ontarget

Hunting advice from a true expert

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 20:35:52 GMT

#0060

A friend loaned me a book to read: Bell of Africa. This book is autobiographical by Mr. W.D.M. Bell who was an elephant hunter in Africa some hundred or so years ago. Very good.

The book has lots of observations about bullet construction and shot placement. Here’s a quote from page 36. The context is elephant hunting and shot placement for the big pachyderm, but this bit of wisdom has a place in the toolkit of all hunters.

The natural inclination of most men is to fire too quickly at the beast anywhere. This must be resisted at all costs. If you can force yourself to wait until you have counted ten slowly the animal is yours. When you are in this state of mind…

As you can see, Mr. Bell is encouraging us to slow down. On any hunt, the excitement can be overwhelming. This will be especially true for those of you who have planned for months to come and to pursue our wild hogs. You have made innumerable preparations, and the day has finally arrived. You are out in the pasture, it’s your turn to shoot a pig, and there it is. This is your moment.

I know this because I have done this myself. The first time I hunted at Manx Farm, I was overwhelmed. Targets were everywhere. I was compelled to start shooting, and I shot quickly and haphazardly.

This was not good.

The proper thing to do is to follow Bell’s advice to “force yourself to wait.”

This is difficult.

However, this urge to rush your shot is not new or unique. Bell saw it in hunters a century ago.

This excitement is one of the reasons for the hunt. Enjoy the excitement, but don’t let it rule the day. Take a moment and wait for the good shot.

Of course, the optimal feral hog shot is broadside through the neck. When you pace yourself and take the good shot, the hog will fall. This is good. (Chasing after a wounded hog is not fun…I know.)

In response to the advice offered above, a combat veteran offered this from his experience: I might add that maintaining focus in the heat of the moment is a skill that should be practiced before the hunt.

There are many details that contribute to a successful hunt: marksmanship, shooting practice, knowledge of your game animal, proper gear, proper rifle and caliber, and getting your mind right (calm, timing, focus).

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Report of January 2022 hunt at Manx Farm near Corsicana

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 15:25:00 GMT

# 0059

Some of my old cronies flew in to hunt at Manx Farm near Corsicana. This is a “high fence” ranch where owner Richard maintains an inventory of native animals (whitetail deer) and imported animals for his customers to hunt. I come for the feral hogs, and I bring my friends for the feral hogs.

Since I wasn’t hunting Saturday, I tagged along with Ross and son Connor to watch and to take some pictures. Our guide was Valentine who put us onto some hogs very quickly.

A cold front had blown through that put the temps in the 30’s with a strong wind. Consequently, the hogs were still laid up. I have seen this before where the hogs will remain asleep (or not) and lay still due to the cold. (I have been known to do this in my own warm bed.) A problem when we see a black animal laying under a tree is that it isn’t possible sometimes to know if you are looking at one large hog or three small hogs hunkered down. Valentine’s technique was to have the shooter on the tripod and ready to go. The guide would move off to the side and toss sticks at the sleeping pigs to get them to rouse. This way, the hunter can see the size of hog and can place his shot well.

We had gotten to within 20 yards of a sleeping pig. Connor was on the tripod. Valentine moved to the side and began tossing sticks at the pig. The pig got up, neither huge nor tiny, a good meat hog. Connor didn’t have a good shot, so he waited. The pig moved away slowly. Ross took a knee and considered shooting. The pig walked slowly away then began a slow turn to starboard. Connor did not have a shot because of vines and tree limbs in the way. The sow kept walking slowly on this circular track and eventually was returning to her warm bed. Connor had a good shot and took it. Pig down and out.

Even though we were close, the pig did not seem to see us. Since we were downwind, she did not smell us. This is up close and personal hunting.

After Connor took his first hog using the 308, we got back in the side-by-side and drove to a different area. We soon saw a large group of hogs feeding and some rubbing on trees. They seem to be scratching or giving themselves a massage. Ross found a good meat hog and took it down with the 30-06.

Manx had a great lunch prepared featuring chili made from axis deer. The axis deer is native to the Indian subcontinent. They are red in color and retain their spots, larger than a whitetail, about the same as a mule deer. They are very tasty. There was cobbler for dessert. Really good.

After lunch, I tagged along with Freddy who was looking for a trophy hog. Guide Les put him onto a 200 pounder in short order. He shot it with his new AR15 chambered in 350 Legend. It was a good shot, the hog went right down but continued to twitch. Les had Freddy administer the coup de gras by shooting into the hog’s side quartering away. The round penetrated its heart, and the twitching stopped.

Eric and Tom went with guide James. They took some time to see Richard’s new petting zoo which includes camels, ostrich, and two white buffalo. Other additions to the ranch are a pair of white swans and a pair of black swans.

Among the animals running free on the ranch are scimitar oryx, Rocky Mountain elk, fallow deer, and aoudad sheep. It’s a great place.

It was another great day at Manx Farm.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Meat Eater Instructional Video

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 18:00:52 GMT

#0058

There are many benefits to living in this Information Age. This is a 20 minute video featuring a well known hunter who goes by the name Meat Eater. Lots of good info for any hog hunter.

Texas pigs, pig behavior, pig trapping, pig butchering, and a butcher wearing his Texas Aggie cap - all good.

One thing to be aware of…the butchered pigs that you see are very fat. The butcher makes the point that you won’t get as much meat from your pig as you hoped or wished. The video makes the point that you’ll get 30% (not clear if he means live weight or gutted weight).

Notice also his explanation of bacon.

Also, as I have said before on these pages, we simply make sausage: breakfast, jalapeño cheese, Italian for us.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Ben’s Late Night Feral Hog Encounter

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 19:23:18 GMT

#0057

I am now telling Ben’s story as he related it to me, a Christmas time story that began with a chance encounter on I-10 as he and his family were driving east from their home in the Houston area to Florida to visit his wife’s family.

This event almost coincided with my experience just a week or so ago when I reported on the boar who came to my camera but was spared because the fog prevented me from seeing it through my night vision (IR) scope.

Ben and family had left their home and were eastbound on the interstate in the vicinity of Baytown east of Houston. He was driving late at night in the middle of three lanes of traffic. (In case you didn’t know, Texas now has California-like traffic due to population that keeps increasing. There are plenty of people who recognize the attractiveness of living in the Lone Star State.)

Suddenly, from the right side of the highway, a feral hog darted in front of Ben’s Dodge Durango. There was no time to brake, only time to keep the vehicle aimed down the highway. The pig took out the (plastic) bumper, the radiator, and other ancillary parts between the headlights. Their trip to grandmother’s house had just been impacted in much the same way as the Durango had impacted the pig, except that the porker was beyond repair. The Durango will be repaired and restored to service.

They did make it to Florida, but it wasn’t easy and it wasn’t quick. But, they persevered and finished the trip. Well done to Ben and Deb and Jared and Addy. Overcoming obstacles, it’s what we do.

After they got back on the road and were taking the same interstate again, Deb managed to take this photo of the feral hog as it lay beside the highway. The question, of course, is why the pig would bother to cross the highway at all, it isn’t possible for it to get past the barrier in the median. These feral hogs are smart, but they aren’t that smart.

They had other adventures on their trip to Florida, but those are stories that the four of them will be telling for years to come. They are beyond the scope of this meditation.

Not only do feral hogs do agricultural damage, they do motor car damage.

It’s incumbent upon all hog hunters to reduce the population of these animals.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Usable Meat From a Feral Hog

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 21:30:55 GMT

#0056

How much meat do I get from a feral hog? Not as much as I might hope.

Here’s a picture of the sow I shot Sunday night. Using the heart girth estimate method, her 36 inch girth translates to 160 pounds.

As mentioned before, I hang the porker by its back legs and skin it. Then I can take the shoulders, the backstraps, and the hams. This pig had some fat on her under the hide, nice.

Then, there is the time factor. Monday, as I was skinning the pig the day was getting warmer. So, I needed to move the project along. Therefore, I couldn’t spend a lot of time trimming every scrap meat.

Off came the shoulders and into a trash bag and into the fridge. Off came the backstraps and hams using the same method.

The carcass traveled by tractor to a spot east of the house where the buzzards would be very happy.

From the fridge, the shoulders and hams were each deboned and placed in zip-lock bags in the fridge. Backstraps are very easy-no bones about it.

This is a change in methodology for me. A year ago, I would have placed the six big pieces on ice. An experienced hunter, butcher, chef recommended against the on-ice method because the meat absorbs too much water. This made sense to me.

When I got home, the zip-lock bags went into the fridge for further processing. It all became bulk sausage.

I have done my own sausage making in the past using powder that I bought through (you guessed it) www.amazon.com .

So, the pieces get washed and cut into smaller bits, weighed for proper seasoning, seasoned with the powder, ground, and packed into bags made for this purpose. I even have the bag taping machine, very handy.

Bottom line: from the 160 pound sow, we got 20 pounds of sausage.

Where is the weight? Hide, guts, bones. No doubt, commercial operations are expert at getting every scrap of meat from the animals they butcher.

Could I get more? Yes, but it would require much more trimming of the carcass. Given the time constraints of warm weather, etc., this would be difficult. Is it worth the extra effort? Probably, if I had help on scene to offset the time constraints.

In this particular case, since the bullet entered the shoulder breaking the right front leg, there was additional meat loss. Again, neck shots are preferred.

In the grander scheme, even in my circumstances where I hunt on my own property and process the meat myself, this is not cheap protein.

But, it’s good protein. Lean meat, very tasty, harvested cleanly, an effort at self-reliance, processed at home in the context of the family. Worth it? Absolutely.

Harvesting feral hogs is not, strictly speaking, a cost-effective means to obtain protein. But, there is more to life than efficiency. Make hog hunting a part of your complete life where all things are kept in balance.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Limits of Technology

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 21:25:22 GMT

#0055

You will find attached a photo of a spotted boar hog from my game camera. This photo is now a month old having been taken on 11/19/2021.

I managed to get down to the tree farm on the afternoon of 20 DEC to do some hunting and other work. There was some time to spare when I drove in, so I put corn into the pig pipe, changed batteries, etc. As you may recall, I have a telephone camera in place at my pig pipe that sends me pictures in real time. Also, I have a green motion light at the same pig pipe that is on only when something is present.

Getting to my deer stand before sunset, I hoped to see a buck come out. However, no deer were harmed or sighted last afternoon.

Supper and to bed. Our little house there has a nice fireplace and plenty of firewood, so it’s a very pleasant place to spend a winter evening. Forecast low was to be be near freezing.

Through the night, the camera went off several times, but no animals were in the picture. I’m guessing a rabbit was enjoying the corn but staying out of the camera’s aim.

At 0450, the phone went off. There was that big spotted boar. Time to suit up and go to work. Having geared up, I stepped outside. We had just had a full moon a few days ago, and everything was bright with moon light. But, the clear sky and calm air had allowed some fog to set in. Not so good.

It was easy to get down the drive in the moonlight. As I neared the pig pipe, I could see the green motion light on, and with the thermal I could see the image of an animal through the trees. Good.

As I have done before, I made it to the edge of the trees where I could get a view of the pig pipe and have a good rest against a pine tree. Thermal up - lone boar, large. With my naked eye I could see an animal in the dim green light. Good. Rifle up, night vision on, blank screen. The IR illuminator was on high, but the light was simply reflecting off the fog. Drat!!. What to do… When the green light was on, I could get a dim image of the light through the night vision. Again, this particular light turns off quickly when there is no motion, so it was intermittent. The green light was going on and off, so I knew the pig was there. I could hear it push the pipe around. With the thermal, I could see the big boar with no problem. I simply could not target the thing. There was a moment or two when I saw the pig’s eye glow in the IR light. That would be my only way to target this beast. So, I waited…and I waited…and I waited. I could not get that pig’s eye to shine in the light. This was further complicated because the only way that I knew exactly where to look was when the green light was on which was not continuous. I even tried making some noise thinking that he would look my direction so I could see his eye shine. No joy.

Finally, he left. He may have not liked my noises, or he smelled me. In either case, all my technology couldn’t seal the deal. The solution is to buy a thermal scope - not in the budget.

The hog left at 0519, total elapsed time: 29 minutes.

I have another night at the tree farm, and this boar knows where the food is, and I’ll make sure there is plenty of corn in the pig pipe tonight. (There was plenty of corn in the pig pipe this morning. One hog eating for nearly 30 minutes did not empty the pipe. Also, I put a few rocks in the pipe. Even if the pipe is empty, it will sound like there is still corn inside, and he’ll keep rolling it.)

For today, there is always some project here at the place to attend to.

Assuming I put it on the ground tonight, I’ll take a measurement around his girth to estimate his weight. Based on the photo, I’ll guess his weight is 240. He is a full grown hog. He is traveling alone and sure looks like a boar. However, I don’t see any tusks. A full grown boar should have his cutters visible.

