The Hog Blog

My friend, Albert Rasch, is over in Afghanistan doing some kind of silly, dangerous stuff right now, but he’s keeping his blog, The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles alive with occasional updates and reposts of some of his older, “classic” posts.  I happened to pop over there yesterday, and saw that he’s reposted a 2008 treatise on selecting the best caliber for boar hunting. 

Personally, I think Albert tends toward the bigger end of the caliber spectrum due to an innate drive toward self-destruction, because he really favors guns that kill on both ends when it comes to killing hogs.  I’ll generally trade the recoil of a monster like the .338 or .375 for the milder .30cals (30-06, .300winmag, etc.), and feel that’s plenty of killing power for any hog on earth.  But I also feel, and quite strongly, that there’s no such thing as “too dead”, especially when you’re dealing with an animal that can come back and make hamburger out of you PDQ.  (And I must admit to a certain masochistic thrill at shooting those big bores myself.)

So anyway, I strongly recommend that you go over and have a look… especially if you’re debating what to do for a new hog rifle.  Here’s how it begins:

Robert Ruark said “Use Enough Gun.” Peter Capstick said, “Use enough gun, but not more than you can handle.” To which I add, “Use enough gun, but not more than you can handle, and make sure you can shoot it.”

When it comes to hogs, I’m going to say something that will land me in a heap of trouble with certain parties that I run with. You can take them with anything, so long as you do it right. That’s correct, anything from the lowly 22 short to a 557NE. The catch is knowing where to put your shot. I suppose it’s the same with all game. It all boils down to three things: Shot placement, shot placement, shot placement.

In terms of practicality though, there are upper limits on the size of a hog with relation to each caliber selection. There are basically six categories; the 22s-24s, the 24s-25s, the 26s-28s, the 30-338, the 35s- 375 and the over 40 crowd. Using commercially available ammunition as our standard, the 24s and 25s should be limited to small sub 70 lbs hogs. The 26s through 28s should be kept to the 150s and lower. The thirties and 338s are good for up to 300lbs and less while the 35s, 40s and bigger can handle just about anything. These are arbitrary numbers of course and I’m sure that arguments to the contrary can be sighted ad-nausea, but these are recommendations based on actual hog taken by myself and others, and for the sake of starting arguments.

All the preceding is assumes that you are using good quality bullets constructed to take the kind of abuse intended for big game. Hunting pig can be as easy as picking flowers, to a worse case scenario that might degenerate into hand to hand combat where the odds are definitely not in your favor. Spending a few dollars more for premium bullets is mighty cheap insurance. Just ask Cliff McClure of McClure Farms here in Parrish Florida. He has a twenty-three stitch memento from a Thanksgiving Day hunt that went awry.

You can read the rest right here.

Over the years since I started putting together these hunts at the Tejon Ranch, one of the most common questions I get is, “what should I bring?”

It’s actually a pretty good question, and as this year’s big trip looms (I’m hitting the road tomorrow night), I thought this was a good time to give it a go. 

First, we’ll dispense with the basics, Guns and Ammo, Optics, Gear, and Vehicles. 

Guns and Ammo: 

I’ve written about this before, but my recommendation is a centerfire rifle in .270 or larger.  Sure, a smaller rifle will kill hogs.  A rock will kill a hog.  But stepping up to something with the range, accuracy, and power of at least a .270Win gives the advantage of a versatile round that allows you to kill a large hog cleanly from powder-burn range to a couple hundred yards.  Especially at places like Tejon, where the terrain varies so widely, it’s good to be able to take the shot you’re presented instead of the shot you’d prefer (within reason, of course). 

You’ll need to be shooting lead-free ammo, so you’ll need to find the kind that shoots best in your personal rifle.  Options are currently, ETip, Barnes, Hornady GMX, Lapua Naturalis, and Remington Copper Solid.  I’ve been real happy so far with both the ETips and the Barnes TSX.  I’ve yet to try the others, however, I have seen good results from the Lapua.  Keep in mind that Tejon Ranch has a total ban on lead ammo, and you are not permitted to possess any on the property… period.  Make sure you clean your vehicle out before you arrive.

