As with domestic pigs, feral hogs are very intelligent. When mixed with corn, it makes for the perfect wild hog bait attractant to put in your feeder. They go by many names, including wild hog, razorback, piney . Yes, a hogs smelling sense is the strongest of all its senses and is one of its best defenses against predators and hunters. They can be drawn to an area using feed that emits a strong odor. Repels wild hogs and alters their digestive system in 2-ways: Food tastes bad and their digestive system is disturbed and surrounding soil become bad smelling. Wild hogs prioritize monocular vision, that is using each eye separately as opposed to our priority of binocular vision. But when they, Read More Garlic: Can You Use It to Repel Squirrels? It should stand at least 5-feet tall above ground, down to 3-feet deep below. Of the five primary senses, feral hogs tend to use four of these (that is, smell, sight, hearing and touch) in their daily existence. Often, however, a more hands on, but safe approach is needed. While the eggs might smell bad, the more important feature is that rotten eggs often mimic the smell of decaying animals. Also, use a complete scent elimination system to remove scent from your body, clothes, and gear. Rating a feral/wild hogs senses would be 1) SMELL 2) SIGHT 3) HEARING. Safer Brand Spray powerful groundhog repellent that contains 3 great-for-repelling-groundhogs ingredients capsaicin, piperine, and black pepper oil. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Chunks of turf may be torn out of the ground or vegetable patches destroyed. Finally make sure that you do not live any food close to your garden that the pigs can scavenge. Your email address will not be published. Bean, N. J., Korff, W. L., & Mason, J. R. (1995, August). Technically, a "feral" pig or hog refers to a domestic animal that has returned to wild after escaping or being set free and "wild" refers to an animal that has never been in captivity. Therefore, uprooted soil is one of the most recognizable signs of a wild hog's presence and is going to help you harvest a nice pig. Although landowners can use the shooting to reduce the groundhog population or to maintain a low population of groundhogs where necessary, shooting is not the best way to eradicate groundhogs. I have tried so many scent killing products myself. It corresponds to the genus Sus, a type of even-toed ungulate animal. Heres HowContinue, Your email address will not be published. (n.d.). Groundhog, woodchuck, whistle pig, whatever you may call them, are common mammals found in the eastern United States and Canada. Pigs that are seriously ill may reduce water intake or suffer excessive fluid loss e.g. Of the five primary senses, feral hogs tend to use four of these (that is, smell, sight, hearing and touch) in their daily existence. They can trample and uproot crops, springs, and creeks, and many times this means going over homes and business that are in close proximity to humans, livestock, or watering facilities. Spray around areas you are trying to protect against groundhogs. The smell is what keeps it off the list of groundhogs' favorite foods, although they do occasionally eat them. Hogs rely on their good sense of smell to make up for their weaker sense of vision. Hopefully this will be enough to deter them from your property. Check with your law enforcement center to find out if you arent breaking any laws by shooting the pest rodents. With that being said, there are similar-sized animals that also burrow, such as skunks and raccoons. To deter the pigs, clean up any fallen or overripe fruit or veggies. Three feet should be enough to deter them. Its for this reason that youll want to use more than one deterrent to really keep these troublesome pests out of your yard and garden. . What smell attracts wild hogs? There are plenty of commercially available products likeI Must Garden Groundhog/Woodchuck Repellent, where the main ingredient is whole eggs. I use an old Crown Royal bag it is quiet and has strings to draw closed & easily attach a carabiner to quickly clip to your pack or belt loop. Another option would be to use food they dont like to make a homemade wild boar repellent. You can bend the top foot of fencing outward to make it more effective. The good news is, this will happen naturally once you spray your mixture outside. This means that if you are aiming to spot and stalk this game you best be careful, as they can hear and see you at decent distance. There are currently no poisons that can be legally used in the United States against wild hogs, but not for a lack of options. Groundhogs have a few distinguishing features to separate them from these animals, such as their tail shape, solitary nature, and white guard hairs that give them a frosted appearance. Groundhogs are also confused with woodchucks. What are wild hogs afraid of? But there is one significant difference as well, it's called attitude. However, they have also been introduced into the Americas, Australia and onto several islands. Porta potties Anyone with