Also, including a photo showing how far I could NOT see with the night vision. The dead hog in the photo is where the pig pipe and camera are located. To the right in the photo are the trees where I was set up to shoot. As you can see it wasn’t far. My frustration with the IR scope and illuminator would be comparable to driving in fog with your high beams on.

This narrative resumes at 0051 Wednesday morning. The big spotted boar is on ground. But, I am getting ahead of myself.

He came earlier tonight than he did Monday night. That was good. It’s another clear crisp calm night so fog later is possible, although it feels less humid now. (The internet tells me local temp is 44F, no fog.) My phone woke me at 0016, the lone boar was eating my corn. Out of bed and geared up. I didn’t bring the tripod tonight since the same tree to lean on has been working well lately. All is in order, out the door.

Very bright moon almost at its zenith. Scan with the thermal, all clear, down the drive I go. I move from shadow to shadow trying to be quiet. As I get closer, I can see the boar’s image through the trees using the thermal, good. He is completely focused on the pig pipe dispensing his midnight snack.

At the firing line, the green motion light is on, rifle up, great image. At this point he is facing me, not the best shot. Fortunately, the pig pipe is tethered so as he keeps pushing it he will eventually position himself for my shot.

Patience. There is hardly a breath of wind, so I don’t think he’ll smell me. He keeps eating and pushing. Wait. Wait. There’s the shot, broadside through the neck. I squeeze the trigger, bang, flop, a few twitches. A good, clean, quick kill.

I watch him through the night vision for signs of movement. He’s on his side and barely moving. Good.

I walk across the food plot, stand at his tail end, and look him over with the flashlight. He’s big, but not a monster. I’ll stay with my 240 estimate and confirm in the morning.

For now, back to bed.

No more pigs in the camera overnight. So, after breakfast the work begins.

For starters, the pig’s heart girth was 40 1/2 inches. This translates into an estimated weight of 205 pounds. I’m still lacking skill at estimating live weight.

I picked him up with the tractor and hosed him down. He was dirty, but his coat was very nice, sort of a blonde color with black spots. Hair was very long, his winter coat.

Rather than butchering the whole thing, I simply took out the back straps. Also, I skinned the head to make a skull mount. My process is to place the skull under a washtub after all the hide is off. The dermestid beetles and their larvae consume everything else leaving the bones and teeth. Now, I’ll wait while they do their work.

The round impacted just behind the ear, DOA. I was aiming a little lower, but if I can’t be good I’ll just be lucky.

So, the buzzards and coyotes will be well fed.

This was good fun to outsmart the big boar and to have the time available to stay the second night.

For now, I’ll keep watching the camera feed to see what else might show up.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Texas Youth Deer Season Report

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 21:07:48 GMT

#0054

This narrative begins Friday night as youth season begins tomorrow morning.

Grandson Jared has one doe and two hogs to his credit. It was not clear until 24 hours ago that Ben would be bringing Jared up to the tree farm this weekend. Once I got the green light last night, there were several things to put in order.

This afternoon with all the boxes checked and The Dreadnaught (my trusty old Lincoln Navigator) loaded I got on the road and arrived in time to put out corn in the pig pipes and check the game cameras. Most of the daytime deer pictures that I have came from the telephone camera that sends pix to my phone in real time.

My role this weekend is to be the cook and, hopefully, butcher.

Ben said they will arrive at about 2200.

The boys arrived on time and got bedded down.

We were up early Saturday morning. Sausage and eggs for breakfast and off they went to the deer stand.

Hours passed without a gun shot. (On 18 acres, everything is within earshot.)

Lunch courtesy of the crock pot, soup with pork sausage, well received.

The two hunters left the house at about 1600 to be well settled before sunset at about 1830. I kept myself busy in the house with domestic chores.

It was at about 1820 when I heard the shot. Staring at the phone waiting for Ben’s text…yes, Jared shot a spike that ran into a wooded area.

The little buck entered the food plot quickly and was moving around some. Ben gave Jared the green light to take the shot. The animal stopped broadside, and Jared took aim and squeezed off the shot with the 243 bolt action. The buck leaps into the air and starts running. Ben hears a crash, and we wait.

In about ten minutes I start walking that way. The boys are coming out of the deer stand. Tension is high.

We go into the thickly wooded area and quickly come upon the spike buck. Jared had made a perfect double lung shot. The deer ran but not very far. It was just at sunset so it was easy to find.

Life is good with a tractor. We used the bucket to hoist the deer to clean it, hose it out, and leave it hang overnight. The weather was cool, so this was an easy process.

Sunday morning, Ben and Jared leave for home. With the deer lashed down in the trailer, I drive to the processor and deposit the animal.

Could I ask for a better weekend?

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog (or deer) Hunter

A Sow Down, Again

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 21:01:41 GMT

#0053

This is beginning to be repetitive, but it remains exciting.

The phone went off just before 0100, more pigs at the camera. The bed was very warm and comfortable…but adventure awaits.

Up (again), rigged (again), out the door (again). It occurred to me to put on the single-point sling for the AR15 and glad to have it.

It’s crisp outside with the very bright moon almost at its zenith. Down the drive again, stay in the shadows, use the thermal scanner to see if there are any pigs anywhere other than at the camera, clear.

Off the roadway and behind the trees. The green motion light is on, noise of pigs pushing the pig pipe around as it trickles out the midnight snack. Move to the same tree to shoot. Rifle up, night vision on, adjust illuminator. Three or four pigs at the pig pipe. Focus on one only this time, no delusions about a twofer.

All the pigs are in nearly constant motion as they pick up individual kernels of corn while they keep pushing the pipe. Pick out the pig to shoot, watch it move, broadside, aim at neck, bang, smoke clears, down.

Rifle down scanner up hoping that there is still a pig in the open, there is. Scanner down, rifle up, looking, there’s a pig moving north, very quick shot, bang, smoke clears, no pig. Back to the scanner, nothing. Dang, almost a second pig. (Very glad to have the single point sling as I can let the rifle simply hang from my neck as I use the scanner, good call.)

Look back at first hog, still down, motion has stopped. I move in to take a closer look. Another sow out cold. This one could be a twin of last night’s pig. One more breeder out of action. (One photo attached shows me approaching the pig, the light at my feet is the infrared illuminator on the night vision scope. In that the camera uses an IR flash it likewise sees the IR illuminator.)

I walk up to where the second hog might have run. There is nothing in the thermal scanner. And, no, I’ll leave it at that. I know I’m no expert at the snap shot, so that may have been a clean miss.

(During the day before, I did adjust the scope since my neck shots consistently became shoulder shots. This hog was bleeding out of its nose, so I think it was a good neck shot.) I’ll probably let the processor turn this pig into Italian sausage and Jalapeño-cheese brats, yes. The last two hogs I deboned myself and will make my own sausage when the family arrives on Wednesday-get some work out of them before the Thursday Thanksgiving feast.

Morning update: I was in the stand well before dawn hoping for a deer to show, no joy. After dawn, the buzzards started to gather. I left the deer stand earlier than I intended since the birds were on the ground moving toward my pig.

It was a good neck shot exiting through the opposite shoulder. The 25-45 Sharps really does well. And…this sow had no ears. After delivering to the processor, he said it is unusual, but he has one mounted.

Also, no joy looking for that second pig. Probably a clean miss.

Pig circumference is 37 inches which corresponds to 170 pounds. Last three hogs: all sows, 160, 170, and 190 pounds. As Brian at Carpe Sus would say, they were unfarrowed meaning that they have not produced a litter of pigs. Their bags were perfectly flat.

Other photo is from my elevated stand showing downed pig and pig pipe on the left. To the right (east of the food plot) is the thick patch of trees that I have referred to in these narrative.

Back at home now, will get more sleep tonight.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

A Chef’s Perspective on Feral Hogs

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 20:54:35 GMT

#0052

I am happy to introduce Jesse Griffiths, author of The Hog Book, A Chef’s Guide to Hunting, Butchering and Cooking Wild Hogs.

This is a “coffee table” book of 400 pages. The photos are great, the recipes all look good, and the advice on dealing with feral hogs is excellent.

For anyone serious about cooking and eating feral hog, this is your book.

His advice on hog hunting is spot on.

I’ll direct your attention to the final page in the book, quoted here in full:

I love wild hogs. I know they’re a nuisance to many and a financial scourge to some. The economic damage they have wrought on farmers and ranchers in my home state is unimaginable and incalculable. I even know people who shoot them in the stomach so they’ll run off and die in the brush without needing to be dragged off to the gut pile. I understand the long-play sentiment, but putting the onus on a living thing to conveniently die is absurd. There’s no call for being mad at the hogs.

This sort of thing doesn’t happen because they’re merely an inconvenience; they’re downright dangerous and the destruction is very real. I realize that we can’t eat every single one of them, but the quixotic utopian in me actually does want that. I want to try. I want to feed the poor with them and have them replace the turkey at Thanksgiving.

Hogs aren’t going anywhere (they’re going everywhere), so let’s eat some of them. This book is meant to empower new hunters to fearlessly eat hogs, which can provide the table with a lot of really good meat, with zero inputs-no feed, no veterinary bills, no fences, nothing. Every pound of feral hog eaten is one less pound of meat that has to be raised on a feedlot, packaged in plastic and distributed across the country. When you eat a hog, you’re helping vegetarians have greater, unfettered access to vegetables by thinning out the surfeit of hogs eating their food. Controlling wild pigs is a multi-tiered win benefiting landowners (public and private), farmers, hunters and the people that hunters feed.

These animals are prescient, intelligent, stubborn survivors and deserve our respect. We brought them here, so we have inherited the incumbent responsibility to control them.

Go forth now with renewed determination to celebrate this fortunate misfortune. Enjoy the meat and savor the hunt. I love wild hogs, but I will kill every single one of them that I see.

Well said Jesse. You have made yourself a better hog hunter.

(I understand that Jesse operates a restaurant in Austin called DAI DUE. I haven’t been, I avoid Austin. I prefer College Station.)

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Late Night Hog

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 20:47:22 GMT

#0051

It’s November in Texas. I was spending a couple nights at my small property. It’s whitetail season, and we can take does through Thanksgiving weekend, so the window is open for some venison.

I got here and unpacked by 2030 and soon to bed. Part of unpacking was getting out the tripod, loading the AR15, and prepping the night vision scope and thermal scanner.

Some background: for pigs, I have a few pig pipes which are a piece of large PVC pipe tethered at one end to a post. The pipe is filled with corn and has several holes such that the pigs can roll it to dispense the corn. Over the pipe is a green light activated by motion. The last item is a game camera that sends photos in real time.

When I was here last Monday, I had filled the pipe. And, as expected, the pigs came to eat the corn and get their photo taken.

As I drove in tonight, I dumped some corn at the pipe (but not filling it properly).

At about 2315, a photo came in showing the pigs having a midnight snack. In that the only corn was some scattered on the ground, there was no time to waste. Dressed, scanner, rifle, tripod. Gorgeous night, moon nearly full, cloudless sky, easy walk down the drive.

The pig pipe is located at the far side of the food plot. On this side, there is a thick patch of pine trees. I move so that I can look through the trees. Yes, the thermal shows pigs at the pipe. I move off the drive keeping the trees between me and the hogs. Two loud grunts, spooky to listen to that at night. They must be tussling over the corn. I get to the far end of the trees, the green light is on confirming activity under the light. There’s a tree to lean on. Yes, I see a couple hogs through the night vision. Solid rest, on target, safety off, broadside view, aim at neck, squeeze, the AR barks, the hog falls and does some twitching, I stay on target.

After the motion stops, I move in for a closer look. A nice meat hog.

It’s a cool night, I’ll tend to this little porker in the morning after I finish in the deer stand.

If the pigs didn’t eat the free food, they would not be susceptible to being a target. There might be a lesson here for us: don’t take the free stuff, earn your own way, remain free from dependence on anyone else.

Morning shows that it was a shoulder shot, not the intended neck shot. However, the 25-45 Sharps loaded with 117 grain round nose ammo does the job once again (Hornady Interlock). The bullet entered the shoulder and exited the opposite neck. Hanging in the skin was the copper jacket of the projectile. Excellent performance at about 50 yards.

Also, using the girth/weight estimate, the sow came in at 160 pounds. (Sows don’t have the thick shoulder shield. This shot may not have worked on an old boar.)

Now the butchering begins. I have adopted a technique where I hang the hog by its hind legs, skin it, take the shoulders, hams, and backstraps. The body remains intact with the guts contained. I have some sausage spices at home, so I’ll probably just grind this myself and do bulk packaging.

Life is good.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Excellent Video Summarizing Several Habits of Good Hunters

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 20:32:22 GMT

#0050

I am always happy to tap into Brian’s videos at his YouTube channel: Carpe Sus. The video with narration is very instructive. That’s Quite a Shot! 2 Boars Down.

Along with hog hunting advice, you can improve your vocabulary.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Hog Noses

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 20:27:43 GMT

#0049

It’s been an exceptionally wet and cool spring. Even today, 5 JUN, the high was about 80. Normal is in the 90’s.

