Hunting wild boar in winter: weapons, methods of tracking and catching. How to hunt wild boar in different situations Where to look for wild boars

The summer wild boar hunt has opened. And although a lot has been written about this hunt, hunters send us essays in which they share their experiences. Today we offer you material from our new author.

In the second half of summer, when winter crops and wheat, rye and corn ripen, as well as potatoes in the fields, wild boars begin to visit these fields, gain fat reserves and weight, preparing for winter. To prepare for grass hunting, you should explore the fields, preferably 1-2 days after the rain, when you can clearly see a hoof print on the soft ground.

Having found the entrance tracks, we determine the place of entry into the field, the age of the animal - this is necessary in order to decide in advance who we are shooting, most often this is part of the field - the “tongue”, which enters the forest at the edge with a depression. If there is a ravine nearby, this is 80% of the exit to the field. If the ground is dry, we find passages expressed in the form of broken stems pressed by it at the entrance to the field, as well as chewing made by a wild boar; it chews the grains and spits out the husks.

After discovering the tracks of a wild boar and determining the place of entry and exit, the hoof mark should be wiped away and if new tracks are found the next day, prepare a storage shed, because this is a sign of regular visits to the field by wild boars.

Labaz

On trees at a height of 4-5 meters, we knock down the crossbars, arrange a seat on them, it is advisable to nail a stand under the legs and under the back so that the body does not get tired. Also, cutting a branch or hammering a nail in order to hang a gun next to it, rather than holding it in your hands—the trembling of tired hands ruins the shot.

If you want your storage shed not to be discovered, make the seat removable. It doesn’t hurt to put a reference point on the field, these could be broken branches, place them at a distance of 35-50 m for an accurate shot.

It is advisable to be at the storage shed 40 minutes before sunset. It’s good to have a visar or binoculars and mosquito repellent ointment with you. Sitting comfortably in the storage shed and hanging the gun on a hook nearby, begin to look and listen carefully. The first sign of the approach of an animal is the alarming cry of birds and the lower cracking of branches.

Coming out to the edge of the forest, the boar stands listening to the field, after which it begins to move. At the first sign of an animal approaching, the gun, pre-loaded with a cartridge with a bullet, is removed from the hook and the safety switch is switched to fire (check that it does not make a metallic sound when moving, lubricate it with oil in advance and develop it).

Decide in advance who you will shoot, a gilt with its soft meat or a trophy cleaver. The cleaver is usually the last one to come out. If there is a pair in front of you, shoot the second one - it’s a wild boar; the pig usually goes first. A two to three year old summer boar is good meat and has decent body weight.

We aim and shoot at the shoulder blade, after which we carefully monitor the behavior of the animal; if it falls, do not look away. There were times when he jumped up and ran away. If he is wounded, try to finish him off with the next shot, as calmly and calmly as possible.

If you have made a wounded animal, never pursue him. Wounded, he will hunt you, or he will go very far in a fever. The selection of the animal is carried out in the company of 2-3 hunters and preferably with dogs in daylight hours days. Very often, a killed animal on the field is invisible in the heat of the moment, and at dawn, when you see the carcass, you wonder how you didn’t notice it at night.

The time the wild boar comes out may depend on the distance it is from the feeding places - it can come out before dark, or maybe at 11-12 o’clock at night. It happened when wild boars lay down on the field. A wild boar can come out for several days in a row, and then disappear. He may be scared by other wild boars, people, dogs, etc. To get a wild boar, you need perseverance and perseverance.

Regarding safety precautions. Never shoot at a vague shadow or outline. Lost mushroom pickers, hunters, and vacationers come out. Shoot only at the clear outline of the animal's body. While sitting in the storage shed, carefully monitor cars that may be near you, the light of cigarettes and mobile phones. It is impossible to chase wounded animals at night or alone without dogs.

There are some peculiarities of hunting wild boar in the forest. You need to find a place where the wild boar is regularly found, a swamp, mud puddles, narrow passages between forest areas. Place feed, corn, grain, etc. It is advisable to pack food in plastic bag and tie with rope or tape, making a cut in the side; The boar will not be able to eat everything at once and will come several times, eating a little.

Near the food, smear the tree with odorous liquid for wild boars (costs 800-3000 rubles) - this attracts them from a greater distance and hides the smell of the hunter, the trap. Make a bookmark in advance and watch when traces of a visit appear. The peculiarity of the movement of a wild boar in the forest is to walk in a circle.

If the boar is constantly moving, and it is convenient for you to shoot at a standing one, whistle, he will stand up. It happens that a wild boar, sensing the scent of a person, runs away, do not rush to leave - it comes back more than once. There were such cases...

Gift from a pig

Sitting late in the evening on the edge of an unharvested field next to forest and bushes in a heap of straw, I saw a pig with fingerlings descending from a hillock to the edge of the field. He raised his gun and, with thoughts of the tasty and soft meat of the fingerling, prepared to shoot, but it was warm summer evening, and, having descended from the hillock, the young of the year disappeared into the fog, which was at the bottom of the field. Only the pig towered half of its carcass above the fog, spreading in a dense mass. In order not to be nervous and not give in to the temptation to shoot at the pig, I lightly slapped the butt with my palm. The pig squealed, and the little ones in it rushed towards the forest, squealing and stepping on each other. Suddenly, before I even had time to sit down in the straw, two moose, who were feeding in the bushes at the edge of the forest, rushed towards me.

The shot was successful, the elk with small antlers lay down in place, while refreshing, I saw a bullet that hit the heart. “Thank you, boars, for the spoils!”

