Trad Gang

OK, I really want to take you guys along on these tests in progress. As many of you know I'm overwhelmed with the desire to pursuit hogs with my traditional equipment. After many years in the woods with hogs I've learned a considerable amount but there is so much more to learn about this very elusive and intelligent animal. I do believe the Dominant Boars are the most intelligent animals in the woods with their only weakness being their draw to mating, water and food. Oh yea, SCENT!!!!!!

The dominant boar is rarely taken at a food source simply because of his incredible sences. He won't approach a bait without checking it all the way around first. Well, this has led me to scent testing for several years on everything from vanilla to creosote. Follow me along on more real time in-field testing. We are going to be using several products scent related on rub sites. These sites will be frequented only to rub scents on the hogs themselves. This is especially true of the big dominant boar hogs. He we go....


New to me is a local scent product produced a short distance from where I live. I just recieved my first supply of this product and will try it along with other products I have used before and am trying out for the first time as well. Here is the commercial product without the name.

  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/HogProduct.jpg)

This can be purchased and used by pouring on a tree stump, wallow, or anywhere a hog can rum himself on it. I have nailed a piece of low pile carpet to a cut stump and placed along a well used hog trail and covered it in this new product.

  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/hogproductoncarpet.jpg)


Next is one of my all new products that I've created simply by mixing a few readily available products together. First I took about a quart of liquid from some month old soured corn and mixed it with equal parts diesel, motor oil, kerosene, and one tube of sticky wheel bearing grease. The kerosene cuts the grease enough that all the products will mix together even though one part is water based. This makes a thick but pourable solution. I placed this mixture on the same type test medium, a cut stump and carpet only in a different location along the hog trail. Here is a picture of the product on the carpet.


  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/myhogproduct.jpg)


Here is the trail that runs through my property a few hundred yards behind the house.


 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/hogtrail.jpg)

Shhhhhh! Don't tell the neighbor ranchers that I have hogs. They'll try and kill all of them.

OK, The last picture is of a creosote pole I've had along the pig trail.
  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/creosotepole.jpg)


They actually have trails leading to the pole and have rubbed it for several years. Recent rains moved the pole into a pile of debris but you can tell by the tracks below it that the pigs are still frequenting the pole. I'll be setting trail cameras along each of these test plots and recording and sharing my finding here on Tradgang. Be patient as this thread may run for months as I gather data. This should be fun and entertaining. Sorry for the picture quality. I had a bad setting on my camera. I vow improvment. Thanks for looking.  CK

Perhaps we can help you with data while down there for the Dryad bow build/hunt!  Rick

Should be very interesting and informative.

Here is the trail that runs through my property a few hundred yards behind the house.


Thats just so unfair, I don't have one.  :banghead:  

                  Brent

This is great!  I have to have so many CE credits each year for my license renewal.  Now I can get them by taking an Animal Behavior Course from Professor "CK Littlefeather"  :)   Doc

im with brent aint fair.ck i love these post keep em coming

I still remember those creosote posts on the TXSweat II hunt...rubbed almost in two at the feeders   :scared:

Good info, keep it coming!

Thanks for checking in.

Yes, I already have some scent stations set-up on the ranch where we'll be doing the Dryad Hunt next week. I mixed bacon grease with dirt in a deep hole and I also used the sour corn juice and mixed it the same way. I've already had great success with both of these techniques. Mark Horne and I dug two holes on Feb 15th and filled them back in with corn and bacon grease. The pigs were still hitting those same locations last week and I haven't freshened them since we put them in.


JC, The creosote pole is no secret here in South Texas. Here is a pic of a secret spot I have on one of the ranches.


 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/POLEWALLER1.jpg)

 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/POLEWALLER2.jpg)

Notice that the muddy water hasn't settled. This hole gets lots of traffic!
I watched a whole herd of hogs jumping and playing in this waller not two hours after these pics. I have pics of the pigs on my laptop. The pigs are bedding very close to this location and because they don't sweat they will wander in and out of this hole several times during the day to cool off. Many people think that pigs sleep all day. Not true! They have to use water holes to cool themselves throughout the day. This is why August is my favorite month to hog hunt. Hogs become downright easy to hunt in the heat of Summer. You find water and you'll have hogs there every few hours. CK

How about posting a "pic of the day" pig pic for a few days? Love to see them.