I don’t miss the heat, but if the ground is the least bit dry, I’m out mowing trying to keep the lawns in good order.

Last Sunday afternoon, I drove to my property to overnight and to check on things. The ground had dried some from last month.

The wheat in the food plots has matured as the brown heads of grain droop. It was clear that the pigs have found the ripe grain and were pulling down the stalks to reap the harvest.

I got some work done Sunday afternoon. (And finished reading Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Excellent.)

At about 2100, I went outside with the thermal and saw two pigs in the food plot. They were easy to see with the thermal, but it didn’t work to target them with the infrared. The illuminator simply reflected off the trees and shone back into the scope. The hogs were lost in the darkness.

I grabbed the rifle and tripod and moved their way. They were gone before I could get near them. As I turned to go back to the house, I could feel a very slight wind in my face. They had smelled me.

At 2300, I went back outside. There they were again. In just a minute or two, they moved out of the field. What a tremendous sense of smell.

While pursuing the feral hog, always be aware of the wind direction. This can be the difference between success and failure.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

The Moment of Truth

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 19:08:55 GMT

#0048

Here is a photo showing my son Ben instructing his son Jared as he gets ready to take his shot at a nice hog during our hunt at Manx Farm. Guide James is standing by, his hands folded. The hog is visible.

James’ work is done. He put the young hunter onto a hog within range of his ability to shoot.

Ben is giving final instructions. We had Jared shoot the rifle earlier in the day, and he hit the gong four out of five times at 100 yards.

I had loaded the ammo and sighted in the rifle. Dad had instructed the youngster on how to aim and how to squeeze the trigger.

All the adults had done their work.

Then, it was time for Jared to do his work. It’s a great moment when a young hunter finishes the job. Jared took the shot, and the hog collapsed never to move again. A one shot kill.

Obviously, it was a satisfying moment for me when everything came together. Beyond that, the crew at Manx love their work and make it a priority to create and to facilitate these kinds of moments for young hunters (and dads and grandpas).

Jared used my rifle chambered 243 Winchester with a “youth” stock making it shorter from butt to trigger. He managed the rifle very well. The recoil from this rifle is not excessive. This caliber is good for younger hunters while being quite effective.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Manx Hunt on Snowmageddon Eve

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 19:06:36 GMT

#0047

This was an interesting week. Eric, who lives in Maryland, was due to fly in to hunt at Manx Farm near Corsicana on Saturday. The weather forecast was bleak. And, the weather, as our Saturday hunt ended, turned very bad. This was in February of 2021 when our area received a very cold snap including temps below zero in the DFW area. Very unusual.

To begin, I drove to Houston to collect grandson Jared, aged nine. He was to tag along during our day hunt. Son Ben was working in the north Texas area and would drive himself. Eric would drive himself from the airport.

It’s fun to live in the Information Age. It was already cold that Friday afternoon. It was gloomy and looked cold. I used my smart phone to tap into the interwebs and found an audio version of Jack London’s short story To Build a Fire. If you are familiar with the story, you will agree that it is a wonderful story to read on a cold day. If you don’t know the story, find it and read it. (I recommend the website www.Gutenberg.org to download it at no cost.) I was glad to introduce young Jared to such a great story.

Richard, owner of Manx, had asked that we arrive about 0900 since the pigs would not be moving in the cold weather. As it turned out, the high for the day was about 30F, a very nice temp for hiking and stalking.

In that we only had three hunters, we agreed to all go with one guide only, James.

Eric was to get the first hog so he and James began their stalk. We were following a creek bed. Ben, Jared, and I followed at a distance. Within 5 or 10 minutes, James saw a hog bedded down. They eased along and got within 20 or 30 yards. Tripod up, rifle up, bang, hog didn’t move. A great shot with the 338 Win Mag.

Ben was next. We continued up the creek bed. We could see hogs out in front of them as James tried to find Ben a good meat hog.

Ben’s was a long stalk. Along the way, we saw lots of hogs. Many were bedded down, some were feeding, some were bundled together in groups of ten or so sleeping the day away. Some were looking poorly. Ben took a hog with his grandpa’s 30-30 that was bedded down. The two hogs “bedded” with it were already dead. Richard told us that there is a high mortality rate during winter. They will get in a big pile to stay warm. The hogs on top freeze to death, the hogs at ground level are crushed, and only the hogs in the middle of the sandwich survive. They probably suffered terribly during Snowmageddon.

I was next. James and I left the creek bed and moved to an open area with tall, dead weeds and a few trees. We got close to several grazing pigs, but passed on them since they were small, not big enough to be a good meat hog.

We returned toward the creek bed to head in the opposite direction. We saw a pretty good hog feeding, tripod up, rifle ready. The hog began to run, and I took the shot. He went down, we began moving, he got up and ran, shakily, into the field above. James was running, and I was trying to keep up. James must be part blood hound. He spied the hog soon still alive and moving. We kept moving to keep sight of him. Sticks up, rifle up, bang, hog down.

We were moving in the direction of the house. It was nearly lunch time. James had called Richard for a pick up of dead hogs and hunters. We put the hog in the side-by-side and we squeezed in. We had just begun driving when James saw another hog bedded down. We stopped and Eric took him, a very nice hog with great cutters.

Lunch was elk chili. Excellent.

During the morning, Jared had asked to shoot a hog. Words that made this grandpa smile.

At the gun store, I had found a “youth” stock that would fit my Remington 700 chambered in 243. A youth stock has a shorter “pull,” the distance from the butt to the trigger. With this type of stock, a young shooter can better hold the rifle without having to stretch out his arm. It was time to see if Jared could shoot the thing. Behind the cabin at Manx, there are several targets, one is a gong about 18 inches in diameter set up at a hundred yards. We got things propped up to mimic him shooting off of the tripod. He connected four out of five times. Grandpa kept smiling.

James drove us west after lunch. We were stalking through a more wooded area. In short order we saw a few hogs grazing, good meat hogs. James, Jared, and Ben proceeded forward slowly so as not to spook the hogs. After multiple moves, up came the tripod and the rifle. Grandpa was holding his breath. Jared aimed and fired. The hog dropped never to move again. Grandpa started breathing and smiling.

James and Jared went ahead to see the hog. In just a minute, James was signaling me to come forward. Another good hog was still grazing within easy rifle range. Tripod up, rifle up, bang, hog down.

With that the hunt was over. James drove us through the pasture where we saw more pigs and other animals.

After a warm goodbye to Richard and James, Ben and Jared left for home. I drove Eric back to my house where he loaded his rental car and returned to Houston. With the weather forecast looking bleak, everyone needed to get to wherever they might be going.

This short narrative is a poor attempt to capture the thrill of the hunt at Manx. All the pieces fall into place there. The ranch has a mix of fields planted with crops like winter wheat, cattle, gullies, open pastures, and wooded hillsides. Game is plentiful: beyond hogs there are whitetail deer, elk, fallow deer, blackbuck, axis deer, and aoudad sheep. Richard is a great host, and the guides are superb. And, we always see plenty of hogs to shoot.

There are many reasons to hunt feral hogs. Chief among them is the thrill of the hunt and comradeship among like minded friends and family.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Feral Hog Adventure on Deer Season Eve

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 18:56:42 GMT

#0046

I came to the tree farm Thursday in anticipation of deer season opening on Saturday.

Plan was to do some regular work on Friday, clearing brush, etc.

So, with breakfast over, let the work day begin. As I come out the front door, I look to my right. Pigs.

Back inside before they get wind of me.

I go out the back door with rifle and tripod in hand. I ease onto the front porch. I can see two very small porkers. Then, coming from left to right a small boar. He’s walking and will soon be out of sight. It’s a good broadside shot, but he’s walking. I go ahead and take the shot.

He’s down and twitching but not for long.

He’s about 50 pounds, young and tender.

It was a 70 yard shot with the bullet entering just behind his shoulder. No loss of meat.

This .308 ammo is loaded with 150 grain Barnes Tipped Triple Shock projectiles. Excellent.

Preparation meets opportunity. Quality gear. Good ammunition.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Near Success/Patience/Shot Placement

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 18:53:52 GMT

#0045

In my recent update from the tree farm, I was hoping to get a hog at the pig pipe.

Well, as I was hanging around the house after sunset (with the lights out) I would go outside from time to time and scan for any warm blooded animals. I thought I could see a heat signature through some brush. It would move slightly but not move into view.

I decided to gear up and try to move to see it. This was at about 2100.

Making a final scan before leaving the house, there they were – two pigs just east of the house in one of the food plots. I stepped off the porch and set up my tripod. Rifle equipped with night vision scope. It was about a 60 yard shot so I saw no need to move closer. All good so far.

Then, impatience kicked in.

This pig, as all pigs do, was moving about as it grazed. The proper technique would be to simply wait. They were unaware of my presence. The wind was in my favor. The best shot, as I have said repeatedly, is the broadside neck shot. Instead, I took the quartering on neck shot.

The hog squealed and ran off never to be seen again. No doubt, it died never to propagate again. However, the quick kill is the humane kill. It is the better way.

With the equipment on hand and the geography in front of me, I would get one shot at one hog. That shot had to count. Had I been more patient, I would have taken this pig. Get your mind right while hog hunting.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

A Young Hog Hunter

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 18:50:58 GMT

#0044

For the last couple of weeks, my son Ben and his family have been staying with us.

Yesterday, we visited my friend Perry to hunt hogs. We got there about six and put a few rounds through the AR15 (5.56). After I adjusted the scope, young Jared (aged 9) took a couple of shots to validate his skill. (He did shoot a doe last year.)

With that done, Perry took through a couple of hay fields then set us up near one of his feeders. We got settled in about 30 yards from the feeder. We were seated, and Jared had a tripod for a steady rest.

At 6:30 the feeder went off for a few seconds throwing corn onto the ground. We waited.

It was July in Texas, so it was hot. We had a few gusts of wind from some thunderheads in the distance. I was concerned that our scent might blow toward some hogs and scare them away.

Just before 7, here they came – at a run. There was a sow and about half a dozen small pigs. Ben was sitting next to Jared to assist.

Perry had told us to expect some young pigs, so we had coached Jared to shoot one of the smaller hogs since he was using a smaller caliber rifle.

So, that’s what he did. He took a shot at one of the smaller hogs and put it on the ground. It twitched some, but it wasn’t getting up again. We got over there pretty quick and watched the little pig breath its last.

Picture time.

Well done to Jared for a great shot, and OSK, One Shot Kill. And, well done to Ben for guiding him to a successful hunt.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Eric’s Trophy

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 18:48:06 GMT

#0043

My friend Eric flew in to hunt hogs. He took this big guy at Manx Farm near Corsicana.

This hog was huge, estimated weight: 300lbs.

(FYI, the pig’s hide after it is tanned covers a foam form. This makes the shoulder mount fairly light weight, very easy to handle and to hang on your wall.)

The taxidermy was done by a local shop, TKO Taxidermy in Gun Barrel City.

Eric used the 338 Win Mag to take the hog. OSK (one shot kill). We stalked up to it as it lay still, maybe sleeping. It was a great shot, and the hog didn’t even get up. I load the ammo with the 250 grain Swift A Frame projectiles. This is a great round, a “premium” bullet which is very useful for larger animals.

Eric lives the Porcus Hogrelius Motto.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Fall Approaches

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 18:42:13 GMT

#0042

As Labor Day ended (after laboring on the lawn), I drove to my small rural property intent on deer food plot preps. I arrived before sunset and put corn in the pig pipe where I have had repeated pictures of a large spotted boar.

No pigs on the camera Monday night…

Tuesday I did some final prep on the food plots, scattered the seed, and dragged over everything as a final step. We had lightning, thunder, and a few drops. (Based on my weather app, I think the rain came late Wednesday.)

That afternoon, I confirmed that the 25-45 Sharps AR-15 was sighted in.

Near midnight on Tuesday, my spotted hog came to the pig pipe. Got dressed, thermal scanner, rifle with night vision, tripod: ready. I make my approach down the drive and see the big guy at the pig pipe. Scanner down, rifle up. Solid rest, pig still, bang, flop, on his side, a few kicks, looks like a one-shot-kill. Up he jumps and away he runs. Commence forehead slapping.

I searched for a while, but no joy.

What went wrong? Fundamentally, pride. I have become enamored with the “one-shot-kill.” This clouded my thinking. As he lay twitching, I simply had to drill him again. But, I didn’t.

I made another change. I have been shooting 117 grain round nose bullets. They have worked very well. I had loaded some 87 grain spire points. The benefits to the lighter bullets is that they have a higher muzzle velocity and a flatter trajectory. Also, I had watched a YouTube video where an experienced hog hunter had very good success with the lighter bullets. More research required. For now, I will revert to the 117 grain round nose projectiles.

Wednesday morning, the phone alerted me to a group of small hogs at the pig pipe. I was ready to redeem myself. However, when I got there, the pigs were gone. Not sure why they vacated. Photo attached.