a sense of smell is at least somewhat afraid of porta potties. They can also damage certain crops by feeding on them or their seeds. In our previous hog hunting blog titled Hog Hunting: 12 States Where You Can Hunt Them Year Round & Why You Should, not only did we elaborate on what states allow you to hunt them without a tag limit, but we also indicated 4 crucial reasons of why you should consider hunting them. At one time, domesticated hogs were managed as free ranging livestock in parts of the state. Wild hogs seem to have poor eyesight and use their nose to detect food and danger. If youre dealing with a groundhog problem, there are a few scents and smells you can use to deter them. Pouring scent around bait, or at any location, signals that the spot is safe. The let their guards down just a tad because even though they smell humans constantly, they know humans arent always necessarily around. In 2019, South Carolina hunters reported killing 31,508 hogs while pursuing deer. But, just because you have a groundhog doesnt necessarily mean you have a problem. They can also be prohibitively expensive. Not only are rats pretty repulsive, but they can cause quite a few structural problems inside your home. Also, keep Fidos food in the house. It will usually wait for the high winds to die down before venturing off again. In field tests I have intentionally made noises to alert the hogs at a feeder, they typically acknowledge but tolerate the common noises (movements, rustling of brush, shuffling of rocks etc.) it is this lack of depth perception that i believe leads to the near blind myth. On average, groundhogs measure 1 to 2.5 feet long and weigh 7 to 13 pounds, although they can potentially grow to be 24 inches (3 feet) long and weigh as much as 30 pounds when in an area with few predators. These ain't grandpa's hogs running the woods, these are crossed with Russian boar and bad to the bone. There are three different kinds of pesticides; herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. Dating as far back as the times of the Roman Empire, domesticated pigs, related to today's wild hogs, were used to hunt for truffles underground. However, hogs will surely awaken to sudden, abrupt noises and will further investigate or make a quick getaway. Confident hog hunters accurately shooting well within their comfort zone might consider sending a well-placed round directly into the recessed spot behind a hogs ear. Wild Hog Scram is a proprietary blend of natural and biodegradable ingredients specifically designed to reduce and eliminate wild hog activity. Their Canadian . So, all those precautions you take regarding scent while deer hunting like playing the wind apply to hogs just the same. If youre just trying to get a quick hunt in, then you can sprinkle packets of raspberry jello mix around an area to attract them. The Best Scents To Repel Coyotes and Why They Work. The range of how far a hog can smell decreases and water forming puddles blocks smells from underneath the ground. Therefore, uprooted soil is one of the most recognizable signs of a wild hogs presence and is going to help you harvest a nice pig. Try to make minimal cuts in the first 24 hours to let the rigor mortis process take place. 00:00 - What do groundhogs hate the most?00:39 - What will scare groundhogs away?01:10 - Will bubble gum kill groundhogs?01:42 - Does Irish Spring soap keep . They DO NOT deter wildlife. They include: Bearberry, bluebird's weed, cinchona bark, iris, liverwort, mountain laurel, Valerian, and more. Chemical repelents; active substances such as Anthraquinone, Butanethiol, and Methyl Anthranilate can be used to keep wild animals away from crops. Pour enough beer to where the corn can be easily stirred and let sit for two to three days. By using scents, you can set yourself up in the best position possible to put that trophy buck down for the count! While doing rattlesnake telemetry at the Chapparal Wildlife Management Area, I walked (usually within a few feet and quite often a few inches) up on numerous snakes, hundreds of times. There are usually many solutions to hiding your scent. They are capable of sensing odors five miles away and able to detect food sources several feet underground. For garlic, onions, mustard, or hot sauce, you can make a spray mixture to apply on and around your plants. Pink, red, white, and yellow are the most common flower colors. Read on to find out what scents you can use to deter groundhogs and how to use these natural scents to keep groundhogs away for good! Using physical deterrents is more effective than scent deterrents, but its also more costly. This nocturnal behavior means that one of the best time to hunt wild hogs is often when they are feeding at night. Even the name sounds like it smells bad. Fact 6: Many Wild Hogs Are Becoming Nocturnal. They are also commonly known as European Wild Pigs, Hogs or simply Boars. During the rain, a hogs smell is still strong but the rain tends to dampen most of the smells around it. Keep wild hogs away by identifying why they are