...Sitting on the edge of the swamp, I heard the cracking of branches and the noise made by the beast. A young elk ran out to the edge of the swamp, and was chased by a wild boar. I don’t know what they didn’t share in the nearest clearing, but the elk cheated and approached the center of the swamp, where the water level reached 25-35 cm. The boar did not go into the water with the elk, turned around and went back. The elk stood with its head towards the hunter. After 15-20 minutes, either sensing the hunter, or making sure that the boar had left, he turned sideways. Shot. The moose lay down. Thanks to the boar. The moose was young and very inexperienced. By the way, two weeks later a wild boar was killed in the same place, moving towards the rotten skin and entrails, the elk took revenge.

They told

We were hunting wild boar in a corn field. We stood at the edge of the field on the Niva, wild boars came out of the forest, a healthy herd, 30 heads. The last one to come out was a huge black cleaver, one and a half times larger than the others, and also moved towards the corn - it was impossible to let such a trophy go. The shot with a .30-06 caliber bullet was accurate, the boar sat down on half-bent legs, but immediately jumped up and began to go into the forest. The driver abruptly started the car and began to turn towards the forest, to the cry of “don’t let him go into the forest!”

Having approached close, about 10 meters, to the cleaver, they tried to cut off his path to the forest. The beast turned around and hit the Niva in the right door, the car lay on its side, with the butt of a wild boar in front of the windshield. He was dead. The bullet hit the heart. He ran for 300 meters and in the last jump he put a car weighing 1000 kg on its side. The boar weighed about 180 kg.

Meeting a wild boar in the forest is an unenviable situation, a large animal with powerful fangs can scare a tourist, a mushroom picker and even a novice hunter. But if you don’t twitch, the boar most likely won’t notice the person; wild pigs have weak eyesight, but their sense of smell is excellently developed and, sensing danger, the boar will leave on its own.

The wild pig, also known as the boar, is the oldest animal on the planet; 2.5 million years ago, wild boars already trampled our land. In the Neolithic era (approximately 9 thousand years BC), the first domestic pigs appeared - direct descendants of the boar, whose existence began to depend on humans. But wild pigs have also retained their unique evolutionary line; today they are familiar, quite numerous animals. The boar is a large animal; what do wild boars eat, growing to truly gigantic sizes? What allows them to survive in wildlife?

Who are wild boars?

The wild boar is a non-ruminant artiodactyl from the pig family. Wild boars belong to the genus Boars, which also includes their descendants - domestic pigs, their closest relatives - bearded pigs and other mammals with a characteristic porcine appearance.

Adult wild boars grow up to 175 cm in length, the height of males at the withers reaches 1 m, females are smaller, their height is about 90 cm. The average weight of a wild pig is about 100 kg, but there are specimens weighing up to 150 and 200 kg. In the territory of Eastern Europe You can see wild boars whose weight reaches 275 kg, and in the Primorsky Territory and northeast China there are heavy boars, with a body weight of up to 500 kg! Boar average size 3 to 6 kg of food are required per day, and the diet of a wild pig depends on its habitat.

Boar's range

In ancient times, the range of the wild pig was much wider than today, but uncontrolled hunting led to the extinction of animals in many areas of the planet. At the end of the 19th century, wild boars were completely exterminated in Libya. In 1912, the last wild boar died in the Giza Zoo, Egypt's largest zoological garden, and although the animals were again brought from Hungary for resettlement, wild pigs again became victims of poachers.

In the same way, in the 18th - 19th centuries, wild boars disappeared from a number of Scandinavian countries, from many regions of the former republics of the USSR, Japan and Great Britain. In the 60s of the last century, the wild pig population began to be revived in many countries, and despite the dramatic decline in numbers in past years, today the wild boar's range is the largest among its relatives and one of the widest among all land mammals.

Wild boars live in Eurasia and North Africa, in Russia they are found throughout most of the European territory with the exception of taiga regions and the coldest regions of the tundra. Boars are omnivores, and their diet is extremely varied. But there are boars with a highly specialized diet: for example, wild boars on the island of Java are absolute vegetarians; they eat about 50 types of fruit trees. Wild pigs living in Kazakhstan and the Volga delta, on the contrary, are on a fish diet, eating a large number of roach and carp.

Even wolves, tigers and leopards rarely attack a well-fed adult boar, so the main enemy of the wild pig is still humans. Boars are very attached to their feeding areas and hunters know this very well, so tracking and driving a boar, especially with dogs, is not difficult.

Where do wild boars live?

The favorite habitats of wild boars are wet swampy forests, bushes, and in Asia - reeds, from where the animals are flushed and hunted, chasing on horseback. Wild pigs are quite clumsy, but in case of danger they can reach speeds of up to 40 km/h. In another case, an alarmed boar can rush into the water and, if necessary, swim a huge distance.

When the boars are safe, they are busy searching for food. Wild pigs are social animals; they live in herds consisting of several dozen females with piglets and young males. Herds of the European population in some cases reach hundreds of heads. Old boars keep to themselves and come to the herd only during the mating season. Boars live sedentary lives and move only within the herd's territory in search of food.

Snout, fangs and hooves - the boar's tools of "labor"

The basis of the diet of most wild pigs is plant food, and what boars eat, they get from the forest floor. Animals are helped to dig the ground by powerful apron legs with strong hooves and a long snout, which ends in a hard cartilaginous formation - a snout.

An important role in obtaining food is played by protruding fangs, which are highly developed in males. They also serve as protection for the boar: with their sharp tusks, boars inflict serious lacerations on inexperienced hunters. Females that do not have such a formidable weapon knock down offenders and beat them furiously with their powerful hooves, especially when it comes to protecting their offspring.

