Canoe Hog Hunting in Pearl River WMA ?

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  • Hoggin

    Well-Known Member
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    Nov 17, 2014
    165
    16
    Madisonville
    I've spent the last five or so years at Pearl hunting hogs with mostly good results. Last year (2016-17) was terrible. In general, I've learned that the hogs are where the people are not. Last year on opening day I brought my bow (new to bow hunting). Missed a 200# boar just before day break because I didn't have enough natural light and was too impatient to wait five minutes, then an hour later missed another 200#er because my nerves got to me. Proceeded to hear at least 1500 gun shots the rest of opening day around Old Hwy 11. In 2016-17 I saw only a few hogs the rest of the season going in on foot and by bay boat including my normal honey holes. My center console draws too deep to get me where I want to go sometimes, so I'm strongly considering buying a canoe with an electric motor to get to the deep areas where other hunters are not. After last season I'm convinced all that gun fire and human scent makes the hogs go mostly nocturnal or move to where they don't hear the gun shots and feel more comfortable. I think that's deep into the heart of Pearl. WalMart sells a 15.6 foot canoe with a 800# weight capacity for $500 + $200 for a motor and battery -- not too bad.

    Just wondering if anyone has tried this tactic in pearl... approach by small, stealth boat (electric motor) in the winding canals of Pearl.
     

    Bigchillin83

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    Feb 27, 2012
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    Livingston
    I hunt in the swamps like that, and it's killer!!! Super quiet and cover a lot of ground... I e never hunted the pearl. But I know what you mean, get way back real quiet.... It has worked for me for 10 years or so, but most of mine is paddling by Pirouge... You would be suprised how close you can get to them with a kayak paddle and a Pirouge. And that's easy to get back there in your bay boat and dump the Pirouge in the water... Plus just a heads up, gotta watch local laws it's illegal to shoot a gun at game while a "transome mounted" motor is in motion and in the water... Legally I think the motor has to be off and out of the water wether it's a trolling motor or outboard, now there's a loop hole, you can hunt with it if you have lost a limb (handicap) or if it's mounted anywhere other than the transom... That's why I usually just use a 12-14' Pirouge, they are light and glide in the water. Usually wear hip boots and get out when need be, and stop every now and then for 20 mins or so to rest and watch lol
     

    buckedup

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    May 31, 2014
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    Tylertown Ms.
    I picked up a 14 foot flat and an 8 hp this summer. Gets 10 to 17 mph depending upon load and people I also have a bow mounted trolling motor so sounds like I can get through the loophole. I wanted to check out the pearl myself this year. I have had had some success off of old 11 as well
     

    Nail Gun

    Blissfully Ignorant
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    Aug 18, 2010
    846
    18
    Slidell
    I would be scared of running across The Honey Island Swamp Monster,

    Don't know how real it it is, Some say its a real deal?

    I've never seen anything personally. One time I heard a few tree knocks. The type that people associate with bigfoot. Knowing the area I was in I was hard-pressed to beleive anyone was around. I drove the road, checked the parking area that could lead to where the sound came from. There were no other vehicles in sight. It was fairly deep on the eastern side of Oilwell Rd. Not really accessible except for the trail I was on. No, it was not a woodpecker either. It was just enough to make me wonder.
     

    Gator 45/70

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    I've never seen anything personally. One time I heard a few tree knocks. The type that people associate with bigfoot. Knowing the area I was in I was hard-pressed to beleive anyone was around. I drove the road, checked the parking area that could lead to where the sound came from. There were no other vehicles in sight. It was fairly deep on the eastern side of Oilwell Rd. Not really accessible except for the trail I was on. No, it was not a woodpecker either. It was just enough to make me wonder.

    I've been in there a couple of times, Cant say I'll ever hunt in there again.
     

    Bigchillin83

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    Feb 27, 2012
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    Livingston
    I will say hunting in the swamp, 99.9999% of the time I use a BIG BORE LEVERGUN, Im a sucker for a lever gun as it is, b. They are curious my nature but very sneaky, so they will wait till you pass and are on ut split it up between one of my marlin 1894 .44mag or marlin 1895(g or gbl) 45-70. I cant afford to track a deer/hog in the swamp, I just much prefer the big bore 1 shot flop. Gotta watch also more times than I can count I have passed deer up paddling to look behind me and 30 yards or so there would be deer standing there looking at me tryin to figure out what the heck I amyour way to check you out. Makes for a hard shot behind you, but has paid off several times
     

    Bigchillin83

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    Feb 27, 2012
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    and of course for GODS sake never hunt in these situation or any for that matter with out a pistol on you!!!! If your way back in the sticks and flip your canoe or pirogue, its very comforting to know if I lost my rifle I got a back up!!!! I got a new one to pack around with me now Glock 40mos 10mm, cant wait to pack it around
     

    LACamper

    oldbie
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    Jun 3, 2007
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    and of course for GODS sake never hunt in these situation or any for that matter with out a pistol on you!!!! If your way back in the sticks and flip your canoe or pirogue, its very comforting to know if I lost my rifle I got a back up!!!! I got a new one to pack around with me now Glock 40mos 10mm, cant wait to pack it around

    That's why everything gets tied to the canoe...
     

