# How smart do you think feral pigs are?



## ghadarits (Jun 16, 2015)

Kind of? Very? Extremely?

I for one think they are extremely smart.

How many pigs have you ever seen hit and killed by a vehicle? I've seen two both in south Florida. Never seen one hit and killed in Georgia where I've lived my entire life. I'm not saying it doesn't happen but when I'm on the road and see 10-25 deer dead on the side of the road between Atlanta and Statesboro you would think you would see a pig or two sometimes.


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## NCHillbilly (Jun 16, 2015)

I've seen several road kills, in both SC and GA. Pigs are said to be more intelligent than dogs or cats. They have a heckuva nose on them, for sure.


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## RUGERWARRIOR (Jun 16, 2015)

I've seen two dead on the road in Georgia. One just south of Macon on I-75 or I-16 (can't remember) and one on the road leading into fort Stewart. Looked like a tank had run over it. I do tend to think they are smarter than deer though.


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## dawg2 (Jun 16, 2015)

I have seen a couple dead ones in GA.  But they are extremely smart in that they learn from their mistakes and remember.


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## model88_308 (Jun 16, 2015)

I think an adult wild hog is the smartest animal we hunt in North America. You will get lists that vary, but by googling the smartest animals in the world, you will see hogs normally just after some species of apes and/or monkeys.


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## Supercracker (Jun 16, 2015)

I've read that pigs are the worlds third smartest animal. Behind Dolphins and Great apes.  So yeah, they probably are the smartest animal we hunt here.


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## bfriendly (Jun 16, 2015)

I've seen quite a few road kill hogs in FL, but there are a Bunch and I have seen when they cross, there will be 10+, not just one or two........No doubt they are smart and definitely smarter than Deer...My vote? Very smart!  Bigfoot would be Extremely smart.......


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## Nicodemus (Jun 16, 2015)

I`ve only seen three roadkilled hogs. One in Early County, one in Mitchell, and one on the Econfina highway in Florida. 

They a smart critter, no doubt that.


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## Echo (Jun 16, 2015)

They're very smart alright but I've seen a bunch of pig road kills in coastal Georgia. Less than deer of course simply due the fact that deer are much more widespread than hogs but in areas where pigs are abundant they get hit pretty regularly from my observations. 

I've had a few come out of nowhere to cross right in front of my truck but thankfully I've never hit one....never hit a deer either for that matter.


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## bigreddwon (Jun 16, 2015)

I think more people get hit by cars than hogs. .


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## Ruger#3 (Jun 17, 2015)

Personal experience, setup on good game trail high in a tree. This setup yielded a good buck and several does through the season. Not one deer ever acted like they knew I was there even when the wind swirled.

One afternoon six good size hogs came down that trail. As they walked through a thicket I raised my gun to fire when they cleared, just like the deer. I swear that hog stepped out of the thicket turned its head and looked right at me. I killed it but that hog had me located quick.


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## Ohoopee Tusker (Jun 17, 2015)

ghadarits said:


> Kind of? Very? Extremely?
> 
> I for one think they are extremely smart.
> 
> How many pigs have you ever seen hit and killed by a vehicle? I've seen two both in south Florida. Never seen one hit and killed in Georgia where I've lived my entire life. I'm not saying it doesn't happen but when I'm on the road and see 10-25 deer dead on the side of the road between Atlanta and Statesboro you would think you would see a pig or two sometimes.



They are plenty smart. That fence running down I-16 keeps most of the hogs off of it, I'd guess. Deer just jump it.



Echo said:


> They're very smart alright but I've seen a bunch of pig road kills in coastal Georgia. Less than deer of course simply due the fact that deer are much more widespread than hogs but in areas where pigs are abundant they get hit pretty regularly from my observations.
> 
> I've had a few come out of nowhere to cross right in front of my truck but thankfully I've never hit one....never hit a deer either for that matter.



We saw a pile of them on 144 last year. 

I hit my first deer in March. Totaled the Jeep.


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## ghadarits (Jun 18, 2015)

Echo said:


> They're very smart alright but I've seen a bunch of pig road kills in coastal Georgia. Less than deer of course simply due the fact that deer are much more widespread than hogs but in areas where pigs are abundant they get hit pretty regularly from my observations.
> 
> I've had a few come out of nowhere to cross right in front of my truck but thankfully I've never hit one....never hit a deer either for that matter.



Echo I hope you knocked on some wood after writing that........


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## Nautical Son (Jun 19, 2015)

Hogs are not only very smart, they are extremely fast, I have watched one disappear in front of my eyes in brush that was barely shin deep.....Deer on the other hand, dumb as a box of rocks..I don't understand why all the money for expensive camo to hunt deer, I could go out in my everyday clothes and see deer...Hogs not a chance, they will wind you long before you see them..


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## Barebowyer (Jun 20, 2015)

Very smart!  I have only lived in Georgia for about 14 months and I have seen about ten or so dead on the roadside.  One last week was lying on I-16 East just before exit 90. Back in March I saw two between Vidalia and Savannah(Eastbound) and a third just after getting onto I-95 North(Big sow).  Definitely see more deer getting hit.  I have noticed I tend to see the dead hogs right near the bridges(waterways) and sometimes the smaller ones look like "gator skins" from the tractor trailers from a distance until you are up on them........Shoot straight!


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## across the river (Jun 23, 2015)

Echo said:


> They're very smart alright but I've seen a bunch of pig road kills in coastal Georgia. Less than deer of course simply due the fact that deer are much more widespread than hogs but in areas where pigs are abundant they get hit pretty regularly from my observations.
> 
> I've had a few come out of nowhere to cross right in front of my truck but thankfully I've never hit one....never hit a deer either for that matter.