A lot of folks want to know about handguns.  I don’t recommend carrying a handgun as a “backup”, simply because it’s generally a lot of extra weight.  If you choose to do so, however, remember that it must be loaded with lead-free ammo even if it’s not your primary weapon.  I do keep my .44mag in the truck, particularly in case I decide to go hunt the bedding areas.  I also carry it if I’m called to help out on a bad blood trail.  But when I take the handgun, I generally leave the rifle behind.  There’s just not much need to carry both, in my opinion.

If you want to carry a handgun for primary, I recommend a .44mag orlarger.  Again, I’ve written about this at length elsewhere, but the bottom line is that it takes a lot of oomph and penetration to bring down a big hog.  Most of the semi-autos and such are designed for lighter rounds that don’t pack the foot-pounds you’ll need for a clean kill. For example, the .40 and .45acp are fine for finishing shots, but not recommended for big game hunting. 

Optics:

No western hunter should ever hit the field without a pair of quality binoculars.  Buy what you can afford, of course, but you won’t be sorry if you spring for the best you can manage.  I like at least a 10×40 (ten power with a 40mm objective), because that’s plenty of power to glass the shadows and draws, but it isn’t so powerful you can’t hold it steady without a tripod.  An 8-power glass is workable, but I wouldn’t bother with anything less.

You don’t need a spotting scope for this kind of hunting unless you’re specifically after trophy boars.  I’ve tried using one twice now, and it really was just more hassle than benefit. Binos worked just as well. There are plenty of good opportunities to use one though, if you feel the need.  There’s lots of open country and cross canyon vantage points.

Rangefinders can be helpful, although in general I think they’re over-rated for rifle hunters.  I have made good use of the rangefinder in my Leica GeoVid, especially with visiting hunters.  If you’re not used to estimating range in this canyon country, a measured distance can be good for the confidence.  Most folks tend to over-estimate anyway, but my rule is, if it seems “iffy”, then get closer or find another hog.  In my opinion, if it’s too far to hold dead on, then you don’t need to take the shot.  You can do better, especially at a place like Tejon Ranch.

Trail Gear:

Most of the hunting at a place like Tejon consists of spot and stalk.  You’ll seldom be more than a mile or so from the vehicle, so an extensive pack isn’t really a necessity.  When I leave the truck, I usually have about a liter or liter-and-a-half of water, a few trail bars, and some striking paper.  I also carry a signal whistle, two skinning knives and a sharpener (a hog is tough on a knife), a game bag or a couple of pillow cases, and several yards of parachute cord (550 cord).  There are also usually a few odds and ends, including some rudimentary first-aid stuff, but that’s the critical content.  All of this fits in a medium sized fanny pack, or in the tactical thigh packs I use.

While I never carry enough gear to fill a frame pack, I do carry one most of the time.  I have a tendency to drop my animals in some fairly inaccessible locations.  With a frame pack and some game bags, I can bone out a hog and lash it to the pack frame for a relatively easy recovery.  I never try to drag an animal, unless I’m really close to the vehicle.  An added benefit of the frame is that it makes carrying the little bit of gear I have a lot easier… I just lash the fanny pack to the frame. 

One other note on recovery… I always try to have several hundred yards of rope back at the vehicle.  In many cases, it’s possible to drop a long rope to your animal and let the vehicle do the heavy lifting to pull it out of a deep canyon.  You can never have too much rope.

Vehicles:

Tejon is a very accessible place, and can be hunted successfully from a two-wheel drive vehicle.  In fact, some very productive areas can be reached from the paved road.  There are several good roads, particularly when the weather is dry, so a regular pick-up truck or SUV can get around quite well.  I would recommend something with a little extra ground clearance for the dirt roads.  A decent, short-wheelbase, 4wd vehicle can access every road on the ranch in dry weather.  Some of the trails get pretty steep, and in places there’s some deep, dusty sand, so you’ll need the extra boost of a 4wd.  Long-bed pick-ups can get around pretty well too, but some roads get real tight and turning around can be a problem. 

