Camping/hog hunting trip planned

[Joehales90]

Hey everyone first post here. My brother, our buddy Jimmy and I are planning a trip down in January to camp and hog hunt during the coldest/roughest part of our deer season. Was looking for some good advice on where to try that we could camp and hunt. We're new to hog hunting but all avid deer hunters from MD. We're prepared to pack in/pack out... Pretty confident we have all the gear we could need...just don't know where to start for finding the hogs. I've read till I'm blue in the face about hunting down there, but all on older threads...

We'd prefer the northern part of the state as it's closer to us, but really we're up for anywhere.

Any help is greatly appreciated!!

 

[sportsman94]

Hey everyone first post here. My brother, our buddy Jimmy and I are planning a trip down in January to camp and hog hunt during the coldest/roughest part of our deer season. Was looking for some good advice on where to try that we could camp and hunt. We're new to hog hunting but all avid deer hunters from MD. We're prepared to pack in/pack out... Pretty confident we have all the gear we could need...just don't know where to start for finding the hogs. I've read till I'm blue in the face about hunting down there, but all on older threads...

We'd prefer the northern part of the state as it's closer to us, but really we're up for anywhere.

Any help is greatly appreciated!!

Hey there Joe. I dont know about the northern part of the state. I know they talk about the mountain WMAs having good populations, but I imagine youll have to cover lots of ground to find them. Just about any WMA in the southern half of the state will have them. Find ones along a river and theres a pretty safe bet there will be hogs around. I live near Oaky Woods and Ocmulgee WMAs. They both have plenty. Good luck!

 

[SwampMoss]

If you are looking for the mountains maybe Cohutta WMA. Maybe ask on the bear forum because they talk more about the mountain hunting, also ask on the hog forum.

 

[BamaGeorgialine]

Hey everyone first post here. My brother, our buddy Jimmy and I are planning a trip down in January to camp and hog hunt during the coldest/roughest part of our deer season. Was looking for some good advice on where to try that we could camp and hunt. We're new to hog hunting but all avid deer hunters from MD. We're prepared to pack in/pack out... Pretty confident we have all the gear we could need...just don't know where to start for finding the hogs. I've read till I'm blue in the face about hunting down there, but all on older threads...

We'd prefer the northern part of the state as it's closer to us, but really we're up for anywhere.

Any help is greatly appreciated!!

I'm in a hunting club beside Hanahatchee WMA and I'm only in it because of the amount of hogs. It is absolutely loaded and for some reason no one on here mentions it much. It's close to Fort Benning and the WMA is a little over 5,000 acres I believe. I'd check it out if I was putting my money on shooting a hog. Good luck. I'll say that hog hunting in the mountains is a whole different animal. No pun intended

 

[Semi-Pro]

I would hunt cohutta before driving all the way south. Depending on your skill that place can be brutal.

 

[Joehales90]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I'm in good physical shape, the other two fellas may have a tough time in the mountains but I'm sure they'll make do.

We're really not opposed to traveling anywhere in Georgia so long as it's a promising location... Hunting is hunting- there are no guarantees. But with that said I know some places are better than others.

I'll definitely be checking back in here and on the bear and hog pages. If I had access to more property up here I'd gladly swap hunts with someone (we have some nice whitetails up here)... But our club won't allow that.

How tough are the hogs to hunt down there by the time January and February come along? Are they pretty scarce?

 

[Danny Leigh]

That time of year they can be scarce on public land. They're still there, but they stick to the thickets. Hogs love thickets (young cutovers, cane, palmetto, mountain laurel) and the thicker the better. Personally, I would skip the mountains and move on down to at least the middle GA WMAs or even further south.

 

[Danny Leigh]

If hunting public land in Jan or Feb, you'll be limited to small game weapons. (muzzle loader, rimfire, archery or shotguns with #2 shot or smaller). I have used all except the shotgun on hogs and opt for the muzzle loader.

 

[hardwaregrrl]

Better plan on being here before the 9th as deer season ends statewide WMA....like Danny said, you'll then be regulated to small game weapons. Good Luck!

 

[bfriendly]

Even small game weapons will do.And yes, cohutta comes to mind for sure. During the cold, pine thickets are a great place to find nesting pigs. It’s about all I got for ya though. Hope y’all have a blast and kill a few!

 

[RamblinWreck88]

Not trying to disagree/discredit anyone, and I welcome anyone to tell me otherwise, but based on my own research, I feel it is important to note that you do not have to be here during deer season to use a centerfire rifle on WMA's.

Starting Dec. 1st and ending Feb. 28th, fox & bobcat season is in, for which you can use "centerfire firearms of .17 caliber and larger." Unless your WMA of choice says "No furbearer season" (refer to 2021 GA hunting regs), you're good to go using your centerfire rifle for hogs on GA WMA's. Several members on here have evidently confirmed this with game wardens, but I believe the rule change occured in 2019, so it has snuck up on a few people. Full disclosure: I have not yet tried this, but I plan to after December 1st this year. EDIT: Disregard my previous remarks; I have just read page 42 of the regs.

Regarding hogs, Big Hammock WMA in Southeast GA has got the hogs, but I'm not sure about the availability of camping places; maybe someone on here has already made a post. In North GA, I've heard that Chestatee, Chattahoochee, and Swallow Creek WMA's all have lots of hogs (seen plenty of signs on Chattahoochee), and I know that Chattahoochee WMA would have suitable camping, but I'm not yet sure how the cold weather will affect them (I'll attempt to find out come Jan/Feb). Hopefully you can find some more information on these forums.

 

[oldfatbubba]

Not trying to disagree/discredit anyone, and I welcome anyone to tell me otherwise, but based on my own research, I feel it is important to note that you do not have to be here during deer season to use a centerfire rifle on WMA's.

