Some Texas landowners, already battling to reduce hog populations using snares, traps or dogs, are seizing the opportunities that hunting allows, he said. Hog hunting is especially popular among bowhunters and black powder enthusiasts, although most hogs are taken with rifles of .25-caliber or larger. Although feral hogs may weigh more than 300 pounds, weights of 100 to 150 pounds are more common, he said. A little knowledge about the biology and habits of feral hogs can help make hunters successful. Hogs are extremely intelligent animals with a keen sense of smell.
Many deer hunters are amazed at how hard hogs can be to outwit.
Feral hog boars are solitary animals that generally don't associate with other hogs except during breeding season. Feral hogs breed year- round, but there are peaks in the breeding cycle where the pigs are born in the fall and spring. Females and their offspring travel in family groups called sounders, he said. In general, hogs prefer moist areas in dense cover. During the cooler months, hogs are active during daylight but during the summer are mostly nocturnal.