Why Hog Hunting is One of the Best Ways to Get Kids Outdoors

William Malone knew his sons probably would follow in his footsteps as a hunter, angler and lover of the outdoors. Growing up in southwest Alabama, the opportunities were vast to pursue deer, waterfowl, small game and fish, not to mention frogs, turtles, bugs, snakes and other fun things. His sons did all of these, of course, but Malone knew one thing likely would hook them hard.

“Hogs, for sure,” he said. “They always did want to go with me, and tagged along even when they weren’t quite old enough to shoot. I think hog hunting, for kids, really has so many advantages. You have long seasons, pretty much year-round in most states, and in Alabama we have no closed season. You can hunt day or night, depending on the state, and with a wide range of gun calibers, bow or crossbow. There’s so much more advantage because you always can find time to get out there. If the weather’s good you can go. If you’re planning around kids’ busy schedules, that’s fine for a hog. With deer and turkey seasons, it could be just a few weekends that you can go or if it rains, or their school or sports schedules conflict, you might miss an opportunity. It’s not like that for hog hunting.”

Feral pigs and small game — rabbits and squirrels, notably — are optimal to get new hunters and kids interested in going afield. Pigs can be hunted from a stand or blind, or by stalking. Rifles can be anything from a .223 to .338, perhaps a shotgun or muzzleloader, or whatever trips your switch. Many states now allow suppressors, creating another learning element along with hearing protection. Squirrels and rabbits typically involve walking, talking, shaking vines, laughing, learning and having fun. All three could involve the use of dogs, which adds another interesting angle.

Possibly the best thing about hog hunting, though, is the chance to have multiple shots. Kids and new hunters love action. Sitting around waiting for “the” deer can be boring to them, even if that’s part of hunting. It doesn’t matter if it’s catching bluegills or perch nonstop, or stomping brushpiles for bunnies, yanking on vines for squirrels or watching a sounder of pigs in a field. More action is more fun. It’s part of the learning process, even one of the five steps of a hunter. Not every new hunter or kid is Big Buck Billy right off the bat. Learning takes time. Opportunities are part of that learning process.

“Definitely with hogs, you have a lot of targets and opportunities,” Malone said. “To a kid or new hunter, a hog is a hog. It’s cool and fun to get a bigger one, of course, but when you’re starting out a hog is a hog. So, having a lot of targets, a lot of chances to learn, be successful, make mistakes and learn from those, it definitely makes a difference.

“Getting them out there and getting them hooked on it or enjoying it means having success. You can sit there waiting and watching with deer and turkeys, but with hogs there’s always chances for success. If you have food plots, about or right after turkey season, the hogs will move in. That’s a fine time to sit in a shooting house or go stalking, which is a great way to help develop woodsmanship skills, too.”

Belonging to the Group

We can parse numbers and statistical data until the cows come home about license sales and hunter numbers. The fact is this: they’re in flux, lower than the glory years of 17 million in 1982, yet not in the alarm bells category some doomsayers proclaim.

About 15.2 million people had a hunting license in 2020. Those numbers might need parsing, as some states require a basic hunting license and perhaps a second license for something specific. Alabama, for example, has a basic hunting license. It also offers a “baiting privilege license,” which means you can pay $15 a year to be able to hunt over bait. One person will have two licenses counted in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s annual count that returns excise taxes to states.

Young and new hunters appreciate the license, because it means something. It’s a tangible example of belonging to an important part of their family’s lifestyle. If nothing else, it represents belonging to a group. Along with that sense of importance, the addition of another new hunter to the ranks is a boost for myriad reasons. It extends a basic instinct of man, to hunt to provide something for the table. It adds to the number of hunters in the nation, which is a good thing. It adds money to the coffers of conservation, and may spark the new license-holder to join a national or local group focused on conservation issues.

Hunting feral pigs has become a business, of course, because a financial value is attached by many people. Hunting lodges charge hundreds of dollars a day to hunt hogs. Private landowners may charge a fee, if they allow anyone to come on the property. Public lands are a good option, although states may have specific regulations. Missouri, for example, is currently undertaking a multi-year trapping project in the southeast part of the state to blunt the pig invasion from Arkansas. It’s working, but regulations about hunting hogs on public lands are in place. As with any hunting, double-check the laws and regulations for public and private lands.

