# Mountain hog numbers



## Joehales90 (Dec 15, 2021)

Hey guys me, my brother and a buddy of ours are heading down in a month (after the deer season,  limited to small game/black powder weapons) to try hog hunting for the first time. I reached out on the forum a few months ago looking for advice and got a lot of good information.  Now that we're a month out, we want to narrow down where we're headed... southern GA with the river systems sounds great but I'm told they're heavily pressured by then. Our original plan was cohutta since it's huge and we can camp there. I'm told they're less abundant but also less pressured in the mountains.  Looking for any help we can get on this... it's about a 10-12 hour drive for us regardless of where we go in the state. We wanna do anything possible to make a successful hunt. Thanks in advance!


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## chrislibby88 (Dec 15, 2021)

Start down on the creeks, follow the sign from there. Alot of folks have pretty good luck on food plots late season. There should be some red oaks still around, but they are getting scarcer by the day.


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## Joehales90 (Dec 15, 2021)

You talking about creeks in the mountains in general or cohutta?


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## Doug B. (Dec 15, 2021)

Don't limit yourself to WMA's.  There are millions of acres of National Forest.


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## Joehales90 (Dec 15, 2021)

I'm fine with national forests too. Instead of wmas I should just be saying public land... here in MD we only have wmas for public land.


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## Professor (Dec 15, 2021)

They are hard to pin down in the mountains. Seems I can just walk up on them in West Georgia. Sprewell Bluff has a bunch. Hannahachee Creek has a ton. Not sure about dates on those 2 WMAs, but they both have pigs you can find.


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## jbogg (Dec 15, 2021)

There are plenty of hogs, but getting on them can be far from easy in the mountains.  With limited time over just a few days I would consider bringing a couple of mountain bikes and covering a lot of ground checking distant food plots behind locked gates on some of the mountain WMAs.  You can definitely stumble on them in the big woods, but if your legs are not in mountain shape you will empty the gas tank in a hurry.  Hogs are a scourge on the landscape and constantly destroy food plots and roads that the DNR maintains. Try calling the local DNR office and speaking with one of the wildlife techs. Pretty sure they would be happy to help point you in the right direction.


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## ddd-shooter (Dec 15, 2021)

I’d go southern georgia if I were y’all. Hogs won’t be pressure much then because there are far fewer hunters in the woods even now as the rut has passed, and won’t be hardly anyone in the woods after January


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## 35 Whelen (Dec 16, 2021)

jbogg said:


> There are plenty of hogs, but getting on them can be far from easy in the mountains.  With limited time over just a few days I would consider bringing a couple of mountain bikes and covering a lot of ground checking distant food plots behind locked gates on some of the mountain WMAs.  You can definitely stumble on them in the big woods, but if your legs are not in mountain shape you will empty the gas tank in a hurry.  Hogs are a scourge on the landscape and constantly destroy food plots and roads that the DNR maintains. Try calling the local DNR office and speaking with one of the wildlife techs. Pretty sure they would be happy to help point you in the right direction.



They should be willing to point you in the right direction, every year in the February issue of GON there is an article about public land hog hunting with interviews of DNR wildlife techs specifically telling what areas to find hogs in each management zone on WMA'S.


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## jbogg (Dec 16, 2021)

It’s been a few years since I have specifically hunted hogs on public land in the mountains. When hunting late small game season, specifically January and February, I had most of my success while hunting during the warmest hours of the day during those sunny days when temperatures were very cold.  It seemed like the pigs would feed like crazy for a few hours once it finally warmed up. A lot of the food plots can be in rough shape that time of year, but if you can find one with some green clover, combined with some fresh hog sign you have a good chance of them showing up.


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## Professor (Dec 16, 2021)

35 Whelen said:


> They should be willing to point you in the right direction, every year in the February issue of GON there is an article about public land hog hunting with interviews of DNR wildlife techs specifically telling what areas to find hogs in each management zone on WMA'S.


They will help. They will tell you the hogs are in one spot one day and miles away the next.


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## ddd-shooter (Dec 16, 2021)

Professor said:


> They will help. They will tell you the hogs are in one spot one day and miles away the next.


…which is true….I feel like they’re more nomadic up here than anywhere


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## deadend (Dec 17, 2021)

I'd go south if you're looking to kill a hog.


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## bany (Dec 17, 2021)

ddd-shooter said:


> …which is true….I feel like they’re more nomadic up here than anywhere


Which is also true!


