2021 Hagerman Hog Hunt

[fakeworest]

Hi! I have been drawn for Segment B and I have only one public land hunt under my belt so I have a few questions for the experts:

I have only hunted hogs previously with semi-auto rifles and have only hunted birds with a shotgun. Would you recommend OO vs Slug? I'm not sure I'll feel comfortable enough with a bow yet.

My prior hog hunts have been eradication hunts on friends' large ranches where we sometimes just leave them where they lay. Is there a requirement to extract/dispose a harvested animal on a NWR?

Thanks!

[jnd1959]

Got to use non lead in whatever gun you use. I drew the same Hunt but will use my bow. My son is using his Crossbow. I think a slug would work better but I'd test them for accuracy.

[fakeworest]

Thanks. I chatted with the biologist and these are the bullet points:

1. Can leave them where they drop as long as not on a trail or road.
2. They did an aerial eradication a couple weeks ago and killed 300. She estimates that was less than 1/4 of the total population.
3. Around only 60 people paid for the tag so shouldn't be crowded.

[SC-001]

Non toxic shot only, don't show up with lead for you muzzleloader or shotgun, they're afraid some duck is gonna make it its breakfast...

[boomerball]

if you can get dialed in with some slugs, that would be my pick. have killed them with muzzleloader, but have also had times where more shots would have been beneficial. have had mixed results with buckshot, but could be user error (too far , bad shot, etc.); plenty of folks do kill lots o hogs with buckshot. double check whether slugs are allowed this year though ... the regs didn't include them as written for the draw, could have been an error since corrected though.

[hully1029]

snag a semi auto shotgun which holds 3.5s, load it with 00 or 000 buckshot and let er rip... within 30ish yards

[Razorback01]

Originally Posted by boomerball

if you can get dialed in with some slugs, that would be my pick. have killed them with muzzleloader, but have also had times where more shots would have been beneficial. have had mixed results with buckshot, but could be user error (too far , bad shot, etc.); plenty of folks do kill lots o hogs with buckshot. double check whether slugs are allowed this year though ... the regs didn't include them as written for the draw, could have been an error since corrected though.

Looks like the regs have been updated to address all buckshot as well as including slugs.

Shotguns with buckshot or non-toxic slugs, muzzleloaders, archery
equipment, airguns, and arrow guns may be used.

https://www.fws.gov/uploadedFiles/20...mit%20Hunt.pdf

[boomerball]

Originally Posted by Razorback01

Looks like the regs have been updated to address all buckshot as well as including slugs.

Shotguns with buckshot or non-toxic slugs, muzzleloaders, archery
equipment, airguns, and arrow guns may be used.

https://www.fws.gov/uploadedFiles/20...mit%20Hunt.pdf

good to know. i got a slug gun setup for the hunt last year, but didn't draw this year. first time in ~8yrs I won't be harassing the swine up there

[Texas Grown]

Razor, you left out a very important part.



"Only federally approved non-toxic shot (steel, bismuth, copper or tungsten) may be used for shotgun, muzzleloader, or airgun projectiles"


You know how some people are about "Well, the people on the internet said...".

[Razorback01]

That is why I linked to the actual document.

[ttubudd]

Originally Posted by fakeworest

Hi! I have been drawn for Segment B and I have only one public land hunt under my belt so I have a few questions for the experts:

I have only hunted hogs previously with semi-auto rifles and have only hunted birds with a shotgun. Would you recommend OO vs Slug? I'm not sure I'll feel comfortable enough with a bow yet.

My prior hog hunts have been eradication hunts on friends' large ranches where we sometimes just leave them where they lay. Is there a requirement to extract/dispose a harvested animal on a NWR?

Thanks!

Put in the miles through the thick stuff and you'll find them. If you have issues finding non-toxic shot, let me know. I'm in McKinney and stocked up for the last hunt. Would be happy to sell you a few boxes for what I paid for it if you're having trouble finding ammo.

[SC-001]

Originally Posted by ttubudd

Put in the miles through the thick stuff and you'll find them. If you have issues finding non-toxic shot, let me know. I'm in McKinney and stocked up for the last hunt. Would be happy to sell you a few boxes for what I paid for it if you're having trouble finding ammo.

Nice gesture. Do they actually check you or is it just the risk of being checked by a federal warden and the ticket for toxic shot thats deterrent?

[ttubudd]

Originally Posted by SC-001

Nice gesture. Do they actually check you or is it just the risk of being checked by a federal warden and the ticket for toxic shot thats deterrent?

They did check mine one year. Can't remember if it was at check in or what.

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[Texas Grown]

Why risk being checked at all? And/or possibly getting a ticket or worse? Do the right thing. Follow the rules. Live with a clear conscience. And have a great time.