When the weather is wet and snowy, however, it’s a different deal.  The high roads are often blocked by drifts, and the muddy lower roads can turn into real quagmires.  The clay and stone soil get slick as Vaseline, and will pack the treads of most off-road tires in no time.  In these cases, you’ll need a really good off-road vehicle combined with an experienced driver to access some areas… other areas should simply be considered inaccessible.  Get out and use the boot leather.

Recently, Tejon has started to allow the use of “side-by-sides” or UTVs, such as the Polaris or Kawasaki Mule.  These vehicles are useful and economical, but they generally don’t offer a lot of ground clearance.  An experienced driver can probably get them into some pretty tricky areas, but it’s also pretty easy to get yourself into a real bind. 

I recommend bringing along some self-extraction gear, such as a winch, hi-lift jack, come-along, and recovery straps or cables.  But even more importantly, bring along some common sense.  Every year the ranch has at least a couple of folks who end up going over the edge, and several more end up calling for the off-road wrecker service.  In at least a couple of cases, vehicles have had to be abandoned for several days until the weather permits an extraction. 

Oh, and the standard aphorism for driving at Tejon: “If the road starts looking really bad, stop and go back.  It will NOT get better around the bend.”

So what else?  Read the rest of this entry »

I just received an email from a fella in Sacramento, asking a few questions about hog hunting.  Since these are pretty good, general questions, I thought I’d take a stab at them here for everyone.  I hope this is helpful…

Is there a message board where hunters can exchange contact information and arrange to get together for hunting?

There are several great message boards/forums out there.   Two of them that I frequent that have a lot of CA content are Jesse’s Hunting and Outdoors and The Outdoors Forum.  Another site that a lot of hunters like is the 24 Hour Campfire.   There are a couple of social networking sites you might also try.  One of the best of these (at least one of the most active) is Camo Space. 

I do want to offer a couple of tips on getting info and connections from these forums.  First of all, remember that a forum that has been around awhile is something of a community.  A lot of members come to feel sort of possessive and protective of the space over time, and as such, a certain level of etiquette and decorum will go a long ways toward making inroads.  If you just pop into a forum and say, “hey, can someone tell me where to go kill a pig on public land,” I can almost guarantee you’ll get a cold shoulder.  (If you’re lucky, someone will point out the error of your ways in a friendly voice…others may not be so friendly.) 

A better approach is to introduce yourself, just as you would if you walked up to someone’s campfire.  Share a little about yourself, where you’re from, and what you’re all about.  Let folks know that you’re willing to do your own homework, but could sure use a little tip in the right direction.  And offer something in return, if you can.  For example, offer to drive or pay for gas if someone wanted to accompany you on a scouting/hunting trip.  Or offer to meet up at some public place for coffee or beer to chat about hunting.  In other words, come looking to make friends, not just to gather intel. 

California has a depredation compensation program for pig damage to private land owners.  To be compensated for damage, do these land owners have to allow access to hunters?

To the best of my knowledge, there is no requirement for public access.  Usually, the program provides a depredation permit to the landowner or his “agents” to kill problem pigs, and that’s about it.  The permit generally allows alternative methods, such as night hunting and trapping.  I’m not sure how many ranchers actually see fiscal compensation for hog depredation. 

That said, I do know that the DFG is (or was) working on adding hog hunting properties to the SHARE program, however I haven’t heard much more on that since the effort was announced.  Keep an eye out when the new booklets come out for 2010-2011 for announcements on this program.

My preference is to hunt private land, for which I am willing to pay.  What is the typical daily trespass fee to be allowed onto private property?

Private land “tresspass fees” and guided hunt costs vary pretty widely.  For the most part, you’ll see prices from $400 on up, depending on the level of service and accomodations.  The cheapest that I know of personally is over at Bryson-Hesperia Resort, with day-hunt packages beginning around $200 for an unguided hog hunt.  That’s a great price, and right now is a perfect time to get out there, as the barley crop is coming up and the pigs are more predictable coming to the food source. 

