Kill more big hogs by putting them on a pattern

big hogs
The best way to consistently kill big hogs is by putting them into a pattern, then showing up on their schedule.

Force big hogs into a pattern for consistent success

Ever wonder how certain hunters consistently harvest big hogs? I’m talking about the 300+ pound behemoths we dream about when we get into hog hunting. Well read more to see how I pattern big hogs and keep them coming to my spots for clients and friends.

Find them

The first key to taking big hogs is finding them. Big hogs leave big sign. So finding them can be easy. Many landowners or clubs contact me with stories of a massive hog that terrorizes their feeders, or of a field with large rooting holes that make it difficult to harvest.

Large boars can be solitary creatures. But hunters can also find them courting groups of sows. Cameras will confirm your target’s presence. That’s when it’s time for a plan.

Keep the big hogs coming

Often when I find a large hog, I will keep him coming long enough to put a friend or client on him for their first hog. Many hunters travel a long way to come for this experience. Some come from states as far away as Pennsylvania to enjoy the hog hunting in the Carolinas.

To keep big hogs coming to your preferred location, reward them plentifully for showing up. A feeder keeps hogs coming to a location. But a feeder only throws out a limited bounty, and for a short time. Here is a better plan to keep them around.

Overbaiting

Over-baiting is a term I use for over-loading a bait sight so much that the hogs leave the area knowing there is much more food on the ground for them to return to later. Once I get a glimpse of a big hog, I load an area within view with a large amount of bait, usually a whole bag of whole corn. I now begin a pattern of over-baiting twice a week. Sunday and Wednesday are a great starting point.

Take note of the amount of time until the target hog hits the bait multiple times in a night. Once I get a sense of how soon the target hog hits the over-baiting, I now set up the hunting date for my client. The normal pattern involves baiting heavily the night before a planned hunt. This allows the hogs to come find a large reward, feed on it most of the night then go to their bedding area. Hopefully, a portion of bait is left for that second night when they return early to their new hot-spot only to find you.

This tactic has brought many a hog to us and most recently my son took a 311 pound boar I had prepped for a friend from Indiana that couldn’t make it. Reward that hog for a short time and it will mean big rewards for you.

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