Hog hunting in Pearl River WMA

[Hoggin]

Congratulations! You will never run out the supply of them in there, so if you really enjoy eating those nasty bastards you will have a year round hobby of fun and excitement!

Maybe one weekend I will join you! Deer season ended Saturday night for me, and I am already in DT's.

Ha! Yeah, I'm treble hooked on hoggin. I've never shot a deer yet. Frankly, being able to take multiple beasts in an hour gets me pretty excited. I can only hog hunt until Feb 28, so I've got 3 weekends left to hunt before the brief May hunting period this year. Time to fill up those freezers quick!

Santa got me an electric smoker for Christmas (damn that guy knows what to get!). I pluged it in for the first time yesterday. Smoked the ribs from 4 hogs plus some tenderloins and a front leg quarter and a rear leg quarter. The tenderloins were awesome, the ribs were great (added a little Stubs Original at the end). Vacuum sealed the leg quarters because I'll already be eating smoked hog ribs for the rest of the week. Everyone at my little Superbowl get together said how awesome the ribs were and nearly everyone had seconds or thirds. It's great meat. No game taste at all. Before I smoked them (using applewood - smoked at 225` for 7 hours), I brined them for 24 hours with 4 gallons distilled water, 4 cups salt, 1/2 cup brown sugar, bunch of onions, garlic, rosemary and bay leaves.

Then I deboned four leg quarters to have smoked sausage made at Starvation Landing in Madisonville.

Then this morning I dropped off 81#s of meat on the bone at DD in Sun (Bush) and will get 1/2 made into jalapeno & cheese smoked sausage, and the other 1/2 made into plain ole ground pork.

Threw some tenderloins and backstraps in the deep freeze and gave away 1/4 of the meat on the bone to friends at my house last night.

And that's why I'm trebble hooked on hoggin -- three hogs in one hour, and all that meat, given away to lots of people and filling my freezer. I'll take these NASTY HOGS all day long!

 

[NORSEWOLF]

I'm planning on makings a few hunts in the pearl.
Question about allowed guns.
What can be used and when?
Black powder? 300 Blk? Shotguns?
I'm flush with boats. Planning on going in by water.
Advice welcome. Previous Hogggin has been in Texas.
Very different.

Norsewolf

 

[buckedup]

Went 2 weeks ago with a buddy of mine we ended up with 3 between us. All 50 to 60 pounds. Perfect size

 

[Hoggin]

Emperor, I'm definitely game to hog stalk with you but probably wont be able to until May. My kids and other hunting buddies are lined up to finish February. If I get a spot in the boat in Feb I'll message you.

Norsewolf, the hunting regulations can be found here. Pearl is on page 86. http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/sites/...015_louisiana_hunting_regulations_low_res.pdf Basically, you can hunt hogs in Pearl during any other normal hunting season. Right now, only small game rabbit and squirrel is open. Since small game is rimfire only, you can only take hogs with rimfire .17 or .22 (or 5mm if you have one of those old cool bang sticks!!). I use a .22 Magnum with the highest velocity ammo (CCI Maxi Mag) and force (pounds of pressure at roughly 25 yards) possible. My other son dropped a hog with one shot last weekend with a .22LR (CCI Velocitor ammo) which is also hyper velocity hollow point. The weekend before I had to shoot a 120# hog 13 times in the head with .22LR round nose to get him to pass on. After that I went highest velocity possible, hollow point, shots to the upper neck (3-4 inches behind the ear). The hyper velocity hollow points just shred the neck, throat, spine, wind pipe, etc. and you don't have to worry about penetrating their thick skull armor. My point is... ammo matters. Don't just grab any ole ammo. Highest velocity possible hollow point shots to the upper neck.

You can carry a sidearm, any caliber, if you have your concealed carry permit. And I must admit that having 13 rounds of .45 on my hip makes me feel a little better in case all hell breaks lose like it nearly did with my other son and nephew...

My other son was hunting with my nephew this past Saturday. They were stalking through the woods and, "Uncle Brian, all of a sudden there was a huge hog in front of us. Maybe 10 feet. He just popped out from behind a bush. He was the size of a COW! He saw us instantly and ran off. I was so startled by how big he was that I froze and nearly crapped my pants!" HaHa!! Welcome to hog stalking with .22s. If the "cow hog" (500#s I guess) had not instantly run off a .22 would not have been the weapon of choice.