One of my favorite places, but a bit of a drive from Sacramento, is the Tejon Ranch.  Tejon offers a monthly “Wild Hog Management Hunt” from December through June every year.  At a cost of $450, this is an excellent hunt on one of the premier properties in California.  The hunt is a weekend hunt, running from Friday noon through Sunday noon.  Hunters are allowed to take one hog, and hogs are plentiful on the ranch.  It’s a hunt I strongly recommend to new hog hunters in this state, as the opportunity for success is high, and there are usually plenty of other helpful hunters around during the weekend to offer suggestions, tips, or even an extra set of hands to get that big boar out of a steep canyon. 

Another option is to join one of the clubs like Wilderness Unlimited or Golden Ram Sportsmen’s Club.  These clubs lease properties in many areas around the state, and members have access to all of the properties to hunt various game, from upland and waterfowl to hogs, deer, and bear.  Initial costs may seem a little steep, but for the hunter who will utilize the properties several times per year, it’s worth the investment.  I’m currently a member at Golden Ram, by the way, and I’ve found it to be worth every penny for good hunting on private lands. 

Assuming there are pigs in an area, how many acres need to be accessible to actually shoot one?

That’s a tricky question.  The fact is, if you know of a small farm, food source, or waterhole that’s getting hit by hogs, you don’t need a lot of property.  A few acres will do.  However, to keep a huntable population of hogs on a property, you need a good combination of food, water, and bedding shelter.  Without all three, you may have thousands of acres without a realistically huntable population. 

Hogs cover a lot of ground during their daily travels.  In many places, they’ll literally travel for miles between bed, food, and water (although when possible, they like to bed relatively close to their water source).  They are not, by nature, nocturnal animals, but they will adopt night-time habits quickly in the face of hunting pressure.  Once they do, it can be really tough to catch them in transit.  For this reason, a bigger piece of land would be optimal, since it would allow you to distribute the hunting pressure without focusing on a single location. 

For what it’s worth, when I was looking (unsuccessfully) to buy a piece of land to hunt on, I was pretty set on nothing less than a half-section (320 acres).  That’s big enough to allow me to set aside “sanctuary” areas, manage food plots, and also to go out without crossing my own tracks every time I hit the field.  By limiting hunting pressure to myself and a couple of friends, I figured that would be sufficient.  However, there’s nothing to say you couldn’t be successful on 100 acres, or even 50.  I doubt you could successfully hunt a smaller place on a regular basis… at least not in the typical CA habitat. 

How much hunting pressure will drive hogs to abandon an area?

Again, the answer will vary a bit from situation to situation.  The single, best answer is to limit hunting pressure on any small area as much as possible.  In some cases, one hunter can ruin an area for days or even months.  In other cases, there are places that can be hunted hard time and again without driving the hogs away. 

As with any other game, the keys are availability of food, water, and bedding shelter.  If you have a consistent supply of all three of these in an area, then that area will withstand a good bit of hunting without losing your hogs.   This is particularly true for a food source, like barley or other crops.  When the barley is coming in, hunters can (and do) pound the hogs hard and they just keep coming back (assuming the herd is plentiful).  The same goes for isolated water sources… the hogs have to have it, and they’ll keep coming.  The biggest factor you’ll deal with here is the hogs becoming more nocturnal.  They won’t leave the area, but your chances of seeing them in the daylight get slimmer with every hunt. 

Travel corridors can also take a pretty good beating.  Hogs tend to use the same general paths to food and water (with minor variations).   Moderate pressure on these corridors can translate into consistent success and a reliable area for later hunts. 

One thing you’ll want to avoid is hitting the bedding areas too hard.  This is the “safe zone” for hogs, and if they feel that it’s not safe anymore, they will pack up and move.  I don’t know of any magic number of hunts that trigger the exodus, but once they leave a bedding area it may be a very long time before they return. 

A final note about hunting pressure.  In many cases, simply because there are a lot of hunters in a place doesn’t necessarily mean the hogs will be driven off.  Keep in mind that the majority of hunters, both on public and private land, barely enter the outer edges of prime hog habitat.  Most of these folks will seldom stray far from a road or major trailhead.  If you’re willing to get off the beaten track, your odds of success go way up.  I’ve certainly found this to be the case on most of the properties I’ve hunted, from public plots to Tejon Ranch. 