I came home Wednesday afternoon.

Thursday morning, the third attached photo came in. I how have a new big boar.

I continue to prefer the broadside neck shot for feral hogs. That is the most effective way to down a hog. Don’t be in a hurry. Wait for the good shot. These pigs are tough. If it’s twitching, shoot it again. We all strive for the one-shot-kill. It is a mark of skill. It is an achievement. But, a two-shot-kill with no tracking is far superior to a one-shot-kill with a two hour search.

Also, attaching a great photo of a bobcat from the game camera. Enjoy.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Thermal vs Night Vision

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 18:36:05 GMT

#0041

Son Ben and Grandson Jared and I went to the tree farm Friday afternoon and spent a couple of nights there. Plenty of chainsaw work, burning, and mowing.

Saturday after dark, about 2130, I saw some hogs with the thermal scanner. We moved toward the road and saw several small pigs grazing. Before Ben got set for a shot, they moved into the trees.

We moved down the road. There was a sliver of moon light and very light wind. A couple of small pigs came into the road about 70 yards from us. Ben got ready with the rifle with the night vision (IR) scope. He took his shot using the tripod. One pig ran, and one stayed in the road. He hit that one again. It ran.

I moved up the road scanning. There he was off the roadway.

With the thermal, they are easy to see as they glow red and yellow against a very dark background. (A typical thermal scope allows the user to select one of several palates: white hot, black hot, red hot, etc.) Based on their shape, I could tell that these were small pigs.

However, the night vision provides more detail.

Looking at the pig on the ground, it was easy for me to see, but there was no definition. As Ben watched it with the night vision, he saw the pig blink its eye. Bang. He hit it again. Their eyes show very brightly in the IR light.

All that to say, each system, thermal and IR, has pluses and minuses.

We left the pig where it lay and returned to the porch. A couple of hours later, Ben looked at the food plot directly behind the house. He saw something. I took the thermal, and he grabbed the rifle (AR15 in 25-45 Sharps). As I watched the animal, I realized that it was a raccoon eating the corn we had laid out. I gave Ben the GO for the shot.

Ben confirmed the ID and took a shot after getting set on the tripod. The raccoon twitched and jerked for a minute, then lay still. I walked out and confirmed the kill.

Ben made two great shots on small targets using the IR scope.

There are several benefits to using this system, that is, using a thermal to scan and a night vision for targeting.

But, in any case, learn your equipment and use it to maximum benefit.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Suburban Feral Hog Control Update

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 18:30:17 GMT

#0040

Since taking out the huge boar on Thursday night, no pictures of hogs have been received from either camera.

Further, rancher Wade sent a text stating that no new damage has been seen on his property.

All good news.

For now, the cameras will remain in place and monitoring will continue.

All in all, a complete success.

And, the two smaller hogs have been processed into various sausages. Hoping to connect with Greg today to divide the spoils.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Details from 28 OCT 20 Hunt

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 18:28:31 GMT

#0039

As you may recall I had a big hog on the camera Tuesday night. He got in front of the camera but did not eat any of the corn. He’s old, he’s big, he’s smart.

I had a trip planned so I would be out of town for a few days.

Also, neighboring rancher Wade sent a photo of rooting damage near our city limits.

The call of civic duty outweighed an extra day away.

Wingman Greg was not available so I went to the fire station alone at 2100 Wednesday. I was sort of dozing in the recliner and decided to do a thermal scan just before 2300. My scan began at the garage bay window. Well, here he came still in the pasture but moving my direction.

There are lots of trees along the fence line so I soon lost track of him.

My options were to wait or to go outside and stalk. Well, I’m not one to wait…

I went to the back corner of the fire station and scanned: nothing. Possibly he could be headed back to the area he had just rooted. I moved to a position hoping to see him walking in the pasture along the fence.

Looking north into the pasture, looking west behind me. There he is crossing the fence headed toward the soccer field. If he’s there, no shot. I wait. He soon crosses the path I just took. Did he smell me? Did he see my truck parked by the fire station? Don’t know, dead pigs tell no tales.

In any case, he backtracked through the fence and back into the pasture. I move closer to the fence. It’s three days away from a full moon. A cold front had come through so the sky is clear and I’m bathed in moonlight. Not optimal.

Tripod up, scanning the path I hope he will take.

There he is at 30 yards. He slows, maybe he sees me.

I’m ready and I squeeze off the shot. He’s down and squealing. A second shot, and he’s quiet and still.

TBL (my wife: Tall Blonde Laura) asks me why I wasn’t getting it butchered. I explain that (1) a boar that big is not fit for the table (many people have told me) and (2) there is no way on earth that I could drag that big pig across the muddy pasture and through a fence and through a ditch. She seems unconvinced. (She likes the sausage made from feral hogs.) She remains skeptical and probably thinks that if her dad was involved, the hog would have been dragged, gutted, and ready for the processor.

Thursday AM I visit the dead hog (and forget to take a daytime photo, sorry).

I measure it’s heart girth because you can estimate a hog’s weight very quickly. Heart girth 48 inches which corresponds to 280 pounds. The big hog I shot last fall had a heart girth of 46 inches. So, I have a new personal best twenty pounds more that the pig with the exceptionally long tusks taken last year. (Also not butchered.)

TBL left first thing this morning to assist daughter-in-law with child care Thursday – Saturday, so I have not had the chance to show her the girth to weight table. She may still not be convinced. This says more about the measure of the man who was my father-in-law, but that is another story.

This hog was beautiful, so fat his skin was stretched like a balloon. His hair was shiny and sleek. He was well fed. (Will discuss this with rancher Wade. This hog stole a lot of cattle feed.)

Back to the hog. Off with his head which is now skinned and under my wash tub where the dermestid beetles and their larvae will consume everything except the teeth and bones. Soon I will have another European mount.

As I was driving out of town at about 0900, the buzzards were surrounding the remains of the pig. Breakfast is served.

I did not conduct a complete necropsy. However, one bullet entered his skull just above his left eye brow. Second shot tore up his throat. I did not try to recover the bullets, but maybe I should have.

Current tally is six hogs shot, four bodies sighted, two of which have already come back from the processor as sausage.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Q: Is My Work Done? A: No

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 18:23:40 GMT

#0038

I posed the question a couple of days ago, “Is my work finished?” This was in regard to the hog intrusion and damage to the city’s soccer field and other property.

Yesterday began with a conversation with the city’s neighbor, a rancher named Wade. He had given me permission to shoot into his property as I conducted my suburban feral hog control. My recommendation to him was that we set up bait and camera farther into his property in order to extend our trip wire a greater distance from city property. He was to consider this plan.

Later that morning, he sent the attached photo showing his cattle and fresh rooting in his pasture.

Last night, I had my phone on silent hoping that the hogs were laying low for now. When I got up, the other photo was on my phone. A big hog came by the camera at about 0100. (There was only one photo, so maybe he spooked and went back to the pasture.)

Answer to my question: No, my work is not done.

I will remain available to conduct extermination work, but I need to employ other citizens who would be willing to simply drive by the soccer field when they receive an alert from the city trip wire. This would accomplish the goal of keeping them off city property even if I am not available. (And I won’t be for the next few nights.) I’ll get this on the city council agenda for November.)

What does it all mean?

-There will always be another hog that would damage someone’s property.

-The hogs are driven by their stomachs with less regard to their own safety or for the property rights of man.

-Damage prevention will require the work of other citizens of our little town.

We have had unseasonably cool weather the last few days along with some soaking rain. The hogs will be hungry, and the soil will be soft again.

The work continues…

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Is My Work Done?

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 18:18:20 GMT

#0037

My intent was to be in place at 2100 tonight at the fire station to wait for the last (I hope) hog to come to the camera.

Well, as I was driving that way, the photos started coming in.

I parked in the street, geared up, moved toward the camera.

I peaked out from behind the fire station with the thermal scanner. There it was at the camera. Moving behind the building, I stopped in the shadows. Tripod up, rifle up, wait for a car to drive by, hog turns, bang.

She runs. Scan with the thermal, nothing near. I move to the fence line and look into the pasture. There she is in the weeds, twitching. Twitching stops.

Greg planned to join me later after he got home from work. (He works at the VA hospital in Dallas.)

He joined me later and we gutted the hog for delivery to the processor on Saturday.

I thought I had a good neck shot, but the bullet entered the shoulder and exited through the sternum. Not ideal, but it didn’t run far.

This hog was the same size as the Wednesday night hog.

Hoping that this is the last of our hogs for a while. Cameras will remain up for now should more come back.

The most common animal on camera now is a fox or foxes. We have had a pair of foxes in the neighborhood for many years now. Each spring, four kits can be seen chasing each other in and out of culverts. Each year we get down to two foxes only. (I assume that the adult foxes chase them away. A good lesson for modern America. Get Junior out of the basement.) By the way, we don’t have a rodent problem in our little town.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Tag Team Smack Down

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 18:14:41 GMT

#0036

Greg and I conducted a tag team smack down last night on the hog in the picture. This is the first hog that came on the camera when this program began.

As Greg suggested, we planned to camp out at the city’s fire station to wait for the hogs to come to the camera. Lately, they have spooked and been gone before we arrived.

(Our fire station building is no longer in use as the neighboring town’s volunteer fire department took over responsibility for our area and took all the gear. So, the building is nearly empty, but there is a refrigerator and other essentials.)

I picked Greg up at 2100, and we drove to the fire station. We unloaded all the gear and got settled in. At about 2245, I decided to have a look into the pasture. (A couple of nights the hogs came to the camera at about 2230.) Peter Parker has spider sense, maybe I have something similar. There they were, I had thermal images of two hogs moving our way straight toward their fence crossing location.

Greg took over the thermal scanner, I brought out the rifle and tripod. We were in the shadow at the front door of the fire station. We were in a good spot. Greg got locked on and was updating me on their movement. I got on the tripod and began my scan with the night vision scope. As they neared the fence, I saw them: a black and a brown boar hog. We have seen these two before, they are the regulars at the pig pipes lately.

Through the night vision, I thought they were through the fence (five strand barbed wire that the hogs walk under). In actuality, they were still on the other side. Gauging their body language, they were just a bit nervous. I could see them both and opted for the brown pig since I assumed that this was the first hog we had on the camera when we began.

As you know, I normally recommend a broadside neck shot to anchor the beast. This situation was more tenuous. The pigs were nervous, a car might come by at any moment, they might scent us. All that to say, I took a head on shot. As the smoke cleared, there was nothing to be seen. Greg assured me that he could see the hog twitching but not going anywhere. In just a minute or two, the twitching stopped.

Done.

We made our approached on the downed hog and quickly confirmed that it was dead.

The reason that I could not see it immediately was that it was on the far side of the fence behind a small bush.

Now the backslapping could begin.

Greg held the light, I gutted it. Greg had brought a tarp and some jugs filled with frozen water. We drug him over to the fire station where we hosed it out. We placed it in the fire station garage overnight.

Next morning, we delivered it to our local taxidermy/processor shop where Greg will turn it all into breakfast sausage.

This was a 70 yard shot. I estimate the hog’s weight at about 100 pounds. The rifle was my 25-45 Sharps shooting a 117 grain Hornady round nose bullet.

I delivered Greg back to his front door by midnight.

Monitoring will continue. If we get more pictures, I’ll try to get a shot. If they come back in force, we will man the fire station and make our stand there.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Two Events in One Night

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 18:08:47 GMT

#0035

This ends a long and eventful yet unproductive night, with some lessons learned.

At about 2230, the attached photo came in. Greg had already told me that he was available tonight.

(The light colored pig with the spot on its neck was the first hog on camera when we began this enterprise. The first night he was on the camera at three different times. Going forward I’ll refer to him as Lucky, but his luck will run out…)

We met at the normal place. First issue, no more photos had been coming in from either camera since the initial two or three photos. We made our stalk and came away with nothing. We saw cattle in the pasture with the thermal.

Greg had to work in the morning so opted out for any more work overnight.

Just before 0300 the other photo came in. Out the door I go. Earlier, we concluded to park differently to minimize the probability of exposure from the pigs at either camera. Done.

Again, no new photos had come in. Not good. I began my stalk. Again, no joy. I did see the cattle in the same location and did see one or two thermal images way into the pasture.

Since I was up…I walked further along the gravel road that runs along the pasture fence. I did see one thermal image off in the distance at this far end of the pasture.

In response to an early suburban hog control update, Les advised me to be aware of threats that might be behind me as I was focused on looking into the pasture. Perhaps it was that bit of advice that caused me to scan behind me…and downward.

There was something at the edge of the road almost directly behind me within 10 or 15 feet. Immediate response: NOT GOOD. Pulling the scanner away from my eye in the very dim light of the flood light at the end of the fire station building I see an animal with a white stripe: again NOT GOOD. I hear a hiss: NOT GOOD.