Emperor had some excellent advise on locating hogs earlier in this thread. Just read his old posts. I don't hunt where he suggested anymore only because I stumbled upon a honey hole in a different location, but his advise is excellent. My advise on locating hogs in Pearl is to go where no one else goes. The fewer the people, the more comfortable hogs will be sunbathing on the banks or chillin' in a hammock waiting for you to walk up on them. We walked up on 6 sleeping hogs Saturday and took 3 of them in just a few seconds. We could have had a few more, but I made a few bad calls earlier in the day which is all part of learning. I'm still new to this. Been hog hunting for 1.5 years (mostly using a corn feeder and a scout cam which made it almost too easy) and have been stalking at pearl for only three months or so. I'm still making rookie mistakes.

 

[Emperor]

Emperor, I'm definitely game to hog stalk with you but probably wont be able to until May. My kids and other hunting buddies are lined up to finish February. If I get a spot in the boat in Feb I'll message you.

Do you really think I became a master animal killer without having my own boat? You can't learn the ways of the Pearl by bumming boat rides off of others!

My biggest issue with going is having to drive from Baton Rouge to the boat launch!

When I step off my boat onto the banks of the Mgt Area, it's going to be like Mac Arthur returning to the Philippines!

 

[Hoggin]

Ha!

Well, hells bells Mac Arthur. We will be out Saturday morning in my buddie's 14' flat bottom, then Sunday morning with my 21' center console named "Feelin' Nauti" (presuming it gets out of the shop on Friday as promised). Saturday we will launch from the Eastern side of I-12 hopefully at daybreak, Sunday we will launch at the Eastern hwy 90 launch hopefully at daybreak as well.

 

[Emperor]

Ha!

Well, hells bells Mac Arthur. We will be out Saturday morning in my buddie's 14' flat bottom, then Sunday morning with my 21' center console named "Feelin' Nauti" (presuming it gets out of the shop on Friday as promised). Saturday we will launch from the Eastern side of I-12 hopefully at daybreak, Sunday we will launch at the Eastern hwy 90 launch hopefully at daybreak as well.

Let's talk in May! I am just coming off of a steady regimen of hunting everyday since October 1. In fact, I think I only missed 7 days the whole season, and those were due to weather episodes I just didn't feel like dealing with.

Quite honestly, I owe my wife a break!

 

[NORSEWOLF]

What is best size boat.
I have a deep V however. It need a little deeper water
Than a Bayboat.
Also a 17' Bassboat and a 14' Bateau.
Pirogue to bring along with power boat.
Norsewolf

 

[Emperor]

What is best size boat.
I have a deep V however. It need a little deeper water
Than a Bayboat.
Also a 17' Bassboat and a 14' Bateau.
Pirogue to bring along with power boat.
Norsewolf

Depends on where you want to go. However, you will find the Bateau will get you places in their where the casual weekend warrior dare not go. And that Sir; is the secret!

 

[Hoggin]

Depends on where you want to go. However, you will find the Bateau will get you places in their where the casual weekend warrior dare not go. And that Sir; is the secret!

Completely agree! The deeper you go the better (...and my kids would add, "That's what she said!"). Hoggies don't like us, so fewer peeps = lotsa hoggies.
I'm headed out Saturday in my buddy's 14' flat bottom and we will be able to get to the deep nether regions. Sunday I'll be in my bay boat that draws 18" and if tide is high I can get back there, otherwise I'll just play the hand I'm dealt.

Another tip is to look for signs along the bank like spots where grass won't grow (like a gator has rubbed it smooth) or tracks. When you see this, tie your boat to a tree and walk around for 20 minutes. Be on guard though because they tend to walk up on you just like you can walk up on them. My average shot has probably been 15 or 20 feet. If you walk up to one sleeping, know that as soon as you pull the trigger a bunch of other hoggies are likely sleeping around there too and will jump to life as soon as your bang stick goes bang. Double tap to the head/neck then reacquire another target. If you see one on the bank and he slowly walks off, anchor your boat, turn off and lift your motor, and wait 5 minutes. If you don't spook them too bad often they will come back in a few minutes. You can legally shoot hoggies in Pearl from your boat if you are stopped and motor is off and out of the water. Last weekend we would have had a 4th hoggy but he was spooked by my motor trimming up... oh well... just a few more seconds (..."that's what she said!"!).

Cruising some of the waterways with your quiet electric trolling motor is not a bad idea if you can lift it out of the water quietly. Hoggies are not that perceptive.