Again, I hope some of this is helpful information.  I’m also open to suggestions, corrections, additions, or recommendations from any of you readers out there.

One of the questions I get fairly regularly is, “what kind of handgun should I get for hogs?”

I’ve touched on this a time or two before, but I don’t think I’ve actually dedicated an entire post to answering this question.  I’m not a handgunning expert, and honestly, I’m not all that great with a pistol.  But I do occasionally hunt with one, and I’ve killed a couple animals with it.  Besides, the key concepts have nothing to do with my personal abilities… So let’s have a look at it now.

First of all, what do you really intend to do with this gun?  Will it be a primary hunting weapon, or is it going to be a “back-up”?  Or do you expect this be an all-around tool, for hunting, back-up, plinking, and self-defense?  This is an important question before you run out and spend several hundred dollars on a new handgun, because the fact is that there’s not really any such thing as the Swiss Army Knife of handguns.  Handguns are designed for specific purposes, and while there’s certainly some crossover, you need to be very clear what the primary purpose is going to be.

With that in mind, if you want a handgun primarily for hog hunting, you’ll want something with enough “oomph” to cleanly and quickly kill these tough animals.  You’ll also want something with reasonable accuracy, that’s easy to handle, and that can withstand the rough use that hog hunting usually dishes out.  Several states also have specific minimum requirements for a hunting handgun, such as minimum caliber and barrel length.  That’s going to rule out a lot of stuff on the market.   Read the rest of this entry »

Over the last couple of months, I’ve received a handful of emails from folks asking for info about getting started hog hunting.  Some of them have been from brand new hunters, while some others have been away from the sport for a while and want to get back into it.  I’ve been trying to reply as best I can, and hope I’m being helpful. 

I just received another one today, and thought that, for a change, I’d share the email with all of you HogBlog readers in hopes that maybe ya’ll can offer some of your own suggestions, on top of my own (mine will follow).  So here’s what I got from CMJ.

Greetings from Yuba City,
 
I have been a hunter all my life except for the 20 years between college and now. I have stayed up on my shooting but havent been able to get out into the woods (and range) due to working and family and such.
 
Now I have the time, the gear (out of date, I am sure) and the inclination to bag some wildlife. I really want to get into hunting pigs.  I am no more that 90 minutes from the Red Bluff area; ditto the Clear Lake region.  None of my local companions are interested and so I am going to be on my own.
 
Can you give me the 3 basic tips to get a start?
 
Thank you for your time.

“Three basic tips…”    Read the rest of this entry »

Ron Gayer, hunting guide, outdoor writer, wildlife photographer, and all-around great guy (and a good friend), contacted me a while back regarding a new project he’s got going.  In general, he’s working on a series of videos he’s calling “The Guide’s Guide to Hunting“. 

 The idea is to present a group of instructional videos, targeted at new hunters.  More and more hunters are coming to the sport later in life, without the benefit of a family tradition and the mentors that many of us may take for granted.  With no one teaching them, how do they learn? 

 That’s the niche that Ron is looking to fill.  As a guide, he says his favorite clients were the new hunters, eager to learn and extremely excited about the entire experience (a sentiment I completely share).  Teaching them, and enabling new hunters to get a leg up in the sport, has really become something of a mission for him.  Hence, this video series.

I had the pleasure of taking a look at the first iteration of Volume 1 of the Guide’s Guide DVD series, The Complete Guide to Wild Hog Field Care.  This volume provides a complete, step-by-step introduction to handling your hog after you’ve got it down.  Of note is that he shows you both how to field dress and skin a meat hog, and also shows a simple method for caping a trophy boar as well… something many field dressing websites don’t go into.

Now, I’ll be honest and say that if you’re looking at this with the eye of a critic, the video has its little issues.  The pacing starts out a little slow.  It’s important to remember that this is instructional, and not specifically intended to be entertainment.  However, once things loosen up the pacing improves. 

