I went around last night with just the wife and I. She was filming and I was doing the killing. I got 8 and I wish I had had some clients. I believe we could have killed 20 if I had had some more guns busting hogs. The farmers are getting the beans in the ground and the hogs are killing them. Had another farmer call today and he is having serious problems in his peanuts. Looks like more dead hogs on the horizon!

Took out 8 more last night in Lowndes County.

387 total now.

This year has been crazy so far as far as the sex ratio is concerned. Over the past 3 years we were a +4 on females over males killed including hunting and trapping. We do target sows every chance we get while hunting but it still normally balances out over an entire year. Well, this year for some reason we are a plus 71 on females so far.

And of course, taking out the females is what really makes hog control work. Please don't take what I am saying as we are passing on boars. We don't pass on any hog. But, when we have multiple pigs in the field, the sows get the attention first.

I've gotta make it down there sometime

Do you think that it maybe has something to do with the different areas you are working?

I know from experience that sows and mature boars usually do not inhabit the same areas except during times of sows being in heat.

Danny,

It has been strange. I have noticed two major differences in the kills this year so far.

Trapping - Overall the traps are turning out a lot more young females than males this year. Normally it is about 50/50.

Night shooting - It is common to kill 2 or 3 big boars during the night. These big boars like to feed alone and we are just not seeing many of them this year. And it is the same on our new and old properties.

Some of the farmers are just now getting seed in the ground, maybe the big boys will start showing up soon.

Well I had to open my mouth. Friday night the boars came out. We killed 4 good sized boars in Wilcox County with a total of 10 kills for the night. 7-3 males to females. The last 2 kills were big pregnant sows. Glad to get them ladies out.

The first kill of the evening was a 200+ boar. He was just laying in a soybean field. Never seen a big boar just walk out take a nap in a field like that.

398 total now.

It is really odd how the cycles swing.....we often go for several weeks and seem to stay on sows/pigs/shoats. Then, just like you say, BOOM! Nothing but big boars!

I think the hot weather and longer days play into it as well. Them old boars don't like that heat.

Caught a sounder last night in Macon County of 12. Brings the total up to 410.

414 now and the reporting clients have caught 467.

I had 3 clients catch me up on their catches for the year today.
414 total for us now and the clients have a total of 656.

Picked up some more property in Lowndes County yesterday. Went out for a trial run last night for just a couple of hours and killed 4 boars. Had a couple boars from the weekend as well.

420 total now.

Last year we killed 433 hogs for the entire year. We have tied that number as of last night. Has been a crazy and successful year so far.

One of my SILs rode with me last night to Autaugaville to check some freshly planted soybeans and got into a sounder of 10 within the first 10 minutes. Typical makeup 2 sows and 8 small pigs. We dropped the sows in the field as well as 4 of the little ones. Two others left blood trails into some 10-12 ft tall pines and I just didn't want them that bad. So, we only counted the 6 recovered.

Anyway, 433 total now.

New AHC record 441 for the year!

445 now

Just picked up a big property in Dallas County. Pigs beware!

450 now

455 now

It has been a crazy year so far. Our trapping and night hunting numbers are off the chart. We have surpassed last years total for total kills already and have half the year to go. The news paper article a couple of weeks ago has really helped our property to work acreage. We have picked up around 20,000 acres in the past two weeks.

Now I can start really advertising for additional hunters to fill all the newly created slots. Two of my largest farmers have reported very little damage on their freshly planted crops. I love good news and happy farmers. Word if mouth is great advertising.

I am concerned about growing too big too fast. I am seriously looking at hiring a good coyote trapper/hog guide. I have lots of properties wanting and needing coyote work but I doubt I could keep an employee busy just on that. They will need to guide hunters as well.

If anyone is interested that lives in central Bama, please send me a PM or call me. 334-301-0179

I will be glad to fill in the blanks on the job.

Barry

456 now