The Best Way to Trap Hogs

There are several ways to reduce a feral hog problem; however, the first step is to identify the size of the sounder (or herd). Though it’s legal to shoot or capture feral hogs using dogs that are specially trained, the bigger the sounder, the less effective these methods are. As a result, it’s advisable to implement a combination of traps. Read on to learn about which traps would work best for you.

Types of feral hog traps:

	Pros	Cons
Box Trap	Easy to move and can be set quickly Easily fits in the bed of a pickup truck or on a small trailer Easily handled and moved. One person can quickly place traps in areas with fresh hog activity.	Untrapped hogs will learn quickly to avoid it Ineffective for larger populations Requires pre-baiting, which can be expensive and time consuming Many are needed to reduce hog numbers. Can occasionally catch non-target animals
Drop Net	Hogs can enter from any direction Hogs more willing to enter open area Quantity of hogs captured is higher Learning of trap is reduced Avoidance of trapping non-target animals	Manual trigger required
Corral Trap	Larger than a box trap; can hold a sounder Versatile; can be shaped for ease of loading hogs onto a trailer	Materials can be expensive and construction can be time consuming Not easily disassembled and moved Pre-baiting can become costly
BoarBuster	Portable Hybrid of drop net and rigid structure of the corral trap Capture more with less effort — get notifications for trap activity Deploy trap when ready Scientifically proven for positive results Designed for hog behavior	Requires camera hardware

As indicated in the list, the BoarBuster provides the best return on the investment made. But whichever trap you decide to employ, consider using a camera like the HogEye. Monitoring activity via camera provides valuable information on hog visitation patterns. This is extremely helpful when strategizing re-attracting a nervous sounder. Additionally, knowing the exact moment to activate the trap in real time is convenient and saves time.

The HogEye features:

• High-quality 4 MP camera with a 130 degree field of view

• Infrared light capable of lighting up to 90 feet away

• Specialized motion detection system designed to eliminate false positives

• On-board video storage of up to 14 days of video recordings

• iPhone/Android app available to make viewing and triggering your trap as easy as picking up your phone

Trapping tips and best practices:

• Camouflage traps. Use branches, plants, and foliage to your advantage!

• Try to keep dogs and human activity from near the trap or the trap site. A hog has a sharp sense of smell, and unfamiliar scents will affect the outcome.

• Hogs feed mostly at night, so be sure to check the trap first thing each morning. An unattended trap for a day or two may result in finding a dead hog.

• Feral hogs feed primarily at night and during twilight hours, but they will also feed during daylight in cold or wet weather.

• Set up near drainages, water holes, and territory markings. These markings occur when a boar scars the ground with its front feet and releases a foul smell from a gland under its belly. Beds are also easy to spot. Boars will sometimes make a large bed by biting off grass and twigs and producing a pile. All of these factors are necessary to take into account before placing the trap.

• Pre-baiting is extremely important. Pre-baiting of an area at least a week in advance will help get the hogs to return to the area in which the trap is set. Remember to pre-bait with generous amounts of bait on a daily basis and give the hogs several days of entering and exiting the trap prior to setting it.

Ultimately, using a multifaceted, integrated approach to taming the hog population is advised. With consistency, patience, and the use of tools like the HogEye and traps like the Boarbuster, your hard work is sure to pay off!