Fact checked by Steven Lines, lifelong Hunter, and Outdoorsman
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If you want to start hog hunting, you’ll need to be able to get them onto your property first. But what’s the best way to attract a wild hog (wild pig/feral hog/feral swine) to your land?
One of the best ways to get hogs to your property is by using food. Soured corn is the best choice. You can bury this mixture under the ground, encouraging the hogs to rummage around. Alternatively, you can use scents or a creosote post to bring hogs onto your land.
Getting hogs onto your land doesn’t have to be a big hassle. As long as you make the right conditions, they will come. Let’s look at everything you need to know about attracting hogs.
In this post, we'll cover:
How Can You Use Corn to Attract Wild Hogs?
One of the best ways to attract hogs will be by making a corn mixture. As long as there is a stable food source in the area, they will keep coming back. This will give you plenty of opportunities to hunt for them.
How to Prepare a Corn Mixture?
A good corn mixture is one of the best ways to get a hog’s attention. There are many recipes online that people swear by. One of the easiest can be made by using Jell-O.
First, you’ll need to fill up the bucket halfway with corn. Then, you’ll need to add in two packs of Jell-O, one liter of fruit soda, and three packets of yeast. Mix everything thoroughly. You’ll then need to seal up the bucket and leave it to soak for a few days. It will start to smell sour. This means that it will be ready to use.
This video shows you the recipe that you should follow.
How to Use a Posthole to Distribute the Corn Mixture
Once you’ve made your corn mixture, you’ll need to find how you will distribute it to attract the hogs’ attention. There are a few ways that you can do this. Let’s start by looking at how you can use a posthole.
As you might imagine, you’ll first need to dig a posthole. You will only need something shallow. Then, fill it with the corn mixture. Fill the hole with dirt again—space out the spots around the area.
Once the holes have been dug, you should start to notice the hogs coming into the area. They will use their noses and tusks to dig up the ground and get the corn. Though it can take a bit of effort, postholes will allow you to keep the hogs in the area for a long time. As long as there is still corn to discover, they will continue to return to the feeding area.
How to Use a Sack to Attract Hogs
Another option that you might want to explore is using a food sack. In this case, you’ll want to mix the corn with water. Add four to five Kool-Aid packs. This will form a reasonably gummy mixture. As it starts to dry out, the liquid will trickle out of the bag. This will attract the hogs.
Once you’ve set up the bag, head out to a tree. Sling the bag around the tree. It should be low enough that the hogs can nip or tear at the base of the bag. As long as the corn continues to trickle, the hogs will be interested in the area. When the mixture has dried up and is no longer dripping, remove the bag from the tree. This will allow the hogs to eat the corn mixture.
An alternative to this is using a feeder. This works similarly, creating a trickle of corn. However, the feeder will have a larger capacity so that it will last longer than the bags. If you’re using a feeder, you won’t need to create a gummy mixture.
Once you know that they are in the area, you might want to set up a slop tray. You can fill this with rotting fruits and vegetables. Attach a hunting camera to the tray. This will let you know when the activity is highest. You can sprinkle some motor diesel through the tray. This will keep the insects away. It will also benefit the hogs, killing harmful bacteria.
How to Use Scent to Attract Wild Hogs (Feral Pigs)
Hogs have a sensitive nose. Because of this, you will be able to use scents to attract them. One of the ways to do this is by setting a dynamite-style odor disperser. It gets its name because of the way that it’s shaped.
Get a piece of PVC pipe and plug up one end. Then, get some boar attractant and pour it into the unplugged end. You attach a wick made from a nylon cord. Set the nylon on fire. This will disperse the odor through the air. Attach the PVC pipe to a high tree limb and wait for the hogs to be drawn to its stench.
Can You Use a Creosote Post to Attract Feral Pigs?
Another way that you can get hog to your property is by setting up a hog post. To do this, you’ll need to visit a local timber yard and pick up a creosote post. The scent of the post will attract the hog. They like to rub themselves on the pole, which contains oil. This provides them with protection from insects.
Once you’ve got the post, bury it in the ground. Then, rub some diesel onto the post. If you want to use multiple posts, you’ll need to space them three or four feet apart. If you don’t have a creosote post, you can try wetting some burlap sacks in diesel. Attach these to the trees. The hogs will come and rub themselves against the bags.
What Are Some Signs That There are Feral Pigs (Wild Boar) in the Area?
For the maximum effect, you’ll want to set the traps in an area that is already frequented by hogs. There are a few signs that there will be hogs in the area. One of the first things that you’ll need to look for is their tracks. These will give you critical pieces of information. They will be able to tell you the number of hogs in the area. They will also allow you to spot what direction the pack is moving in.
The next thing that you will need to look for is signs that the hogs have been feeding. When there is food in the area, the hogs will use dig out the ground. This can look like the land has been tilled. When you spot this, look at the trees. You should be able to spot mud marks around the trucks from where the hogs have rubbed themselves against the bark.
Finally, you can look for pits in the ground where the hogs have been wallowing. Often, this area will be surrounded by muddy tracks. The bigger the wallow, the larger the wild hog population. You might want to set up a game camera around the wallow to check the size of your hogs.
Final Thoughts
Feral hog populations are invasive species and cause significant problems to local livestock, crops, and the surrounding wildlife. They can destroy farms and have been known to injure people. Attracting them to your property and hunting them is a great way to control the population. It’s also a lot of fun. Hopefully, these tips will be able to help you find and hunt wild hogs.
Steven Lines is a hunter and outdoorsman from Safford, Arizona, USA. Since he was a child, he has been hunting and fishing and has over 20 years of outdoor experience. Steven works as a hunting guide in Arizona during his spare time and runs a Youtube channel dedicated to sharing his outdoor adventures with others.