Whatever the situation, getting new or young hunters in a position to tip over some pigs is a good thing. It may take some money or sweat equity with a friend working on their property. Swap out some deer stand work for summer hog hunting. Hit up other folks who know landowners with hog problems. Call the state conservation department or local farm extension service office to ask about anyone they know who needs pig patrols. It’s not impossible to find a place to go, but it may take some legwork.

“For people who don’t have access to property, or a lease or ownership,” Malone said, “sometimes people will be more amenable to letting a kid come shoot a pig instead of an adult.”

Several years ago my brother said he wanted to kill a hog. We’re 11 years apart in age and he lives in another state. He’s hunted a few times, but nothing significant, and not like I have. But I didn’t hesitate to say yes, and I contacted an old friend, Barry Estes, in south Alabama. Estes runs Alabama Hog Control, a 10-year-old trapping and hunting operation. He does private work with remote control traps, and also does nighttime hunts with thermal-image scopes atop AR-style rifles.

I explained the situation and Estes told us to head south. My brother met us in the small town and we got in an evening stalk while making the rounds to get the lay of the land. For that hunt, Estes had a scoped .243 bolt action to use. I agreed that it was the best and safest for my brother, who hadn’t shot much. We were behind him as he sighted in on a nice boar working through the palmettos along a creek. Bang, flop. Perfect shot, a few kicks in the mud and he had his first hog. The smile said it all. The rest of the evening and nighttime hunt was long, hot, humid and unsuccessful — hogs aren’t always 100% predictable — but it was a memory that will never go away.

Nighttime is Funtime

Malone set up his sons for success by doing the right things: being patient, using the right gear and helping them learn along the way. As with any new hunters for any game animal, there were fun times with success and some mistakes that became learning lessons. The boys took to the woods and waters like little Tom Sawyers, soaking up as much as they could after school and during summer.

“Even when they were young, we’d do a lot of stalking around day and night,” Malone said. “We still go a lot at night and it’s primarily what we do now. From the start, we have had some kind of shooting stick or tripod for a rest, which really helps with confidence and success. Your kill rate goes waayyyy up with good shooting sticks no matter who’s on the gun, a kid or adult. Your kill rate will increase drastically. I highly recommend using them whether you’re in a field or stand. They really help.”

Malone started his sons with his .270 rifle at the range, which they enjoyed shooting, and then in the field. His personal rifle was an AR in .308, which the boys used. They practiced with a .22 rifle, though, to not feel the recoil and to learn about the mechanics, scope, sighting, pressing the trigger and follow-through. Moving to the .270 and then .308 was a cinch. The adrenaline hit of popping a hog with the bigger caliber negated any felt recoil.

Today, they shoot an AR-style rifle in 6.5 Grendel with a 100-grain bullet, which Malone says “are still affordable” despite all of the price blowups during the last three years. They use thermal scopes at night, and in the darkness they don’t need any special camo or other gear. Jeans and a shirt get the nod, unless it’s chilly and then a favorite hoodie or jacket will work. The biggest thing, Malone said, is learning about and stalking with the right wind.

“It’s all about playing the wind … staying downwind. Hogs don’t see well so you can get away with more movement, which is great with kids,” he said. “Pigs are vocal so you can hear them out there, too, when they’re rooting around or fighting, or a boar gets after a sow. During the daytime, stalking definitely helps with woodsmanship. Hunting with a rifle, learning about safety, getting the wind right, being quiet, using cover between you and the pigs, all of that matters and is part of learning. New hunters and young hunters have to learn all of that. Hogs are a great way to do it.”

Malone’s sons are teenagers now, starting to think about future college plans and other things in high school. But hunting is in their blood. The youngest, Malone said, has gotten into stalking hogs with his compound bow, which increases the challenge. Because a hog’s heart is lower in the chest below the gristle shield and behind its front legs, a heart shot requires skill.

“We’re blessed to have some great hardwoods and palmetto swamps along the Alabama River,” Malone said. “It’s great for stalking, especially when the acorns are falling. I like to stalk in the morning when the leaves are wet … the dew makes a difference, and you can move around more quietly.”

Whether you’re old or young, novice or veteran, feral pigs and small game can be the perfect gateway to the future of hunting.

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