# Seeking input



## ucfireman (Jan 8, 2019)

Me and a few buddies from the FD are wanting to do a hog hunt for a day or 2 later this month. We are looking for WMAs with a decent population. We were looking at Oaky woods or Ocmulgee. Anybody want to recommend another with good populations. This go around we were thinking south of Atlanta and west of 75. But any info for north or any other hot spots would be appreciated. Preferably with in 1.5-2 hours of Atlanta. 
I am not looking for anyone's honey hole just some input. I have never hunted hogs before and the other 2 have but in SOUTH Ga and La. 
PM is preferred. Thanks in advance.


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## ucfireman (Jan 9, 2019)

Anyone know about Joe Kurz or Big lazer? For Hogs? 
These are closer to us in Coweta.


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## Jimmymorgan (Jan 9, 2019)

I've hunted oakywoods and had success. I have also hunted pinelog in white Georgia which is North of Atlanta. I've been to pinelog several times and haven't seen a thing. Oaky woods or ocmulgee would be my best bet that I know of. But I've only been back in Georgia for a few months


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## gma1320 (Jan 9, 2019)

They say hanahatchee isn't to bad.


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## ucfireman (Jan 10, 2019)

Good deal.


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## lagrangedave (Jan 10, 2019)

I think first responders are allowed to hunt the Fort Benning reservation which is huge and loaded with hogs.


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## antharper (Jan 10, 2019)

I’ve had great luck at ocmulgee , early in the year small game season or archery , haven’t been in a few years but use to live pretty close and hunted it often, beautiful swamp !


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## ucfireman (Jan 11, 2019)

Ill Look into that Dave.
Looked at the website and it didn't show availability for 1st responders, Ill call next week and ask.


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## antharper (Jan 11, 2019)

lagrangedave said:


> I think first responders are allowed to hunt the Fort Benning reservation which is huge and loaded with hogs.


I know some military guys that hunt it and they see and kill a lot of hogs and some nice bucks also , not sure about first responders but maybe so !


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## bfriendly (Jan 11, 2019)

Check out Hannahatchee As well.....should be lots of hogs and it’s flat so ez walking(sort of)


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## HuntinJake_23 (Jan 11, 2019)

Redlands WMA


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## ucfireman (Jan 12, 2019)

Someone said Oconee WMA has pigs. I deer hunted there years ago and saw no signs. I know Clybel has a few.


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## gma1320 (Jan 12, 2019)

ucfireman said:


> Someone said Oconee WMA has pigs. I deer hunted there years ago and saw no signs. I know Clybel has a few.


Oconee has pigs. Seen em Turkey huntin and couldn't get a shot


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## Big7 (Jan 12, 2019)

lagrangedave said:


> I think first responders are allowed to hunt the Fort Benning reservation which is huge and loaded with hogs.



And Chickasawhatchee (sp) is right there
too. I've done well there it would be
worth the xtra miles.

Don't wait until it gets warm.
Plenty of bugs, gators and snakes.


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## BamaGeorgialine (Jan 12, 2019)

I'm in a club beside Hannahatchee and we have A LOT of hogs. It isn't flat. Very steep ridges. I haven't seen many rattlesnakes but, I'm looking out when I'm climbing up those ridges because it would be easy to get popped above the knee and above knee high snake boots


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## ucfireman (Jan 13, 2019)

Big7 said:


> And Chickasawhatchee (sp) is right there
> too. I've done well there it would be
> worth the xtra miles.
> 
> ...



Is it a state park or WMA? If park I didnt know it would be open. 
I may give it a try later in the month..


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## KVW040 (Jan 13, 2019)

ucfireman said:


> Anyone know about Joe Kurz or Big lazer? For Hogs?
> These are closer to us in Coweta.


I just hunted Big Lazer on Friday and there are TONS of hogs there.  Go down by the rivers ...Lazer/Flint you will see tons of signs.


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## Big7 (Jan 13, 2019)

ucfireman said:


> Is it a state park or WMA? If park I didnt know it would be open.
> I may give it a try later in the month..



WMA and it's tough when it gets warm.

Nice in the cool and cold weather.


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## oldguy (Jan 14, 2019)

Big7 said:


> WMA and it's tough when it gets warm.
> 
> Nice in the cool and cold weather.


Not just bugs, snakes and gators, but now massive hurricane damage that makes gettin' around in the woods very difficult. 'Course the hogs'd still be there it's just the gettin' to 'em and gettin' 'em out.


