On Thursday evening I was up in my stand enjoying the sunset when I saw a new sounder come by my place to dig up some corn I dug in the ground.
The sounder consisted of 11 pigs and all were very young. There were 5 very small ones of under 10 pounds and 4 that were about 20 pounds and they seemed to be lead by 2 that were a little larger (about 25-30 pounds). I waited to see if a more mature sow would follow in but after waiting about 20 minutes no other hog came in. On Saturday evening I saw them come in from the grove again. Same 11 pigs and there were no larger one. Yesterday evening my wife and I saw them again feeding on some old bread we had left out along with corns in the hole. It was the same 11 pigs and no larger one.
This is first time I've seen a sounder consisting of just small pigs. Should I assume this sounder lost the mature leader sow (sows)? Would pigs of those size survive on their own?
My wife thought one of the small ones was limping and favoring one of his rear leg. She thought maybe I should consider putting that one out of misery next chance I get. I'm going to go up there on Wednesday and will take my rifle just incase I see the one limping.
baby backs anyone??? maybe one of the larger ones-good for a "spit" over a charcoal grill. but otherwise too much work for so little gain.
Is anyone else hunting around you? Maybe the sows got shot or trapped? Pigs seem to be pretty resilient critters. If they are eating on their own, they will make it, assuming a predator doesn't get them
Yes, others hunt hogs around me.
My place is small 20 acre property but within 1/2 mile is a WMA, a cattle ranch within 1/2 mile, next to my place is a large citrus grove and private wooded lots all around.
Panther bait!