 

[Emperor]

Completely agree! The deeper you go the better (...and my kids would add, "That's what she said!"). Hoggies don't like us, so fewer peeps = lotsa hoggies.
I'm headed out Saturday in my buddy's 14' flat bottom and we will be able to get to the deep nether regions. Sunday I'll be in my bay boat that draws 18" and if tide is high I can get back there, otherwise I'll just play the hand I'm dealt.

Another tip is to look for signs along the bank like spots where grass won't grow (like a gator has rubbed it smooth) or tracks. When you see this, tie your boat to a tree and walk around for 20 minutes. Be on guard though because they tend to walk up on you just like you can walk up on them. My average shot has probably been 15 or 20 feet. If you walk up to one sleeping, know that as soon as you pull the trigger a bunch of other hoggies are likely sleeping around there too and will jump to life as soon as your bang stick goes bang. Double tap to the head/neck then reacquire another target. If you see one on the bank and he slowly walks off, anchor your boat, turn off and lift your motor, and wait 5 minutes. If you don't spook them too bad often they will come back in a few minutes. You can legally shoot hoggies in Pearl from your boat if you are stopped and motor is off and out of the water. Last weekend we would have had a 4th hoggy but he was spooked by my motor trimming up... oh well... just a few more seconds (..."that's what she said!"!).

Cruising some of the waterways with your quiet electric trolling motor is not a bad idea if you can lift it out of the water quietly. Hoggies are not that perceptive.

Well, well! Ain't we the expert all of a sudden!

 

[Hoggin]

Not an expert yet, but I learn fast and had some good guidance!

Notice I have not talked about the half dozen trips I made Nov-Jan and came home with a big mac in one hand and a full magazine in the other.

 

[Emperor]

Not an expert yet, but I learn fast and had some good guidance!

Notice I have not talked about the half dozen trips I made Nov-Jan and came home with a big mac in one hand and a full magazine in the other.

Be proud! You've earned your success! You are a doer! I have had many people ask for advice on how to hunt that place, and almost all but yourself were just blowing smoke!

Now go forward with your knowledge and prosper, young Grasshopper!

And take a kid whenever you can!

 

[Hoggin]

Busted out this weekend. One piglet and one squirrel Saturday and a big goose egg Sunday. Showed up Saturday and two boats were running dogs in my fav spot. An hour later three more boats were running dogs there. I figured that spot was done for the weekend (probably until the next heavy rain with all that dog urine and scent in the area) and that turned out to be true.

I did, however, stumble upon a fresh carcass of a 175-200# hog (body was limp and only 2 flies on it). Nice big one. Someone field dressed it (removed head and guts) then just left it there to rot. Guess they got tired of dragging it. *******! If you don't want to drag 150#s of dead hog 1/2 a mile to shore then don't shoot it! Looks like they used dogs too because there was a knife wound to the lungs and it would be tough to get the entry angle with a bow (and it's not bow season).

Loving the dog runners this weekend. Everyone has the right to hunt PRWMA and run dogs if they want, I get it. But don't waste animals. I did a little scouting and found a good new spot, so the weekend wasn't wasted. Got some good exercise too.

 

[Hoggin]

 

[Andrew28DiRocco]

Looking to hunt hogs and squirrel this weekend I am new here and need a lot of help. I do not have a boat what do you suggest.

 

[Hoggin]

I've seen some squirrel off of Old Hwy 11 but no hogs. Have spoken to people who have taken hogs off of Hwy 11, but I've not seen any in two scouting trips. My guess would be to take Old Hwy 11, then turn South, but that's a guess only. Most of the hoggin I've done has been by boat.

 

[Andrew28DiRocco]

I appreciate the help is that called oil well road?

 

[Andrew28DiRocco]

Also do I need to wear hunter orange? What is the check in situation do I need to check in and out, and is a wma permit enough with a basic hunting license or do I need something else to hunt Pearl river? Turkey loads are legal for squirrel season? Sorry I just moved here.

 

[Emperor]

Also do I need to wear hunter orange? What is the check in situation do I need to check in and out, and is a wma permit enough with a basic hunting license or do I need something else to hunt Pearl river? Turkey loads are legal for squirrel season? Sorry I just moved here.

Whoa, General Patton! That's like using an artillery battery to disperse a peaceful sit-in protest.

6 shot game loads (When I used to destroy squirrels with a shotgun my preferred load was always Remington Express or Winchester Super Heavy game loads). High brass if you will. And that is the most I would ever use.

You Sir, need to go to Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries website and search specifically for the hunting regulation to hunt within the PRWMA.

Also, if you just moved here and you have not established residency yet; you may need to get an out of state License. Don't go in there without having your **** straight!

Orange is not required outside of deer season.