Loosening large areas of land by wild boars brings enormous benefits to the forest. By digging up tubers and rhizomes of plants, wild pigs embed tree seeds into the soil, and along the way eat the larvae of insect pests, such as the cockchafer and pine moth.

For wild boars living in regions with pronounced seasons, their diet varies greatly depending on the season.

What do wild boars eat in summer?

It is very rare to meet a boar on a fine summer day. Animals with thick, bristly skins are extremely sensitive to temperature changes and to maintain thermoregulation, wild boars often roll in the mud. This is not at all bad habit, but a way to maintain a certain body temperature and protect against sunburn and insect bites.

In summer, wild boars dig wide holes, up to 40 cm deep, where they rest during the day as a whole herd, and at dusk they go out to swim, take mud baths and search for food.

The basis of the wild boar's summer diet consists of tubers, bulbs, rhizomes, shoots and leaves of plants. Interestingly, wild pigs eat underground and aboveground parts poisonous plants without harm to health and are not afraid of snake venom. Three more species of animals have the same rare feature: representatives of the mongoose family, honey badgers and true hedgehogs.

Insects and their larvae often become prey for wild boars. earthworms, small rodents, hedgehogs, frogs and lizards. Wild pigs do not disdain carrion, and at any time of the year. As the crop matures, the boar's diet also changes.

What do wild boars eat in the fall?

In harvest years, the main autumn delicacy for wild boars are nuts and acorns - nourishing food rich in proteins and fats. Wild boars happily eat ripe ears of wheat, other grain crops and corn on agricultural land, sometimes causing irreparable damage to the crop.

In autumn, in places with a high number of wild boars, fruit and vegetable plantings, both public and private, are especially affected. A small family of wild boars can devastate plantings of turnips, potatoes, other root crops and leafy vegetables overnight, leaving behind empty beds. Although, from a purely human perspective, wild boars can be understood, because the animals are preparing for a long winter, and besides, born in spring Piglets must become well-fed before the onset of cold weather.

What do wild boars eat in winter?

Female wild boars give birth once a year; the brood contains from 4 to 12 cubs, which the mother feeds with milk for 3.5 months. A newborn piglet weighs from 650 to 1650 g, and by autumn, due to increased nutrition, it gains weight up to 20 - 30 kg and, if it does not become the prey of a predator, it will definitely survive the winter.

The underground parts of plants also remain in the winter diet of a wild pig: an adult boar is able to dig through frozen ground to a depth of 17 cm. Wild boars have an excellent memory and return to oak and walnut groves in search of fruits covered with snow. Along the banks of swamps, animals look for frozen horsetail in the snow, rich in carbohydrates and sugars.

Often the food of wild boars is the remains of predators' meals; in years of lack of food, wild pigs are content with shoots and tree bark. A meager diet is not able to satisfy hunger, and then wild boars become dangerous to other forest inhabitants, attacking hares and small rodents. A hungry boar even hunts large animals - wild goats, fallow deer and deer, but only young, wounded or weak ones.

In places where the number of wild boars is low, rangers feed them by leaving bone meal briquettes, cake and root vegetables in the forest.

Not all wild boars survive until spring; unfortunately, hunting and winter starvation greatly reduce the number of wild pigs in some regions. In addition, from November to January, wild boars have a rut with fierce fights between males, and wounded animals rarely survive.

What do wild boars eat in spring?

With the arrival of spring, emaciated animals, especially pregnant females, are happy with any available food: awakened insects and their larvae, rodents that appear on the surface, sprouted acorns and plant rhizomes that can be dug up from a considerable depth.

The buds begin to bloom, fresh grass emerges and the wild boars gradually begin to gain weight, the females are preparing for childbirth. In mid-spring, eggs and chicks of ground-nesting birds become a special treat for wild boars. Summer is coming, and with it a fertile time for hearty late-night meals.

With a successful combination of circumstances, wild boars live for about 14 years, and in captivity and protected areas wild pigs can live up to 20 years.

Video about wild boars

Wild boars and piglets in the city A family of wild boars and their brood wandered into the Polish town of Krynica Morska. They feel confident, as if they live here.

Many people dream of getting a wild boar while hunting, but the most courageous, experienced and successful hunters manage to get this trophy. It is not for nothing that hunting a wild boar is considered one of the most dangerous, because an aggressive cleaver is capable of inflicting terrible wounds with its sharp fangs, and a female can easily knock down a hunter and trample him. For the hunt to be successful, you need to know not only the methods of hunting wild boar, but also the habits of the wild boar and safety rules.

Wild boar: appearance, habitats, nutrition

Wild boar (boar, wild pig) is a cloven-hoofed omnivorous non-ruminant mammal of the pig genus. It differs from the domestic pig in its shorter and denser body, powerful and long legs, elongated head shape and long pointed ears. The canines are much more developed; in males they are larger than in females. As a rule, it has a black-brown or grayish color. Due to the stubble on the back, a small mane is formed.

Height at the shoulders is about 95 cm, length is about 2 m. The average weight of an adult is 150-200 kg and above.

It lives in mixed and deciduous forests, as well as in steppe areas. The habitat in Russia is quite large: the Caucasus, Southern Siberia, Tien Shan and the European part, with the exception of the tundra and some taiga regions.

The wild pig's diet includes fruits, roots, acorns, a variety of vegetation, small animals, and carrion. Often, wild boars destroy fields of potatoes, turnips and grains, trampling and tearing up crops; Quite often they gnaw young trees. A hungry cleaver can also attack a large animal (deer, roe deer or fallow deer), especially if it is sick or wounded.

To live, wild boars choose places rich in water - swampy areas overgrown with reeds or bushes. Old and adult loppers usually stay separately from the herd, joining it only for the mating period. The herd consists of females (from 10 to 30 individuals), cubs and young animals.