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## mallardsx2 (Dec 17, 2021)

Go the the CNF and hunt the laurel on the side hills. They are literally everywhere.


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## bany (Dec 17, 2021)

deadend said:


> I'd go south if you're looking to kill a hog.


I’d suspect from past mountain experience and current reports and also a lot of hog hunting in a well populated area this^ is the case.
The key of course is finding them. I know the mountain pigs will split. Miles that is. Now you could possibly drive around the mountain ”block” to try and relocate them.
The southern pigs I hunt aren’t nomadic, nocturnal under pressure but not nomads. They might hole up in a 1/2 acre thicket until you actually go in and kick them out!
Now I’ve never hunted south ga but that’s my sense. 
One thing is certain, y’all should enjoy hunting anywhere you end up in Georgia


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## bany (Dec 17, 2021)

Joehales90 said:


> I'm fine with national forests too. Instead of wmas I should just be saying public land... here in MD we only have wmas for public land.


Is that one of those Glenn Burnie bucks in your avatar?


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## Joehales90 (Jan 10, 2022)

bany said:


> Is that one of those Glenn Burnie bucks in your avatar?



Sorry, somehow missed this. No, I'm about 60 miles south of Glen Burnie.


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## Doug B. (Jan 10, 2022)

bany said:


> Now you could possibly drive around the mountain ”block” to try and relocate them.


???????????

There is no such thing as a "mountain block" !  
If you drive around some mountains you could actually be on a different watershed!  Course, the hogs could actually be on another watershed!   They are unpredictable here in the mountains sometimes.


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## bany (Jan 10, 2022)

Doug B. said:


> ???????????
> 
> There is no such thing as a "mountain block" !
> If you drive around some mountains you could actually be on a different watershed!  Course, the hogs could actually be on another watershed!   They are unpredictable here in the mountains sometimes.[/QUOTE
> ...


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## bany (Jan 10, 2022)

Joehales90 said:


> Sorry, somehow missed this. No, I'm about 60 miles south of Glen Burnie.


I had a buddy from that area. He had some tall tales from G.B.


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## Doug B. (Jan 11, 2022)

bany said:


> ???? sure there is! Check the maps! As long as there’s water hogs don’t care which shed it is?


That's what I am saying! Hogs don't care which watershed they are on.  My point was that there is no such thing as driving around a "mountain block".  I have lived in the mountains all my life!  No need to check the maps!


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## bany (Jan 11, 2022)

197-76-17-356
other folks may call it a country block


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## Doug B. (Jan 11, 2022)

If someone is coming from out of state, town, or country to hunt I would hope they would be successful.  It would be a shame for them to come being mis-led into thinking they could just drive around the block.  There are miles and miles of country between any roads. Be prepared to do a lot of hard walking at times.  Sometimes you may get lucky and find hogs close.


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## Buckman18 (Jan 11, 2022)

Doug B. said:


> If someone is coming from out of state, town, or country to hunt I would hope they would be successful.  It would be a shame for them to come being mis-led into thinking they could just drive around the block.  There are miles and miles of country between any roads. Be prepared to do a lot of hard walking at times.  Sometimes you may get lucky and find hogs close.



I was sort of hoping he would show us how to do that here? I’m always open to learning new ideas!


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## Doug B. (Jan 11, 2022)

Buckman18 said:


> I was sort of hoping he would show us how to do that here? I’m always open to learning new ideas!


Absolutely!  It would be nice if it worked that way.


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## Professor (Jan 11, 2022)

In my opinion getting close to the hogs when you know where they are is a lot harder in the mountains than it is on flat land. I don’t know why, but I have failed on three stalking attempts in the mountains and I find it easy to slide in on them further south.


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## bany (Jan 11, 2022)

Doug B. said:


> If someone is coming from out of state, town, or country to hunt I would hope they would be successful.  It would be a shame for them to come being mis-led into thinking they could just drive around the block.  There are miles and miles of country between any roads. Be prepared to do a lot of hard walking at times.  Sometimes you may get lucky and find hogs close.


You seem to have missed the point. The nomadic nature of mountain pigs was at point. If you bust a sounder its possible they will cover 8 miles leaving your stink behind. It may behoove you to say leave moccasin creek and slip off the AT or similar access. (Around the block)

Now some folks may prefer to try the 8 mile stock and that’s all well and good. And if they push them again? I was trying to enlighten someone with no experience about something they were interested in, and traveling from afar to try.


