As the sun began to descend and the shadows began to grow, the temperature dipped back into a more tolerable level. It was then I left the comfort of my airconditioned truck and began heading towards a muddy slough I knew probably held some hogs. As I approached this slough, I knew that the odds of me slipping in close enough to them for a shot would be very slim. Even if I were lucky enough to slip up on them it would be tough to get off more than one or two shots in the thick tangle of vines and brush surrounding the slough. However, I had a plan.
One of the biggest things I enjoy as a hunter is the planning stages of the hunt. To form a good plan, you need intel on your intended quarry. This intel does not always require that you physically scout out your properties before the hunt. You can glean lots of information from other means such as using good old common sense and logic. Hogs have no sweat glands so they cannot cool off by sweating. The most reliable means they have to stay cool is wallowing in mud holes near or in water. As the heat of summer increases, this becomes even more relevant information. Also, there is generally less water during summer so this will help pinpoint where you will focus your efforts. Finding a water source near a food source is even better. With this in mind, you will certainly increase your odds, but there is still another piece of the puzzle. Hogs have natural defenses that must also be accounted for in the plan. If the wind direction is wrong, all is for naught. Hogs have incredible noses capable of detecting your approach long before you can get to them. They also have great big ears that are not just for show. Even if you have the wind right, they will probably hear you slipping through the briars and brush before you see them.
So now that you know where they should be, accounted for their defenses, and how to defeat them lets us look at their weaknesses. Hogs by nature are very vocal and gregarious. They are also very protective and territorial. Here comes the most vital part of the plan and the final part of the puzzle. Use the hogs’ natural instincts to make them come to you instead of you going to them. This not only eliminates your need to enter his sanctuary, but if you have chosen the location well, they will have no way of detecting your presence with their eyes, ears, and noses. Simply get as close to their location as possible. Now that you have all the puzzle pieces together you are ready to begin calling.
Hog sounds require an exceptionally good caller to accurately reproduce the gamut of sounds that hogs make. In other words, hogs produce not only high-pitched squeals but also extremely low guttural grunts. Often at the same time. The Convergent Bullet HP and Sidewinder use exceptional high-fidelity, cone-type speakers that do an excellent job of reproducing these sounds. Using the Convergent “Wild Hog Pro” app, I will usually start out with a subtle sound such as “Sow Grunts” to see if I can get a response. Often you will hear them vocalizing back as they are coming to the call. If after a couple of minutes, I have not gotten a response I will often change to a more up-tempo sound such as “The Rally”. If still no response after another two to three minutes I will often change to “Sow Hysteria”. This is a great sequence to use to call whole sounders and/or lone boars. If you are wanting to specifically target large boars then I would concentrate on using any of the sounds denoted on the Wild Hog Pro app with the (B) before the title. If you have done your homework and followed good fundamentals, then they should respond.
Many are now realizing just how effective calling hogs can be at any time of the year. Calling hogs in the summer can also be extremely effective because of their need to congregate around water sources. Calling hogs in the summer can be some of the most fun and productive. Nothing is much better than watching a plan come together as a sounder of hogs emerge from the brush full tilt coming to the call. It will almost make you forget the summer heat.
Written by Byron South.
Byron South is a professional hunter with over 40 years of experience calling animals not only in the US, but across multiple countries, and continents.