Wild Boar Hunting
Beginners Guide to Wild Boar Hunting
Wild boar hunting is one of the most exciting sports. That’s because wild boar are very dangerous so you have to know exactly what you are doing and even then your adrenaline will be flowing. Wild boars have tusks that are incredibly sharp and they are not shy about attacking human beings if they should feel threatened. If you should take a shot at a white tailed deer and miss, it usually just means he is long gone. If you should take a shot at a wild boar and miss, you could be the victim of a very aggressive attack.
This means that you must go wild boar hunting totally prepared for your prey. You must be an excellent shot and you must be totally comfortable with the firearm you are using. If at all possible, scout the area you will be hunting off-season, so that you know something about the wild hog you are pursuing and his environment. There are many private hunting preserves where you can engage in wild boar hunting. If you are going to be hunting in one of these areas, be sure to get all of the information you can from your host or hunting guide.
In the United States, most wild hogs have been here since the 1800s. Instead of being fenced in, they were usually left to wander--hence wild hog populations developed that have been left to take care of themselves ever since. Most areas with the largest feral hog populations are in the southern United States.
These hogs are not included under federal wildlife hunting statutes, but are considered to be nuisances, which mean they can be hunted year round in many places. They damage farmland with their rooting around, and they eat not only crops but farm animals up to the size of sheep. Once of biggest concerns about wild boars is that they can carry diseases, like foot and mouth disease, which can infect farm animals.
A wild boar can weigh up to 450 pounds and have tusks as long as six to nine inches. That means that before heading out on the hunt, you will want to have a high-powered, center-fire rifle, as large as a 30-30, with high velocity ammunition. You firearm should be able to penetrate a minimum of two inches of fat. Wild boar are, in fact, so hard to kill that they often can run away after being shot, and will heal and be covered with scar tissue.
The most popular methods of wild boar hunting are using a tree stand, attracting them with bait, or hunting them down with specially trained dogs. Boars have an acute sense of smell and hearing so make sure to mask your odor and be as silent as possible. When you close in on an area inhabited by wild boars you will see marks on trees where they rub with their horns, signs of rooting and wet, muddy areas where they can wallow. The smell of their urine is very strong.
The best advice when hunting wild boar is always be prepared for anything an angry boar might do, and, never go wild boar hunting alone.