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## bany (Jan 11, 2022)

Professor said:


> In my opinion getting close to the hogs when you know where they are is a lot harder in the mountains than it is on flat land. I don’t know why, but I have failed on three stalking attempts in the mountains and I find it easy to slide in on them further south.



I think you are spot on. One thing I believe is their eyesight is better than most give credit.


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## Doug B. (Jan 11, 2022)

bany said:


> You seem to have missed the point. The nomadic nature of mountain pigs was at point. If you bust a sounder its possible they will cover 8 miles leaving your stink behind. It may behoove you to say leave moccasin creek and slip off the AT or similar access. (Around the block)
> 
> Now some folks may prefer to try the 8 mile stock and that’s all well and good. And if they push them again? I was trying to enlighten someone with no experience about something they were interested in, and traveling from afar to try.


I may have missed your point and I was not trying to be argumentative. I have never heard of a mountain block, or a country block for that matter.  I could be wrong. I have only lived in the mountains for 57 years and nobody I know has ever used those terms.  But it did kinda confuse me and I would hate for somebody to come hunting and think they could drive around the block to intercept some hogs. Sorry for the misunderstanding.


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## bany (Jan 11, 2022)

Yessir, I get it. No worries here. It’s just figure of speech I suppose.
You hit on the miles and miles of woods between roads, and sooner or later your heading out the other side. So I was suggesting if you spent a week in the mountains you might figure on different approaches.


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## Pig Predator (Jan 12, 2022)

Hogs can see just as good as us. If you can see them, they can see you.


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## antharper (Jan 19, 2022)

Joehales90 said:


> Hey guys me, my brother and a buddy of ours are heading down in a month (after the deer season,  limited to small game/black powder weapons) to try hog hunting for the first time. I reached out on the forum a few months ago looking for advice and got a lot of good information.  Now that we're a month out, we want to narrow down where we're headed... southern GA with the river systems sounds great but I'm told they're heavily pressured by then. Our original plan was cohutta since it's huge and we can camp there. I'm told they're less abundant but also less pressured in the mountains.  Looking for any help we can get on this... it's about a 10-12 hour drive for us regardless of where we go in the state. We wanna do anything possible to make a successful hunt. Thanks in advance!


Have any luck ?


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## HardlyHangin (Jan 22, 2022)

I did not kill, but boy was today an adventure. I found the biggest rub of my life, found the gnarliest rocky terrain features, and was full draw on my first mountain hog. I was slippin down a lead with the wind in my face and boom there he was - 30 yards away from me feeding. I draw back and wait for a shot but its too thick. He trots off, and immediately after i lose sight i hear the most godawful squealin squabblin fightnous ruckus a'goin on, and take the chance to gain some ground. Im close to 40 from the saunder while theyre slowly feeding away from me. I tried to follow but it was just too thick. I guessed where they were going and made a big loop to try and cut them off, but never heard them again. 

Stupid bows. No wonder the indians lost. I could have kilt em with a bullet. Best day of covid quarantine yet <3


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## ddd-shooter (Jan 22, 2022)

Giant cedar rub!
Don't hate the bow... Anyone can kill em with a bullet, gotta separate the men from the boys... Ha jk


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## HardlyHangin (Jan 23, 2022)

ddd-shooter said:


> Giant cedar rub!
> Don't hate the bow... Anyone can kill em with a bullet, gotta separate the men grim the boys... Ha jk


Lol, you're right im just not there with it yet


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## bany (Jan 23, 2022)

Great day!


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## HardlyHangin (Jan 23, 2022)

bany said:


> Great day!


It was. Best way i could think to spend a saturday. But especially the best way to spend a saturday in covid isolation. I tested positive wednesday and was running a low grade fever and had a sore throat. Fever broke wednesday night so thursday was just a sore throat, was back to 100% on friday. 

I hiked 3 miles thursday and 7 yesterday, over some pretty steep stuff and aside from general out of shapeness i felt great all day.


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## bany (Jan 23, 2022)

HardlyHangin said:


> It was. Best way i could think to spend a saturday. But especially the best way to spend a saturday in covid isolation. I tested positive wednesday and was running a low grade fever and had a sore throat. Fever broke wednesday night so thursday was just a sore throat, was back to 100% on friday.
> 
> I hiked 3 miles thursday and 7 yesterday, over some pretty steep stuff and aside from general out of shapeness i felt great all day.