The rut lasts from November to January; males are especially aggressive during this period and fight fiercely among themselves. The female bears offspring for up to 18 weeks, and produces up to 12 piglets per litter. The pig jealously protects its offspring and is capable of fiercely protecting it from enemies.

Boars move quickly, but somewhat clumsily. They are excellent swimmers and can swim long distances. While they have excellent hearing and sense of smell, they have rather poor eyesight. This animal is cautious, but not cowardly and is always ready to fight. Wounded loppers and females protecting piglets are very dangerous.

During the day, animals rest in holes they have dug and often set up common rookery areas. In the evening they go out to swim and search for food.

General hunting rules

Depending on the location, wild boar hunting seasons may vary. From August to January, young animals and males are harvested. You can hunt females from September to December.

In order for the hunt to be successful and without accidents, you need to know the habits of a wild boar well and follow all safety measures.

Here are the basic rules for boar hunting:

1. Before hunting, you need to study the area. This way it will be possible to find feeding areas and obtain information about the number and age of animals.
2. Carefully inspect the trees; the higher the bark is stripped from the ground, the larger the expected prey.
3. When studying the tracks, you should not go straight along the animal trail. A foreign smell can scare away the animal.
4. You only need to track and lie in wait for a wild boar against the wind, so as not to scare it away.
5. If there are bushes or a tree between the hunter and the animal, it will be more difficult for the animal to notice the danger.
6. You need to aim at the area of ​​the shoulder blade, this way you have a better chance of hitting the heart.
7. Until you are sure that the animal is dead, you should under no circumstances approach it. If the “mane” puffs up and the ears are flattened, this is a sure sign that the animal is preparing to attack. A control shot should be made in the ear area. Do not forget that a wounded animal can cause very serious injuries.
8. It is worth taking care of the hiding place in advance, in case of an inaccurate shot. If a disturbed or wounded boar sees a hunter, it will most likely attack.
9. Before and during the hunt, you must not smoke, drink alcohol, use cologne, etc. You can't go to the toilet next to the locker. The animal will quickly sense foreign odors and retreat.
10. Experienced hunters recommend thoroughly airing your clothes before hunting and it is best to bring them with you and change clothes in the forest.
11. For safe hunting, you can use a low platform. Since the boar has an inactive neck, it will not be able to push the hunter off the hill with its head.
12. If an animal runs towards a hunter, in order to dodge him, you need to jump to the side in front of him. The boar, although fast, is clumsy; he will not have time to react and will run past. The animal very rarely returns for a second attack and, as a rule, runs away.

Weapon selection and equipment

Both smooth-bore and rifled-bore weapons are suitable for boar hunting, the main thing is that it is in good working order and well-aimed.

Hunting for a cleaver requires a large caliber:

• for smooth-bore weapons - in open areas it is good to choose a Polev or Gualandi bullet; for shooting in thickets and bushes, Blondeau or Rubeykin bullets that are not prone to ricochet are suitable;
• for rifled - maximum caliber, starting from 7.62*51.

You can take a smaller caliber for young animals, but it is better not to risk it, since there may always be a large specimen nearby.

Clothing and footwear should be chosen according to the weather and terrain. Clothing should be comfortable and not rustling. It should be remembered that the wild boar has acute hearing, so any unfamiliar sounds while lying down or feeding can frighten the animal. Since you cannot use repellents, you can wear a hat with a mosquito net during midge and mosquito season.

You need to take care of camouflage, using a camouflage coat or clothing that matches the color of the environment. Don't forget to bring everything you need to clean your weapon, hunting knife, flashlight and batteries and night vision scope.

How to shoot a wild boar correctly

The boar is very resilient to wounds. Even with a bullet in the heart, he is able to run about a hundred meters, and with a wound in the stomach - several kilometers. When wounded, a boar produces very little blood, since the wound is quickly covered with fatty tissue. Sometimes the first drops of blood can be detected only after 150-200 m. Therefore, it is worth walking this distance along the trail of a fleeing animal to find out whether there was a hit.

If the heart is punctured, the blood will come out in spurts, and if the lung is punctured, it will spray out in drops. When hitting top part The boar's body begins to writhe, and if it hits the lower part, the animal will jump. If the animal tries to rise on its front hooves, this indicates damage to the spine. If the skull is wounded, the boar will convulse for some time, then it may jump up and run away.

Experienced hunters advise not to waste time searching for a slightly wounded animal, since it is easier to track down a wild boar the next day with dogs. During this time, the boar will weaken and it will be much easier to take it.

• If the animal is heading straight towards the hunter, you need to aim, but not shoot. And at the moment when he notices the hunter and turns to the side, fire a shot in the side.
• If the animal is successfully hit in the head, the brain is destroyed. A shot in the neck crushes the vertebrae, and under the shoulder blade hits the heart.
• Shooting at a moving animal is most effective from 20-30 m.
• It is best to shoot at a fleeing animal, aiming for the ridge.
• If hunting in a mountainous or hilly area, it is better not to shoot an animal that is above the hunter's level. In case of injury or a miss, the boar will rush down and simply sweep away the person.
• If a wild boar runs out of cover, you should let it go 10 meters and only after that make a shot.
• You cannot shoot a cleaver in the chest, since this place is well protected by galangal (a thick layer of connective tissue), and the shot will only slightly wound and anger the animal.

Season

In each region, the wild boar hunting season begins separately, in accordance with climatic conditions.