    Bigchillin83

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    Feb 27, 2012
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    Livingston
    this is true!!!!!

    but I was more less referring to how I hunt, usually rifle laying on extra life jacket at my feet on floor or pirogue or across my lap..
     

    Hoggin

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    Nov 17, 2014
    165
    16
    Madisonville
    Yes, large caliber is best for hog stalking when appropriate for the hunting season in effect (I prefer my Marlin .444 XLR lever action). Pearl has about six weeks of primitive and firearm season this year which leaves about 15 weeks of small game season. Those 15 weeks of small game season is .22 Magnum (Magnum Research semi-auto or Henry lever action) time for hoggin. I also carry the Glock 10mm on my hip and highly recommend it over the .45ACP due to increased stopping power and 13 round magazine capacity.

    Regarding having to power-off your motor and lift the prop out of the water... I'm familiar with that rule as I've hunted from boat in Pearl a lot. An officer from the N.O. branch explained to me that the rule applied to any mechanical motor or prop (regardless of where it was attached to the vessel). Someone's got to make a motor mount that can quickly and quietly lift the prop out of the water (or get creative with a hinge welded to the motor mount).

    I've heard a number of duck hunters in Pearl comment they see hogs on the banks on the way to their fav holes and just pass them by cause they are there for the ducks. I've been to a few of these spots in my center console, but can't get too far back. Have jumped off the boat and walked miles and miles with hog sign all over, but, still, I want to get deeper into Pearl where few hunters leave their scent and sound. Has to be electric motor on canoe instead of paddling just in case I have to tow a massive hog instead of putting him in the boat... I'm guessing towing a hog (perhaps with a life vest around it) would work. Seems like a peaceful way to hunt Pearl instead of having 1500 gun shots go off around you all day.

    Dog hunt season starts on Jan 1 this year where it normally starts on Feb 1. In my experience, once the dogs get into Pearl you won't see hogs during the day. I think those dogs push the hogs deeper into Pearl than people are willing to go on foot or by larger boat. I've come across hogs that were freshly killed by dog hunters (knife wound behind front leg) that were left behind -- too heavy for hunters to carry the hog out because they were too deep into Pearl. I've got an 18# backpackable game cart that helps tremendously with that. Came across a blood trail once and followed it a few hundred yards and found a pile of intestines, then a few hundred more yards and found a boar head, then a few hundred more yards and found the whole hog. There were just a few flies so it was a fresh kill left behind by a dog hunter who gave up carrying the hog out.

    Any other recommendations for canoe hog hunting?
    Secure gear in boat in case of a capsize;
    Carry side arm;
    Know shooting laws re: propeller propulsion;
    Use largest caliber legally allowable.
     

    TheBigRServices

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    Jul 29, 2016
    157
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    Loranger, La
    If you really want to get back in there you are going to want a long tail or surface drive. I havn't been to pearl yet but probably will this duck season. I've been in manchac wma alot and have been surprised to find that others have been hunting in the places that I thought no one else would dare go into... crossing 20 or more logs in what seems like a floating lumber yard, or a half mile of 2 inches of clear water with a 2 to 3 foot wide path littered with stumps. I'm sure a trolling motor may let you get further than your big boat but I really believe it wouldn't be long before you would want something with more capability. but the long tails and surface drive do make a lot more noise too, at least your idea is relatively low cost compared to a surface drive.
     

    TheMole68

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    Feb 12, 2015
    327
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    Metairie, LA
    I've been wanting to do this, strictly with paddle power, and figured for extraction I'd get a truck inner tube and a CO2 inflator. Strap piggy to tube, pull it into the water, tie it to canoe/kayak, and inflate.
     

    Bigchillin83

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    Feb 27, 2012
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    I've actually put some pretty big hogs/deer in a 12ft Pirouge and actually did great, very stable, they lower you get them on the floor I feel it's even more stable than without the extra weight... Like I said they gotta be on the floor flat lol... I would think pulling a 150lb pig behind you in a tube while paddling would make a lot of drag
     

    TheMole68

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    Feb 12, 2015
    327
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    Metairie, LA
    Do you think gators would take interest in the towed pork?

    Hmmm...
    35dc3e9617826bdf4d04a20703305561.jpg
     

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