That’s cool! I thought I’d do the same thing but I was wore out feeling most of a couple weeks.


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## HardlyHangin (Jan 23, 2022)

bany said:


> That’s cool! I thought I’d do the same thing but I was wore out feeling most of a couple weeks.


Yeah im really blessed, this is the first time if had it and i was over it in no time. 

Actually this is the first time ive been sick sick in 11 years


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## Joehales90 (Jan 23, 2022)

antharper said:


> Have any luck ?



Sorry, posted the recap of the trip on another thread... see below. Had a blast. Good trip with good guys. 

Alright guys we're back and recovered. Got off work Wednesday and hauled tail south. Arrived at tuckahoe at 3am and slept in the truck until 7. Got up, set up camp, talked to the wma ranger and got some good advice. Drove around a little bit looking for sign but very little. Decided to park and walk a block of woods adjacent to to the river. 300 yards from the truck I found heavy, fresh rooting... followed about 100 more yards and heard squeals and then rooting. Stalked in super slowly not wanting to blow it on the first chance. Finally got close enough to see them. Leaned on a sappling, dropped about a 100lb sow with a neck shot. All in the first hour of hunting, and in the niddle of the day. "Man, this is easy! Coolers are gonna be overflowing!" Wrong. Spent the next three days looking tirelessly for fresh sign. Finally found super fresh sign Sunday afternoon after Hella rain Sunday morning... followed it around in circles until it just vanished like a **** in the wind.

Met some guys from NC who were on their 8th or 9th trip... they said this was their worst ever with sign Non existent and no pigs to show. They said that because the water was so low (9.5-10.5 feet) instead of the usual 14ish feet the hogs had wayyyy more territory to occupy, most of which is unreachable without a boat.

All in all the three of us had a really good time and look forward to going back, although it'll most likely be a different wma. We'd love to find a place loaded up with em... but you never know til you go


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## bany (Jan 25, 2022)

Joehales90 said:


> Sorry, posted the recap of the trip on another thread... see below. Had a blast. Good trip with good guys.
> 
> Alright guys we're back and recovered. Got off work Wednesday and hauled tail south. Arrived at tuckahoe at 3am and slept in the truck until 7. Got up, set up camp, talked to the wma ranger and got some good advice. Drove around a little bit looking for sign but very little. Decided to park and walk a block of woods adjacent to to the river. 300 yards from the truck I found heavy, fresh rooting... followed about 100 more yards and heard squeals and then rooting. Stalked in super slowly not wanting to blow it on the first chance. Finally got close enough to see them. Leaned on a sappling, dropped about a 100lb sow with a neck shot. All in the first hour of hunting, and in the niddle of the day. "Man, this is easy! Coolers are gonna be overflowing!" Wrong. Spent the next three days looking tirelessly for fresh sign. Finally found super fresh sign Sunday afternoon after Hella rain Sunday morning... followed it around in circles until it just vanished like a **** in the wind.
> 
> ...


That’s cool, maybe you check the water levels there next time? Pigs do swim though!


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## chrislibby88 (Jan 25, 2022)

Joehales90 said:


> Sorry, posted the recap of the trip on another thread... see below. Had a blast. Good trip with good guys.
> 
> Alright guys we're back and recovered. Got off work Wednesday and hauled tail south. Arrived at tuckahoe at 3am and slept in the truck until 7. Got up, set up camp, talked to the wma ranger and got some good advice. Drove around a little bit looking for sign but very little. Decided to park and walk a block of woods adjacent to to the river. 300 yards from the truck I found heavy, fresh rooting... followed about 100 more yards and heard squeals and then rooting. Stalked in super slowly not wanting to blow it on the first chance. Finally got close enough to see them. Leaned on a sappling, dropped about a 100lb sow with a neck shot. All in the first hour of hunting, and in the niddle of the day. "Man, this is easy! Coolers are gonna be overflowing!" Wrong. Spent the next three days looking tirelessly for fresh sign. Finally found super fresh sign Sunday afternoon after Hella rain Sunday morning... followed it around in circles until it just vanished like a **** in the wind.
> 
> ...


Nice! Tuckahoe is a good property. My brother hunts it all the time and kills a buncha pigs out there.


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