In summer

By the end of summer, boars begin to feed heavily. When dusk comes, animals go out into open places - gardens, fields and clearings. By following the tracks you can easily locate feeding areas. A specific smell, mud puddles, footprints, droppings and dug up earth will definitely point the hunter to the right place. It is better to track a wild boar from bodies of water by following its tracks.

in autumn

The best period for hunting boars is considered to be the beginning of autumn. This time is the most productive time for hunting from ambush, since the wild boar comes out to the fields to feed in the fall. The ambush is organized close to the trails and places where animals feed. At the end of summer and at the very beginning of autumn, animals go out to feed immediately after sunset.

This time is good for aimed shots. In the second half of September, wild boars come out to feed already in the dark.

in winter

In winter, for hunting you need to choose a place not far from the reeds, closer to the forest, to dense thickets. The wild boar bathes in winter, even in severe frost, occasionally comes out to feed during the day, more often at night. In the snow, bedding areas are often arranged under large spruce trees and on anthills. Ruined anthills, droppings and tracks in the snow will help you find the animal. Experienced hunters know how to feed a wild boar; during the day they lay out the bait, and in the evening they go hunting.

There are several common ways to hunt wild boar in different time of the year. There is safe wild boar hunting from a tower, suitable even for beginners, and stealth wild boar hunting in winter, accessible only to experienced trackers. Below we will consider all the methods in detail.

Drive hunt (roundup)

Hunting for a boar in a pen is often unpredictable, since a startled boar can run not from the beaters, but directly at them. Beaters should not make loud noise, as the boar may perceive this as a threat and attack.

Before hunting, it is advisable to make sure that the wild boar is in a fenced area so as not to waste time. Blind drives can give good result, only with a large concentration of animals.

The salary of the boar and the placement of shooters is carried out according to general rules covering the animal, its presence on the site is determined by counting the entrance and exit tracks. The main thing is to take into account the direction of the wind at any time of the year and under no circumstances place the shooters so that the wind carries their scent to the animal.

Until the snow falls, a wild boar roundup can be carried out without salary. Having made sure that there are wild boars on the site, they surround it with a roundup and drive the animals to the line of shooters.

Winter wild boar hunting requires preparation; it is certainly preceded by a salary. Hunting should be carried out before 17:00, after which, at dusk, visibility is significantly reduced. In winter, the wild boar lies quite firmly, and you can act more boldly, however, avoiding loud noise.

Beaters must be careful; quiet knocking on trees, quiet negotiations and slow movement around the paddock are allowed. In this case, the animal, having heard people, will try to get away from them and will come right at the shooters.

The arrows on the number should be completely silent. It is advisable to choose a position near a tree or stump so that you can hide from a wounded animal. It is better to stand motionless in front of a tree, as constantly looking out from behind it will quickly reveal the presence of a hunter. To avoid accidents, discipline is very important - shooters are not allowed to leave their positions until the end of the hunt, and they can only shoot when the target is clearly visible.

The boar often leaves the hunt in its own tracks, so it is worth placing a shooter in this area.

From the approach (stealth)

Hunting for wild boar from the approach is not suitable for novice hunters, as it requires good knowledge of the habits of the wild boar, maximum attention and dexterity. At best, the newcomer will be left without prey, and at worst, he may suffer from an angry beast.

You can hunt by stealth at any time of the day. During the day you can find the animal lying down, and at night - in feeding areas.

Experienced hunters know where the wild boar rests for the day, and they go around these areas in search of prey. You should remain quiet and move only against the wind. After all, even a sleeping animal can be easily startled. Binoculars will be a great help when searching for an animal; with its help, it will be easier to spot the animal and not scare it away.

Wild boars rarely change their feeding and resting places, so once you find such places, you shouldn’t forget about them.

Hunting for wild boar at night begins with walking around unharvested fields, which is where the animal most often feeds. It is easier to hear the animal in the field at night, since it makes quite loud sounds while eating. They will help you get within shooting distance of your prey. You should move carefully, waiting for the time when the animal, listening, becomes silent.

In winter, it is easier to hunt from the approach, since it is easier to detect fresh tracks of the animal, especially in soft powder.

If you are stalking a wild boar while feeding, keep an eye on its tail. While eating, it constantly moves, but as soon as the animal is alerted to something, the tail hangs motionless. At this moment, hiding must be stopped, hidden and not moving. In this case, the animal may not notice the hunter and start eating again.

For approach hunting to be successful, you need to follow the basic rules:

• high-quality camouflage;
• “silent” clothing, shoes and ammunition;
• maximum attention and silence;
• caution! You should shoot only if there is a place where you can hide from a wounded animal;
• You cannot pursue a wounded animal alone. A wounded boar can be deadly.

Hunting on crossings

At times, wild boars move from one feeding area to another. At the same time, transition paths are maintained, as a rule, without changes from year to year. They are easy to detect by their characteristic tracks and large areas of dug up earth. The hunter remains to track the migration routes and use them for hunting.

Typically, crossings take place over short sections in open spaces and along river crossings. These are the places where you should set up an ambush.

A successful hunt will require maximum patience, silence and right choice places (wind direction should be from the trail towards the hunter).

On the dirt

For a successful hunt, you can use the wild boar's favorite habit - mud baths. It is in the mud that the boar often rests from the heat in the summer or escapes from midges. After bathing, the animal itches on nearby trees, leaving stubble and dirty marks on them. It is these marks and hoof prints around a muddy puddle that will help a hunter determine which places animals visit most often.

Hunting in the mud can be carried out both at night from ambush (more on this below) and during the day from the approach.

Night hunting for wild boar on the mud will be more successful on a bright moonlit night. If the weather is not favorable, then a powerful under-barrel flashlight will help blind the animal long enough to fire a shot.