Is it possible for a man in his retirement with an AR-15 slung over his shoulder with a thermal scanner and tripod to carry able to run down a gravel road in the dark without falling? Yes: GOOD, make that VERY GOOD.

Les, thank you, thank you, thank you for that reminder to look for threats from all directions. Most likely, that skunk was just as surprised and scared of me as I was of it. I’m very glad to have escaped that encounter.

It would have gone better dividing the tasks between two people. Handling rifle, tripod, and scanner is doable but not optimal. (Not intended as a criticism of Greg. People who work in hospitals need their rest. It’s good to be retired and able to have these interesting hobbies.)

The primary goal of this entire enterprise has been met: keeping the hogs out of city property.

The secondary goal of the “permanent” solution for each individual hog was not met tonight. We may need a different methodology to achieve the permanent solution.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Feral Hog Control Continues

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 16:22:31 GMT

#0034

A photo came in showing a pig at one of the cameras at about 2100.

Greg, my wingman, and I went straight to the soccer field and geared up. Two pictures had come in, so things looked good for an extermination.

The camera is programmed to send a picture every three minutes if an animal is present. We only got those two pictures and no more.

We began our stalk with Greg scanning with the thermal. We moved toward the camera in the shadows.

Nothing on the thermal.

Hoping that the pig might still be in the pasture, we moved along the fence and continued scanning. No joy.

No more pig photos that night or Wednesday or Thursday.

Monitoring continues.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Feral Hog Damage/Why We Needed Suburban Feral Hog Control

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 16:19:43 GMT

#0033

The attached photo shows the destructiveness of these feral hogs.

I got this from our town mayor who received the photo from someone with a drone. No explanation is required about the destructiveness of these vermin.

On a more positive note, no photos were received last night. Glad that there were no hogs (or dogs), surprised that there were no photos of foxes or stray cats.

Until I inspect the perimeter in person, I’ll call it a good night.

(The intent of the serialized narratives is to let the story of the hog control unfold. Fast forward to the end of the suburban hog control…I killed a total of seven hogs. The aerial photo shows the damage that seven hogs can do.)

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Unintended Consequences

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 16:14:05 GMT

#0032

Suburban feral hog control continues.

Thursday night all was in order when I lay down for bed. As reported previously two live traps were set for raccoons which had been robbing me of corn and sleep.

At about 2330 a photo came in showing the north end of a south facing black animal about hog size. Out of bed, drive, gear up.

With the flood light extinguished I could cross the soccer field instead of going by street. I could see a couple of hog-sized animals near one of the pig pipes. All good. Proceed with my stalk. Stop, look. Not hogs but dogs.

Hmmm. And, I can hear them barking/growling.

I don’t head toward them. I move toward the pasture to scan for hogs away from the dogs. Nothing. As I proceed back toward my truck, the dogs see me. They alert on me. Hmmm. I continue glancing back. They loose interest in me. Keep walking. See attached video.

Back at the truck, unrig, drive toward dogs. They disperse.

Hmm. They had pulled the trapped raccoon out of the trap and finished it off. Glad I kept walking back to the truck.

Photos show that these were pit bulls or pit bull mix. Very glad I kept walking back to truck.

Pitch raccoon over fence into pasture. No more dog or hog photos overnight.

Will discuss latest development with mayor and chief of police for guidance on how to manage any future encounters with these non-collared (I am assuming feral) dogs.

Feral hog control, not for the faint of heart.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

One Carcass Recovered

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 16:04:36 GMT

#0031

In the previous installment, I reported two hogs shot. Resuming the narrative the following day.

My walk through pasture revealed this as seen in the attached photo.

This would have been last night’s pig, the smaller one I’m thinking.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Action Resumes

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 16:00:26 GMT

#0030

Inspection Sunday afternoon showed that the hogs had wiggled through a gap in the Maginot Line Saturday night between the two cameras locations. Others confirmed additional damage to the city property.

The “East” camera was moved to the new crossing along with the bait.

At 2230, the alarm sounded showing pigs at the camera and on city property in the background.

My wingman had already advised me that he was not available for a couple of nights. So, I was on my own.

As I drove up the my parking spot I could see hogs on city property because of the lights behind the fire station.

Looking with the thermal scanner, I could see hogs along the gravel road as I looked through the chain link fence around the boat trailer parking area. They were eating the corn that fell from the pig pipe as I dragged it from one location to another. There was a sow and two shoats on the road.

Moving forward, I walked between the VFD fire station and the city garage next to it. At the corner of the fire station I could see the three hogs through the chain link fence. I couldn’t shoot through the fence. If I went to the gravel road, I could not shoot down the road. There was no shot.

Also, the flood light on the back of the fire station would have revealed me if I stepped out.

Time passed, the corn in the road was being eaten up.

The pigs began to move toward the fence at the first cameras location. I moved along the paved street to the gravel road. By this time hogs were off the road.

As I walked along the gravel road I continued to scan with the thermal. I could see the sow eating corn in the ditch where the bait was first located. Tripod up, safe firing direction, observe. I had a broadside look but not sure direction that she is looking. I can’t let her get away. I guessed that she is looking north, the direction that she would have entered the ditch. Bang.

She was gone, I move along the road to the area where she was. Looking into the pasture, one of the younger pigs. Tripod up, bang. A second good shot.

Both pigs ran, but I know these were hits.

No more pigs overnight, just raccoons, stray cats, and a fox on the telephone cameras.

Video of thermal attached along with game camera shot showing two hogs.

Blending technology, hardware, and diligence, making myself a better hog hunter.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

No Hogs Approached the Maginot Line Last Night

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 15:50:13 GMT

#0029

The Maginot Line along the north border of the city did its job again last night.

Following the deterrent work on Tuesday night, the enemy to the north did not make any attempts to enter our city.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Suburban Pig Control Continued Success

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 15:45:03 GMT

#0028

Overnight no calls. This morning confirmed that bait had not been touched, cameras functional, no new damage to city property.

Monitoring continues.

My goal is to keep the feral hogs off city property.

Continued success.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Early Success in Suburban Feral Hog Control

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 15:42:28 GMT

#0027

Continuing this account of suburban feral hog control. The story resumes after cameras and bait in place.

As additional background, the feral hogs began their destruction of the city soccer field after considerable late summer rain softened the soil. During a normal Texas summer, our clay soil become as hard as a rock. The rains came and so did the pigs.

Success!

Just at 2200, the phone went off with the attached photo. I packed up and rolled. (Please look at the time stamp on each photo to get correct order.)

Everything went according to plan except that the pigs didn’t stay at the bait.

I walked along the gravel road paralleling the fence. The moon was nearly full so there was lots of light. Plus, the back of the fire station is well lighted.

(One item forgotten: the tripod.)

The fence line is very overgrown. I approached a gap in the hedgerow scanning with the thermal. There they were.

Thermal down, rifle up.

It was only a 15 yard shot. The pig’s head was down as it was feeding. When I got on target, all I had was a “Texas heart shot.” I waited and I waited. (If you are unclear about the definition of a Texas heart shot, just think about it for a moment. It isn’t intended as a compliment toward Texas or Texans.)

Finally, the pig turned and I had a good broadside neck shot. I took it.

The hog ran. Then, I saw it, or another, standing about 25 yards away. I took that shot as well.

I couldn’t see any pigs in the weeds which are pretty tall. I’ll look again tomorrow.

Back at the house by 2230.

0500 update:

I have added a few more photos from the same camera.

The first one came in at 0300, another pig. Look closely. It’s the same pig that was with the black pig at 2200. This time he was alone, partial validation that I got the black hog from the 2200 photo. I made my same approach as before. The pig simply wasn’t there. Considering that the primary mission is to keep the feral hogs off of city property, the objective was satisfied.

I was back in bed before 0400. Then, at 0430 the next photo came in. Look closely, same pig with the spot on its neck. Get dressed and out the door. Got parked, geared up. Then, a passenger vehicle came down our road from the highway, turned down the gravel road along the fence line, drove in 30 yards or so, then backed out and left. How strange is that? That’s the final picture as the hog with the spot on his neck departed the area.

Again, mission of keeping the hogs off city property was accomplished.

So, now it’s coffee time.

More updates as the hog control action continues.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Preparations in Progress for Suburban Pig Control

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 15:36:16 GMT

#0026

The feral hogs continue to assault the city property. They have been making a mess of the soccer field and the area around the fire station.

The rancher has cattle in the area adjoining the city limits. I have placed two pig pipes just inside this pasture.

I baited the two areas yesterday, Saturday, with corn. On Sunday and Monday I can see if the pigs are taking the bait and being conditioned to eating the free food. Repeated baiting as needed.

My scheme is to wait at home until the camera alerts me that hogs are present. (They only come out at night.) It takes some time for the pigs to bump the pipes enough to shake out all the corn. The clock begins when they arrive causing the camera to alert me. I travel as they eat.

I will park nearby and approach the shooting locations which are along the gravel road along the north limit of the city’s property. During this walk, I will be able to scan with the thermal to confirm the presence of the pigs.

Our Police Chief is aware of my plan and has approved. (He wants the pigs for his table.) The rancher is onboard.

Safety considerations: This will be a one-shot only event. That is, I will get a shot at one hog at the bait. I won’t be shooting at hogs running away. Also, if I see cattle behind the hogs, it’s a no-go. The bullet could deflect and impact a non-target animal. Not acceptable.

If things go well, I hope to report success on Wednesday morning.

Tuesday afternoon update: Hog damage continues to soccer field. Two cameras mounted and tested. Bait deployed. I noticed one problem this morning. The cattle in the pasture are able to roll the pig pipe and dispense the corn and eat it all. Therefore, I moved one pipe from the pasture into the ditch just inside the city property.

Charging batteries for thermal scanner and infrared scope. Mag loaded.

Now, the waiting begins.

Update tomorrow morning, success or failure.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Suburban Hog Control Soon

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 15:28:11 GMT

#0025

As noted in a previous meditation, I will be engaged in hog control in my little town since feral hogs have been damaging the public areas including our soccer field.

The attached cartoon demonstrates how my hog control process will work.

I will stage some corn in a ‘pig pipe” to attract the swine. The pig pipe is a length of 4” PVC pipe with several holes drilled in it. It is closed on the ends and filled with corn. The pigs are smart enough to roll the pipe with their snouts thereby dispensing the corn. Other animals like raccoons don’t have the ability to do that.

The camera will take their picture and send it to my phone. I will wake up, drive to an area near the pig pipe, quietly move to within striking range, use the thermal scanner and night vision scope to target the porker, and bring its destructive life to a quick end.

The city has approved the purchase of a couple of these camera: awaiting delivery. I have been in contact with the rancher who has approved this plan. Yesterday, I explained to our Police Chief my plan: he approves. Soon, all will be in order.

Also attaching a photo of a trap the rancher placed on the city property. A big pig was trapped buy muscled his way out. That was a big pig.

Of course, the purpose of this effort is to keep the pigs off of city property. It’s possible that they will have moved on by the time I get everything in place.

Assuming that I do shoot a hog or two, the remainder will probably get wise to what I’m doing and depart. Again, mission will be accomplished.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Suburban Feral Hog Control

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 22:27:43 GMT

#0024

A week or two ago, the residents of our small town began observing hog damage to the area at the edge of town where the town begins along an adjoining cattle pasture. They have really made a mess of things rooting up a large area around the fire station and the soccer field.

I sent an email to our mayor explaining my experience with hog control.

This afternoon, I met with a fellow city councilman to survey the damage and to discuss the techniques used to control these foreign invaders. Specifically, we discussed the methods I use to bait them to the telephone camera, the thermal scanner, and the night vision scope. He was quickly convinced of the efficacy of these processes.

He considers the purchase of camera(s) for hog control and for other security purposes valid expenses. I am exploring purchases now.

I explained that we could set out a pig pipe just inside the pasture with a camera mounted close by. This would alert me to the hog’s presence. I could park nearby and set up in a safe firing position and dispatch the vermin.

He has been in contact with the neighboring rancher who will be contacting me soon to confirm these arrangements and perhaps to set up a bait site further inside his property and away from the city limits.

As you read subsequent meditations, the details of the hog control process will unfold.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Early May at the Tree Farm

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 22:16:51 GMT

#0023

I drove to the tree farm one afternoon. There was work to be done, always is. This was in May. In the fall I have been planting a winter mix of seeds in my food plots: wheat, oats, clover, etc.

When I got to the tree farm I could see that the hogs had been in the food plots eating the heads off of the wheat. They waited until the heads were ripe, of course. Well, it is a food plot after all.

I went to bed at about 2100 and got up about 2130 to scan around the house with the thermal. Sure enough, I saw two hogs in the food plot next to the house. I stepped back and got the AR with night vision – no pigs to be seen. I thought that maybe I had spooked them.

With scanner and rifle in hand, I walked in the opposite direction to look at the other food plots. No joy.

Coming back to the house, I looked again at the first food plot – two pigs. That is, two pigs in the grain that is about waist high. They were visible through the thermal scanner but not through the night vision.

