New Hog Hunter from Oklahoma

[silver star]

I am new to this.
Did hunt deer/squirrel's/rabbits, etc. a great deal pre-teen, teen & up thru late 20's.
Then I figured out it was cheaper to buy my meat.
Now on the threshold of 60 and have a luxury fall in my lap.
Re-finding that I love to walk the woods our gun club due to the fact that the club has a hog eradication permit in progress and I have been asked to help.
So I am learning about game cameras, IR night vision and some hog habits.
They like water, corn and my old cooking grease.
I have learned several things very quick from Lone Star Boars YouTube video's.
Two of them have been the Alpha Sow and what can happen when you take her out of a group and leading running pigs with dot.
My ability to master "Search" on a forum sucks.
Currently I am investigating the existence of a database program that will track our multiple camera sightings of hogs. Dates, times, moon phase, pressure and maybe weather changes to build a history in order to determine if it is possible to predict some hog appearances...before the fact?
Or find out if someone has already been down this road and if it is a waste of time.
Thank one and all,
Michael

 

[scrmblr1982cj8]

Welcome!

I've spent hours looking at patterning hogs, but in the end, it was mostly a waste of time. They go where they want, when they want. You can have success with timed feeders, but after the shooting starts, predictability goes out the window.

Lots of skillful hunters on this site, so I'm sure you will learn much from the group.

Ignore a guy named DJ on this site. He thinks he is Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs. Scary stuff!

 

[silver star]

So if a guy named DJ gets in my cross hairs...pull the trigger???
Ha!
That is suppose to be a funny to all that is offended.
Disclaimers are so necessary these days.

 

[djones]

i am the skillful hunter scram is referring to. listening to him is what's mostly a waste of time.

howdy and welcome

 

[silver star]

Hi DJ,
I would never pull the trigger on a Senior Citizen.

Thanks for the welcome.
Since I am still welcome can I ask;
What subject would you suggest I search for if I wanted to know my options for magnified scopes.
Right now 100% of all shots are 50 yards or less, mostly 25 to 30 yards.
Working on a new area that will have 100 to 150 yard shots.
Currently I'm shooting a 458 SOCOM with a Red Dot for day time and IR laser for night.
I can hit a 10" plate a 100 and 200 but that is in daylight.
For that distance in the dark I think the hog deserves magnification which will provide me with the confidence I prefer just before trigger pull.
I have a suppressed AR in 308 that I'm thinking the magnification will go on depending what is out there.
Any directional thoughts welcome.
Michael

 

[Brian Shaffer]

Welcome!

 

[Lrtx1]

For scopes I like a 1-4 power. I like an open type reticle, big circle type of reticle instead of fine cross hairs. It makes it easier for me to get on the second targets.

Leupold has a good but relatively inexpensive model, pig plex, if you can get over the gimmicky writing in the scope it works good.

Nikon also has a new scope out, Blackforce 1000 with an illuminated reticle that looks real good.

Many options and opinions out there.

 

[Chopperdrvr]

Welcome to the group.

 

[der Teufel]

Howdy!

 

[FrankT]

Welcome

 

[Ratdog68]

Welcome to the fray... let the elbows fly

 

[RattlesnakeDan]

Welcome!

 

[slim_shady]

Welcome! You have not lived until you've hunted with a thermal scope on a rifle. Lots of toys will get you into the game in total darkness, but it isn't as often as you would like that they show up on schedule at a corn feeder. Usually there 500 yards away rooting up Johnson grass roots or something else, sometimes 20 feet away out of view from the NV gear. If you've watched the videos for a while you'll notice many with thermals watch a very large area from a stand, or roam. I've done both. 90% or more of my kills are in a random spot I have to stalk to well away from a feeder. If a Thermal is even close to your budget its well worth the investment.

 

[Cazz]

Hello and welcome.