You're definitely right about boots on the ground. It's not rare for me to cover 10 miles looking for them. They probably wouldn't have charged me, but I've heard stories and I'm new to hog hunting, so I didn't want to take any chances while being alone in the woods. Do you happen to know if those hogs are hybrids with some Eurasian Boar in them? They looked far more muscular than typical feral hogs I've see on tv and photos. That could just be from all the hills they climb, or adrenaline could have clouded my memory.

It would be useful have a partner out there for safety reasons if nothing else, but all the hunters I know prefer to drive their four wheeler to a shooting house. Nothing wrong with that, just not how I like to hunt. I've also thought of having someone set up downwind, while the other quietly crosses the marsh upwind. Hopefully that would bump them towards the shooter without them being in a full panic.