there in the first place. This method is more of an area repellent as opposed to a taste repellent. Take advantage of a hog's highly developed sense of smell. Like we mentioned before, groundhogs have a keen sense of smell. To use predator urine to repel groundhogs, be sure to follow all the directions on the label. Wild pigs are part of social groups which are considered matriarchies. Youll use the urine to create a barrier around your garden, spraying the scent liberally around the perimeter. ), knowing this fact will help you better plan your hunts, and hunt the weather to the best of your ability by getting into the mindset of a wild hog. You can always see them constantly sniffing around wherever they go, using their noses like metal detectors on a beach looking for treasures. 4. (3) rooting - rhizomes, tubers, bulbs, corms, invertebrate larvae, small fossorial vertebrates, etc. Those who have cattle and other livestock or horses may be concerned about groundhogs as well. I wash all my clothes in detergents without fragrances and UV brighteners. If you wish, you may try planting repellant plants such as fragrant herbs among growing flowers and fruit trees, as these are supposedly plants javelina will not eat and tend to avoid. Contacts | About us | Privacy Policy & Cookies. Does cayenne pepper keep hogs away? Another tactic is to use predator decoys. How strong is their sense of smell? Fire Arms Guns are one of the most recommended tactics for killing a hog. To keep wild pigs away, you can also use repellents, such as light or noise sensors, or water sprinklers, that will scare them away. This cross-breeding is mainly true for males since the females avoid pigs. To read more from the Texas A&M research on wild hogs, click here. With these 7 facts in the back of your mind, and your HuntWise app to guide you along the way with predictions of the best times to hunt in your area, you are sure to see success afield and harvest a wild hog. Hunting At NightHuntingHunting SuccessFeral Hog BehaviorHog BehaviorFeral Hog Hunting Feeders, Night hunting with the PATENTED GAME ALERT Stealth Hunter Kit, Game Alert Night Hunting Module with Neoprene Case, Game Alert Single Beam Headlamp kit/ Red, Green,White LED emitter. This is why you see many hunters seeing success with the spot and stalk tactic, as you can fool the eyes if you are careful, but rarely can hunters fool a wild hogs nose. So do wild hogs have a good sense of smell? Groundhog Resistant Plants. Jesse also pointed out that you do want to take extra care in the field with pigs. But when you go to pull it apart, watch out. Rosemary and lavender are on some of the "won't eat" lists, as are basil and mint. To recap, here are 9 scents that groundhogs hate: You can also use physical deterrents like fencing as well as scare tactics. Think of the consistency of scrambled egg mix. Avoid growing crops that pigs enjoy, such as strawberries and other sweet fruit. Dont use scented lotions or deodorant either. They left their usual corn at the corn feeder to raid this mans garden. A Little Goes A Long Way Secrets To Mock Scrapes. Today, America's feral swine include wild boar, escaped domestic pigs, and hybrids of the two. Its not just for a successful hunt but for your safety as well. Another added benefit of essential oils is their repellent capabilities. Keep the scent usage at striking distance. When its windy, your chances on finding hogs decrease dramatically. If you havent read my article on hunting hogs in the rain, I think you should do so. Given their high capacity for reproduction, they have unfortunately become an invasive and harmful exotic species. Published April 30, 2021. Simple enough, right? One of the most crucial signs to look for when aiming to harvest a wild hog is to locate uprooted soil. You can sprinkle the repellent around the perimeter to create a barrier and keep them out or spray liquid right onto surface of plants, wood, grass, mulch or wherever you have found signs of the ground hog. Lazy, right? And once this product dries, you will not be able to smell the rotten egg scent. Please consult a pest control professional before applying any tactics from pestpointers.com. Unfortunately, the vivid, pleasantly scented blooms tend to draw the . Spiders! However, we feel that various wild hog hunting equipment such as the Game Alert Hog Hunting Light, which can be attached to the bottom of feeders and provides momentary illumination when a hog is within range, simplifies the process of hog hunting at night and helps you see success. If youre interested, you can read more about thebest coyote urines for repelling animals here. HogHuntingForBeginners.