Learning Path · Feral Hog
Hunt the Piedmont, one ridge at a time.
Hunt and trap an invasive pig in the Piedmont — sparse upstate, tough-skulled, and governed by SC's night-hog law.
All modules by tier
Stage 1 of 3
Foundations
Before the woods: the mindset, the law, staying safe, and the biology and senses that drive everything else.
2 modules · 10 lessons
- Module 1 Foundations
The Invasive Pig: Why Hogs Are Different
Understand what a feral hog is, why it is treated as an invasive pest rather than game, and set honest expectations for finding hogs in the sparse Piedmont.
5 lessons - Module 2 Foundations
SC Hog Law: Seasons, Night Hunting, and Boundaries
Master South Carolina's legal framework for hunting feral hogs, including the daylight standard, the night-hunting registration law, and where hog methods are and are not allowed.
5 lessons
Stage 2 of 3
Core Skills
The field craft — reading sign, scouting, weapons and gear, the shot, recovery, and care of the animal.
5 modules · 18 lessons
- Module 3 Core
Reading Hog Sign
Confidently identify feral hog presence and activity from field sign so a sparse-Piedmont hunter can confirm hogs are actually using an area before investing effort.
3 lessons - Module 4 Core
Baiting and Pre-Conditioning
Use bait and cameras to concentrate hogs to a single site and pre-condition an entire sounder, the foundation for both still-hunting and trapping success.
3 lessons - Module 5 Core
Trapping: The Primary Control Tool
Trap feral hogs as a full sub-discipline — choosing trap and trigger type and executing whole-sounder removal humanely and effectively.
6 lessons - Module 6 Core
Shot Placement on a Tough Animal
Place a lethal shot on a feral hog given its low-forward vitals, heavy bone, and gristle shield, treating hog anatomy as fundamentally different from a deer's.
3 lessons - Module 7 Core
Disease and Field-Care Safety
Protect yourself, your dogs, and your family from the diseases feral swine carry by handling carcasses, meat, and the field safely from shot to table.
3 lessons
Stage 3 of 3
Advanced
Once the fundamentals hold: seasonal tactics and the long game of managing land, habitat, and population.
3 modules · 7 lessons
- Module 8 Advanced
Night Hunting: Thermal, NV, and the Law in Practice
Hunt hogs after dark legally and effectively using thermal and night-vision optics within SC's registration, buffer, and WMA constraints.
3 lessons - Module 9 Advanced
Dog Hunting: Bay, Catch, and Dog Safety
Understand traditional bay-and-catch dog hunting for hogs and the safety obligations owed to the dogs, including disease and tusk-injury risk.
2 lessons - Module 10 Advanced
Building a Piedmont Hog Program
Integrate sign, bait, trapping, and shooting into a sustained removal program suited to the sparse Piedmont, and process hogs for the table.
2 lessons