Nine Bar Ranch Blog
Pros and Cons of Hunting Alone
At 9 Bar Ranch, we love to hunt both solo and in small groups for wild boar, deer, and small game that makes its home here just NW of Fort Worth, Texas. There are times when hunting solo is just the meditative experience you need, while at other times, having company along makes the hunt a fun, social event. Today, we’re sharing our own list of pros and cons of hunting alone. This list draws on our experiences, but will likely apply to you as well.
Pro: You can enjoy quiet independence.
We are highly experienced in hunting both here on the ranch and in the surrounding countryside. We know which signs to look for, how the day’s weather will affect the game, and how the direction of the wind will impact our scent carrying.
With all this shared experience, you might think we’d agree on the best approach for tracking down our game. Instead, it’s more common for us to disagree!
When we hunt solo, we don’t waste time and energy discussing our competing plans. Instead, all we have to do is think through one plan, then execute it immediately. When we’re happy with our cover, we can hunker down as long as we like. When we want to move, we just get up and move; no chatter or bickering will alert nearby game to our movement.
In short, hunting solo means you can move twice as quickly with half the noise.
Mixed Bag: No Shared Job System
Usually, a group hunting party will create a system that rotates who shoots and who calls. If you’re hunting on your own, you’ll have to manage both calling and shooting.
Now, if you’re hunting for whitetail, pronghorn, or mule deer, this isn’t an issue. These animals don’t respond to calls, and tend to present hunters with only a fleeting chance to fire.
If you’re planning to hunt callable game like turkeys, ducks, doves, and coyotes, taking a teammate with you will improve your success ratio.
Con: Recovery and Pack Out
We can’t be the only hunters who have taken down game only to be unable to find the downed animal if it bolts. This frustrating experience is less likely to happen to you if you have an extra pair of peepers helping keep a lookout.
Packing out the meat is an arduous chore for all but small game. If you have a buddy with you, this part of the hunt goes much more quickly.
Mix it Up
The alternative here is to combine your favorite parts of solo and group hunting. If you’re planning to be out for the entire day, you could spend your morning with your hunting partner, then spend the evening doing your own thing on your own. You can then meet back up to either camp or head back home.
The Takeaway
There’s no one approach that’s better across the board. Instead, consider what you want out of your hunting experience, then factor in the kind of game you’re going after. For some hunters, the result is all that matters, while for others, the experience is king
Anyway you go, we wish you happy hunting!
Spring Hog Hunting Tips for North Texas Hunters
Texas has the largest wild hog population in the US. Feral hogs are an invasive species that breed quickly and pose a significant threat to natural crops and the Texas ecosystem. Because of the nuisance caused by wild hogs, hog hunting has been encouraged and grown into a quintessential Texas hunting experience. Whether you are an experienced hog hunter or a beginner looking to bag your first hog, Nine Bar Ranch has a hog hunting experience for you. Here are some Spring hog hunting tips for your next hunt at Nine Bar.
1. Be Quiet and Conceal Scent
Hogs have a notoriously weak sense of vision. But while they are not likely to easily spot you with their eyes, they have an excellent sense of smell and hearing to sense predators or threats in the area. Because of this heightened sense of hearing, keeping noise to a minimum when hogs are near during your hunt is helpful. Some hunters even mask their scent by avoiding colognes, scented lotions, shampoos, and detergents. Washing hunting clothes in hot water and baking soda can help mask the human scent.
2. Camouflage
Just because hogs do not have a great sense of vision does not mean they are blind. While you may not need to be decked out in head-to-toe camo gear, you should specifically avoid shiny or reflective items on a hog hunt. Jewelry, watches, and even sunglasses can catch the sun in a way that hogs will notice. Keep these items at home. While you can use the blinds on our ranch to conceal much of your movement, be mindful of using slow, deliberate movements when exposed.
3. Aim to Kill Quick
Hogs have very thick skin and are known to be hardy and aggressive animals. If you shoot them and do not hit a vital organ, there is a major risk that they will flee or even charge toward you. Make sure you are lined up for a good shot when you are shooting. Aim for the heart (slightly above the elbow), the lungs (behind the shoulders), or the brain. A well-placed shot will ensure you walk away with your hog.
4. Use the Right Weapons and Ammunition
As previously mentioned, wild hog skin is thick and tough. You are going to need something powerful enough to take these hogs down. But you must also use a weapon that performs consistently at a distance. The consistency of your shot will come from practicing shooting the same gun with the same ammunition over and over. Bow hunters also need to ensure their bow can shoot an arrow at a distance with accuracy and enough force to pierce the tough skin of a hog. You can expect consistency during your hunting experience when you practice with consistency.
Nine Bar Ranch has some of the best hog hunting in Texas! We set up blinds 60-100 yards away from feeders that go off twice in the morning and twice in the evenings. We rotate blinds to ensure we do not burn a spot. Our experts can help you have a successful hog hunt, even in the daytime. Our hog hunts come with a two-night stay and two full hunting days, including professional guides, field dressing, skinning, and quartering. Schedule your spring hog hunt today!