First Hog Hunt • Pine Log WMA

[Wiskey_33]

Hey folks,

I'm wanting to hit Pine Log in the next week or so for some hog. I've never hunted a WMA before and wanting to know if someone can point me to information/need to knows about hunting on Pine Log for hogs specifically.

Other than a WMA and big game license, what else do I need?

Thanks for the input.

 

[bfriendly]

Hey folks,

I'm wanting to hit Pine Log in the next week or so for some hog. I've never hunted a WMA before and wanting to know if someone can point me to information/need to knows about hunting on Pine Log for hogs specifically.

Other than a WMA and big game license, what else do I need?

Thanks for the input.

Wont need a big game license, just a WMA stamp and hunting license til Turkey Season........Small game weapon of your choice and no furbearer hunting, so no big guns.

There is a Dog hunt going on right now(this weekend) I was out there yesterday.............and had a tired dog sitting next to my truck when I got back. Owner got there in just a few minutes to pick him up, then took off to find a bayed up pig(hopefully).

Sorry, point is, many will think the dogs will chase them off, but I am inclined to think they will push them out of the thickest of thick place they have called home for so long. They have been getting pressured and have hidden in the places that pretty much only a Dog will go

Lots of pressure will make it tough hunting but they are there and you can get lucky, trust me

Get a map online, then go to Google maps or whatever Satellite photo you can come up with....match them side by side......use the topography map too.
You may find a NW wind will have you wanting to go in off of Stamp Creek Rd(there are lots of places to park). When you are driving Stamp Creek, go slow and look for the Yellow Boundary markers............. You can hunt there and not get your Car dirty if you want..........just park on the side of the road and go.
The gates have been open since the first Deer season so driving through is AWESOME, if you have a truck or SUV that can handle some rough road conditions(NOT Horrible though).

No need to go far in no matter which gate you go in.............Most of the sign I have seen lately has been off the North end; East Valley.......they are everywhere and nowhere at the same time! Thats pig hunting public land style

 

[Wiskey_33]

Thanks for the info. You say no big guns (which I assume you're referring to rifles over .22) but what about handguns or shotguns? I've got a 10/22 but I'd feel better if I could pack some shotgun heat.

Thanks.

 

[The black stick of death]

Shotguns without buckshot or slugs but that won't take down a hog

 

[j_seph]

Shotguns without buckshot or slugs but that won't take down a hog

LOL
2 we dressed were full of bird shot this weekend.
Those hogs do not run and hide in thick stuff. That is where they live, hog sign you see is just that..............sign. Shows they been through area, got to go to their bedroom

 

[Brentski]

I'm new to this.

Hello all,
I know this thread is old, but I'm one of those poor fools trying to get a hog at Pine Log wma, too.

I went out this morning with my trusty 10/22 with high hopes of seeing squirrel and hog. Drove up the road from the check in station (just east of where Stamp creek crosses the road on the south side), hoping to drive the Grassy Hollow loop, but the gate to the loop was locked. I parked and went ahead on foot. I started to see some hog and deer tracks along Grassy Hollow road and found some fresh (I think, at least it was still soft) hog poop along the road (eating persimmon?).

Further up past where it forks off to Donahue Rd I saw more hog tracks and some bear tracks, too (in the flat area where Stamp creek runs between the two). And I could smell a wallow.

Now, I've never been there when the gates were unlocked so this is the furthest I've gotten in. Since the gates get unlocked at 10 am (If I'm reading the wma site correctly), I can make up to this spot around late morning.

Since I'm really new at this, I have a lot of questions about where to go from here:

I have no idea how old the tracks are, but I assume the poop was fresh, should I press on to find the wallows I smelled?

Should I assume that during mid morning that they are out foraging and look for persimmon trees?

Should I wait until firearm season so I can bring something more bear appropriate in case I see the bear that made these tracks?

Any and all good advice would be so greatly appreciated, like I said I'm new to this.