The positives far outweigh the little “opportunities for improvement”, though.  Of particular note is the clean, but realistic field dressing demonstration.  The camera doesn’t shy away from anything, from separating the anus (first step in traditional field dressing procedure) to clearing the chest cavity.  While nothing can compare to hands-on learning for something like this, if you pay attention as Ron goes through these pigs, you’ll be well prepared when the time comes to get your own hands bloody.

I spoke to Ron on the phone after watching the video, and we discussed some of my critique, as well as some ideas he has for improvement.  I expect that future iterations of this video will show some significant upgrades. 

Of course, the truest test of these videos will be in the testimonials of the intended audience, new hunters.  Several copies of the video have been sold at Ron’s seminar appearances, but he is just now getting his website up and running to expand the market a bit.  He has not enabled eCommerce, but on the site you’ll find the information needed to order a copy directly. 

As I mentioned, this is only the first of a series of four initial DVD offerings.  The other three are:

• The Total Turkey Tutorial
• Hunting Strategies for Hogs
• From Bench to Field: Guns and Optics

These should come out throughout the coming year.  Ron hopes to have the entire series complete by January, 2010.  I’ll keep this site updated as each release is ready, and hopefully will have the opportunity to review them as they’re available.

I did a more formal article and review on this video over at the Jesse’s Hunting and Outdoor Journal.

This question was brought up not too long ago by a Hog Blog reader.  We were talking about pig guides and hunts, and someone was wondering how much it costs to do a guided pig hunt.  It’s a good question, but there is no single answer.  I will say that an average cost for a single pig hunter, fully guided on private land can run anywhere from $500 to over $1000. 

It’s important to understand that the price does not always reflect the quality of the habitat or hunting.  Many of the less expensive hunts offer great hunting on prime land, and generally have 100% success rates, just like the more expensive places.  The differentiating factors generally include the availability and quality of lodging, amenities, and services.  How comfortable to you want to be? 

The price of a guided hunt has jumped several hundred bucks in only a couple of years, but it isn’t any cheaper to run guided hunts these days either.   Overhead for a guided hunting operation can be pretty significant.  First of all, consider that a guide must be licensed and bonded.  That’s a couple-hundred bucks a year right there.  Small potatoes overall, for a successful operation.  But then there’s insurance, which can run a couple thousand for a small outfitter, and a lot more for someone who’s running a big place with lodging, employees, quads, and dogs or stock.  Add in the cost of leasing property, maintaining equipment, and fuel, and a guide or outfitter will have to really start watching the bottom line or they’ll end up on the red side of the ledger in a hurry.

Here’s an example of how it all adds up.  Read the rest of this entry »

The events of this past weekend got me thinking about the shot I took on that sow as she was trotting fast up the hill. What did I do right and what did I do wrong?  But I want to preface this entire post with a couple of caveats. 

First of all, running shots present one of the most difficult scenarios that might ever face a hunter… especially a hunter with a scoped rifle.  It’s what is usually referred to as a low-percentage shot, which means your odds of placing a clean hit are pretty low.  As hunters with the ethical responsibility to maximize our odds of making a clean, humane kill, that makes this kind of shot somewhat controversial.  With this in mind, running shots are not the best shot option and should probably be avoided when it’s possible. 

The second caveat is that I want to be clear that I do not condone or recommend running shots for everyone.  If you have never practiced shots at moving targets, a living animal is not the right place to start.  For bowhunters, I absolutely believe the only time you should take a shot at running or trotting game is when the animal is already wounded and you need to do whatever you can to stop it.  This basically transfers over to gun hunters as well, although I think that a gun hunter can become proficient enough to make ethical shots on running game.  And that’s the point… it takes practice and skill, but running shots can be done well.

With this conversation, I recognize there’s room for a huge ethical discussion.  Many people believe that you should never take a running shot, period.  Others (like me) think that, much like long-range shooting, it’s OK under certain conditions (a practiced marksman and a reasonable target presentation).  For now, this is about all I will dedicate to the ethical debate.  We’ll save that for the comments.