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## ucfireman (Jan 14, 2019)

Is it required to sign in for a hog hunt. Can't get to the check station


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## Big7 (Jan 14, 2019)

ucfireman said:


> Is it required to sign in for a hog hunt. Can't get to the check station



The rulzz are different for most WMA's.

If you can't find what you need, call
DNR office in Social Circle, Ga.
They will have the local Ranger call
you. Sometimes they will just give you
the Ranger's number so you can call him/her. 
That's the best way IMO.


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## ucfireman (Jan 14, 2019)

Went to Ocmulgee today, walked from 1030 to 430 along the river, Saw a good bit of sign we think was fresh but didn't stumble across any pigs. Will try again next week.
The roads are horrendous trying to get to the check station.
Hunted by a boat ramp and also down by the PFA.


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## ucfireman (Jan 15, 2019)

antharper said:


> I know some military guys that hunt it and they see and kill a lot of hogs and some nice bucks also , not sure about first responders but maybe so !



Just called and was told you had be a guest of active or retired military. Not just a FF, Oh well.


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## cjones (Jan 16, 2019)

Went to Kurz a few weeks ago and walked around down by the river and didn't see any sign at all there.


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## BamaGeorgialine (Jan 16, 2019)

cjones said:


> Went to Kurz a few weeks ago and walked around down by the river and didn't see any sign at all there.


I was in a hunting club on the Flint river, Meriwether/Pike county line for years and we had some hogs travel through from time to time. I've already mentioned this but again, I'm in a club beside Hannahatchee and it is loaded with hogs. That's the real reason that I joined. I only bow hunt them because if I took a rifle it wouldn't be much a challenge. There is that many around that area. You might see a few standing on the side of the highway eating during the middle of the day. I have a bunch of times. You can definitely see the sides of the road 'tilled up' from the roto rootin jokers. Good luck. I'm going Saturday in the rain myself


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## gma1320 (Jan 17, 2019)

ucfireman said:


> Went to Ocmulgee today, walked from 1030 to 430 along the river, Saw a good bit of sign we think was fresh but didn't stumble across any pigs. Will try again next week.
> The roads are horrendous trying to get to the check station.
> Hunted by a boat ramp and also down by the PFA.


Say the roads were purdy muddy at ocmulgee? I normally make a trip at the end of the month with my hunting partner and hus truck is 2wd.


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## ucfireman (Jan 17, 2019)

gma1320 said:


> Say the roads were purdy muddy at ocmulgee? I normally make a trip at the end of the month with my hunting partner and hus truck is 2wd.


It was our first time there and tried to get to the check station on "check station road" and it was pretty well impassible, might be able to get through it but wasnt sure we would get back out, 4wd but warn out tires.
WE did go to the boat ramp and it was fine, paved.
Also went into zone 1 around the PFA, road by the campground was fine, gravel and higher elevation.
We really wanted to get to the check station to sign in and get to the river there but it was a no go.
Im still not sure if you have to sign in or not, regs dont say sign in is required for small game so Im assuming not.


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## Jester896 (Jan 17, 2019)

oldguy said:


> Not just bugs, snakes and gators, but now massive hurricane damage that makes gettin' around in the woods very difficult. 'Course the hogs'd still be there it's just the gettin' to 'em and gettin' 'em out.



you forgot to mention the water too...we have had a bunch of rain here.  Might just have to look for high spots.  bunch of hogs there...Bull Pen and areas around there might be a good start


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## gma1320 (Jan 18, 2019)

ucfireman said:


> It was our first time there and tried to get to the check station on "check station road" and it was pretty well impassible, might be able to get through it but wasnt sure we would get back out, 4wd but warn out tires.
> WE did go to the boat ramp and it was fine, paved.
> Also went into zone 1 around the PFA, road by the campground was fine, gravel and higher elevation.
> We really wanted to get to the check station to sign in and get to the river there but it was a no go.
> Im still not sure if you have to sign in or not, regs dont say sign in is required for small game so Im assuming not.


We take my truck which is 4wd and his and drive around in mine but we camp by a lake over close to the check station.  Might just go to oaky woods instead.  It's not to bad road wise until you get down by the river in spots. Also you do have to sign I for small game. You can do so online if you can't get to the check station.


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## ucfireman (Jan 18, 2019)

Just signed in for Ocmulgee, oaky for next week and a couple others so I will not have to when I decide to go later,
You just sign in once for the "season" for each type of hunt correct


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## ucfireman (Jan 23, 2019)

So 3 of us spent the day walking and sitting looking for pigs. Got there about 1030,  (72F and sunny) or so and stayed till dark. Walked probably 3-4 miles total along the river, in some pines along a creek and then some swamp area.
I have determined there are no pigs there. The sign must be from a bigfoot or panther, not pigs. 
I guess we will try another WMA later.
DId see a couple of deer and it is a nice looking area, just no pigs.


