I Started Carrying Mace/Pepper Spray With Me While Hunting

[AusTexDude]

Unlike many creatures who run from the sound of gunfire hogs seems to run right towards it. Hogs are much smarter than anything in the wild even though it would not look like it in that video. I doubt those hunters made it out totally unscathed there were just too many hogs coming from all directions.

 

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[DizzyDigger]

I wouldn't carry mace, but I might carry bear spray. A hog getting a face full of that might be enough to allow time to escape.

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

Mind the wind

 

[AusTexDude]

I wish the park here did not have rules against sidearms because we have a skyrocketing hog population and in my area it's estimated there are between 9 and 16 hogs per square mile. I metal detect by a natural water source with lots of mud about 1/4 mile away. Funny thing is in Texas I could legally carry my razor sharp samurai sword but that may look a bit funny.

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

I wish the park here did not have rules against sidearms because we have a skyrocketing hog population and in my area it's estimated there are between 9 and 16 hogs per square mile. I metal detect by a natural water source with lots of mud about 1/4 mile away. Funny thing is in Texas I could legally carry my razor sharp samurai sword but that may look a bit funny.

I prefer a barbed spear. It is instantly ouchie and keeps on being so as you blood track them. Bonus: unlike an arrow ( or the in and out sword) they lose all concern for you and become focused on the spear dragging at them no matter what they do. And the bleeding is enhanced. When you catch up to them is the time for your Estoc. It is all yummy from there. Round up the buds for a spit roast. You have now attained matador status

 

[DizzyDigger]

I've heard of people going after hogs with spears and even just knives. My brain says that's just nuckin' futz!!

Also, the life of the critter needs to be considered. It may be a mean old hog, but it's still a life, and it deserves a quick, clean kill whenever possible.

 

[Limitool]

I've heard of people going after hogs with spears and even just knives. My brain says that's just nuckin' futz!! View attachment 2184603

Also, the life of the critter needs to be considered. It may be a mean old hog, but it's still a life, and it deserves a quick, clean kill whenever possible.

I agree with all above: BUT.... way back in the day when I was shooting pro archery and hunting I had a desire to take a large Russian boar from the ground with my bow. So between a bunch of other hunters and customers at Starlight Archery we booked a hunt to help me take a boar from the ground. And it was going to be filmed also. This was back in 89' or 90'. The guy helping with the hunt there tried to talk me out of the ground hunt using a bow. He was not convinced I could pull off the one shot needed. After awhile he was but he said only if he could carry a .357 and I'd get out of the way instantly if needed. All was arranged now. Life was GOOD...!

The Michigan state FITA Championship shoot was Sat. morning near Lansing and I left for the hunt on the following Tuesday morning. I took that whole week off work. On Thurs. afternoon I didn't feel well. Fri. morning I WAS SICK. Sat. morning I was SICKER. Sun. morning I awoke on deaths bed it felt like. I had the flu badly. Mon. morning the same. Fever broke Mon. evening.

Life is now NOT GOOD...! I missed the State Championship Shoot and had to cancel my hunting trip on Mon. morning. I/we lost the deposit for the hunt and I never re-booked it. That missed hunt is one of my greatest regrets ever. I feel better now telling someone. Maybe it was for the better in the end...?

 

[robertk]

Maybe it was for the better in the end...?

Maybe so. My wife is fond of saying that everything happens for a reason. Maybe there is a really good reason you weren't supposed to make that trip.

 

[Limitool]

Maybe so. My wife is fond of saying that everything happens for a reason. Maybe there is a really good reason you weren't supposed to make that trip.

That sir is probably a very TRUE statement. When your younger (35) you feel invincible and sometimes have the "big ones". Now approaching 70 I wonder what the hell were you thinking then...!!!! But to my defense I've always tended to take on very tough endeavors or projects. It's just the way I'm wired I guess. Many folks are. It doesn't make anybody smart but it makes for interesting reading at times.

And about that can of mase / pepper spray.... Believe me that last thing I'd want is a can of spray if a wild boar was attacking me. Especially one with an arrow in it. That can would end up where the sun don't shine and you'd never know it.

 

[Centsless Detecting]

I forget sometimes that my shovel is basically a mini spear. It's sharp and quick. Glad I don't have to worry about hogs other than if they are on my plate.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Also, the life of the critter needs to be considered. It may be a mean old hog, but it's still a life, and it deserves a quick, clean kill whenever possible.

Correct. Doing stuff like that gives all hunters a bad rep. Hunters who torture or abuse animals should have their hunting privileges taken away for life.

 

[newnan man]

Correct. Doing stuff like that gives all hunters a bad rep. Hunters who torture or abuse animals should have their hunting privileges taken away for life.