Hog hunting is so much fun.   ;)

Great post. Curtis, I urge you to keep good notes on data and write up a great story for publication. I could see you doing a series of articles on: bait, decoys, calls, set-ups...etc. I for one would be very interested and look forward to this post progressing.

Thanks!!!!

this is awesome, thanks for sharing your efforts with the rest of us. i will be folling this thread for sure. wish i had some pigs in my back yard, actually i wish i had a back yard like that. soon, very soon.

Ok Ya got my attention...

Oh Charlie, come stand in this stinky stuff, Then I'll help ya wash it off  :goldtooth:

ptaylor, Maybe some day. For now we'll tinker with them and learn something together.   :D      :thumbsup:    CK

QuoteOriginally posted by Iron Bull:

Oh Charlie, come stand in this stinky stuff, Then I'll help ya wash it off   :goldtooth:  

There's a visual I didn't need!    

Curtis, this looks like a cool experiment! Thanks!
Norb

Why creosote?

Looking forward to your continued posting on this Curtis.

Jerry

Cool post!......This will be a fun one to follow!!!

A couple of years ago, a new neighbor told me he baited hogs with corn soaked with diesel.  I thought he was nuts.  Looks like I was the nut...AGAIN!  
Good luck.  Love this thread!
B.

One of my neighbors baits his hog traps with corn that has been soaked with diesel. The hogs will go after it, but the deer and coons leave it alone. This way he doesn't catch anything he shouldn't. His hog trap looks like a giant Have-a-Heart trap.
Brian

Results after the first night were simply dismal. The hogs were here but for whatever reason they didn't utilize the rubs I made. Maybe it will take a few days. My concoction got looked at and circled several tims judging by the tracks around it but they did not rub it. The other commercial product went untouched except for this visitor.

 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/coonrub.jpg)


Of course my trusty companions were along this morning as they always are when I go out into the brush behind the house. BoBo and Dozer both avoided my concoction but did like the commercial stuff.


 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/Bobowaller.jpg)

They rolled in it where I poured some on the ground yesterday. So, I guess so far we know that a wild hog(tamed) will use the commercial product over my mess. The creosote pole got hit last night the way it has every night for years. I didn't get pics. Simply didn't think about it while I was there. BoBo rubbed on the creosote pole as well as Dozer(little wild hog). Dozer isn't big enough to rub too much!

After checking things we all headed back for some breakfast. BoBo and Dozer get mullberries since they are falling everywhere.

 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/alldogs.jpg)

Of coure BoBo and Missy have to stop and grab-ass on our way back. They are good friends. I'd hate to see anyone try and hurt one of the other animals with this duo around. BoBo turns blum mean when one of the other animals gets hurt.

 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/BoBomissy.jpg)


So concludes todays entry. I'm rethinking some of the testing this morning. Maybe the rubs need to be closer together to see which ones are preferred. Ahhhhh, so much to think about without a real day job!  :bigsmyl:    CK

Forgot to add one for Micky. Here's your daily hog pic. This is behind my house at Debbies feeder a few weeks ago. CK


 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/MANYHOGS.jpg)

This is way cool Curtis. Thanks for having the time to do such an event for us....................

My pleasure Sir! This may get stagnant for a few days. Going into a sparse hunt over the weekend. I may come home at night though. CK

Little Feather, it is pictures and stories like yours that make this site so special and keep us coming back for more. Thanks!!! God bless.

I truely appreciate this thread as it is as close to hog hunting as I am likely to get in the for seeable future. Unless I win the lotto or we figure out how to email hogs to North Idaho. I am loving it.

Anybody sees you out strolling around must think what the @%&@&@&&@&, that guys out walking his dog and his HOGGS.   :jumper:  
Great thread Curtis keeper up!

                     Brent

Wall to wall hogs...cool!   :thumbsup:  

What's a sparse? and just how do ya hunt them?   :jumper:

Curtis, thanks for posting this. You've given me a heck of an idea to hopefully break my nocturnal Lake Sonoma area hogs. I've got a creek bottom with tons of sign around it that I think I need to set up on in the middle of the day.

QuoteOriginally posted by Littlefeather:

Of course my trusty companions were along this morning as they always are when I go out into the brush behind the house. BoBo and Dozer both avoided my concoction but did like the commercial stuff.


  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/Bobowaller.jpg)

CK

Good grief! Is that one of those little piglets we fed the gar to last July? He was about the size of that black one in the background the last time I saw him.

