place longer for shooting.

So do bait with whatever you want to use and set up a game camera to see what shows up. The nice thing about dry corn (plain or treated with powders like dry kool aid or jello) is that you can put it in a feeder and it will do its job for 1-2 months or so without you having to replenish it. That gives the hogs plenty of time to find it.

 

[Dave Flowers]

I searched for game cams and didn't find anything about cam recommendations. Is there a thread you can point me to0? Are there certain brands/models that are considered decent for the money? I am on a pretty tight budget.

 

[Brian Shaffer]

I know opinions are all over the board on cams.

I am testing one of these budget Stealth right now. It is inexpensive and so far seems to be doing fine.
http://www.amazon.com/Stealth-Cam-S...Megapixel+Digital+Scouting+Camera,+Tree+Bark,

I would NOT suggest getting a Moultrie A-440 or A5. Both have been poor performers for me. The A5 takes pics all day long. Frank had one or two as well and I don't think he had better luck. I keep buying cheapo cams in hopes that they work and usually they don't. Once in a while, one will do pretty well.

In looking at review and then user comments on various forums, the Browning Strike Force is well thought of by a lot of people, but it isn't cheap. The Browning Recon is also well liked and is much less expensive, but isn't a budget (sub $80) camera either. The next quality game cam I will buy will be a Strike Force.

Each of the brands has the potential to put out good cameras and each seems to put out some real dogs. Brand isn't the key issue when it comes to game cameras, but model certainly is. I mentioned crappy Moultries above, but I have some 55-IR (now discontinued) models that have worked for years. Go figure.

 

[FrankT]

Yeah the old Moultrie 80's now the 880? I believe are the best I have. The A5 as Brian said are ify at best, they are very prone to taking shot of wind blowing anything. Got to get cams over bait to see what is happening though.

 

[Dave Flowers]

Thanks Guys. Next purchase is a game camera.

 

[BigRedDog]

if at all possible get a 'black flash' model

 

[BigRedDog]

what other animals or livestock are on the property?

 

[Dave Flowers]

To answer the question from BigRedDog, we have lots of whitetail, fox, skunk, rabbits, squirrels and thousands of song birds (cardinals). We also have about 7 head of cattle. We have a small tank on the property that usually has water in it and a wet weather creek as well.

 

[RattlesnakeDan]

Dave,
Sometimes the best game camera is the one you can get. I traded off a range finder for 2 game cameras on craigslist, got a good deal. All of them I have had seem to have good qualities and some questionable qualities as well.

 

[FrankT]

Buy at Walmart and return them every 6 mos for a new one, gotta love their return policy

 

[BigRedDog]

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...acks&qpvt=hog+tracks+vs+deer+tracks&FORM=IGRE

OK, since there are cows about, I would cow proof a small plot and put a bucket with corn, water, with a package of full sugar jello mixed in.

leave the bucket in the bait plot to ripen and give off scent.

set your camera up to record the action

set up a hide one hundred yards away, get whatever comes through used to it being there

 

[RevMS]

I'm in Priddy, just north of you. Hogs are all around us but not right here in town just yet from what I'm getting from farmers here. Hamilton has plenty of them, as well as the Mullin and Caradan areas. Not sure about where they are around Goldthwaite.