From a sit-down

Wild boar sightings are arranged:

• in fattening areas - in fields, gardens, walnut and oak groves;
• near trails, crossings and bodies of water;
• at the “baths” - in swampy lowlands and mud.

Having chosen a hiding place, the hunter takes refuge there an hour and a half before sunset and patiently waits for the prey to appear. It is better to choose moonlit nights for hunting; in this case, the silhouettes of animals are clearly visible.

If a sit-out is organized near a field, then it is best to build a storage shed - a platform on a tree for sitting. This method will allow you to clearly distinguish between animals and prevent them from smelling the hunter. In addition, the storehouse will allow the hunter to avoid meeting with a wounded animal in case of an unsuccessful shot.

You should guard your prey in silence; under no circumstances should you smoke or talk if there are several hunters. Clothes and shoes should be chosen that are comfortable and “silent”.

Before entering the field, the animals hide, sniff and listen, hiding in the bushes. Then the pigs go out to “reconnaissance”, then the pigs with their piglets. Only after the herd begins to eat, slurping loudly, do the cleavers enter the field. You can shoot only after the pigs start feeding.

Hunting in the fields

In the fields you can hunt from a hunting tower or from a blind spot. To install a tower or storage shed, you need to find a feeding field where wild boars come to fatten.

At the end of summer, the wild boar feeds in potato and oat fields, and also does not shy away from cereal and melon fields. From mid-autumn, when the fields have already been harvested, they often climb into the fields in search of food. apple orchards. The best place For wild boar hunting in summer, a field sown with oats, peas or corn is considered. If the field is not harvested, then wild boars will visit it both in autumn and winter.

Having examined the edges of the field, especially where it is most adjacent to the forest or woodland, and having discovered a boar’s path, dug up earth and poisoned crops, you can safely organize an ambush.

Hunting with decoy

Many hunters wonder how to introduce a wild boar if there is no time for complementary feeding. In this case, a boar decoy will help. It can be used both when hunting in the field and near animal habitats.

For hunting, you can use both wind and electronic decoys. Hunting with a decoy for wild boar will be more effective if you use the sounds of piglets for bait. The pig's instinct kicks in and it hurries to help, while the boar, as a rule, follows the squealing of the piglets out of curiosity.

From the tower

Hunting for wild boar from a tower is safe, although it requires compliance certain rules. The main thing is endurance and maintaining silence so as not to frighten off the cautious animal. In winter, animals more often go to hunting towers, attracted by complementary food.

A separate article is devoted to success, which you will find on our website.

With dogs

Hunting with dogs is a topic for a special article, since it is definitely worth talking about in more detail. You can hunt alone or in company; you can use one or two dogs or a pack for hunting. We have summarized information on how to do it correctly for you in a separate publication.

Video

From our video you will learn about the features winter hunting on a wild boar.

Wild boar hunting is considered one of the most interesting. The boar is very active. This animal has unbridled audacity - when the boar senses danger, it will not mountain rivers, neither cliffs nor dense bushes are a hindrance for the wild boar.

If a wild boar is surrounded by a pack of dogs, it will immediately take a defensive position. The dog who attacks an enraged boar will be very unlucky: he can inflict very swipe fangs, after which the dog has virtually no chance of staying alive.

Meet the wild boar

The boar differs from the pig in having a shorter body and higher legs. Its head is also longer and thinner, and its ears are longer. The boar's tusks are much more developed. The bristles are black-brown in color, and the tail, muzzle and hooves are completely black. The wild boar is a fairly large animal: its body length reaches 2 m, and its weight can exceed 200 kg. Boars do not have acute eyesight, but they have well-developed hearing and sense of smell.

In 2011, the largest wild boar was discovered in Alabama. Its length was 3.5 meters and it weighed about 500 kilograms

Boars are very good swimmers - they can swim long distances. They are also very mobile. Wild boars live closer to swampy areas rich in water. They can live both in wooded areas and in areas overgrown with reeds. They eat acorns, nuts, tree roots, fruits and berries, and sometimes they can even eat a snake. In winter, wild boars feed in daytime, and in other seasons they go out to feed at night.

For wild boars, the mating season begins in November. Boars fight for the female using their tusks. Wild boars give birth in the spring. The female brings up to 6 piglets to a special secluded place. Females live in herds. — Their number in the herd can reach 30 pieces. Young and inexperienced wild boars live in a herd with females. Old boars live separately from the herd, joining it only during mating.

Hunting rules

You need to be very careful when hunting wild boars. A boar that is wounded or protecting its offspring is very dangerous for humans. Boars are very strong and brave - they often attack hunters. The boars strike with their tusks, and the females knock the hunter down and trample him. If a wild boar rushes towards a person, he needs to try to jump to the side right in front of the animal - wild boars that run past rarely return. Old boars are considered the most dangerous.

Boars feed in the same places and walk the same routes - every hunter should know this. The wild boar rests far from the feeding area. The resting place is well hidden - such a place can be dense and impenetrable thickets. Wild boars hide from the rain under large spruce trees.

For those who do not like to walk, hunting from ambush is suitable. You need to prepare for this hunt in advance by finding a place where wild boars come to feed or drink water. Such a place could also be big puddles, in which wild boars bathe. Such places are found along the paths leading to them. The found place must be carefully studied. It may be part of dense vegetation that protrudes into a field.

Before starting a hunt, the hunter must decide on a hiding place. It is necessary to take into account the direction of the wind and the possibility of shooting towards open space. Boars have an excellent sense of smell - if the wind carries the smell of a hunter to them, they will not come out of hiding. It is almost impossible to see wild boars at night - the animals blend into the background of forest and bushes. The hunter must position himself in ambush an hour before sunset, and then he must wait.

