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AZ strip Ferral Hog hunt

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 12:16 pm
by one hunting fool
Well the Arizona Strip Hog hunt is one tough hunt. Although I never harvested nor did anyone in the 5 days we hunted we did learn a lot of information about the area and hunting hogs in that area. So as promised here is some info as well as my story.

Well the first day of our hunt got us out to the strip after noon. My dad is a trapper on the way to AZ we had to check his sets.
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When we finally got there we found a group of hunters that had been hunting the area pretty hard for 15 days. They had 7 men, 5 horses, and 7 dogs. These guys had the hunters and the luck. They had harvested a 300lb sow and a few 100-150 pigs in the few weeks leading up to this. On this day they had them running ahead of the dogs but lost them in the many valleys and side canyons. They also lost a dog that we found and would not come to us. We also saw him for 2 more days before they finally came back and found him.
Anyway they had the hogs so scattered that it was hard hunting the next few days. We came close but could never seal the deal.
The hogs where located between Mustang, and knoll and mud mountain. With the best sign we found running through the wash just east of mud springs. This wash runs to Sand springs and if anyone has ever walked 2 miles in the sand you know how hard it is to walk to the springs. But that is the best area we found for fresh hog sign so in we went 3 more times.
This is mud springs
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Looking to the North from the gate. If you go straight north about a mile (1/2 mile is packed ground ½ mile soft sand) there is a high hill to the east. We climbed this the last 2 days because it gives you the best view of the valleys and surrounding areas. We found the pigs had been lying in the tall greenoak to the North West 5deg off north on your compass. Look here hard before dawn and you will catch them bedding. To long of a shot for my 30.06 but if you have an 800 yard gun your set. We would watch then try to move in.
The problem we encountered was they are so spooked that as soon as they hear something off they are gone.
The hogs will be moving toward Black Rock soon
This is MT Bangs
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Between here and Ide springs is about 5000 passes that take the hogs to black rock mountain. There is no shortage of water this time of year, however; if you concentrate on the natural springs your luck is better.
Mustang knoll
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Hog tracks on Mud springs
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They estimate maybe 40 hogs left. We only saw a few hogs nothing we could get close to.
My suggestion is let the hogs get to 800 then we will have a better chance at getting them. LOL
sunsetting
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Re: AZ strip Ferral Hog hunt

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 1:09 pm
by MuleyMadness
Wow that's a really cool recap and post. I'll be honest I had no idea there was even Hogs there. I'll probably never hunt them, but if one does try this post is very helpful. Man 40 left doesn't seem like hardly any at all. Sounds like they need to let them produce a bit. :)

See any deer or sign of them?

Re: AZ strip Ferral Hog hunt

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 4:15 pm
by one hunting fool
We saw one buck he was rakeing trees about ever 100 yards a nice 4 point but nothing to right home about. I found out about the hogs by accident and decided it might be worth a try. I heard from the ranger there that they estimated over 100 before the winter hit but they are beinging hunted really hard. I know ferral hogs are suppose to be bad on the area but really I never saw anysign of that. The plants they are rooting are mostly the thick willows in the wash bed and to tell you the truth they need a little thinning out. I did see sign of heavy rooting in the grass on Mud springs but it seemed to help the grass grow better to me. I am not an expert but what would be the hard in letting them be for a year or 2 se we can get some hog hunting closer to home?

Re: AZ strip Ferral Hog hunt

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:07 am
by Shedfreak88
were the guys you ran into Jay Simon of Hightop outfitters?

Re: AZ strip Ferral Hog hunt

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:29 pm
by one hunting fool
not sure what their names are. they told me but i am horrible with names.

Re: AZ strip Ferral Hog hunt

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:34 pm
by Shedfreak88
From richfield if they said where they were from...

Re: AZ strip Ferral Hog hunt

Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 9:01 am
by one hunting fool
never asked but seemed like local boys to me. I would have thought maybe mequite because they left their dog for 2 days before coming up to get it.

Re: AZ strip Ferral Hog hunt

Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 9:23 am
by Shedfreak88
I see. I know there was a few guys from St. george in the group but not sure how many. And I know they killed a big ole sow and a couple other smaller pigs as well... Haha were some of the guys drunk that you met?

Re: AZ strip Ferral Hog hunt

Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 9:55 am
by dahlmer
I was unaware of the hog population on the Strip. My understanding is that in large numbers they can really hammer the habitat.

Re: AZ strip Ferral Hog hunt

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:12 am
by one hunting fool
They where not drunk yet but i did see beer cans on the road back to town. I talked to a guy in a small toyota pickup. He had a radio and we where listening tothe horsemen talk. Then I went to try and get in line and see if they pushed hogs out. These guys had been there almost the whole first month of January. If they where there then it would have to be the same guys. I only ran into one other hunter with horses and that was on Thursday night and he stayed till Friday. Nice guy but he was just goofin a bit.