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y138/wesbrock/IMG_1979B.jpg)

BoBo's gotta weigh twice as much as CK!  Learning a lot here...stay away from BoBo & Missy when they start playing  :)   Doc

Jason, That is a pic of BoBo eating the gar you shot when he was young. He's been eatin good since then, you can tell.

BTH, Good luck. CK

You can always count on Curtis to tease those of us who do not have a year round huntable pig herd. And those of us with real day jobs   :D  

Good stuff CK, as usual.

-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)

Great thread Curtis. Any thoughts as to why hogs rub other than to scratch? Does the roughness of the surface make a differnce? Interesting stuff, I'll keep watching for more info.  BTW, glad to see Missy has accepted the little guy into the family.

Dave, Like I've said already, I don't know all there is to know about hogs. The rubbing and scratching has different reasons from what I gather. Some scratching is simply because they itch. Kinda like when BoBo uses my Ford bumper to scratch his arse. The whole truck shakes. This is just because his arse itches, at least I think. The other reason hogs rub is to get scent on themselves. You know the way a dog will roll on a dead frog??????? Well, Boars especially like to smell purdy so they look for something that smells like they want to smell and they'll literally waller in it. I suppose the third reason they rub or scratch is for insect control. At least this is the theory behind them liking to rub creosote poles. Insect control. Actually, I think someone will have to prove that theory to me. I think they like creosote simply for reason two, they like the way it stinks. Remember, all this stuff is simply "my" theories and could be wrong. I've just started this thread so everyone could watch these tests real time. I'm about to go check the test rubs in a minute. I can tell you that I checked the bait holes yesterday at the Victoria ranch. They had huge crators that you could bury a car in. The hogs had dug them 4' deep and 10-12' wide to get all the rotton corn and bacon grease. That was a two day old bait site. Stay tuned. I hope to have some great trail-cam pics in a few minutes. CK

Todays update: Trail-cam malfunctioned for some reason. Hogs hit all three sites but didn't rub from what I can tell. They did wallow in the same mud hole where BoBo wallered yesterday. This is where I places the commercial product directly into the mud. They didn't touch either of the carpet/rub logs. It appears that both rub locations got circled quite a bit but not rubbed. I've had lots of trouble with my cheap trail-cam. Hopefully it will work correctly tonight. CK

Micky's daily hog pic:

 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/BoBosleep.jpg)

Now just isn't that a cute picture. Hoggs are special. Not sure ones not named Zifel though. Ya you no Arnold! Some of us can relate.   :bigsmyl:  

                 Brent

Is that a goat in there with the pigs?

Looks like upper level condo dwellers! WOW I even missed them! No wonder I don't shoot anything  :D

What a life..awesome. Thanks littlefeather, keepem coming.  Sent you an email, ignor if no time.

Curtis, thanks for the info. I am enjoying it. Here is what happened on my place when I buried some fermented corn. (http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k209/hogdancer/campfeeder002.jpg) (http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k209/hogdancer/campfeeder001.jpg)  I fermented some corn in a closed 5 gallon container with a little water, a can of cheap beer and a few eggs and some milk, let it sit in the sun for a couple weeks. I then take a post hole digger and dig down as deep as I can(about 5 feet) fill the hole half way with corn and cover with dirt, Next morning, crater!
Take care
Thomas

Neat thread, thanks...

Nice pics Thomas.

Last night proved to be a bust for piggies. It appears that only one lone boar showed up. He ate at one feeder but didn't touch the rubs. The camera was watching one of the rubs and didn't capture anything but more racoons. Maybe tonight will be better.

Here is Mickys daily pic. Mid-day pig cooling in a water hole. This shows what I was saying about hogs needing water in the day time.


   (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/Littlefeather/HOGWALLERIN.jpg?t=1177243672)


Some facts to ponder:

I just read a very informative article from Wild Boar USA Magazine which states that the piebald or spotted features on white hogs is produced through inbreeding of hog packs. I never knew this and have sought the spotted pigs over other colorations for years. Now I find out that I've been hunting inbred retarded hogs?????   :knothead:    Here is one Charlie Lamb shot a few years ago while night hunting my home property. He's the original "inbred" killer!  

