I keep reading about catching the entire sounder in traps. Why is it so important to catch the entire sounder?

You don't want any left to reproduce.

If you are just having fun, it doesn't matter if you catch them all or not. If you are really trying to control the population, you need to catch the entire sounder so they don't reproduce as stated above.

The other reason you want to catch the entire sounder is to not leave hogs out there with PHDs in trap avoidance. If you catch a sow's piglets a time or two she will learn to avoid traps. Once she learns that, you will have an almost impossible task of catching her and her offspring.

Pigs are VERY smart and an ole educated sow can deal you fits!

If you go to a new location, what is the average time it takes to build a trap,identify a sounder, and then catch the entire sounder at once?

I put up a game camera and a tripod feeder for 7-10 days before I check the camera. It is rare that I don't have a bunch of pigs locked on that location by then. Then I set up the trap. Many times I will have pigs enter that trap that night. With the entire sounder coming in in just 2-3 days.

Pre baiting takes more time that the setup and catching.

you can build a trap in a day easy. In fact you can throw one up in several hours.. Worst part is driving tposts into the ground. Also tying the fence to the tposts sucks because you get cut a lot.. wear gloves.

Not sure on identifying a sounder, Barry will have more on that I'm sure but my guess is it would depend on how many pigs in the area and how quickly you get them to the pen to get pics. Of course it will require you to check your camera often so lot of variables at play.

I've heard of them coming to pens same day they were built but if they are not already close you gonna have to lure them with corn etc..

Barry, that is a good, Common-sense answer!

I definitely see the advantages of not educating the hogs and making large catches at once!

The theory of them being territorial and that areas can be eradicated and no more move in......I just do not buy into that. I run cameras a lot, too. And it is common to just have a group move in for few days....and then move right on!

I agree. Hogs will move in. Hogs are a work in progress no doubt. I have seen places stay clean for a few months and then a new sounder moves in. Then I catch them. Work in progress.

Absolutley!

I would like to see some tracking studies done on them in different types of habitat. I think that people will find that they are HIGHLY adapatable and can have TOTALLY different behavior characteristics from area to area.

Leaning the members of the sounder is not that hard. Look at the sex, size, and colors of the pigs.

How territorial are hogs? I've seen places where they move in, eat all the feed and are gone for months, or they will just stay as long as the feed in the area holds up. A friend of mine that hog dog hunts claims he can give 'em hell for a week or so and they will all move out for a while.

Personally, I have not seen the territorial behavior exhibited here. BUT, somebody, somewhere, has to have!

I have seen the same thing you have......places with ZERO hogs for MONTHS. And then, mysteriously, they appear overnight and are everywhere for weeks!!! Then, once the food source they are targeting is gone, they leave and are nowhere to be found. And, I am not talking small 40 acre properties. I am talking about large Clubs/Leases with 1000's of acres and no hogs at all for MONTHS at a time!

So if catching a particular group of hogs is the objective, we are talking three or four trips to the site and a two week timeline? What would you consider an average sounder, maybe 12 total hogs of various sizes?

Twelve is a good average size sounder. The largest I have caught is 18. Sounders will tend to be larger in large farming areas. I guess it is just the abundance of food. I know of others that have caught up into the 30's. The largest I have ever heard of was 91 in one catch. I am guessing that was a very unusual situation with multiple sounders in one area.