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## Danny Leigh (Jan 24, 2019)

ucfireman said:


> So 3 of us spent the day walking and sitting looking for pigs. Got there about 1030,  (72F and sunny) or so and stayed till dark. Walked probably 3-4 miles total along the river, in some pines along a creek and then some swamp area.
> I have determined there are no pigs there. The sign must be from a bigfoot or panther, not pigs.
> I guess we will try another WMA later.
> DId see a couple of deer and it is a nice looking area, just no pigs.



No matter which WMA you choose I would look for the thickest cover I could find and either hunt the edges or climb in there with them. Hogs love thickets and in mid-south GA that's usually river cane, palmettos and/or cutover. They'll also use blowdowns to bed in, but there is usually other thick cover nearby. If you're finding fresh sign or tracks they are there somewhere.


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## chrislibby88 (Jan 24, 2019)

ucfireman said:


> So 3 of us spent the day walking and sitting looking for pigs. Got there about 1030,  (72F and sunny) or so and stayed till dark. Walked probably 3-4 miles total along the river, in some pines along a creek and then some swamp area.
> I have determined there are no pigs there. The sign must be from a bigfoot or panther, not pigs.
> I guess we will try another WMA later.
> DId see a couple of deer and it is a nice looking area, just no pigs.


What WMA did you walk?


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## SwampMoss (Jan 24, 2019)

I would look in the higher ground away from the river in the thickets.  I use to go to Ocmulgee and killed a lot of pigs.  I found that the river was better when the temps begin to get warmer.  The hunting pressure along the river pushed the hogs out and up into the pine thickets.


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## ucfireman (Jan 24, 2019)

It was Ocmulgee, I did some walking in some pines, saw some sign just no pigs. The creeks along the river are of course flooded in areas, sign there too. Spent more time in the bottoms than the pines. May try pines next. 
Also might just try Hanahatchee and see some new land.
Do y'all stalk them or do y'all sit like most do for deer? 
I have read they don't have good eye site so you should be able to sneak up on them as long as you move slow and quiet. I was walking and looking as slow as I felt I could and felt like I was being quiet. The wind was howling yesterday though. 
I have also heard they are loud so you may hear them before you see them?


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## Pig Predator (Jan 24, 2019)

I stalk. They can still see okay, just not as well as people with good eye sight. The wind is most important. It's got to be in your face. They'll wind you from as far as a few hundred yards.


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## chrislibby88 (Jan 24, 2019)

ucfireman said:


> It was Ocmulgee, I did some walking in some pines, saw some sign just no pigs. The creeks along the river are of course flooded in areas, sign there too. Spent more time in the bottoms than the pines. May try pines next.
> Also might just try Hanahatchee and see some new land.
> Do y'all stalk them or do y'all sit like most do for deer?
> I have read they don't have good eye site so you should be able to sneak up on them as long as you move slow and quiet. I was walking and looking as slow as I felt I could and felt like I was being quiet. The wind was howling yesterday though.
> I have also heard they are loud so you may hear them before you see them?


Ocmulgee is full of hogs. Just shot at one last week, but missed. Heard another one squealing. I always still hunt/ spot stalk. Walk really slow and quiet, quiet enough to hear the woods over my footsteps. I stop every few steps and look and listen for a minute or 5. You can often hear them feeding/grunting/disturbing the brush from 50-100 yards away depending on conditions. I usually move towards any sounds I hear to check it out. Sometimes they sound like a pack of pigs, sometimes they sound like a squirrel picking through leaves. Half other time I see them before I hear them. I usually try to stalk in close enough for a clean shot. I’ve walked up on them at 10 yards before, then been busted at 30+ yards. How close you can get depends on what the pigs are doing and how alert they are.  I always plan the wind into my hunt loop, but it swirls a lot down in the creek bottoms. Keep at it, in my experience they are fairly easy to stalk in on, as long as they don’t see or smell you. You can make some noise, as long as you don’t go sprinting and breaking every stick in the woods.

Also, take less people. 3 folks make a lot of noise and put off a lot of scent.  I usually have more luck solo, but I’ve shot pigs with 1-2 friends before, you just gotta make a move faster.


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## ucfireman (Jan 24, 2019)

chrislibby88 said:


> Also, take less people. 3 folks make a lot of noise and put off a lot of scent. I usually have more luck solo, but I’ve shot pigs with 1-2 friends before, you just gotta make a move faster.