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Spicy Odors. Since groundhogs have a strong sense of smell, you can use predator urine, putrescent eggs, garlic, black pepper, onion, mustard, hot sauce, geranium oil, and garlic oil to repel them from your property. That means storing your hunting gear and clothes in ways that minimize the introduction of foreign scent in the field. Feral/wild hogs hearing is keen enough to detect a fairly loud whisper @ around 100 yards, human voice above a whisper and they are GONE. Then, depending on your preparation, brining large cuts can be a great way to mellow out the flavor. The first step has nothing to do with building a fence or calling animal control. In January, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved a warfarin-based pesticide for registration called Kaput. They have extremely strong jaws to crack open hard-shelled nuts such as hickory nuts and pecans. Groundhogs have a keen sense of smell that helps them stay safe from predators. Pet food left outside attracts the attention of pigs as well as other opportunistic critters. When it is extremely hot, hogs will tend to stay along water if available or near the thickest cover possible. Hawk decoys are another option. Sweet corn is a staple in hog baits, because hogs can easily recognize the smell. (2) foraging on the ground - fruits of woody species, fungi, small animals, vertebrate carrion, etc. Like predator urine, putrescent eggs also appeal to a groundhogs sense of danger. When food is abundant, hogs are harder to entice. What smell do wild hogs hate? Spread these in areas popular with wild hogs or use it in an outline around your property's perimeter. In some areas, the problems caused by wild hogs have increased as due to crossings with domestic pigs. Traps for Hedgehogs control: Traps are used to monitor or reduce the population of insects or other pests. Thus, the negative impact on crop plantations described above is exacerbated by a significant number of these animals and is perpetual. Hogs are used to encountering the scent of other hogs. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. This one is my favorite tip but if you can wear your hunting clothes in front of a bonfire before a hunt, do so! You should not be throwing any out in your slops if you have pet pigs. Hogs will have a harder time even smelling you if you are soaked by the rain. Since groundhogs have a strong sense of smell, you can use predator urine, putrescent eggs, garlic, black pepper, onion, mustard, hot sauce, geranium oil, and garlic oil to repel them from your property. Well list a few scents that groundhogs cant stand and how to use them. Find the best hunting times for game in North America, turkey hunting, turkey hunt, turkey hunting weather, turkey hunter, turkey tips, squirrel, squirrel hunting, hunting tips, hunting for squirrel, best time to hunt squirrel. Symptoms may include lethargy, lack of appetite, vomiting, hypersalivation, nasal discharge, muscle tremors, coughing, frothing at the mouth, sneezing, involuntary eye movement, labored breathing, and bloody diarrhea. Erect fences that are at least 3 feet tall to prevent pigs from jumping over them. You will find so many products, sprays, chemicals, and specialized clothing options out there that claim to be the next best thing to keep you undetectable to the wild hog. Also, keep Fido's food in the house. Predator urine may sound like a strange deterrent, but its an effective and natural deterrent that you can find easily online. One such repellent which quickly scares them away is the human scent, so collecting human hair in a barbershop and spreading it around the areas they usually frequent is an effective way to scare them off. The owl also has eyes that light up, and it emits a hooting noise when motion is detected. Luckily for me, Vito isnt the biggest pest in my life. Putting a tree between you and a wild boar, then climbing, can be an effective tactic (six feet off the ground should be enough), with rocks, dumpsters and car hoods also good avenues of retreat. Hogs forage in several ways: (1) browsing and grazing - leaves, fronds, stems, etc. Wild pigs can cause serious damage to the lawns and gardens of those living in areas where feral pig populations have increased considerably. Pigs have a terrific sense of smell and are attracted to the fruits and veggies you are growing especially overripe ones. Heres How. If it is shelter, perhaps you can make changes to the shade and cover provided. Once this product dries, we humans cant really smell it, so no need to worry about a rotten egg scent around your garden! What smells do hogs hate? FERAL/WILD HOG SENSE OF SMELL, SIGHT, AND SOUND. They will move in one night and it will look like his pastures have been carpet bombed by B-52's. There are two kinds of people those of us with hogs and those that are going to have hogs. The nice thing about these types of scent deterrents is that they are probably already in your pantry! Or you can also try an electronic cannon such as the one below, that is meant to scare birds, foxes, deer and wild pigs from the area. Feeding raw meat to pigs can transfer diseases such as foot and mouth disease. Dating as far back as the times of the Roman Empire, domesticated pigs, related to todays wild hogs, were used to hunt for truffles underground. Dont chew gum! The groundhogs will see a distorted reflection of themselves in the jar, which