[jnd1959]

I've stopped using lead broadheads and have switched to steel. I'm worried about penetration though, especially at distances over 30 yards...

Looking forward to this hunt. If I were you I'd go through your vehicle and bags with a fine tooth comb. I've heard horror stories of people with a few corn kernels stuck in the pickup bed getting a ticket. I know I've got some squirrel loads in the camper.

[ttubudd]

Originally Posted by jnd1959

I've stopped using lead broadheads and have switched to steel. I'm worried about penetration though, especially at distances over 30 yards...

Looking forward to this hunt. If I were you I'd go through your vehicle and bags with a fine tooth comb. I've heard horror stories of people with a few corn kernels stuck in the pickup bed getting a ticket. I know I've got some squirrel loads in the camper.

I had a full bag of corn (unopened, from the weekend before leftover after feeders were filled) at the hagerman deer hunt. Shot a buck and brought the deer to check in and they did not care for that at all. No ticket or trouble, but I did get a side eye and a few questions. If it had been opened, I think an accusation may have been made. I hadn't given it a second thought because I often drive around with a bag or two of corn in the bed.

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[Razorback01]

The folks at Hagerman are pretty easy-going, the asst manager as well as the guys that run the shop are good judges of humanity, do right- and it will be fine, do wrong and you may have issues.

[jnd1959]

Good to know. Most of the managers I've run into are good. It's the federal game wardens that have a reputation. But, I suspect they see a lot.

[SC-001]

Originally Posted by jnd1959

Good to know. Most of the managers I've run into are good. It's the federal game wardens that have a reputation. But, I suspect they see a lot.

One in particular for sure, the one I am thinking about is as crooked as they come

[fakeworest]

Went stomping around out there yesterday for the first time. Entered around the Meadow Pond Trail and went about a mile into the jungle near but not on the creek. It was thick and everything was dead. I'm have no idea how one should put on a stalk. I felt like I sounded like a commercial excavator moving every step in there. Not surprised I didn't see much but did scare a bunch of mallards in a small pond which I would have love to have seen on my duck hunt the day before.

[SC-001]

Did some stomping myself the other day, anyone else ever found the cemetery in Goode?

[Razorback01]

Originally Posted by SC-001

Did some stomping myself the other day, anyone else ever found the cemetery in Goode?

Only cemetery I'm aware of borders Goode. Pics?

[CrossTimbers]

Lots of pigs in there even after the helo eradication. They don't come close to getting them all.

[Army of Dad]

Originally Posted by fakeworest

Went stomping around out there yesterday for the first time. Entered around the Meadow Pond Trail and went about a mile into the jungle near but not on the creek. It was thick and everything was dead. I'm have no idea how one should put on a stalk. I felt like I sounded like a commercial excavator moving every step in there. Not surprised I didn't see much but did scare a bunch of mallards in a small pond which I would have love to have seen on my duck hunt the day before.

I sneak/spot & stalk pigs with bow on public all the time. I don’t kill nearly as many as I’d like, but it’s usually not too tough to get into archery range once you find them. The biggest thing is the wind. Keep it in your favor and you might be surprised what you can get away with.

If they are feeding they tend to make a bunch of noise and aren’t anything like as spooky as a whitetail. If they are bedded you might have to be more sneaky, but archery range is doable. The thick stuff you find them in presents real problems with archery shots. While scouting for the deer hunt I got within 25 yards of multiple pig groups, and one sow was leading her brood right toward me before she took a different trail at around 3-4 yards.

I’m still holding out a bit of hope to find some non-toxic buck shot, but if bit my group will just tote out bows.


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[jnd1959]

The way I read it we don't have an orientation. Just be there after start time on first day and hunt away. Anybody have anything different?

[Scoutdog]

No orientation, but the email I received said check in/out is through an app.

From the email:
"Due to COVID, check-in, check-out, and reporting of hogs taken will be done electronically through an app called GroupMe. You can download the app at www . groupme . com, or find it on the app store. It is free and will be a closed group specific only to your hunt segment then deleted the following day."

[Razorback01]

Originally Posted by Scoutdog

No orientation, but the email I received said check in/out is through an app.

From the email:
"Due to COVID, check-in, check-out, and reporting of hogs taken will be done electronically through an app called GroupMe. You can download the app at www . groupme . com, or find it on the app store. It is free and will be a closed group specific only to your hunt segment then deleted the following day."

GroupMe seemed to work well during the deer hunts. I used it on a laptop (at the checkstation) as I couldn't access the app store on my old iPhone5.

[Army of Dad]

Y’all check your email for some good news.


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