Texas hogs help request

[DenverCountryBoy]

I am coming down to Texas in March to help a buddy drive back a truck. I would like to bring some free range pork meat home with me.

I will be in the Tyler area (city, not county), and up by Gilmer and Holly Lake Ranch. I'm looking for any property between there and Denver.

I am more than happy to help out the property owners however I can. I will adjust my hunting style to fit the property owners objectives. Whether that is only shooting the hogs that will be harvested for the freezer or doing pest reduction by setting snares with bait corn and jello and removing as many as I can from the local population.

I really appreciate any leads you can PM to me.

Thanks,

Jake

 

[Titan]

You may have a hard time finding someone who views it just as a hog control benefit and not a way to make a few hundred bucks a day. It seems like there are plenty of hunters willing to help control the population, but not many that are willing to pay to do it. I know a few that don't charge much, but finding pigs isn't guaranteed either.

 

[wytx]

You're going to have to pay to hunt them. Yes they are a menace but most landowners are trying to recoup some of the damage costs they cause with fee hunting. Look for a place that has no limits and allows some form of night hunting. That tells me they have a real problem and want them taken. Places with limits and trophy fees are likely in it for the money not population control.However like Titan said finding pigs is no guarantee, that's why some charge less than others too.
Lots of good hog outfitters and ranches in that area that could get you day hunts without lodging for a reasonable cost.
You might take a look at the Texas Hunting Forum, they have an outfitters and lease page with lots of options.

There is some public land hunting in eastern and NE Texas . You might look into what the NF has to offer or some other public access hunting areas.

PM sent

 

[DenverCountryBoy]

I know finding places is not easy, but I'm still going to try.

I don't think I was clear enough in the first post. I would prefer not to pay but I am willing to trade work for the right to hunt.

 

[boom]

i got to be friends with an old rancher. "Scooter". i think that was his legal name.

he told me the hog invasion is largely exaggerated. part of the PR plan to draw more hunters. he told me, he and his fellow ranchers actually have to buy hogs from other places to plant them. ranches with a real problem, trap them to sell to ranches that need them as hunter targets. he said hogs are a money maker..a hunter pays X amount to hunt some exotic. along comes an un-resistible hog. BOOM! animal down, hunter is happy and he paid for a more expensive animal. win-win.

it will be a long shot to find a free place to hunt hogs. even one that would be willing to let you mend fencing for it.

 

[LostArra]

Wild hogs in Texas are a problem species but still somewhat of a cash crop to most landowners. This doesn't mean the ranchers always come out ahead on damage vs hunt fees but they aren't desperate enough to allow free hunting.

Also, free range wild hogs are tough to hunt without just sitting on a feeder and even then it sometimes requires night hunting.

 

[TheCougar]

I’ve been in Texas for 6 months, which is long enough to figure out that hogs are a problem, but not a problem they are willing to solve unless you pay them money. Hog hunting is a business, not a solution to an invasive species. Ranches that have legitimate hog problems solve them by trapping and they make money by selling hunts. End of story. Sorry to be a Debbie Downer.

 

[Felix40]

Do you know anyone who lives in the Tyler area or just coming to pick up a truck from someone you dont know? Have you considered public land? What weapon would you prefer to hunt with? How long will you be in the area? I have some ideas for you but those answers would help me out.

 

[LostArra]

I’ve been in Texas for 6 months, which is long enough to figure out that hogs are a problem, but not a problem they are willing to solve unless you pay them money. Hog hunting is a business, not a solution to an invasive species. Ranches that have legitimate hog problems solve them by trapping and they make money by selling hunts. End of story. Sorry to be a Debbie Downer.

They also make money by selling the trapped hogs to hog hunting ranches. These are high fence operations which seems like a silly description since they are really "buried fence" operations. Hogs prefer digging out to jumping but they usually have some exotics penned up too.


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[boom]

Do you know anyone who lives in the Tyler area or just coming to pick up a truck from someone you dont know? Have you considered public land? What weapon would you prefer to hunt with? How long will you be in the area? I have some ideas for you but those answers would help me out.

Public land near Tyler Tx?? Wow that would be awesome. I lived in Texas most of my life. A found very little public land.

 

[cuerro viejo]

Public land near Tyler Tx?? Wow that would be awesome. I lived in Texas most of my life. A found very little public land.

Only 60miles from Davy Crockett’s NF

 

[Felix40]

Public land near Tyler Tx?? Wow that would be awesome. I lived in Texas most of my life. A found very little public land.

Theres plenty of public land in E Texas. More than a guy could realistically hunt in several seasons.

 

[Wacm]

Public land near Tyler Tx?? Wow that would be awesome. I lived in Texas most of my life. A found very little public land.

There is public hunting just west of big sandy. That’s not 25 minutes from Tyler. Tons of hogs in old Sabine bottom area.

 

[DenverCountryBoy]

Do you know anyone who lives in the Tyler area or just coming to pick up a truck from someone you dont know? Have you considered public land? What weapon would you prefer to hunt with? How long will you be in the area? I have some ideas for you but those answers would help me out.

Picking up the truck in Dallas. I have in-laws in Holly Lake Ranch and my sister's father in-law lives in Tyler.

 

[DenverCountryBoy]

There is public hunting just west of big sandy. That’s not 25 minutes from Tyler. Tons of hogs in old Sabine bottom area.

Old Sabine Bottom wma is on my radar.

 

[boom]

That is awesome! There isn’t much in West Tex.

 

[wytx]

Ask those in-laws. Local help would be a big plus. Surely they know someone with land.
Lots of NF in East Texas but it gets hunted pretty hard.
Lots of landowners trap as well as hunt their hogs. You can not get rid of them once they show up. And the damage is real, I have seen them completely root up an field in one night, destroying everything that was planted and making so many bomb craters the field could not be worked by a tractor until smoothed.
They are a fun and wary target. Hope you find a spot.

 

[DenverCountryBoy]

Definitely asking the in laws to ask around. But also trying to find access via other avenues.