# Mecosta County Hogs



## Walleye Dog (Feb 6, 2001)

Scratch me up as one of the people who thought this problem was Hyped up too much. I stand corrected as now our 40 acres in souther Mecosta county has hogs on it. I have several trail cam pics and see the sign all over the place. They are rubbing mud all over the trees and tearing up the swamp with mud baths. I have several new food plots that haven't been damged...yet. Most of the reading I have done on this site and others doesn't give me much confidence in hunting them. Any ideas on just getting rid of them. I don't have the funds to buy traps. The 40 acres is 30 swamp and 10 food plots and our bowhunting only land. It pisses me off that these exotics are posing a threat to our fall passion of deer hunting. I guess this is what it took to get me on board with believing all this feral swine problem. Thanks for any advice or tips. :help:


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## jackbob42 (Nov 12, 2003)

If you're serious about going after them , and it's close enough , I've got a dog that'll bay one up for us. :evil:


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## kstout (Dec 26, 2005)

I talked to a friend who shot one near 4 mile and 135th, East of Morley. He said there were 5 of them, but he was only able to get 1. According to him, the hogs escaped fro super G ranch up on 5 mile rd.


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## Walleye Dog (Feb 6, 2001)

jackbob42 said:


> If you're serious about going after them , and it's close enough , I've got a dog that'll bay one up for us. :evil:


I am trying to keep it as scent free as possible. I have some traps coming next week and I'll see how it goes. All of the pics have been during darkness so far. I have sat out one morning and one evening with no sightings. Sign is everywhere, I will try and load up the pics.


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## Walleye Dog (Feb 6, 2001)

Pics of the damage and the culprits in the food plots.


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## pikemaster789 (Aug 21, 2008)

that one looks like a chunker!


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

I'm in Mecosta Cty most weekends in C.L. I have never hunted them before, but would happily take watch with the AR on my lap!


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## jackbob42 (Nov 12, 2003)

Walleye Dog said:


> I am trying to keep it as scent free as possible. I have some traps coming next week and I'll see how it goes. All of the pics have been during darkness so far. I have sat out one morning and one evening with no sightings. Sign is everywhere, I will try and load up the pics.


And that's why we'll never be rid of them.


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## jlcrss (May 17, 2006)

I'll come up and hunt them. The way I see it you charge guys to come and do guided hunts and make some money.


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## Walleye Dog (Feb 6, 2001)

jackbob42 said:


> And that's why we'll never be rid of them.


From what I have read and been told from some of the biologists, the traps are more effective than hunting them anyday.


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## Thunderhead (Feb 2, 2002)

Walleye Dog said:


> From what I have read and been told from some of the biologists, the traps are more effective than hunting them anyday.


Not practical. _Everybody_ would have to be onboard _AND _and have traps to even have a prayer to get them under control.

As fast as these things breed, letting guys on to shoot them would be much more effective in my opinion.

You know that they are there, let a couple of us on your ground for a week or so and we'll try and kill'em off. Plenty of time before deer seaon to get the job done without hurting your hunting, especially if we hunt'em with the same caution as we hunt deer.


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## slowpoke (Jan 30, 2001)

Might get with the DNR to see if they have any ideas. See if the DNR will allow you to hunt them at night over some kind of bait and light. Maybe they will give you a special permit to help get ride of them. Good luck.


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## Walleye Dog (Feb 6, 2001)

Thunderhead said:


> Not practical. _Everybody_ would have to be onboard _AND _and have traps to even have a prayer to get them under control.
> 
> As fast as these things breed, letting guys on to shoot them would be much more effective in my opinion.
> 
> You know that they are there, let a couple of us on your ground for a week or so and we'll try and kill'em off. Plenty of time before deer seaon to get the job done without hurting your hunting, especially if we hunt'em with the same caution as we hunt deer.


My thoughts are the traps are the most effective way at _eliminating_the problem here. If we go in hunting them, the will most likely relocate to someone elses property. They are very nomadic beasts. If we can trap some of these animals, multiple in a trap, we have a better chance at solving the problem in the area instead of creating one for someone else. If the traps don't work in a week or two, we will start sitting out in the morning and evening and shoot them on sight. I have sat out three times so far from the enclosed blind in the same area and they are all moving after dark and before light. 

We have plenty of bodies in my family and friends to organize a drive if all else fails.


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

Good luck even the 300 pound class hogs can let you walk right by them without being seen. Once they are up and moving they are pretty easy targets, but they can hunker down in a swamp pretty good.


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## TrekJeff (Sep 7, 2007)

If you want them gone and enough time for the area to settle back down before October, get on them NOW. If you had a few guys go in and push them, harvest a few in the next few weeks, you will still have plenty of rain and quiet time to preserve your bow opener. If you need a shooter, I'm just 20 minutes east of Remus.


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## fishbone77 (Apr 8, 2009)

Hey if you need a shooter i am in. I wouldnt mind wild bacon


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## SR-Mechead (Jan 25, 2004)

You ask for help and there are a few sportsman that are willing to give up there time to come and get rid of them. I would welcome them and do everything you can to kill all the pigs .We had a few up by us and they are like a rototiller. Good luck
Bob


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## Mitchell Ulrich (Sep 10, 2007)

I'll be Coyote hunting in the Mikado area the week of the 20th. I'll have my SP50 thermal scope, so night time is when I hunt anyway.
Only problem is it's mounted on a .22 mag, which is all anyone can use at night. It's probably not going to drop them in their tracks, but a close-up head shot, (app 30 yards) should. Them we can kill the others when they come back to feed on the dead one! 

Something to consider.

Mitch


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## benster (Jul 31, 2006)

Depending on how many are around you won't have to worry about deer hunting because they will push the deer out of the area?


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## Walleye Dog (Feb 6, 2001)

Like I said before, we have plenty of people in my family and friends willing to come and shoot when needed. I will give the traps a chance first to see if we can get multiple hogs in the first week. If not, then they become targets for the firearms. I appreciate all who are willing.


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## NavyTroll (Aug 27, 2010)

I have been looking to find a heard of feral hogs to hunt, it would be nice to put one or two in the freezer. it sounds like you have a prety big problem. it would definitly suck to have a pig ruin your deer hunting. I would love to come out and take some of them out, just email me and we can arrange a time to do some irradicating. [email protected]


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## C_Carr316 (Oct 7, 2010)

we don't have many hogs in Pa.


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