Boars make noise when moving. By the noise you can understand that the animals are approaching the ambush. Before entering the field, the wild boars become quiet - they sniff for a long time, trying to determine the presence of danger. It is at this moment that the hunter must behave carefully and very quietly. If the animals do not suspect anything, then they will enter the field - and then the hunter will not have any difficulty choosing a target and shooting.

For those who do not like to sit and wait, approach hunting is suitable. They also hunt in this way at night. When wild boars go to feed, or are already feeding, they lose vigilance and create a lot of noise. Boars chomping, crunching nut shells - based on these sounds, the hunter should slowly and quietly approach the feeding site. It is important to know that you only need to move against the wind.

The most popular wild boar hunt is round-up hunting. Several hunters can participate in it at once. This type of hunting is the most accessible and safe.

A wild boar roundup is significantly different from a bear or wolf roundup. The reason for the differences is that wild boars move along trails - so it is very difficult to determine their number and gender. To determine this, one of the hunters must follow the trail to the area where the animals dispersed. Then the number of animals can be counted.

The arrows are also positioned differently. When the wild boar begins to be chased, with a high probability the animal may go not towards the hunters, but towards a cluster of trails. The shooters must be positioned on the same line. A group of hunters must have a leader. If the shooters are in places with poor visibility, then the leader should instruct the beaters to drive the boar as quietly as possible - then the boars will not walk quickly and the likelihood of making an accurate shot will be higher. Hunting participants must be thoroughly instructed. Compliance with all safety rules and instructions is mandatory.

The most interesting, exciting and gambling, but also the most dangerous looking boar hunting is hunting from under dogs with approach.

Several hunters, preferably at least four people, should go out with dogs to the supposed resting place of the wild boars. When this place is found, the dogs must be lowered - the dogs will search for and raise the animal. At this time, hunters should slowly move through the land. If the boar does not run away and remains in its place, surrounded by a pack of dogs, then the hunters need to rush to that place and shoot it.

If the boar tries to get away from the dogs, the hunters must split up: one chases the boar in its tracks, and the second also goes in the same direction, only straight ahead. The third must follow the boar's possible escape route. This method of hunting requires a lot of experience and knowledge of the area. You also need to be extremely careful. Shooting from the knee is prohibited, because if you miss, you can injure another hunter.

Video on the topic

Fascinating story about boar hunting:

Boar - enviable hunting trophy. This is one of the most interesting and courageous hunts. Hunting this strong and intelligent animal requires from hunters not only enviable endurance and masterful use of weapons, but also hunting experience and knowledge of the biology of this animal. According to many experts, wild boar hunting is perhaps the most dangerous. It is comparable to bear hunting, with the only significant difference being that the wild boar is a herd animal. Compared to any animal hunt, wild boar hunting requires careful and scrupulous preparation for it. It is no coincidence that it was used here plural- “hunters”, few, even very experienced hunters, decide to go on such hunts alone.

Wild boar, wild boar – Sus scrofa

Biologists claim that the original homeland of the wild boar is North Africa, then, gradually expanding its range, it spread throughout the world, excluding only the Arctic regions. The boar, the wild pig, lives almost everywhere in Russia, with no exception the south of Western and Eastern Siberia, foothills of the Sayan and Altai, gradual penetration into the taiga zone further and further to the north. The habitats of the wild boar are forest, forest-steppe and steppe zone with enough water bodies. Particularly favorable marshy areas and areas overgrown with tall grass, reeds and bushes. The genus of wild pig, wild boar or boar, belongs to artiodactyls with mixed type nutrition. Wild boars are omnivores and their type of diet depends on the region where they live and can easily change depending on conditions. But still, this animal is not a hunter, so it requires a good plant food base. It is wet forest areas, lowlands in steppe regions, wetlands, as well as the proximity of human farmland that are the most favorable places his habitat.

The wild pig is a social animal; wild boars live in families, sometimes forming very large herds. The herd, as is typical for all many ungulates, has a clearly defined structure and matriarchal character. The leader is the eldest female. The boar is polygamous, with 3–5 females per male. This is due to the fact that females become sexually mature the next year, while males become sexually mature after 3-4 years. The rutting period begins late autumn and continues until mid-winter. Piglets are born after 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days (as the old hunting saying goes) - in the spring with warmer weather. There are up to 12 cubs, and the mother does an excellent job of feeding them.

Wild boars feed at dusk and lie down during the day. A characteristic feature of the pig is the absence of sweat glands. This helps to be less noticeable to predators, and to be successful in catching small prey. This explains the pig’s love for water and mud baths - in this way it maintains temperature balance in the body. Wild boars are quite resistant to frost, but settle in areas with high snow cover, where they can shelter from the cold. Hairline consists of hard thick bristles and underfur under it. The boar's vision is not developed, but its hearing and sense of smell are very developed. The movements are swift, albeit clumsy. The peculiarity of the body structure with a powerful, clumsy neck resembles a torpedo. The opinion that the boar is clumsy can play a cruel joke on the hunter. The boar is swift in movement and fast, although its maneuverability leaves much to be desired.

The wild pig adapts so well to different conditions, its behavioral styles and feeding patterns are so varied, that this makes it one of the most interesting objects for a tracker. Such knowledge of habits will help you hunt wild boar correctly.

Boar hunting methods

IN middle lane In Russia, boar hunting was one of the most common aristocratic activities. Wild boar were hunted in a pen in the reeds, at field feeding grounds; hound hunts and hunts were organized in ambush in storage sheds. Boars were also hunted from a horse. Today, wild boar hunting has moved beyond the elite category, but remains one of the most prestigious and interesting for any hunter. Traditionally, permitted hunting methods can be divided into the following:

• hunting from a storage shed or a feeding tower;
• hunting from cover;
• hunting with a dog;
• approach hunting without dogs.

