Fox hunting in the first snow. Hunting for a fox and catching it in different ways
Some types of hunting require the hunter to organize feeding for the animal, for example, hunting a wild boar. Baits force the boar to stay in place. This can achieve a livestock increase of approximately 30% compared to last year’s winter count. But most of the increase will be killed by hunters and poachers, so the total number of wild boars, in general, will not increase. Please note that if the wild boar density is below 3 individuals per 1000 hectares of area, hunting cannot be done; such a low density means that there are no wild boars.
In such situations, you can use the “vacuum cleaner” method, which consists of constant moderate feeding of the wild boar at the borders of hunting grounds or excessive feeding in the center of the territory. Then all the wild boars living within a radius of 50 km and beyond will gather on the farm. You will be able to shoot them, as new herds will come and replenish the number of wild boars.
It is not possible to make a good feeding that will not be detected by strangers. Therefore, the place for organizing feeding should be chosen not only according to the habitat of the wild boar, but for ease of control.
In order for the wild boar to remain in the field area, it is better to equip a feeding area next to the field itself. This is a shed where potatoes, grain, corn, apples, etc. are scattered. In the summer, a bath with diesel fuel or waste is made in this place, in the winter - a salt lick.
Near the places where there will be a feeding field, it is worth thinking in advance and providing places for hiding and feeding during the hunting period, when there will be no more fields. It is better to organize feeding and fields away from places accessible to auto hunters (farers). In no case do not forget that you need to constantly monitor their access to feeding areas.
In order for wild boars to gain weight and produce hardy and healthy offspring, it is necessary to arrange special fodder fields on the hunting farm, sowing them with cereals. In the forest belt, special troughs (feeders) are installed, into which grain, bakery products and, of course, salt are poured.
Salt is an essential component in the diet of animals. It is needed for the normal occurrence of biochemical reactions in any organism. Wild animals often suffer from a lack of salt, as it is difficult to find in the forest. In order to solve this problem, special salt licks are installed in places where wild boars constantly feed.
Feeding wild boars in the hunting area is organized not only to increase the population size, but also to accustom the animal to one place. This makes hunting it much easier, because it becomes obvious to the huntsman when and where the boar will appear.
Feeders for wild boars do not have any special device. The boar only picks up food from the ground, so the food is simply placed on the ground or placed in a dug hole. There is no need to arrange any kind of shed if we are talking about ordinary feed, and not those that are easily washed away by precipitation.
As a rule, on a bypass area of 12-15 thousand hectares, 3, sometimes 4 feedings are organized. If there is a desire and funds allow, then the number of sites can be increased, this will only benefit the wild boars. To do this, in the summer you need to clear the area for fertilizing, dig a silo, and make a normal entrance. Feed is delivered in September-October. If you do this earlier, they will begin to sprout and quickly become unusable. Until February-March you need to constantly replenish the food.
Suitable feed products include waste from grain crops, root crops, special feed, and corn. Boars consume the latter both in the form of grain and in the form of cobs.
The amount of feed should be calculated based on the number of livestock. As a rule, at least a carload of feed is imported at one time to start the biochemical ensiling reaction.
In the case of grain waste, they are laid out on the ground with the turf removed. This creates a “cushion” for wild boars to tear apart.
It is impossible to feed a wild boar, but you can support them during the winter: two bags of oats and 2-3 buckets of potatoes once a week are enough.
The oats should not be poured out in a heap, but divided into portions and placed at a distance of 5-8 meters from each other. This will allow both young and adults to feed at the same time. If there are three fields in a detour, then wild boar hunting should be carried out only on two of them, the third field is a reserved field.
A difficult task when hunting wild boar is the use of special baits to catch it. Each type of bait has an expiration date. A set of effective components is added to them. Each bait manufacturer uses different components. These factors influence the outcome of the hunt, where and how it takes place. Hunting for wild pigs “in the blind” and “in the pen” have some differences; they also use wild boar bait.
Luring wild pigs involves luring them to a place where hunters are waiting. Baiting a wild boar based only on the smell of food is a waste of time and money. Such baits do not produce results when hunting. An exception may be the case when it is very difficult to obtain food, and you need to show the animal the feeding area.
In such cases, the behavior of animals can attract them to a new feeding area. This works if boars live in the area. The boar will become interested only when it sees the food, and not by the smell. Therefore, many hunters know that a place to bait a wild boar is an important factor, since such animals do not follow a scent.
The boar should see the bait site, as if by accident. Sometimes it happened that food supplements were located a few meters from the animal’s path, but the wild boars did not see them. The bait must be placed directly on the animal's trail. This is an important point and is taken into account by bait manufacturers. If you decide to lure a boar to an unfamiliar place, you need to feed it often in such a place. This is done until the given place becomes “familiar” for the boar.
The boar constantly needs fresh food. Let's look at why some hunters waste money and time on baits based on simple ingredients. This smelling food has its own advantages that are superior to other smells. If you hunt from a stand, when wild pigs rarely come to this place, the use of food additives with a strong aroma will not lure wild boars.
The most popular baits for wild boar in Russia are additives based on grain crops. These are brands such as "CRACK" and "HOG". However, both of them do not show good and prompt results. Therefore, there is no need to expect a miracle when hunting. Boar bait is essentially an artificial flavoring, similar to the secretions of a forest cleaver, or an excited female. Such baits show high efficiency in any weather.
The following baits performed well during hunting:
- A tarry brown liquid that smells like smoke.
- A mixture of fruit and corn oils with a mushroom scent.
In addition, baits may include the following components:
- Analogues of female and male urine.
- Discharge from an excited pig.
- The smell of fermented fruit.
- A substance that eliminates the smell of people.
- Smoldering sticks.
The set of odors is determined by the boars’ reaction to them. Too strong a smell will repel, and a slight aroma will attract animals. This does not apply to the smell of the food. In this case, the situation is exactly the opposite. The greatest concentration attracts the boar more strongly.
The weather also affects the choice of the right scent. You need to know that with increasing humidity and temperature, the evaporation of aromas increases. The strength and direction of the wind is of great importance. It can reduce or increase the sensitivity of animals to aroma.
Today in stores you can buy special scented gels that are used to attract wild pigs. They carry odors similar to real ones. At the same time, the boar will no longer pass by him. Natural ingredients are used in production. Therefore, their use in hunting does not harm the animal world. This gel can be used to treat grass, trees, soil, and snow near the hunter to distract the animal from the smell of a person.
An old hog bait is waterproof resin. It is very effective and has a strong aroma. Hunters also use kerosene for bait, which is quite effective.
Conclusion
Not so long ago, such bait methods were used only by professional hunters. Hobbyists are just starting to use them. Hunting with bait is much easier and simpler. This only adds to the effect and interest. A large list of types of baits, their correct use allows you to direct wild pigs in the right direction.
If we consider the correct choice of places for bait, then all boar trails have “bases”. The boars stop at them. This is not due to the amount of feed per unit area. If you decide to “pave” a road for the wild boar and make a base near it, you definitely need to study the place.
In practice, it became clear that good baits pay off when hunting. Food-musk and hormonal baits on the boar lead it to a certain place. They force the animal to stop to find food. Salt licks and fodder soils complete the necessary picture in this case.
