Have been to Wild Things/Hog Heaven a few times but very sadly this is no longer an option. Am looking for a place with similar hunting methods and opportunities. Usually drive down so would prefer to go somewhere in SC, GA, or northern FLA. I am looking to go late winter early spring 2019.
Our group from PA is in the same boat. We did Wild Things several times and hoped it would be there forever. Scouring the Internet has produced nothing but overpriced gun lodges.
Osceola Outfitters in Florida. Top notch operation. Great lodging and fantastic food. By the way hogs galore.
I miss the early days of Wild Things/Hog Heaven when a 3 day hunt w/food and lodging cost $375. No guns allowed! Spending that much per day is hard to swallow. Ain't gonna happen.
We have two members of the tribe in GA right now. Part of their deer hunting trip is to scout out hog hunting opportunities.
You guys don't need an outfitter, especially if you've hunted hogs before. Having hunted public land hogs in NC, SC, GA and FL, I can say that GA has the best public land hog hunting of those states. A little research can quickly point you to some good WMAs and if you decide to get serious and join the TBG, well then you are automatically invited to their various member hunts on different WMAs. Heck, checking out their newsletters and web site postings, along with postings on the GON website, will quickly provide the names of some good WMAs to hunt. One final option is Ft Stewart, which has always been a good place to bowhunt hogs - lots of restrictions and it's not easy hunting, but the hogs are there!
And Greg Campbell at swamphunts is located in Marshallville, Ga. His prices are reasonable and has a good hog population. Jerry Russell is a sponsor here and is located in Georgia. He would be another option.
The Professional Bowhunters Society is having a group hunt for wild hogs from February 3-8, 2019 at the Spike Box Ranch located near Benjamin, Texas. Cost is $1100 which includes bunk house accomodations, kitchen use, walk in cooler, ranch orientation, etc. Hunt on your own. Walk and stalk, put out corn for bait, hunt at night over bait...your choice. No limit on hogs. We have lots of fun on this hunt. I try to keep the number at about 10 hunters so that we don't crowd each other and have fresh areas to move to if the hogs are not cooperating. You must be a member of PBS to attend. If you are not currently a member you can sign up as an Associate member at our website. Send me an email if you would like additional information. john1597aol.com
Quote from: Jeff D. Holchin on October 01, 2018, 09:47:25 PM
You guys don't need an outfitter, especially if you've hunted hogs before. Having hunted public land hogs in NC, SC, GA and FL, I can say that GA has the best public land hog hunting of those states. A little research can quickly point you to some good WMAs and if you decide to get serious and join the TBG, well then you are automatically invited to their various member hunts on different WMAs. Heck, checking out their newsletters and web site postings, along with postings on the GON website, will quickly provide the names of some good WMAs to hunt. One final option is Ft Stewart, which has always been a good place to bowhunt hogs - lots of restrictions and it's not easy hunting, but the hogs are there!
That's a lot of TLA's and for the uninitiated it leaves me curious.... I love hog hunting and agree on the overpriced "ranches".
What is TBG? GON? WMA I got figured out :thumbsup:
Traditional Bowhunters of Georgia
Georgia Outdoors News
I take living in the south for granted sometimes and forget that it probably seems daunting to just haul tail to Dixie and chase pigs all willy-nilly. If someone is coming from primarily chasing deer and turkey, hog hunting (especially public land) probably looks a little loosey goosey. I would also say that Georgia is likely your best best. I've lived on the east side and (currently) the west and each have their virtues. I walk. A lot. Like, a lot. Over east in the low country its as flat as a table top, lots of swamps and marsh, lots of gators. Now ive wandered in swamps at night more than a few times - each time against my will. But... there's a lot of pigs in there. Over west we have more hills, but you're walking those hills which can have its own kind of misery in the right circumstances. All I do is wait for the leaves to drop, then follow slow moving creeks and drainages, you'll find them, its nearly impossible not to. There's a bunch of Georgia folk here, if you decide you want to wing a self-guided hunt, toss up a flag for the area/region you're looking at and maybe one of us can give you enough information (and maybe even any help if needed while you're in town). In my experience, people guard their deer spots and their turkey spots and such, but seldom pig spots. There's just too many of them and they move so much.
Another tip: at the back part of the GA hunting regulations is a list of all the WMAs with a description and WMA-specific regulations (seasons, bag limits, etc.). There will also be the phone number of the regional wildlife office and you just call there and ask to talk to whoever manages that specific WMA. They want the hogs killed (to improve the deer and turkey hunting) so they are more than happy to point you in the right direction, and to go one step further, I also ask for the name and phone number of the game warden for that particular WMA - he/she can sometimes be very helpful and tell you a specific road or field to hunt. For the couple WMAs that I hunt regularly, I usually call or text that person right before I hunt it and ask for hot spots for hogs. I usually follow up after the hunt and tell them what I found.
Thanks for all the tips. After looking at the Georgia hunting regulations I am a little confused. It says that on WMA's you can hunt hogs with deer weapons during deer season , turkey weapons during turkey season, and small game weapons during small game season. It specifies which firearms you can use in the definition of legal weapons , but I can't find where it says if you can use archery equipment when big game is not in season. I believe in SC on public land you can't use archery equipment to hunt hogs unless the deer season is open, and only a .22 during small game season.
You can bow hunt them during small game season with a bow on the ones I hunt here in GA...you might want to check the ones you want to hunt....hogs are considered small game...and again as far as I know you can hunt them with a bow....I do. Small game seasons are what you want to look at...or archery seasons. This season bowhunting is Sept 8th to October 15th.
Also, Mule Creek Outfitters runs some great hunts in TX, and he has many return hunters from TradGang. And another vote for Jerry Russel her in GA. Don't discount these outfitters, especially if you've never hunted hogs before....whole different ball game than deer, and just having some one showing you around in unfamiliar places is definitely a benefit.
Not sure about SC public land....but bow all year for hogs on private for sure.
Thanks Terry, I'll look at the regs. again with this new info. Have hunted hogs 3 times and love it. I like to go in early to mid April. It makes a nice break after winter and before spring fishing and turkey season get here.
You should be able to hunt in Ga in April on many management areas during turkey season.
The tribe has pondered these things. Weighed the options, good and bad. We have decided.
The Fa Kow Ee are going back to Wild Things!
We know the property (dozen hunts), we have Charlie, and life would not be the same without our annual spring break to Andrews swamp! Deposits are sent, we are locked and loaded for a March 2019 week of chasing pigs!
In those States you mentioned I can only vouch for Jerry Russle.
Not south, but Shiloh Ranch in Oklahoma was always a great time for hog hunting too.
Didn't some trad hangers pull a hog hunt on Blackbeard island not long ago? Be a fun hunt.