Thanks in advance,
Brentski

 

[Danny Leigh]

Brenski, if the gates are closed, then they'll probably be closed for the rest of bow season. Some WMAs do not open all the gates but they'll usually open more during the rifle hunts which Pine Log has 2 rifle hunts. During small game only dates most off of the gates will be closed at Pine Log including the one near the check-in station.

I have not had much luck sitting over just a wallow. I've seen hogs come by while sitting over a wallow but there is usually thick cover or a food source nearby. Hogs will leave alot of sign in the bottoms but many times that sign is made at night. I've had better luck hunting in the young cutovers at Pine Log for hogs.

Those look like some big bear tracks!

 

[Brentski]

Thanks Danny,

I good to know about the gates. It seemed a little random that only one gate still had a lock on it, but I was very pleased to be able to get further in to the wma than I have before.

I've read in a few of these threads how hard it is to hunt public land, and on top of that how elusive the hogs can be, even when lots of sign is found. I really appreciate you being generous with information.

When you hunt the young cutovers, do you have any advice on strategy? Do you spot and stalk in that situation?

I don't know how big the bear is, I don't have huge hands but I'd guess about 5 inches across. Anyway, bigger than I want to run into with a .22lr for certain.

Thanks again,
Brentski

 

[bfriendly]

LOL
2 we dressed were full of bird shot this weekend.
Those hogs do not run and hide in thick stuff. That is where they live, hog sign you see is just that..............sign. Shows they been through area, got to go to their bedroom

Unfortunately Brentski, this^^^^^^

And I dont plan on going into their bedroom unless a dog is already in there and is waiting on me

They are in the thickest of thickest thickets, Most of the time that we can be there..........that being said, they will come out in the open. IMHO, they come out especially during big hunts when there are lots of people out there and they get pushed.

I saw about 8 or 9 super fat looking pigs bout 100# each, run out on the food plots on the North end during the middle of the day...........shortly behind them were 2 horseback riders that no doubt pushed them out into the open.

Fresh sign is always good, but the wind is a must. Walk into the wind and go slow. They will show up at any given time(or not). I think the fun really starts when you smell them...........you know they are near.

Pinelog gets lots of pressure including dog hunts so they are about as tough as any pigs to get. But it sure is purtty out there..............I am ready for some cooler weather though.

 

[MNboy82]

Pine Log

Hey guys/gals,

I want to hunt Pine Log hogs too. It would be my first hog hunt. I am thinking about going out for the November 15-18 deer hunt, mainly because my only weapon is a 12 gauge with slugs. I am wondering though if a hunt and stalk method for hogs during deer rifle season on public land is a big breach of etiquette towards deer hunters...or maybe even dangerous with all the bullets flying around and me covering lots of ground. Obviously I would wear orange, but still. I am dreaming of dragging a hog back to my truck only to find a bunch of empty-handed deer hunters in the parking lot bitter I ruined their hunt by traunching through the woods all day. Thoughts?

 

[bany]

MN, go still hunt for deer! Some guys work hard and usually go deep to hike up in a tree. Others not so much. It’s public land. Etiquette comes in to play when you avoid the guys perimeter and keep still hunting away from him. That’s tough sometimes when they take off their orange which is retarded for All the reasons. You may bump deer right to some of these guys too. Anyway you have to find the pigs, not the sign soo much unless it’s super fresh. And if it’s fresh you probably have found the pigs. IMHO. I think I’d like to see pine log someday. There is obviously a pig population there.

 

[bfriendly]

Hey guys/gals,

I want to hunt Pine Log hogs too. It would be my first hog hunt. I am thinking about going out for the November 15-18 deer hunt, mainly because my only weapon is a 12 gauge with slugs. I am wondering though if a hunt and stalk method for hogs during deer rifle season on public land is a big breach of etiquette towards deer hunters...or maybe even dangerous with all the bullets flying around and me covering lots of ground. Obviously I would wear orange, but still. I am dreaming of dragging a hog back to my truck only to find a bunch of empty-handed deer hunters in the parking lot bitter I ruined their hunt by traunching through the woods all day. Thoughts?