I went from the house the other way and swung way around in order to approach the food plot from a different direction hoping to get closer and to have a clearer view. After some hands-and-knees work, I got under a few pine trees that cast a nice shadow. The first quarter moon really made the night bright.

They were visible through the thermal eating away. Trying the night vision, I could see the pig’s eyes. The tree made a solid brace – bang. After the shot, I couldn’t see anything with the night vision. Shifting to the thermal scanner, I could see the pig right where I had shot her. It was a 20 yard shot.

This was a sow. It was dead, dead, dead.

Get the tractor and go to work. I took the hams, shoulders, and the back straps. Now on ice.

This was not the ideal neck shot. It was through the shoulders but not through the shoulder joints, a small loss of meat. I continue to be very happy with the 25-45 Sharps with 117 grain round nose bullets.

0320 update. Camera woke me at 0100 with a spotted hog at the camera. I had seen this one before, it has built in bullseyes. In that it was alone, I had assumed it was a boar. The sky was still clear, and the moon lit everything up. I went down the road trying to stay in the shadows as much as possible. When I got close enough, I used the thermal scanner to find the hog. Great image using the red hot setting. Again, I got next to a tree and was able to see the hog in the night vision. OSK (one shot kill). I got him through the neck. When I got close I could see that he was very dead with just a few twitches. There was a small, steady fountain of blood coming from his neck.

Maybe it was residual blood pressure in that it was not spurting, just steady.

The boar is now on ice. Based on last weekend’s work, it should make about 50 pounds of ground pork and sausage.

A good night’s work.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself A Better Hog Hunter

How efficient are buzzards?

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 22:14:24 GMT

#0022

As of first thing this morning, there were two pig carcasses side by side after my late-night hunting and butchering. These pigs had been skinned and quartered but not gutted per the process outlined in a previous Meditation.

Late this afternoon I walked by them – nothing but bones and hide.

It only took one day for the clean up crew to take care of all the meat and entrails.

Buzzards are amazing creatures. We are fortunate to have them.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Night vision versus thermal

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 22:09:41 GMT

#0021

Please see the attached videos.

One is from my thermal scanner. The setting was “red hot” which gives it the red and yellow coloring with an excellent contrast against the background.

The night vision video with the spotted hog corresponds with the thermal images.

The third video is a hog at 20 yards in the tall grain. A thermal scope would allow shots through the standing grain. At 40ish yards, the IR image was nothing but stalks of grain as the IR illumination simply bounced off the grain and hid the pig’s image. Notice how well their eyes show up in the IR light.

Fortunately, I was able to take to pig in the tall grass. The glowing eyes allowed for a good neck shot.

I cannot explain why the sound is out of sync with the visual images.

Thermal devices and night vision devices are different and can serve different purposes. Your choice of which device to use will depend on your needs and your budget. Each can serve to make you a better hog hunter.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Adventure and Misadventure

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 21:59:03 GMT

#0020

I drove to the tree farm to work Sunday and Monday.

Upon arrival, I filled the pig pipes with corn and confirmed that the camera was working properly. Then, to bed.

The telephone camera sent the attached photo after midnight. I made my approach but there was no pig. Very wary are these old boars.

Later that night I was up for an “old guy” and took a look into the yard with the thermal scanner. See attached video of an armadillo that lives under the porch. I don’t think he saw me, but he sure was sniffing the air, a lot. After I disturbed his nightly feed, he made a straight line to the porch.

The phone woke me up about 5:30 with a deer in the picture. I grabbed the thermal scanner to look around the house. Hokey Smokes! A cat! I grabbed the AR which was right there. I turned on the night vision scope and found the cat. Rifle on the tripod. It sat down and was looking right at me. So far, so good. This was to be my first shot at a predator. I was imagining how I would have it mounted. Boom! Sad face, no cat. I must have missed.

Like the receiver in football – catch the ball before running to the end zone.

I know there are bobcats around. Also, see the third attachment. This is a cat that I have been seeing on my other game camera. This is probably a feral cat, a valid target.

The weather was wonderful. Clear skies at night with a third quarter moon. Did some mowing and tractor work Monday. Great day.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Boaring…

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 21:55:27 GMT

#0019

This photo just came in via my telephone camera.

For the uninitiated, this is a boar, between 150 and 200 pounds. He is walking past the pig pipe which is the device that I use to bait the pigs. It’s a PVC pipe, filled with corn, with some holes drilled in it to dispense the corn, and tethered to the T post.

This is the first daytime hog picture that I have received in months. This is promising.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Enter the Thermal Scanner

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 21:53:11 GMT

#0018

I came upon a deeply discounted thermal scanner. I got it, and now I’m ready to open a new chapter in my mission of feral hog eradication.

Son Ben and his family planned to visit the tree farm this weekend, so daughter Ella and I drove down Thursday after work.

We got down in time to refill the pig pipes with corn and to confirm that all was in order.

At about 2250, a picture came in of a large boar at the pig pipe. Out I go with thermal scanner and AR equipped with night vision.

I made my stalk while using thermal to look for the pigs. Very handy in white hot mode.

To my shock and surprise, there was no hog, but there was a raccoon. I could see the raccoon with the night vision and took the shot. Raccoon down.

What became of the hog? Obviously, this was a shape-shifting animal that appeared as a hog and transformed into a raccoon within ten minutes. (And, it changed from a boar to a sow. Amazing.) You can rest easy knowing that this shape-shifter has been eliminated.

Ben and his family arrived in time for lunch Friday. Thank you Ella for the Scotch eggs. Delish!

After a fun afternoon with the grandkids, we all played with the thermal scanner. We could see small birds in the trees. Really a nice device.

Saturday at 0050, a photo came in with three hogs at the pig pipe. Ben and I got up. I had the scanner and tripod, he took the AR. It’s a short walk down the road to the opening where we could see the pigs.

As we walked, we heard a squeal/grunt that sounded a bit hostile. When the pigs came into view, there were only two. I guess one got run off.

Ben was set up on the sticks. I was watching through the scanner. He took aim with the night-vision equipped AR and took the shot.

Bang. Both hogs ran, one going east, one going west.

We could hear a few squeals. The thermal located the hog immediately. It had run about 20 yards. Dead as a hammer.

We left the sow there until the following morning.

After we got up, we retrieved the sow with the tractor. 160 pounds. See photo with grandson Jared. It was fat, it’s skin was stretched as tight as a snare drum.

We used the following technique for butchering. We skinned the hog without gutting it. We took only the hams, shoulders, and back straps. All the meat was on ice.Then we could dispose of the remains with the torso intact and all the vitals contained. Very tidy. Neck shots are best.

That afternoon, we boned it out and ground all the meat and bagged it into one-pound bags. The 160 pound sow yielded 25 one-pound bags.

Note that there is limited yield from a pig of this size. First, their hide and hair is very heavy. Also, using the above method loses considerable meat that might otherwise be used. We have tried keeping the ribs for smoking. It just doesn’t work very well. These are not domestic hogs living in pens. They live outside and are often on the run. Even a fat feral hog doesn’t have fat, meaty ribs. (Not as tasty as you might enjoy at a barbecue joint.)

Also, the bags are labeled with a one-pound mark. If each bag was slightly overfilled, there might have been a few more pounds.

I have used a dry sausage mix with ground feral hog. I like it, but I didn’t bring it or a scale for proper mixing. Ben had his grinder, and I had my bagger. Worked out fine.

Ben and I walked around for a while after dark Saturday hoping to see some pigs. No pigs, but we watched a couple of deer grazing through the food plot. This is promising for next fall.

No pigs Saturday night.

Sunday morning, we had venison steak and eggs for breakfast. La vida grande!

It was a great weekend with the family. Looking forward to doing it again.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Skull Mounts

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 19:17:59 GMT

#0017

Here’s an example of a European mount of a boar hog. The work was done by TKO Taxidermy here in Gun Barrel City.

It is also possible to make a skull mount a DIY project.

If you like this type of trophy, don’t shoot your pig in the head.

As mentioned in a previous Meditation, I recommend the neck shot.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Resilience of the Feral Hog

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 19:13:12 GMT

#0016

I really enjoy watching these videos from Carpe Sus. He is very good about explaining what he is doing and analyzing the situation that he is in. He often comments on the hog behavior and routinely conducts necropsies on the hogs to evaluate bullet performance.

This video demonstrates the resiliency of hogs and also a good technique for being ready for that second shot. And, he makes a great first and second shot.

As he always says at the end of his videos, Carpe Sus My Friend!

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Hog Calls

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 19:11:05 GMT

#0015

Many people know that wild animals can be called toward the hunter: ducks, turkeys, etc.

My friend Perry took this video through his thermal rifle scope. He was using the Convergent Bullet HP blue tooth caller and the Glen Guess app on his phone to call the hogs using the call “Vampigra.”

He told me he was shooting in “self defense” as the call was only a few feet in front of him as this sounder of hogs charged toward the caller. This video was at night using a thermal scope. Image being out in the middle of the night in pitch darkness.

He had the scope set to “black hot” which is why the warm bodied pigs show up black and the cooler objects, trees and grass, show up with a lighter tint.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

A Hit, But It Still Misses

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 19:08:48 GMT

#0014

This hunt took place during the Covid-19 shutdown.

Today, Sunday, was out of the ordinary for me much like for you, I’m sure. For Perry and me, we are members of the same church, and we are not meeting for now.

So, I met him this afternoon at his house, and we rode his side-by-side into his neighbor’s pasture where we hunted a couple weeks ago.

We sat with our backs to a fence looking west down a wide, clear corridor. Perry has a pig pipe in place there about a hundred yards away and had re-baited it this morning. (A pig pipe is a made of large PVC pipe with holes drilled into it. The pipe is filled with corn, and the pigs push the pipe to keep the corn falling through the holes. It’s chained to a post or tree to keep it in place.) The woods were thick to the south and north of the cleared lane. We were settled in at about a quarter to six. Within five or ten minutes we heard some noise to our left and saw some pigs moving west and going into the thick area to the south of the cleared area.

In a few minutes Perry started using his call making sow grunts. Within a few minutes a sounder of hogs came from the south looking for the grunting sow. Perry gave me the word to take the shot. I squeezed off the round, and the hogs scattered.

I was surprised that she didn’t fall immediately as I was rock steady and was aiming at her neck.

We sat for quite a while with some calling and no more pigs. It was still light, so we took a walk to find the dead hog. There was no blood, but there were splotches of what looked like half-digested corn. Obviously, I had shot her through the stomach. The trail of stomach contents led into the thick area to the south.

Perry knew a way into this area so we took a walk. Perry was using his thermal scope to try to locate the downed hog. No joy.

After some walking we set up the call in a different location. Still no hogs.

As it got dark we went back to our first spot. No hogs came back. So, we packed it in.

While it was still light, I did some troubleshooting on the scope. I put the rifle in a steady spot and withdrew the bolt. I compared the point of impact through the barrel with the aim point of the scope. The scope was aimed to the right of the point of impact of the barrel. This was consistent with the impact point of the hog compared with where I was aiming. This is the 308 that was used last month to take a couple of hogs. I’m thinking that the scope may be defective. Further troubleshooting to follow.

It was a fun hunt. And, it was unfortunate that the hog did not fall where I shot her. I much prefer that they drop in their tracks.

In other news, there are not reported cases of the China flu in our immediate area.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Q&A with Porcus Hogrelius

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 18:58:52 GMT

#0013

Porcus Hogrelius received a question this week. This installment of The Meditations of Porcus Hogrelius will address this inquiry from a reader.

Q: A question for you…traditionally in Virginia the area I live in has always been shotgun only for deer hunting. They have relaxed this requirement as long as you’re in an elevated stand. So, I was wondering what recommendations you would have for a deer rifle and rounds? Shots would be less that 200 yds, most withing the 30-100 yd range. Maybe something I could use when I come hog hunting again.

A. There are many good calibers suitable for whitetail deer and for hogs. Visit any gun store, and you will hear plenty of advice on this subject. Take a look at YouTube and get more opinions.

For this moment I’ll limit my answer not to caliber specific recommendations. I will recommend that you consider the Modern Sporting Rifle (MSR) over the traditional bolt action or lever action rifle.

The MSR is another way to describe the AR-15 or AR-10 platform. (Some would refer to these as assault rifles.)

There are many pluses to using the MSR.

1. They are semi-automatic. That is, every time you pull the trigger, another round will be fired. This can very useful when you need a quick follow up shot or while hog hunting and you are trying to exterminate as many pigs a possible.

2. They come in many calibers. For the AR-15, you can adapt your rifle to shoot smaller calibers like the 22 LR or as large as the 50 Beowulf. For the AR-10, these come in calibers from 243 up to 308 or 6.5 Creedmoor.

3. They are easily customizable. It is possible to change your MSR by adding a better trigger, for example. You can improve accuracy by changing out the stock barrel for a better barrel. It’s easy to attach a flashlight. You can have a small magazine while deer hunting yet carry a larger magazine while hog hunting or predator hunting.

