They say that wild hogs think with their stomach, thus using a bait turns out to be the most effective way to lure them out in the open. There is a broad range of choices to use as the best ways to attract wild hogs as they are known to be omnivores. Being able to consume both plants and animals gives you a lot of option and that is just a great factor when it comes to knowing how to bait wild hogs.
Wild hogs can eat acorns, snakes, crawfish, even fresh plant roots. There are also ready-made baits sold in stores which you can also use. However, to make the process even more effective for you, we'll show you the proper way of baiting wild hogs. Equipping yourself with the best options for bait and the appropriate steps in setting it up will give you an edge on baiting wild hogs quickly and effectively.
Things You’ll Need
As there can be numerous ways and strategies to bait wild hogs, few have come up with a bait that is both simple and sophisticated. Other than that, your bait doesn’t need to be that expensive especially in today’s economy. Below are the only things you need to make this kind of bait:
- 5 Gallon Bucket - This should usually cost $5 or less
- Feed corn - This is retailed for $6
- Fruit drink or Kool-Aid Mix - Prepare approximately $3 for this ingredient
- Yeast - $1.
Steps:
- Fill up the 5 gallon bucket with approximately 15 to 20 pounds of corn
- Combine your drink mix and yeast
- Next, fill in the bucket with water until it is 1-inch above the corn
- Keep it for storage in your garage for 3 to 5 days.
You can watch this video to learn on how to make a hog bait for a little cost.
What Are Wild Hogs?
Wild hogs are mammals with stockily built bodies, flat snouts, small eyes and large ears. They come from the Suidae family with around 16 known species. They also live within a group called sounders and usually strive within grasslands, wetlands, rainforest and savannas. During hot seasons, they tend to spend time wallowing in wet, muddy areas.
Also, they're known to be intelligent species and can communicate with each other through grunts and squeaks. As opportunistic eaters, they usually feed during the night and twilight hours. They, too, are very fond of crops such as sweet corns, potatoes, wheat, and peanuts.
How To Bait Wild Hogs?
Like any other tasks, there are proper procedures to know for baiting wild hogs. Now that you know a little bit about wild hogs, we have prepared a guide for you to follow so you could bait a wild hog successfully. Here are the steps in getting the hogs come into your bait:
Familiarize Yourself With The Law
Before doing anything, the first and one of the most important things you need to do is to acquaint yourself with the laws about hog-baiting. There are varying rules and regulations regarding baiting and trapping wild hogs in each state. Ensure that you check your local and state hunting regulations to avoid any future issues.
Choose And Prepare The Bait
Earlier, we mentioned that wild hogs would eat almost anything. They are omnivores, after all. Thus, whether it will be plants or animal meat will make good bait. It is also your choice if you opt to go with wild hog baits that are readily available at stores or you can prepare them yourself. Either way, you must choose a bait that you feel is most suitable for you.
You must also consider that wild hogs often go for scent. The more pungent the smell of your bait is, the more likely it will attract wild hogs towards it. Going for something familiar or one of the natural foods of wild hogs like sweet corn can be another thing to consider. However, it is also best to include a little bit of sweetness mixed with it since wild hogs have a thing for the sweet stuff.
Conditioning Wild Hogs By Pre-Baiting
Another most important step you need to keep in mind is pre-baiting. This process increases your chances of catching wild hogs. It will also condition the wild hogs to explore and lured into the trap site with its continuous visits for food. It should usually take around 1 to 2 weeks. You need to have utmost patience, so the wild hogs are conditioned into safely going in and out of the trap before you finally decide to go for the catch.
To begin pre-baiting, make sure to securely open your trap door to avoid any premature capture that may jeopardize the conditioning process for the wild hogs. It is also best to have the perfect-sized trap door, not too small and not too large. While pre-baiting, wild hogs should be able to enter and leave the trap with ease. Scatter your bait on the ground inside the trap and remember to maintain a constant supply of bait.
Setting Up The Trap
Now that you've performed pre-baiting, it's finally time to go for the kill. Scouting for the perfect location to set up your trap is important. It's best to place the traps along hog trails. Wild hogs often travel along water sources such as creeks and watering holes.
You can choose which type of trap (Click here if you want to learn about Best Coyote Traps) you'll use in catching a wild hog. Whichever you have opted for, just remember to place your bait heavily inside and on the opposite side of the trigger mechanism. On the other hand, put a little amount of bait around the trigger mechanism.
Your goal is to have more wild hogs come in to feed on the heavily baited side of the trap then afterward switch sides near the trigger mechanism which will eventually set it off. Placing the bait strategically will give you more chances of catching wild hogs easily. Meanwhile, don't forget to check your trap daily. You're dealing with an intelligent animal and as such wild hogs will most likely figure out how to escape your trap if they're left alone for a long period.
Final Thoughts
Baiting wild hogs requires more than just a preparation. A great strategy, a tremendous amount of patience and a keen attention to details also play a crucial part. Combined with basic knowledge of their behavior in the wild will make it easier for you to achieve your goal of baiting and catching wild hogs. Once you have applied all of these, you are well on your way to a great and productive experience.
Did you find this information helpful for your next possible quest of baiting wild hogs? If you have other suggestions, please feel free to leave them in the comment box below. For now, the best of luck on exploring ways on baiting wild hogs!
See Also:
7 of the Best Deer Baits (#5 Will Surprise You!)
5 of the Absolute Best Coyote Baits