I am not an expert marksman, by any stretch of the imagination.  At the same time, I feel that I’m pretty proficient, in large part because I practically grew up with a gun in my hand.  I’ve done a lot of shooting, and a good part of that was on moving targets such as running rabbits and driven deer.  I don’t think I took a standing-still shot on a deer until I was in my mid-twenties.  For hunters with this kind of background, the moving shot is simply another opportunity.  It may not be the optimal choice, but it’s a valid one. 

“OK,” you say.  “That’s fine for you lifelong hunters.  What about the rest of us, or those who grew up in places where we couldn’t shoot whenever we felt like it? ”  Read the rest of this entry »

Each year, the CA Department of Fish and Game (DFG) offers a series of wild pig hunting clinics around the state.  These clinics are a great idea for both the new California pig hunters, as well as the experienced hunters, to learn more about these excellent game animals.  Learn tactics, techniques, and get some ideas on where to hunt from the experts and biologists. 

Here’s the press release:

California Department of Fish and Game

News Release

March 24, 2009

Contact: Lieutenant Dan Lehman, DFG Advanced Hunter Education Program Coordinator, (916) 358-4356 DFG Office of Communications, (916) 322-8911

DFG Offers How-to Clinic on Hunting Wild Pigs

The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) will hold a wild pig hunting clinic April 25 at Monterey County’s Fort Hunter Liggett. The clinic is offered through DFG’s Advanced Hunter Education Program in partnership with the Pacific Coast Hunter Education Association and runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The clinic will cover the considerations and requirements for a successful wild pig hunt, techniques of locating the animals and different methods of take. Additionally, participants will learn about the biology of wild pigs and how to handle and care properly for the game. A barbecue lunch will be available for a $10 donation and attendees will also receive recipes for wild pig dishes.

The cost is $40 and space is limited. Participants 16 years and younger can attend free if accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Registration forms are available at www.dfg.ca.gov/huntered/advanced/index.aspx .  After registering each participant will receive an e-mail with a map to the facility, a list of items to bring and a workshop agenda. 

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Subscribe to DFG News via email or RSS feed — go to  www.dfg.ca.gov/news

Here’s another little tip and tidbit from my list:

Move less, glass more.

This is really directed at still hunters, as well as the western spot and stalk hunter. 

It’s really easy to get caught up in covering ground on a hunt.  I think it’s human nature to wonder what’s just over the rise, or what you can see around that next bend in the ridge.  Out here in the west, you can literally walk all day without ever doubling your trail.  There is a LOT to see.

But the thing is, you’re looking for an animal that only takes up a few cubic feet of space.  He could be right under your feet, or he could be a mile and a half away.  The only way to find him is to stop and look for him.  Sure, you might spot him while you are walking along if you’re really vigilant and alert.  But odds are much better that he’s going to see you first. 

In the wild, the advantage almost always goes to the one who is not moving.  Think about it.  The last time you picked a big boar out on a brushy hillside, what gave him away?  Most likely it was the flick of an ear or tail, or the movement of a leg.  And the last time you got busted by a fat hog, if it wasn’t the wind, what tipped him off?  More often than not, you turned your head, raised your gun, or took a step to get a better position. 

Predator or prey, it’s a game of stealth and patience.  Being still is the key, and the one that moves first is the one that loses.  Most animals’ vision tends to key on movement.  Shapes and colors can be important in some cases, but the first thing we notice is motion… even hogs who rely so little on their eyes for defense can spot the slightest movement at shocking distances.  With this in mind, why would you give up your advantage just to cover more ground? 

I’m fortunate in a way, because I came to the west from a place where we’d sit long hours in a tree stand to hunt.  This makes it a little bit easier for me to find a rock or a stump, get comfy, and sit and glass.  The longer I live and hunt out here, though, the more difficult it is to fight that temptation to try to hike the entire countryside.  But time and again I’ve found that I will always spot more game and have more shot opportunities if I can be still and look around carefully before moving to another place. 

There’s no need to walk the entire mountain range if you can find a few good places to sit and examine the area with your binos or spotting scope.  Put your optics to work for you… it’s not lazy, it’s smart.  Save that energy for the stalk and recovery when you find and kill that trophy porker (or deer, elk, moose, or ground squirrel).  You’d be surprised what you’ll see if you move less, and glass more.