I broke away and went my own way specifically because I thought 3 walking would be too loud. We stayed within gunshot sound range but were probably .5 mile apart most of the time. Kind of hoped either to see some or push them toward each other. 
I know its a learning curve but I see others who post and make it sound easy, as if they are "Every where".
I do know a lot of the private land guys have it easier so to speak with being able to bait.
Another question got raised, since we are hunting "fur bearer" I assume that includes raccoons. So can we hunt at night? using lights? What about night vision or thermal? (not that I have one, yet)


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## chrislibby88 (Jan 24, 2019)

ucfireman said:


> I broke away and went my own way specifically because I thought 3 walking would be too loud. We stayed within gunshot sound range but were probably .5 mile apart most of the time. Kind of hoped either to see some or push them toward each other.
> I know its a learning curve but I see others who post and make it sound easy, as if they are "Every where".
> I do know a lot of the private land guys have it easier so to speak with being able to bait.
> Another question got raised, since we are hunting "fur bearer" I assume that includes raccoons. So can we hunt at night? using lights? What about night vision or thermal? (not that I have one, yet)



No night hunting on WMAs. Im pretty sure you can’t shoot raccoons on WMAs with centerfires. Foxes, bobcats, hogs, and I think possibly coyotes (someone check me on the yotes) are ok for centerfires larger than .17 Everything else is rimfire or birdshot.

And the hogs are pretty much everywhere. Doesn’t mean you will see them every time you go out though. I only see pigs once out of every 3-4 trips. And I get a shot on probably half of the ones I see. I see fresh sign (as in less than 12 hours old) every time I go out.  

They are wild animals with a knack for survival, they are easier to stalk up on than deer for sure, but they aren’t easy to hunt or there would be none left. Just gotta put some miles on the boots.  Took me a good month of hunting once or twice a week and probably 20 miles of scouting to really find the hot zones back in the fall.


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## ucfireman (Jan 24, 2019)

chrislibby88 said:


> And the hogs are pretty much everywhere. Doesn’t mean you will see them every time you go out though. I only see pigs once out of every 3-4 trips. And I get a shot on probably half of the ones I see. I see fresh sign (as in less than 12 hours old) every time I go out.



Makes me feel a little better. 
The coon question was because I figure they fall into small game and I have only heard of hunting them at night.And I wasn't sure which animals were considered fur bearers. 
When you stalk do you stay on the roads and trails and look/listen or do you go into the thick and just bust through it? 
I have been staying on the trails till I see sign then go into the thicker stuff looking/listening all the while. We did do some heavy thick busting last trip but I didnt yesterday.


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## chrislibby88 (Jan 25, 2019)

ucfireman said:


> Makes me feel a little better.
> The coon question was because I figure they fall into small game and I have only heard of hunting them at night.And I wasn't sure which animals were considered fur bearers.
> When you stalk do you stay on the roads and trails and look/listen or do you go into the thick and just bust through it?
> I have been staying on the trails till I see sign then go into the thicker stuff looking/listening all the while. We did do some heavy thick busting last trip but I didnt yesterday.


I don’t really walk any closed roads, unless it’s for access to the area I want to hunt. Ive shot a few off of fire breaks, but I’m mainly walking in the woods,  creek bottoms, or along clear cut/ hardwood transitions. You gotta be where the pigs are, I feel like they pretty much avoid human traffic areas during daylight. If I find a game trail, I will walk it, as long as it heads the direction I need it to, but I’m usually picking through the woods/palmettos/thickets as quietly as possible.


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## Monroespapa (Jan 25, 2019)

Clybel


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## ucfireman (Jan 25, 2019)

Monroespapa said:


> Clybel


I have hunted deer there years ago, I know they have some. Are you saying they have a decent population?


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## Monroespapa (Jan 25, 2019)

ucfireman said:


> I have hunted deer there years ago, I know they have some. Are you saying they have a decent population?


I’m not saying that you got a hop out of your truck and shoot one in a half hour, But they have plenty. In fact, DNR has about a 30 foot trap set up in one of the Dove fields.


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## ucfireman (Feb 25, 2019)

Going to try Hannahatchee tomorrow, anyone got advise?


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## Jester896 (Feb 25, 2019)

stay safe


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## Barebowyer (Feb 25, 2019)

I got on hogs my very first time at Hannahatchee.  It was a couple of years ago.  I slid down a steep ridge and worked into the drainage and briars with a favorable wind.  Could have killed some within 25 yards with a gun but had my longbow and no opportunity for me.  It's nowhere near flat anywhere I seen...I was near the gun range


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