The first two methods are variations of the same thing. They are based on attracting a herd of wild boars for bait or waiting at permanent feeding areas. As a rule, storage sheds are equipped on the sites of artificial feeding grounds in developed hunting grounds. Blankets and huts are shelters on the natural feeding grounds of wild boars; the likelihood of the presence of prey on them is lower. Hunting periods from June 1 to mid-February at the end of the mating season. IN summer period Hunting is only allowed for male cleavers. On baits and feeding grounds, you can confidently distinguish the object of the shot. The rules of wild boar hunting do not allow the use of dogs in the summer. The use of dogs is a fall hunting method. Although it is a type of running hunting, it is placed in a special category, since it requires the presence of dogs trained on the animal. This is the prerogative of amateurs.

The most common hunt, accessible to any sufficiently experienced hunter, is approach hunting. This method is considered the most sporting; it tests the hunter’s courage and endurance, his ability to track the animal and silently sneak up on it for the right shot. As in the summer, wild boars are hunted in the fall either at dusk on a feeding ground, or during the day on a bedding area. Each method has its own advantages. Each can be used for individual hikes or with a partner. Main question in any popular hunt - searching for the beast. You can get a lot general recommendations, but without knowing the conditions of a particular area of ​​the area, hunting will be like a lottery. It is necessary to know the behavioral characteristics, feeding preferences of local animals by season, dependence on weather and many other factors.

Approaching a wild boar

The wild boar feeds in a herd, at dusk and at night. This is not the most best time for an accurate shot. It is best to select open places and moonlit nights for such hunts. The method of searching for feeding areas is based on knowledge of the area, the availability of possible feeding grounds and the preferences of local wild boars. The search process itself is expressed in cutting off the study areas, cutoffs, and narrowing the search area. It is somewhat reminiscent of tracking, but requires very high attentiveness and knowledge of the habits of the boar. At dusk, the herd goes out to feed. If these are open areas, older individuals often listen and sniff before leaving to avoid an ambush.

Therefore, to search for wild boars, you need to move against the wind, when approaching promising lands, you need to be silent and pay attention to any sound. The cry of a disturbed bird, the noise of moving bushes can mean the approach of an animal.

When the herd begins to feed, the animals themselves make quite a noticeable noise with their movement and chomping. This makes them easier to detect and approach. At the moment of feeding, the wild boars slightly lose their vigilance; at these moments you can approach the herd.

The difficulty of hunting for food in closed areas at dusk requires even greater caution in the hunter’s movements and readiness to shoot. What makes it easier to find and track a herd is that wild boars prefer to move along paths and clearings. The paths of their movements are always constant. The boar goes out to feed and returns to rest along the same path. The same feature helps with the second method of hunting.

Approach to the boar bed

If a wild boar feeds in open places and lands, which allows it to control the situation and complicates the hunt for the hunter, then it rests in the most dense thickets, in the thicket. Finding family nests is not easy; it requires excellent knowledge of the area, hunting experience and patience in searching. Such a hunt requires special caution. A boar does not hear well in a dream, its sleep is deep. But if unexpectedly awakened by a stranger or a hunter, he can quickly go on the attack. You need to approach the beds not only secretly against the wind, but also against sun rays, which make any movement noticeable in a mosaic of light and shadow. Better weather for such hunts - cloudy, soft. At this time, there is no glare from the sun, the animals are calm, and the sound of footsteps on the wet grass is not heard.

And although this type of hunting is carried out during the daytime, the best solution is a partner or a dog. Walking wild boar hunting is only possible for an experienced hunter. It is better for a beginner to try his hand at another type of hunting in order to overcome the psychological barrier and gain the necessary experience. And yet, this method of hunting develops the best hunting qualities - attentiveness, patience, endurance. An older friend will always tell you how to hunt a wild boar; you shouldn’t experiment in such a serious matter yourself. The guaranteed success of walking hunts largely depends on comprehensive knowledge of the area; you can’t do it without a huntsman.

Features of hunting, weapons and shooting methods

Wild boar is a licensed species; to hunt it, you must purchase a special permit, as well as a ticket to a specific hunting area. Weapon - large calibers smooth-bore weapons or rifled barrels. The bullets are semi-sheathed and expansive. Automatic hunting carbines based on military weapons have proven themselves well. It is always necessary to have a hunting dagger and know how to use it.

The method of approach itself must include readiness to fire at any moment. It is better to stop near natural large obstacles, behind which you can retreat when the animal attacks in return. The slaughter place of a boar is the spine, front shoulder blades (this is the area of ​​vital organs), and the brain. But it is always advisable to shoot according to the profile of the animal. Shooting in the forehead of an animal running towards a hunter is futile - there is a high probability of missing. If the shot is unsuccessful, it is correct to move away from the trajectory of the animal’s attack. After this, it becomes possible to shoot again, or the animal will leave. In the habits of a wild boar, there is no desire to necessarily get the offender, like a bear.

It should be remembered that the wild boar is a very strong animal that is resistant to wounds. After a killing shot, you should not rush to approach, you should make sure that the prey is ready. A control shot behind the ear is desirable. The fact that the animal is hiding will be indicated by flattened ears, raised fur on the withers, and clenched legs. The killed boar is relaxed. The immutable rule of boar hunting, as well as any wild animal hunting, is that a wounded animal must be picked up. The inadmissibility of wounded animals in the case of wild boar increases many times over. When conducting a collective hunt, all known rules. During a hunt, a leader is always appointed, who distributes roles, sets directions of movement and sectors of shots.