Starting Dec. 1st and ending Feb. 28th, fox & bobcat season is in, for which you can use "centerfire firearms of .17 caliber and larger." Unless your WMA of choice says "No furbearer season" (refer to 2021 GA hunting regs), you're good to go using your centerfire rifle for hogs on GA WMA's.

Hi, @RamblinWreck88. For WMAs, the rule changed this year. While you can still chase fox/bobcat w/ centerfire on private land, WMAs disallow it. General WMA Regulations on pg. 42 state...

FERAL HOGS may be taken anytime a WMA is open to hunting, but hunters
may only use weapons legal for the species for which the area is open.
During small game hunts and dates, centerfire firearms are not allowed.
On some WMAs during the May 16-31 coyote season, feral hogs may
be taken unless otherwise noted in the specific area listing. On WMAs
where feral hogs can be taken during May 16-31, any legal weapon may
be used and hunters are required to wear fluorescent orange. Electronic
calls may be used. No night hunting or baiting allowed. Dogs are NOT
allowed unless otherwise specified.

 

[RamblinWreck88]

Hi, @RamblinWreck88. For WMAs, the rule changed this year. While you can still chase fox/bobcat w/ centerfire on private land, WMAs disallow it. General WMA Regulations on pg. 42 state...

FERAL HOGS may be taken anytime a WMA is open to hunting, but hunters
may only use weapons legal for the species for which the area is open.
During small game hunts and dates, centerfire firearms are not allowed.
On some WMAs during the May 16-31 coyote season, feral hogs may
be taken unless otherwise noted in the specific area listing. On WMAs
where feral hogs can be taken during May 16-31, any legal weapon may
be used and hunters are required to wear fluorescent orange. Electronic
calls may be used. No night hunting or baiting allowed. Dogs are NOT
allowed unless otherwise specified.

It is funny that you replied just now, because I just found it in the regs and was headed here to edit my post. Thanks for the info; now I'm wishing I'd snagged the muzzleloader deal I saw a while back.

 

[C.Killmaster]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I'm in good physical shape, the other two fellas may have a tough time in the mountains but I'm sure they'll make do.

We're really not opposed to traveling anywhere in Georgia so long as it's a promising location... Hunting is hunting- there are no guarantees. But with that said I know some places are better than others.

I'll definitely be checking back in here and on the bear and hog pages. If I had access to more property up here I'd gladly swap hunts with someone (we have some nice whitetails up here)... But our club won't allow that.

How tough are the hogs to hunt down there by the time January and February come along? Are they pretty scarce?

They will be the most pressured by then and largely nocturnal. The mountains may not be as bad since there isn't near the hunter pressure of WMAs further south.

 

[jbogg]

I’ve killed most of my pigs in January and February in the mountains. On real cold sunny days they seem to move/feed best during the warmest 3 - 4 hours of the day. A nice green clover plot on a WMA is a good place to start, but a hardwood drain with Redoak Acorns would be worth a look as well. Plenty on regular National Forest as well, but you won’t find the food plots that you will on a WMA.

 

[Gl4di4torRr]

Hi, @RamblinWreck88. For WMAs, the rule changed this year. While you can still chase fox/bobcat w/ centerfire on private land, WMAs disallow it. General WMA Regulations on pg. 42 state...

FERAL HOGS may be taken anytime a WMA is open to hunting, but hunters
may only use weapons legal for the species for which the area is open.
During small game hunts and dates, centerfire firearms are not allowed.
On some WMAs during the May 16-31 coyote season, feral hogs may
be taken unless otherwise noted in the specific area listing. On WMAs
where feral hogs can be taken during May 16-31, any legal weapon may
be used and hunters are required to wear fluorescent orange. Electronic
calls may be used. No night hunting or baiting allowed. Dogs are NOT
allowed unless otherwise specified.

So now most people will be running with a 22 mag?

 

[Joehales90]

We're getting pumped yall! One month until we're south bound! Time to narrow down which region to try... I'm hoping to get some good advice on hog numbers based on whats been seen during the other game seasons.... any input is appreciated!!

 

[antharper]

I’ve never hunted it but a couple other forum members have been having some great success at Tuckahoe Wma

 

[papaul]

Not trying to disagree/discredit anyone, and I welcome anyone to tell me otherwise, but based on my own research, I feel it is important to note that you do not have to be here during deer season to use a centerfire rifle on WMA's.

Starting Dec. 1st and ending Feb. 28th, fox & bobcat season is in, for which you can use "centerfire firearms of .17 caliber and larger." Unless your WMA of choice says "No furbearer season" (refer to 2021 GA hunting regs), you're good to go using your centerfire rifle for hogs on GA WMA's. Several members on here have evidently confirmed this with game wardens, but I believe the rule change occured in 2019, so it has snuck up on a few people. Full disclosure: I have not yet tried this, but I plan to after December 1st this year. EDIT: Disregard my previous remarks; I have just read page 42 of the regs.

Regarding hogs, Big Hammock WMA in Southeast GA has got the hogs, but I'm not sure about the availability of camping places; maybe someone on here has already made a post. In North GA, I've heard that Chestatee, Chattahoochee, and Swallow Creek WMA's all have lots of hogs (seen plenty of signs on Chattahoochee), and I know that Chattahoochee WMA would have suitable camping, but I'm not yet sure how the cold weather will affect them (I'll attempt to find out come Jan/Feb). Hopefully you can find some more information on these forums.

PLENTY OF CAMPING SPACE AT BIG HAMMOCK.

 

[Jimmack]

PLENTY OF CAMPING SPACE AT BIG HAMMOCK.

I'm going to Chestatee next month but I can tell you I'm not lugging a Hog up those mountains! LOL. If I see one I hope he is facing down hill towards the truck!