Dont worry about anyone being upset..........as bany said, use etiquette. If you see an orange vest, go another direction, same with a parked vehicle. If you walk under a person in a tree stand without a vest on, ask them "Wear is your vest you Dip?"

Seriously, you have as much right to be out there hunting as anyone else, period! If you see a Yote, shoot it too! I think there are more Yotes than Pigs...............

I was out yesterday and saw 2 bucks, a doe, and either 2 yotes or 1 yote and a fox.............all of them 1 at a time; dang boy I need to sit still.
I was covered in Fresh Hog sign, but never smelled a thing, nor did I see any.

Yesterday was a Great day to be in the woods

 

[MNboy82]

Thanks all! That is what I was thinking. So what does one do with a dead coyote? Do you just skin it or what?

 

[Maddogg]

Would anyone be interested in meeting up to go on a hog hunt at Pine log? I've never hunted at Pine log before. I've only been there to trout fish with the kids when they stock the creek. Also would a good 12ga turkey load work to kill a hog?

 

[bfriendly]

Would anyone be interested in meeting up to go on a hog hunt at Pine log? I've never hunted at Pine log before. I've only been there to trout fish with the kids when they stock the creek. Also would a good 12ga turkey load work to kill a hog?

I'd love to maddog, but I seldom get to go unless its on a whim.........and even then I dont get much time to be there(or I am too tired from work and am sleeping)

If you live in Cartersville, you should be all over this place! It is gorgeous! Some ez, check it out, tips for walking in, I have used myself when I only get a few hours to go would be
1)go to the North end(East Valley) to the gate. If its locked, there is a lot across the street from a gate to park in. Walk in and go to the First food plot on your right. Walk the edge on the right side and just follow it......go slow and enjoy yourself
2)Go in Oak street(usually open) drive slow and look, you will see sign-you can do this all the way to the end, looking for game trails etc.... You can park on the right about 50 yards in and follow that little cut through. Depending on the wind, you can walk through the sticks to the dove field, or just keep walking through the woods......you'll see sign
3) maybe one of my favorite places to walk is just park by the main gate and walk alongside stamp creek...........I could go on and on as there are so many places with hog sign(and Deer and turkeys, but Yotes everywhere too) all over the 14k+acres...........Any place you decide to check out, look as soon as you go in, car noise etc does not bother them. I have watched Deer pay very little attention to trucks flying down the gravel roads making all kinds of noise..........its doesn't seem bother them
I recommend to anyone just go.............walk a few miles and enjoy yourself on a beautiful chunk of land

 

[Maddogg]

I'd love to maddog, but I seldom get to go unless its on a whim.........and even then I dont get much time to be there(or I am too tired from work and am sleeping)

If you live in Cartersville, you should be all over this place! It is gorgeous! Some ez, check it out, tips for walking in, I have used myself when I only get a few hours to go would be
1)go to the North end(East Valley) to the gate. If its locked, there is a lot across the street from a gate to park in. Walk in and go to the First food plot on your right. Walk the edge on the right side and just follow it......go slow and enjoy yourself
2)Go in Oak street(usually open) drive slow and look, you will see sign-you can do this all the way to the end, looking for game trails etc.... You can park on the right about 50 yards in and follow that little cut through. Depending on the wind, you can walk through the sticks to the dove field, or just keep walking through the woods......you'll see sign
3) maybe one of my favorite places to walk is just park by the main gate and walk alongside stamp creek...........I could go on and on as there are so many places with hog sign(and Deer and turkeys, but Yotes everywhere too) all over the 14k+acres...........Any place you decide to check out, look as soon as you go in, car noise etc does not bother them. I have watched Deer pay very little attention to trucks flying down the gravel roads making all kinds of noise..........its doesn't seem bother them
I recommend to anyone just go.............walk a few miles and enjoy yourself on a beautiful chunk of land

Thanks for the info. I will definitely be checking it out. Who in the area will process wild hogs?