The typical AR platform rifle comes equipped with a Picatinny Rail on top of the receiver. Modern optics are designed to fit onto this rail system. You can mount a traditional optic like a rifle scope or mount a red dot or mount a night vision or mount a thermal or mount a set of traditional set of iron sights. There are many, many options.

If there are other questions for Porcus Hogrelius, please send them to sales@ontargetso.com.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Weekend Getaway

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 15:56:09 GMT

#0012

Practice is key to success in almost every aspect of our lives. A group of guys gathered for a Manx Farm hunt one February day. Fortunately, we met up on Friday, a day ahead of our hunt. First stop: the shooting range. Most of the guys had flown in, so I made my rifles available.

Our practice (or familiarization fire) was from atop a tripod at steel targets a hundred yards away. This is a good simulation of our hunt conditions.

The various hunters selected their rifle for the hunt and shot till they were satisfied with the performance of gun and ammo.

Saturday morning we departed at 0630 for Manx Farm in Navarro County. Upon arrival, breakfast was ready: scrambled eggs with sausage and fresh-made waffles. Black coffee, of course.

John and Les were guided by Guide James. Rob and Galen were guided by Guide Les. I rode with Rob and Galen to act as gun bearer and photographer. We rode in the side-by-side from the house into the pasture. After a safety brief by Les, we began our stalk. In less that five minutes, we all saw a mature black boar grazing on the opposite side of a draw. Les expertly positioned the shooting sticks and got Rob ready for the shot. Rob took careful aim with the 308 and soon sent the 150 grain Barnes Tipped Triple Shock bullet through the shoulder. The hog immediately collapsed.

It was a great shot.

After the requisite photos and backslapping, the stalk was begun for Galen’s hog. The morning was crisp with temps in the low 40’s. Perfect hog hunting weather.

As we moved along, we saw and heard the zebras braying in the adjoining field. One pig flushed and ran off through the trees. Soon, Les saw a few hogs under some trees about 30 yards away. He put Galen in a good position, and Galen took the shot with his 30-06. His hog ran with a half dozen other pigs. Les observed that Galen’s hog did not run with the rest of the sounder, but veered to the left. This indicated that the pig was wounded. The search began, but we couldn’t find it. The ground was flat and fairly open. There were numerous mesquite trees (barren this time of year). The ground was covered with short green grass, but our ability to search was hindered by last year’s weeds that were nearly 3 feet tall. The old weeds were taller than a downed hog and made it difficult to see it.

After a while, Les decided to continue the hunt with the intent of returning later to look some more. After another ten minutes or so, we saw a large sounder of hogs (more than a dozen). They began moving to our right, Galen took another shot. Les carefully watched the hogs movement and was able to walk straight to it. I was nearby and administered the coup de gras with my pistol. After marking that pig’s location, we discovered Galen’s first hog.

Dead.

Even as we were hunting, photos came in showing Les’ and John’s successes shooting a pair of trophy hogs.

We loaded all three hogs and returned to the gut shed.

After a great lunch of sandwiches and chips, Rob went out and shot his second hog. Guide James invited me to shoot a hog as well (he thought the hogs I shot last weekend were too small). We drove into the pasture. We were about three minutes into our stalk when we saw a hog bedded under a tree. It’s ear was clearly visible, so I was able to estimate the location of the neck for a good shot that brought the curtain down on the boar.

Guide James took us outside the high fence onto another part of the ranch. He gave us a great tour of a pipeline right-of-way that offered a view of the terrain. After a muddy drive down to the creek, we were headed back when we saw a hog a short distance into the trees. Hunter Les used the 338 Win Mag and made a head shot. DRT (dead right there).

We had time on our hands, so there was some basketball watching and napping in one of the cabins. Les and I went with Guide James (a second James) for some predator calling. In that coyotes and bobcats take many animals (small deer, for example), there is an ongoing effort to eliminate them. We called a few different places for a couple of hours, but did not see anything.

It was a gorgeous afternoon to be out. Bright sunshine and cool air temps.

As were were driving back just before dark, we were treated to several elk silhouetted against the sky. Beautiful.

Owner Richard had catered supper for his hunters. (We were not the only ones on the ranch.) Fajitas will all the trimmings including guacamole (really good guacamole). Still- warm cobbler for dessert.

La vida grande!

(Richard was very complimentary of the hunters that I have brought to Manx Farm. For the most part these men are retired from various branches of our military. Yes, they are good men whom I am honored to call friends. This was very gratifying to me, and I was very glad to pass on the compliment to each of those hunting.)

Sunday morning, I delivered the hunters to the their respective airports and sent them on their way.

Great weekend.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Pigs Have Itches

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 15:49:09 GMT

#0011

It is somewhat entertaining to watch feral hogs as they scratch their itches.

We can identify with this behavior. I sometimes have an itch on my back. I find a door jam and go to work. Up and down, side to side. Ahhh.

I’ve included a couple pictures showing pig rubs. In one photo, you can see a wooden power pole where a pig went to work to get some skin relief. The second photo shows a well-worn pig trail that crossed a tree with two trunks. Obviously, lots of hogs have done lots of rubbing.

And, yes, it’s fun to watch the pigs when they are doing their back rubs, belly rubs, and hip rubs.

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

What a Trophy

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 15:45:38 GMT

#0010

My friend Eric came to visit one February for a pig hunt at Manx Farm in Corsicana.

Saturday, after breakfast of eggs and pork sausage, we drove to Manx and arrived in time for more eggs and sausage. Richard had told me that there was no reason to get there before dawn as the pigs would not be up and about until after 8:00 this time of year (and due to air temps).

To our surprise, we were the only two hunters this weekend. After visiting with owner Richard and guide James, we drove into the pasture.

Eric wanted a “trophy” hog, so James picked a location to begin our stalk where we moved through a gully. We eased along for a while and saw some smaller hogs. We came upon a group of hogs that we could see through the brush. James selected one with very visible tusks for Eric to shoot. He let go the 338 Win Mag, and the pig dropped with a great shot through the neck.

To our surprise, it wasn’t a huge hog, but it did have nice tusks. James promised that he would find Eric a larger hog. At this point, we had been hunting for less than an hour.

We continued our stalk in a different location. Shortly, James began to study one particular spot. He moved closer, and looked more closely. Eric and I did not see anything, but we dutifully stayed quiet and let James do what James does. Even with binoculars, I could barely make out a large patch of black hair. James positioned Eric to take the shot. Eric could see the black mass and occasionally saw an ear twitch. With the rifle on the tripod, Eric squeezed off the shot. The big black mass did not move. We moved closer and saw a really BIG pig. It was still except for an occasional spasm. Choosing caution, we put a couple of pistol rounds into its body which finally stopped all movement.

Two men could barely drag the thing from its bed.

Eric’s initial shot had held the pig in its place; perfect. The 338 Win Mag in capable hands had done its job.

We called Richard to make the pickup. It took all four of us to lift the beast into the side-by-side. Richard and James agreed that it weighed in excess of 300 pounds. Also, it was a “bar” hog which means that he had become transgendered by mechanical means at a young age. Bar is short for barrow hog, one that sings soprano. Like a steer, it had grown very large. It was covered with scars and had broken tusks. Richard also stated that it was in the top ten hogs of all those taken at Manx. What a trophy.

It was nearly lunch time, so we went to the cleaning shed to gut the big pig and place it in the walk-in chill box. Then we had a nice lunch of sandwiches at the cabin (one of the older houses on the property nicely fixed up).

After lunch, we went back out to get me a couple of meat hogs. James put me on a hog which I took with a neck shot with the 30-06. (It was kinda small.) We continued our hunt. We saw a nice meat hog off behind a tree. James suggested I move in and take a pistol shot. What great fun to stalk within 10 yards of a feeding hog. Everything went well except my shot did not connect. (Another way of saying that I missed.) (A reminder of why I prefer rifle shooting.)

The hunt continued with me taking a couple of more (not so large) pigs.

Both Eric and I had a great day. The temps were in the high 30’s when we arrived and climbed into the 60’s later in the day. Perfect.

Manx Farm does a great job, again. Thank you Richard and James!

Porcus Hogrelius
Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

January at the Tree Farm

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 19:19:00 GMT

#0009

I was spending a few days at the tree farm in early January.

Monday morning at about 0330, the phone alerted me with a photo of a pig at one of the pig pipes. I got dressed and moved outside. I could see two of my green motion lights were on, one of which is by the telephone camera.

No hog was at the nearer light, but I could barely make one out at the far light, down the road.

I got off the road and moved forward out of sight of the pig which was eating the corn that I had laid out. The moon had set, which was good because it was a very bright moon earlier. Easing along, trying to be as quiet as possible, I got to within 30 or 40 yards and moved to a position where I could see the beast.

Note, this pig was taken without the aid of thermal or night vision.

Going to a prone position, I could see the hog ok in the green light. However, the black crosshairs in the scope are not visible against the dark sides of the pig. So, the trick is to move the scope such that the cross hairs become visible against the lighter background as the scope moves. Swinging the scope in this manner allows you to figure out the correct aimpoint. The boar was busy eating, so I had time to get myself organized.

I let the bullet fly. Being on the ground, it wasn’t clear if the pig was down or if it was gone. As I got up and walked that way, I could see that he was down for the count. No movement, no twitching. It was plenty cold that night, so I let the pig lay until morning.

The following morning, I took a closer look at my pig. It was not a neck shot, but went through the front legs (not the shoulders). The 165 grain Hornady SST from the 30-06 passed right through the legs and torso. Great bullet.

That night, at 2240, the phone woke me up with a picture of a pig. After dressing, I eased out the back door, rifle in hand. The moon was nearly full and directly overhead with perfectly clear skies. In the open area behind the house there were shadows. The animals were in the light, I was in the shadow of the porch roof. Up came the rifle so that I could watch them through the scope. Yes, three little piggies were looking for a midnight snack.

They were pigs, no doubt: not livestock, not deer, low to the ground, in a group, proper silhouette. I thought I could get a two-fer, so I let fly. One was on the ground squealing. I dispatched that one with my carry pistol (Ruger LCP in 380). A quick scan with my green flashlight didn’t show anything else. Back to bed, my work complete.

Next morning, the butchering began. 125 pound live weight.

A great couple of days at the tree farm, perfect weather.

Sleep well, there are two less feral hogs roaming the pastures.

Porcus Hogrelius

Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Mid November Update

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 18:45:36 GMT

#0008

My son Ben came to the tree farm Thursday afternoon. His plan was to stay the night and hunt.

This has been a cool fall, we have had freezing temps overnight several days this month. It was a beautiful afternoon with the fall leave’s colors at their peak (per Texas standards, not New England standards).

Ben took the 30-06 to the elevated, two-man stand. I set up my pop up blind near the house. Of course, there is texting back and forth. He did not have a shot at a deer, and the sun had set. A few hogs came out so Ben took out a small boar. He hoped for a two-fer, but that didn’t happen. It was an excellent neck shot.

We got the tractor and gutted it and laid it in the trailer covered with a tarp. It was plenty cool overnight.

We had our supper and sounded taps.

At 2230, the camera sent a picture of some pigs at the pig pipe. Ben grabbed the AR, and we slipped outside. The moon was very bright, but we managed to get in a good position without the hogs seeing us. The rifle now has a night vision scope (infrared). There was a bit of fog in the air as the ground cooled due to the clear night sky. The fog interfered a bit in his ability to see the pigs. But, see them he did. He picked out the biggest one and drilled the big sow through the neck. (With the infrared, their eyes really glow.)

Another great shot.

The hog went about 10 yards before it fell. It was still twitching, so he put another round through its head.

Porcus Hogrelius

Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Carpe Sus “The Second Shot”

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 20:13:27 GMT

#0007

Carpe Sus posted this video. It is similar to my recent post regarding shot placement and the need to monitor the downed hog.

He makes the same point: even a well-placed neck shot can miss the spinal column and merely stun these tough animals.

Watch the downed hog closely and administer the second shot if needed.

Porcus Hogrelius

Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Estimating Hog Weight

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 18:24:25 GMT

#0006

There is a formula to estimate hog weight using the heart girth.

Weight = 10.1709 x hearth girth (inches) - 205.7492

My latest boar had a heart girth of 46 inches.

Estimated weight = 10.1709 x 46 - 205.7492

Estimated weight: 262 pounds.

Actual weight: 250 pounds.

The formula seems to work well.

I’ve tested it on many different hogs and the formula gives a good estimate.

Also note that to change ten pounds in weight the girth must increase by one inch.

I also found this tabulated chart which you might find useful.

Girth to weight estimator

34 inch = 140 pounds

36 inch = 160 pounds

38 inch = 180 pounds

40 inch = 200 pounds

42 inch = 220 pounds

43 inch = 230 pounds

44 inch = 240 pounds

45 inch = 250 pounds

46 inch = 260 pounds

47 inch = 270 pounds

48 inch = 280 pounds

49 inch = 290 pounds

50 inch = 300 pounds

51 inch = 310 pounds

Porcus Hogrelius

Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Precision is Key

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 17:58:11 GMT

#0005

For those who know me, you have heard me emphasize the importance of shot placement on feral hogs. Just like real estate: location, location, location.