   (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/Littlefeather/124259446hyKxNj_ph.jpg?t=1177245868)


Here is a brother to Charlie's pig. I shot this one a few months after Charlie shot his. It was the same family group of hogs. I don't think mine was quite as inbred.   :D  

   (http://www.ozbow.net/phpbb2/album_pic.php?pic_id=669)


Another observation: Yesterday I was observing BoBo and Dozer feeding under a Mullberry tree. The Mullberries are falling so thick that they are a literal carpet across the ground. What I saw was BoBo and Dozer not eating all the berries but actually being selective. They would sniff the berries for ripeness. They would pass many berries to find just the right ones then pick them up with their nimble lips without busting them. BoBo is so nimble with his lips that he actually takes single kernels of corn from me and never touches my fingers. They have incredible dexterity with their lips.

Another fact I've come to realize: No poop! I've been on many ranches which were lacking in hog poop even though there were high concentrations of hogs. So, why no poop? If ya have hogs ya should have poop, right? Not so! Hogs only digest about 30% of what they eat and the rest goes though without getting utilized. What does this mean? Well, essentially there are food piles laying around after a pig poops. Now, I've been on some ranches where there was literally piggy poop everywhere so what's the difference. Humm? Maybe this guy!

   (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/Littlefeather/SENDEROCOYOTE.jpg?t=1177246573)

That's right, coyotes eat all they can get. Some ranches have high populations of them while others do not. Coons, possoms, and lets not forget domestic dogs, they'll all eat their weight in piggy buffet. It truly is a delicacy for dogs and coyotes. With all the mullberries and dewberries that are ripe right now you can actually smell a very sweet smell around the piggy poop that I am finding on the ranches. It's sweet enough that you don't have to get close to smell it. I know, Gross right? Sorry, I just thought that this may answer some questions for you poopy lookers. Just because you don't find piggy poop doesn't mean there aren't piggies. More tomorrow. CK

Is that an American Bulldog? Very good post! Keep it up!

Nope! That's my precious female Boxer, Missy.

Thanks for the straight poop, CK! I'll remember that if I'm ever lost in the south... should keep a guy from starving.   :D

Even if Charlie offers to share, you know you better pass!  :readit:  I just gave up on one of my old ways, if it smells good eat it!  :eek:  

Great thread CK, I just may no a little more than they make bacon out of them! After this one!


                Brent

:readit:    I don't need a rub solution quite this bad.    :D  

  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/mymess.jpg)


I plan to freshen the commercial product on the carpet and in the mud for one last night. I'm not giving up on it but I'm going to do some testing with the other quart where I know a really big boar lives. I'll do this testing over the weekend while at the Dryad Hunt. Stay tuned and post some comments. Kinda boring posting without comments. CK

Think I'll leave that piggy poop for Charlie. I know you've got all sorts of testing going on; do you plan to try different orientations on the rub posts; posts standing vertical vs laying on the ground? Haven't thought about it until you started this thread but the domestic hogs I've seen seem to prefer rubbing on vertical posts. Keep it up, I'll be watching for more results.

Nice post and commentary CK!

Thanks for sharing the tips and knowledge>

Take Care,
Marc

Have you tried just gasoil in a tree? Here it works awesome!! Nice post, keep it coming! How many pixels has your trail cam?

Thanks,

Will be trying diesel next.


Last night I threw sour corn around the commercial product to be sure I drew them in close. Here's the series of events in quick time. A total of 10 minutes start to finish. Have a look.

 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/Hogtest1.jpg)
 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/hogtest2.jpg)

 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/hogtest3.jpg)

 (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/ck/hogtest4.jpg)


I'll be moving the camera to watch the creosote pole tonight. They seem to be rubbing there nightly. CK

:coffee:

Cool pics CK.

Never heard the one about pig inbreeding before. Interesting.

They are not only nimble with their lips they are quick. One time while hunting in Texas we had corned a sendero with a broadcast system (not dribbled but cast so it went edge to edge..think grass seed spreader). 4 small hogs came down the sendero shoulder to shoulder at a mans trotting pace vacuming up every kernal, cleaned the whole road in about 2 mins.

Growing up on a pig farm, we always knew where to find the pigs in summer.  Either in the pond or under the brush/shade trees around the pond.  I can't imagine the the wild ones would be any different from that.

I've never heard that about spotted pigs either.  Interesting idea.  I wonder how they came up with that.  If that is in fact the case, some of the island habitats should be full of spotted pigs.  Anybody know if that is the case?

How about it?  Any of you South Georgia boys see more spotted pigs on the islands out there?

Black is the dominant color around Glynn County.  Brown/Red being second, and lastly the spotted ones.  Either black/white or red/white.  Most of the islands I hunt are not really geographically isolated.  Small rivers to swim.  I don't think they stop the hogs from moving when they want to.