You just cursed yourself.   I drove for over 20 years and never hit a deer.  Then we were talking about it at work, and I said that I had never hit one, even growing up in the country.  Three days later a little doe runs out of some tall grass right in front of me.  I was amazed at how much damage a 50lb doe could do to a car.


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## Triple C (Jul 16, 2015)

Not smart enough to outsmart a pig killing machine called dmwolfskin, a regular on the trad bow section.  Check out his pics from yesterday under the traditional archery forum.


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## biker13 (Jul 16, 2015)

If a turkey could smell no one would ever kill one.


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## Hoot (Jul 17, 2015)

biker13 said:


> If a turkey could smell no one would ever kill one.



And that is why it has been said that turkeys should be the national bird, instead of eagles.


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## Echo (Jul 17, 2015)

Ohoopee Tusker said:


> They are plenty smart. That fence running down I-16 keeps most of the hogs off of it, I'd guess. Deer just jump it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yep, they get hit regularly on Ft. Stewart.



ghadarits said:


> Echo I hope you knocked on some wood after writing that........



I did!



across the river said:


> You just cursed yourself.   I drove for over 20 years and never hit a deer.  Then we were talking about it at work, and I said that I had never hit one, even growing up in the country.  Three days later a little doe runs out of some tall grass right in front of me.  I was amazed at how much damage a 50lb doe could do to a car.



I'll be extra cautious for a good long while now. 

It is surprising that I've never hit one considering all the time I've spent driving in deer country. Had many, many close calls but I've always managed to avoid them without getting myself or anyone else hurt in the process. Believe it or not, never hit a deer or hog but I did smack a hen turkey going 55 on the way back from a turkey hunt one time. She didn't make it.


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## SwampWolf (Jul 17, 2015)

A mature feral boar hog is much "smarter"/cautious than any mature buck deer. Especially when your hog population is on the low side and this older boar spends most of his time alone. Rarely does he stick to a pattern of movement, even on a good food source. Bait may get his attention but most times for only a few nights. His nomadic habits keep him in the same area for only a few days at a time and he may or may not cycle back thru the same areas. If he has ever been caught in a trap and escaped or released then he really has a degree in cautiousness. 

He's alone and doesn't have the noise/distraction of other hogs to cloud his senses. His vision may not be the best but he can smell problems way before they threaten him.

There is one now that I have been matching wits with lately. He has been on and off my lease for about 2 years. Neighbors don't even know about him and they hunt yet claim to only see a few tracks on occasion. Twice I have found his huge tracks and fresh sign and put out corn and a trail camera just to have him not return. There is corn and a camera out now that as he approached he walked behind the camera and left without touching the bait. This is his classic behavior.
BTW, his sign appeared on my lease again within three days of planting chufas. Last time I saw his tracks were about two months ago.

I love the challenge he's providing. If I can get an arrow thru his lungs I will pay a taxidermy bill for that one.

BTW, I've killed several hogs, both with bow and gun, but these large, older, mostly solitary boars are difficult.

I've snuck into the chufa plot the past three evenings and three times at night....midnite, 1 am, 11 pm........no hog! His tracks show he's been there about three of the last 5 days.

This is a hog with a track the size of a closed man's fist. His track is easy to pick out...plus its usually all by itself.


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## RUGERWARRIOR (Jul 18, 2015)

SwampWolf said:


> A mature feral boar hog is much "smarter"/cautious than any mature buck deer. Especially when your hog population is on the low side and this older boar spends most of his time alone. Rarely does he stick to a pattern of movement, even on a good food source. Bait may get his attention but most times for only a few nights. His nomadic habits keep him in the same area for only a few days at a time and he may or may not cycle back thru the same areas. If he has ever been caught in a trap and escaped or released then he really has a degree in cautiousness.
> 
> He's alone and doesn't have the noise/distraction of other hogs to cloud his senses. His vision may not be the best but he can smell problems way before they threaten him.
> 
> ...



I think you are spot on with big boat hogs that isolate them selves. 
As far as a sounder I think that when trouble presents itself they just plain out run. To the next county run. A deer  runs and stops to check it out. In the deer forum a guy asked about dog hunting for hogs affecting deer. I've seen stray or neighbors dogs run deer. A lot of the time deer will run and stop and just let the dogs pass them without notice. The deer continues about his day. In the back of my truck. 

I very seldom hunt hogs without dogs. You can tell when they have been hunted with dogs before. They don't turn and fight. Even the big ones. They just run and run and run.


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## obligated (Jul 18, 2015)

Smarter than a liberal I had a little boar hog for a pet(potbelly-wild hog mix)He was smarter than both our dogs.Kennel trained very fast and knew what an ice cream truck and kids meant...FOOD!If he couldnt beg the ice cream he bumped them to get the dropped ice cream.
When we hunted them on our lease we never hunted the same stands twice or they would go nocturnal quick.When they are eating they lose some awareness and their eyesight isnt great but get upwind and they are gone unless you smell like a jelly donut or molasses.If they get hunted by dogs and have been released they just got educated how to evade or gut your dogs.Nothing worse than a lean boar hog that has no ears left corned by your dogs or in a trap.Better have lots of superglue and sutures.


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## Old Boss Gobbler (Jul 18, 2015)

My hogs in Camden County are smart but careless when they find a consistent food source. I've had great luck on a few baited spots with cameras to pattern them. The wife, kids and I have dropped 7 hogs one at a time since December (taking a turkey season break). All kills have been within 30 minutes plus or minus sunset. 

The older, bigger solitary boars are more of a challenge, but even they slip up. Their patterns are much shorter, maybe 3 days before they disappear for a week or two. I check cameras once or twice a week and decide where to hunt based on that.

A pack of hogs must be suicidal because they are noisy and oblivious to my presence. I can set my watch to them once they find my treasure trove bait site.


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