Your shot needs to hit the neck, the neck, the neck.

Hunting hogs later in life after hunting deer, this is a significant paradigm shift. Deer hunters aim for the lungs, the lungs, the lungs. A shot to this area leads to maximum blood loss and a quick kill.

However, hogs ain’t deer and they aren’t built the same. Their lungs are in a different position. Also, their vitals are covered by a shield, most significantly in boars.

Please see the attached video.

This is my 250 pound boar suspended by its back legs. As you can see, I’m hitting the boar’s “vital area” with my fist. It’s like hitting the side of the house. That’s the shield, a thick layer of hard material that allows the boars to fight with a solid layer to protect them from their opponent’s tusks (which are incredibly sharp and dangerous).

Smaller caliber bullets might not penetrate it. Larger caliber bullets might penetrate, but they will have lost considerable energy before entering their insides.

The benefits of the neck shot are:

-no shield

-probably impact the vertebrae, very lethal

-it’s a fairly large target on a hog

-if you are off to the left, you get a head shot

-if you are off to the right, your bullet might enter the forward part of its chest cavity forward of the shield

One night, I only had my 17 HMR and got a good neck shot on a large boar (excess of 200 lb). It dropped in its tracks. (The 17 HMR is a 17 caliber rim fire cartridge, very small.) With proper shot placement, a small round can be effective. That small projectile would have shattered if it had hit the shield.

New subject: I have lost hogs that went down on the first shot and began the “Curley shuffle” or the “stankey leg.” Often, this is their last twitching before they expire. Recently, my thinking has changed in this context. My pride is satisfied with a one-shot-kill, a worthy goal. However, if I seek to only satisfy my pride, I may let a wounded hog escape or allow it to charge me. My recent conclusion is that it’s better to take that second shot early and preemptively rather than accept the risk of a running, wounded hog. The second shot is a small investment that can ensure a job brought to a quick and satisfactory completion. Bottom line: be ready and willing to make that second shot. (Don’t worry about saving the meat, that is only a secondary consideration.)

Porcus Hogrelius

Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Night Hunting at the Farm

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 17:33:59 GMT

#0004

The drought is over. The rains will arrive tonight at the tree farm. And, I took three hogs while I was there over the last two days.

I spent yesterday planting my deer food plots. I have five small areas (maybe two acres total) planted with a mix of oats, winter peas, clover, and other good stuff to bring the deer.

Just about sunset, I saw a sow and a couple of bacon bits from the kitchen window. I managed to get a shot with the AR-15 Sharps in 25-45 caliber. Even with a good shot through the neck, the little guy ran about 10 yards. He was dead, but he didn’t know it.

The telephone camera woke me up at about 2300 showing a couple of shoats coming to the corn. Used the AR again to dispatch that little boar. I was hoping to get a two-fer. My shot placement on the near hog was well aft hoping to get a neck shot on the second hog. First hog went down and needed a second shot to finish the job. No sign of an exit wound, so my plan didn’t work. Would have been better with a larger caliber.

The following morning as I was cooking breakfast, I saw a large boar at the pig pipe off the side of the house. He was very alert moving nervously around the corn on the ground. Turned stove off, I went out the back door 30-06 in hand. I went via the back porch to get to a shooting position. He was a bit calmer by then and had begun eating. I was leaning on the corner of the house and waited for the good neck shot. Shortly, he turned, and I squeezed off the shot. Down he went. As I approached, he was still twitching. Realizing that he might still get up and run (based on my own experience), I administered the coup-de-grace.

I had seen this boar on previous photos easily recognizable with very long tusks. The dermestid beetles should be going to work soon preparing the European mount.

He weighted in at 250 pounds (using a scale not intended for commercial use).

So, we have a few less invasive animals here in Texas. And, I have had a great time in the country.

Don’t know why the sound is not in sync in the video.

Porcus Hogrellius

Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

European Mount

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 16:46:28 GMT

#0003

I did a European mount for a hog I shot a while back. It weighed about 240 pounds.

The two photos are the before and after shots.

I removed the head and skinned it. Then, I placed it on the ground under a wash tub.

As time went by the dermestid beetles and their larvae did the rest. They ate all the non-bone and non-tooth matter.

The skull was black with dirt when they got finished. I then placed the skull in a bleach solution which cleaned it up nicely.

You will notice that the tusks are barely visible on the live (or dead) hog. Then, with the flesh removed, the tusks can be seen in their full length.

Obviously, the hog could do lots of damage with their tusks.

The tusks in the jaw are the “cutters” for obvious reasons. The tusks coming from the skull are the “whetters” because they keep the cutters sharp. Both grow continuously which is how that stay sharp.

At least half of the tusk remains inside the bone. Once they are removed, they become even more impressive.

The base of the tusks are hollow and the material is paper thin,

Until next time, and in memory of Luther Billis.

Porcus Hogrellius

Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Mike's First Hunt Continues

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 16:23:02 GMT

#0002

After enjoying a quiet day at the tree farm, we prepped for the night.

This has been the coolest temps in July in anyone’s memory. The lows in the low 60’s and the highs only in the 80’s.

We put out more corn near the three green motion lights. Mike sat in the elevated stand near the road. I stayed near the house. I was able to see each of the three green motion lights: the one near Mike and the two near the house.

All was quiet except for the neighbors who conducted a fireworks show from 2130 till 2230. I only wish that I could have watched it.

Was it the cooler weather? Was it the fireworks? Don’t know, but the hogs were not moving in their normal pattern. Mike had texted me that he would want to come back at 2300. I planned to help him get down in the dark and walk back with him.

At about 2245, one of the green motion lights came on, the same one where Mike shot his hog the night before. I moved that way with my 30-06 and leaned against a pine tree. This hog was harder to see than Mike’s. This one was black, his was light brown.

But, I could see him ok nudging corn out of the pig pipe. The challenge is to get the non-illuminated crosshairs on the black hog under a green light. I was patient and got everything right before I squeezed off the shot. Down he went.

It was another lone boar just like the night before.

After I confirmed that the boar would not be running away, I collected Mike on time.

Another good night. No more hogs came to the telephone camera through the night. The corn on the road where Mike was sitting was not eaten as of this morning.

It was a great hunt: two neck shots, two downed hogs, two less invasive vermin assaulting local agriculture. The buzzards are busy.

Until next time.

Porcus Hogrellius

Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Mike's First Hunt

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 16:12:56 GMT

#0001

I collected Mike from the airport on time Tuesday afternoon, and we rolled toward my house. We made a stop at the local gun store where Mike drooled over various guns that he would not be allowed to own in his home state of California.

Another hour and a half on the road and we stopped at the Tex-Mex restaurant near our destination for tacos and fajitas. The food received good reviews from California native Mike.

Just a few miles down the road we took arrival at the tree farm where we partially unpacked, ate our to-go supper, and got familiar with the night vision scope and layout of the property.

There were also pig pipes to fill with corn. I showed Mike how the green motion lights work. The pigs are not bothered by the green LEDs, but we humans can see the hogs well when they are at the lights eating the free corn.

Among the wildlife we saw the first afternoon were a fawn (alone) and a doe.

We sat outside enjoying an unseasonable cool evening. The moon was in its third quarter and had not yet risen. We were positioned to see any of the three green motion lights activate. We had a couple of false alarms at the two nearer lights. The lights came on, but there were no animals.

Shortly, the light down the road came on. We moved that direction to less than 100 yards from the light. I could see a hog and set up the tripod for Mike. Shortly, Mike got the pig in the scope after some adjusting to the brightness, IR illumination, and focus. I waited for the shot, but after a minute or so, the hog moved on. I had encouraged Mike to only take a good neck shot. Unfortunately, the only shot Mike had was a “Texas heart shot.” I’ll let you figure that one out on your own. There was a very, very light breeze at out backs. I think the hog smelled us and ran. (It was the end of the day, and, yes, we may have been a bit ripe.)

We sat outside for a while enjoying the night air and listening to the coyotes sing. Finally, Mr. Sandman came to visit us, and we turned in. The newly remodeled small house is very comfortable, and soon I was out.

I woke at about midnight and took a short walk down the hall. Later, I heard Mike get up. In just a minute, my phone alerted me to a picture coming in from my telephone camera. There was a big hog. That photo came in at 0240.

Mike had also heard the call. Looking out the window, we could see the green glow of the motion light.

Mike got the AR, and I got the tripod. We moved closer in order to see the hog. It was there, a large boar. Mike wasn’t able to find it in the night vision. The hog got nervous and moved away. I moved and looked at the nearby motion light - it was on. I moved closer and could see the hog with my naked eye eating corn. Going back, I got Mike’s attention, and we moved. After some repositioning, Mike could see the hog in the cross hairs. Shortly, he sent a round toward the hog, and the hog fell in its tracks. Beautiful. As I was slapping Mike on the back, the hog got up and left. Ugh!

We moved toward the green light and could see blood on the grass. Mike heard some noise back in the brush. We agreed to look for the hog after daylight.

Daylight came, and we found the hog about 30 yards away. It was a very good neck shot. Somehow, the hog regained its footing and began to run after being hit. But, it didn’t go far.

Tonight, we’ll try again.

Porcus Hogrellius

Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

The Meditations of Porcus Hogrelius

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 15:56:09 GMT

The Meditations of Porcus Hogrelius are offered for purposes of entertainment and instruction. But, there is more…

From Wikipedia: Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Latin: [ˈmaːr.kus̠ auˈreː.li.us̠ an.toː.ˈniː.nus̠] ; English: /ɔːˈriːliəs/ aw-REE-lee-əs ; [2] 26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 AD and a Stoic philosopher. He was the last of the rulers known, noncontemporaneously, as the Five Good Emperors and the last emperor of the Pax Romana , an age of relative peace, calmness and stability for the Roman Empire lasting from 27 BC to 180 AD. He served as Roman consul in 140, 145, and 161.

This good emperor was also a writer. His writings were not for publications but appear to have been notes that he made to himself for the purpose of improving himself.

In that tradition, The Meditations of Porcus Hogrelius are published with a similar intent: to make us better hog hunters.

Motivations for hunting the feral hog are numerous: pest control, recreation, organic pork, to name a few. Whatever your motivation to hunt, it’s in your best interest to get better at it. How to get better? Find better equipment, develop better methods, find better locations, find better people to hunt with, find better techniques for meat handling and preparation, become a better marksman.

The meditations that will be serialized in these pages are based on actual experiences. As the narratives progress, you will see a progression of equipment and techniques.

These meditations are offered with one goal in mind: make yourself a better hog hunter.

Porcus Hogrelius

Make Yourself a Better Hog Hunter

Porcus Hogrelius

glaze.rusty@gmail.com (Rusty Glaze) — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 16:01:57 GMT

NEW EDITION OF PORCUS HOGRELIUS COMING SOON!

Check back soon!

ontarget

Hunting advice from a true expert

#0060 ﻿

Report of January 2022 hunt at Manx Farm near Corsicana

# 0059

Meat Eater Instructional Video

#0058

Ben’s Late Night Feral Hog Encounter

#0057

Usable Meat From a Feral Hog

#0056

Limits of Technology

#0055 ﻿

Texas Youth Deer Season Report

#0054

A Sow Down, Again

#0053

A Chef’s Perspective on Feral Hogs

#0052

Late Night Hog

#0051

Excellent Video Summarizing Several Habits of Good Hunters

#0050 ﻿

Hog Noses

#0049

The Moment of Truth

#0048

Manx Hunt on Snowmageddon Eve

#0047

Feral Hog Adventure on Deer Season Eve

#0046

Near Success/Patience/Shot Placement

#0045

A Young Hog Hunter

#0044

Eric’s Trophy

#0043

Fall Approaches

#0042

Thermal vs Night Vision

#0041

Suburban Feral Hog Control Update

#0040

Details from 28 OCT 20 Hunt

#0039

Q: Is My Work Done? A: No

#0038

Is My Work Done?

#0037

Tag Team Smack Down

#0036

Two Events in One Night

#0035

Feral Hog Control Continues

#0034

Feral Hog Damage/Why We Needed Suburban Feral Hog Control

#0033

Unintended Consequences

#0032

One Carcass Recovered

#0031 ﻿

Action Resumes

#0030

No Hogs Approached the Maginot Line Last Night

#0029

Suburban Pig Control Continued Success

#0028

Early Success in Suburban Feral Hog Control

#0027

Preparations in Progress for Suburban Pig Control

#0026

Suburban Hog Control Soon

#0025

Suburban Feral Hog Control

#0024

Early May at the Tree Farm

#0023

How efficient are buzzards?

#0022

Night vision versus thermal

#0060

#0055

#0050

#0031

#0014

#0006

#0004