could trick them into thinking another animal is in the garden. If youre in need of an exterminator or wildlife professional, you can learn more about our nationwide network of pest control professionals. That makes sow estrous a suitable attractant year-round. If youre unsure about your groundhog problem or if you dont think you can handle it on your own, get help from a professional! Fence Height:To deter groundhogs, your fence should be at least three feet high. There are products out there that hunters swear by while others will condemn the same products totally. Cuny noted feral hogs have a strong sense of smell and are able to detect odors several feet deep, hence their rooting into the ground for a meal. Along with the wild hogs' sense of smell comes acute hearing, as well as eyesight that proves a hog can detect a human figure over 100 yards away. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. Boar taint is found in around 20% of entire male finishing pigs. To deter the pigs, clean up any fallen or overripe fruit or veggies. Join us and I will tell you everything. D/CODEconsists of scientifically-proven Field Spray, Body Wash & Shampoo, and other scent-elimination products, that when used together, provide an effective scent-elimination solution. If you do not want to line your garden with peppers, you could simply swap out the peppers for garlic or onion plants. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Garlic and Pepper 2. This may be a bit time-consuming and use a lot of pepper, but the effects should be pretty instantaneous. Reapply Hog Scram as a preventative to repel Hogs from the area. David is the main protagonist of the Duck Season game. In National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference 1995 (p. 4). An important note about predator urine: this product has a secondary application for hunters, which is to bait predators like coyotes and foxes closer to their position. For the eggs to become putrescent, they will need to rotten up a bit. Locations that show obvious damage from hog activity are also choice places to introduce Sow In Heat Urine as an attractant. Wild hogs do not have very good vision, although they do have a good sense of smell. Shadows are detected as a potential threat, running a light beam across the body of a hog, a tree, feeder leg etc. The feral or wild hog (scientific name Sus scrofa) is a mammal belonging to the Suidae family, which also includes pigs. Herbs 6. Whats the best spray to get rid of groundhogs? No matter which method you like to use to pursue hogs, there is typically a time and place to use hog scents, too. Sounds or alarms that could scare away feral hogs include: As they are very sensitive to sound, all these recordings could frighten them and scare them away. Make sure to bury it a foot beneath the soil and bend the last three inches out into an L shape for maximum effectiveness. For your convenience, we now accept phone orders Monday - Friday from 8:00am - 5:00pm CST. With this species causing damage to our crops, agriculture, and forests, this is all the more reason to hunt these animals. Visit our Terms and Conditions for more information. If you are hunting in an area where hunters hunt all the time, the hogs become slightly desensitized to the human scent. As the name suggests, its solar-powered. I know I mentioned earlier that hogs can smell further if a scent is carried to them by the wind. You may be wondering how long its been on your, Read More 11 Things That Attract Ticks (And How To Repel Them)Continue, Finding spiderwebs around your home can only mean one thing. The problem is, this second opening is often hidden or covered to help protect the groundhog. I grew up in an area of Upstate, NY where dealing with wildlife pests is a common occurrence. Groundhogs are part of the squirrel family and are similar in size and shape to their western cousins, the marmot. The largest groundhog chunks can weigh up to fifteen pounds and reach a length of over two feet. The first thing to know about hogs is that their sense of smell is excellent. The Epsom salt won't do anything harmful to a groundhog, as it's a natural product. Why cant I tame a polar bear in Minecraft? They take the same trails every day. Hearing is the least developed of the wild hogs senses. When moving they are continuously searching for food, mainly vegetable matter. Avoid growing crops that pigs enjoy, such as strawberries and other sweet fruit. It is interesting to note that pigs have 9 different glands that allow it to to recognize a wide variety of odors anal, buccal, digital, Harderian, mental, preorbital, preputial, salivary and vulvar. This appeals to a groundhogs sense of danger. As mentioned previously, wild boards have a highly sensitive sense of smell. It will just work to drive away the groundhog if you sprinkle it around the perimeter of your garden. Wild hogs possess one of if not the strongest highly developed senses of smell of any animal you will hunt, capable of detecting certain odors in excess of 5 miles away.