I feel that way about leg hold traps. Sickening.

 

[GirlWithWolf]

Funny thing is in Texas I could legally carry my razor sharp samurai sword but that may look a bit funny.

That’s true and not embellished a bit. My first night in Texas a nice policeman gave me a detailed explanation of knife laws and a samurai sword is legal to carry in most places. (Long story)

Also, the life of the critter needs to be considered. It may be a mean old hog, but it's still a life, and it deserves a quick, clean kill whenever possible.

Right. Where I’m from they are considered invasive pests and you can kill them at will, but as with all animals it needs to be as humane as possible then utilized for food etc. I had my first miss in October when I grazed a hog and I felt terrible. Karma was I busted the $16 arrow on a tree in the process.

 

[Limitool]

GirlWithWolf: "I had my first miss in October when I grazed a hog and I felt terrible. Karma was I busted the $16 arrow on a tree in the process."

Well lady you didn't harm it badly if you broke arrow on a tree before or after shot. They are tough critters. At least you didn't impale it and lost pig & arrow.

 

[GirlWithWolf]

GirlWithWolf: "I had my first miss in October when I grazed a hog and I felt terrible. Karma was I busted the $16 arrow on a tree in the process."

Well lady you didn't harm it badly if you broke arrow on a tree before or after shot. They are tough critters. At least you didn't impale it and lost pig & arrow.

Thank you, I’m lucky that didn’t happen. I was stepping sideways for a better shot and tripped over a small branch. It reacted to the noise and I should have held the shot but I didn’t.

 

[DizzyDigger]

I feel that way about leg hold traps. Sickening.

Foot hold traps, properly used, can be an effective and humane wildlife management tool. Misused, I agree...they are bad things. A tooth-jawed trap is not legal anywhere in the USA, and I know of no trapper that would ever use one.

Extremist groups spread so much misinformation over the years that people get the impression that they are horribly torturous to an animal, they are not. The abuse comes when some yaahoo sets one and does not perform daily checks. Ya can't fix stupid, and IMO those who do such things should be chained to a tree and then left there for a few days...see how they like it.

NM, I've set hundreds of 'em, and caught hundreds of coyotes, and not once, ever, did a coyote (or any other animal) even attempt to chew their foot off to escape. Yes, on occasion there is the "toenail catch", cause that's all you find in the trap, but that is a rarity as trap jaws have a built in gap when closed...the jaws are offset to prevent that kind of thing. I also would put eyes on my sets every day...no matter the weather (or anything else)..come hell or high water I was going to do daily checks.

One example of their benefits: Had an area of about 10 sq. miles where there had been a healthy red fox population, and then the coyotes moved in and were killing off all the fox. The game dept. asked me remove as many coyotes as I could from the area, in hopes the red fox population would rebound. I took eleven coyotes from that area in less than ten days, and the next year pretty much the same. Those red fox numbers did rebound over the next few years, but when a peoples initiative passed Wa. State it banned the use of most all the traps, leaving "live catch" cage traps as the only option. Trying to get a coyote to walk into a cage trap is darned near impossible, and as a result those red fox are completely gone now, which sucks as I'd have loved to have my grandsons see them in the wild.

Foot holds also offer the trapper the option of releasing an unintended catch, such as a bobcat or fox when the season is closed. I've safely released dozens of unharmed bobcat, fox, and even coyotes, and yes, you best know what the hell you're doing if you're going to release a pissed off bobcat. If the skin was broken (a rarity) I'd spray their foot with an antiseptic spray to insure no infection happens, and then they head off on their merry way.

And that Sir is the truth...got absolutely no reason to lie to ya about it.

All that said, I gave up trapping nearly thirty years ago....just couldn't bring myself
to end the life of yet another animal. Last animal I trapped was a coyote that was hanging around a field next to a grassy area that my (then) 2 yo. daughter used to run around on. It was a beautiful female, and I gave her a hardcore speech about staying the hell away from my daughter, and then I let her go, unharmed. Happily, I never saw her again.

Newnan, I do understand your feelings about this. There's a limited number of states that still allow foot holds, but I seriously doubt that in another ten years if they will be legal anywhere. That would be fine with me.

 

[Chilli]

Here piggy piggy.

 

[Gare]

Austex so true, But now days a lot of them types are ALSO CARRYING much more. I do not want to deter them I want to STOP THEM !!! I am ALWAYS carrying ANYMORE !!!

 

[Gare]

Chilli do you have any measurements on that hog ? WOW !!!

 

[Limitool]

Chilli do you have any measurements on that hog ? WOW !!!

Many of the Russian boar species are absolutely huge...!!!! How'd you like to have a spray can of mase with that a few feet away charging...? Wounded or not it pretty much wouldn't matter..!!