Feral Hog Hunting: How to Hunt, Trap and Cook Wild Pigs

By Ben Ryder •

Feral hogs are the one big-game animal most hunters can pursue any day of the year. In Texas there is no closed season and no bag limit on private land, landowners want them gone, and a young sow is some of the best wild meat you will ever cook. They are also smart, tough and quick to learn from mistakes, which is why hog hunting rewards hunters who think like a trapper and shoot like a deer hunter.

The crew of A Sportsman’s Life, Jeff Rice, Luke Clayton and Larry Weishuhn, has hunted, trapped and cooked hogs in more than 250 episodes from North and East Texas. This guide pulls their practical approach together with current rules and research from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Texas Parks and Wildlife and the CDC.

Tips from the field on A Sportsman's Life
Tips from the field on A Sportsman’s Life. Watch: Hog Hunting Tips. Image: A Sportsman’s Life / CarbonTV.

Why there are so many feral hogs

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service estimates the U.S. feral swine population likely exceeds 6 million animals and puts damage at up to $2.5 billion a year. Texas carries the biggest share. A Texas A&M AgriLife study put the state’s population at about 2.6 million in 2012, and a 2020 AgriLife report said at least 3.5 million.

The reason is biology. According to AgriLife research, sows can breed at about 8 months old, average more than five piglets per litter and produce about 1.5 litters a year. The same study found hunters and trappers would need to remove about 66 percent of the population every year just to hold numbers steady. Recreational hunting helps, but it does not solve the problem alone, and that is why serious landowners combine hunting with trapping.

Do you need a license to hunt hogs in Texas?

Not on private land with the landowner’s permission. Since a 2019 state law took effect, Texas Parks and Wildlife says no hunting license is required to hunt feral hogs on private property with landowner authorization. Hunter education requirements still apply, and a license is required to hunt hogs on public land.

Feral hogs are not a protected game animal in Texas, so they may be taken at any time on private property, day or night, with no bag limit. Rules in other states vary widely; several prohibit hog hunting at night or restrict it on public land, so check your state wildlife agency before you go.

Hunting hogs at night with thermal

Hogs turn nocturnal fast under hunting pressure, so a lot of serious hog hunting in Texas happens after dark. Thermal scopes and night vision changed the game by letting hunters identify hogs, pick out a mature boar or a meat-sized sow, and place a careful shot at a feeder or crop field.

A night hunt with a thermal scope
A night hunt with a thermal scope. Watch: Thermal Hog. Image: A Sportsman’s Life / CarbonTV.

A few habits from A Sportsman’s Life thermal hunts are worth copying. Play the wind every time; a hog’s nose is its best defense. Let the whole group settle in before you shoot. And call the local game warden as a courtesy before a night hunt so a spotlight or shot does not trigger a call from a neighbor. Watch A Thermal Hog Hunt and A Thermal Air Gun Hog Hunt to see how the crew sets up.

Where to shoot a hog

A hog’s vitals sit low and forward in the chest, tucked tight behind the front leg. On a broadside hog, aim just behind the shoulder and low in the chest, or put the bullet just behind the ear for a quick, clean kill at close range. A shot that drifts back hits the gut and leads to a long tracking job.

Mature boars grow a shield, a thick layer of tough tissue over the shoulders. Extension research describes it as averaging about an inch thick and reaching two inches in old boars. Whether it actually stops bullets has never been tested scientifically, but it is one more reason to use a well-constructed bullet and avoid marginal shots on big boars.

How to trap feral hogs

Trapping is where most hogs come off a property. AgriLife’s guidance comes down to one idea: catch the whole sounder, not a few hogs. Hogs that escape a trap or watch others get caught become trap-shy and much harder to remove.

  • Use a corral trap for groups. Large corral traps built from livestock panels can hold an entire sounder. Small box traps work when cameras show only a few hogs.
  • Pre-bait with the gate open. Let hogs feed comfortably inside the trap for several days before setting it. Soured corn is a proven bait.
  • Watch with a trail camera. Count the hogs and do not trigger the trap until every one of them is coming in.
  • Pick the right gate. Rooter and saloon gates can let more hogs in after the first catch. Remote-triggered drop gates let you close the door when the whole group is inside.
Trapping is the backbone of hog control
Trapping is the backbone of hog control. Watch: Trapping Hogs. Image: A Sportsman’s Life / CarbonTV.

Texas has strict rules on what happens next. Under Texas Animal Health Commission rules, trapped live hogs may only be moved to an approved slaughter plant, holding facility or authorized hunting preserve, and releasing them elsewhere is illegal. See the crew’s methods in Trapping Hogs and Catching Hogs in the Pig Brig.

Is wild hog meat safe to eat?

Yes, when you handle and cook it right. Feral hogs can carry diseases that infect people, including swine brucellosis and trichinellosis. A CDC report traced brucellosis cases in hunters to field-dressing feral hogs without protection.

  • Wear rubber or latex gloves and eye protection when field dressing.
  • Avoid contact with blood and reproductive organs, and clean knives and hands afterward.
  • Cook wild pork to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit and check it with a meat thermometer. That is the CDC’s current recommendation for wild game to kill Trichinella parasites. The 145-degree guideline for store-bought pork does not apply to wild hogs.
  • Do not count on freezing, smoking or drying to make raw wild pork safe. The CDC says freezing might not be enough.

How to cook wild pork

Wild hogs are lean, so they cook more like venison than farm pork. Young sows and smaller boars make the best table fare. Luke Clayton, the show’s camp cook and a longtime Texas outdoor writer, has said boars of about 190 pounds or less eat well, while big old boars belong in sausage. Remove the reproductive organs cleanly to avoid tainting the meat.

From the field to the table with wild pork
From the field to the table with wild pork. Watch: Field to Table. Image: A Sportsman’s Life / CarbonTV.

Low, slow and moist works best: braise shoulders, smoke hams, and grind the rest. A Sportsman’s Life has cooked wild pork just about every way, from Field to Table Wild Pork Sweet and Sour to Making Sausage and a bone-in smoked wild hog ham in Thermal Hog Hunt.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a season on feral hogs in Texas?

No. Feral hogs are unprotected in Texas and may be taken at any time on private property with no bag limit.

Do I need a hunting license to hunt hogs in Texas?

Not on private land with the landowner’s consent. A license is required on public land.

Can you hunt hogs at night in Texas?

Yes, on private land, including with lights and thermal optics. Calling the local game warden first is a good courtesy.

What temperature should wild hog be cooked to?

At least 165 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature, checked with a thermometer, per current CDC guidance for wild game.

What is the best way to get rid of feral hogs?

Trapping the entire sounder at once, backed by hunting. Partial catches educate the survivors.

Watch hog hunts on CarbonTV

A Sportsman’s Life streams free on CarbonTV. Good places to start:

See every episode at A Sportsman’s Life on CarbonTV.

The post Feral Hog Hunting: How to Hunt, Trap and Cook Wild Pigs appeared first on AllOutdoor.com.

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