When should you plan a hunting trip to harvest a wild hog? The time of year and time of day can impact your success when hunting this species. For wild hogs, nights, cooler parts of the day, and winter months are typically the best times to hunt them.
Wild hogs, although not native to the Americas, were brought here by early European explorers. They were later introduced to parts of the United States for hunting purposes.
Today, due to escapes from privately owned hunting preserves as well as illegal translocation, wild hogs have been reported in 45 out of 50 states in the U.S. Whether you're dealing with too many hogs causing property destruction in your area or simply want to try your hand at harvesting another species of wild game, use the following insights to plan a successful wild hog hunt.
Updated December 3, 2025
The Best Time to Hunt Wild Hogs
Wild hogs are most active during the cooler parts of the day, making night hours the best overall time to hunt them. As temperatures drop, hogs become more comfortable moving around in search of food and water, creating ideal hunting conditions.
Time of Day
Again, a nighttime hunt is your best bet for success when going after hogs. This is especially true in areas with more hunting pressure, as darkness provides them a sense of security.
Dusk and dawn also offer productive windows for hunts. Wild hogs often emerge just before sunset and often continue feeding into the early morning hours.
In general, midday action is less productive but don't count it out completely, particularly when weather conditions are cool or overcast.
When Is Hog Hunting Season?
In most states that offer hog hunting, these nuisance animals can be hunted year-round. However, winter (particularly from December through February) is often considered prime hog hunting season.
Again, the cold temperatures encourage hogs to move more frequently during daylight hours, increasing the odds of a successful day time hunt. Plus, reduced vegetation can make spotting them easier.
However, because hogs reproduce rapidly and remain active regardless of season, hunters can typically find and hunt them throughout the entire year.
Weather Conditions
Weather plays a significant role in hog movement.
In hot weather, hogs limit activity to night and the coolest parts of the day, often staying near water sources or shaded areas.
During cold weather, hogs often increase daytime movement as they forage to maintain body heat.
Rainfall can also influence behavior. Light to moderate rain often encourages hogs to move, as it cools the air and softens the ground, making rooting easier. However, heavy rain may temporarily limit movement, but hogs typically resume activity once the storm passes.
What to Consider to Find the Best Time to Hunt Wild Hog
Again, choosing the ideal time or days for your hunt (and understanding hog facts and behavior) can improve your chances of harvesting a wild hog. Hunters should consider the following variables to plan a successful hunting trip!
The Location
While you can find these animals in most states across the country, they are more prominent along the southeastern borders.
Hogs typically like heavy brush and muddy areas, which makes it no surprise that their populations flourish in states like Texas, Florida, and Georgia. So, if you don't live in these areas but are ready to hunt hogs, you'll want to travel to one of these southeastern areas to find these animals for your hunt.
Within your state, using HuntWise map layers to scout and identify the best locations to set up for a hunt. Look for signs of wild hogs (like tracks and rooting) to know you're in the right spot.
The Solunar Calendar
Tracking animal activity based on moon phases is a well-known strategy for planning hunts. According to a theory by John Alden Knight decades ago, animal movement can be affected by the position and fullness of the moon.
However, there is some speculation among hunters today about whether moon phases affect hog behavior or not. Some hunters believe that a full moon means daytime (especially afternoon and early evening) activity slows because the moon provides more light for nighttime feeding. However, other hunters do not believe the Solunar calendar significantly impacts hog activity day or night.
In general, other factors can have a more significant influence on hog activity and how to plan your hunt.
The Time of Year
As we mentioned, in areas that allow hog hunting, you can often legally hunt these animals 365 days a year. However, many hunters claim that the best time of year to hunt wild hogs is right after deer season.
December to February makes for prime hog hunting because they are in heavy pursuit of food, which increases activity as they search farther and longer for food.
The Time of Day
The best time of day to harvest a hog is when they are most active. Again, a nighttime hog hunt can be your best bet.
These animals are most active in the early morning or late evening. However, if you hunt wild hogs in the winter months, they may be more active during the middle of the day when temperatures are warmer as they search for food.
You can get specific, real-time insights into wild hog animal movement in your area when you use HuntWise and the HuntCast feature. These insights can help you be more efficient by pinpointing the ideal tims to get into the field for the best chances of taking down a hog.
The Temperature
As mentioned above, the colder weather causes hogs to move farther and longer in search of food, but why?
Hogs require extra food for energy when the temperatures drop. So, freezing temperatures in the early morning or late night make for prime hog hunting.
Barometric Pressure
Barometric pressure is another essential factor to consider when hog hunting because it can affect how hogs pick up your scent.
Lower pressure will keep your sent low to the ground, while high-pressure systems allow your sent to rise and become more detectable to hog snouts. Consider hunting from a stand on lower-pressure days.
General Weather Conditions
While you can hunt hogs in most weather conditions (especially in areas where you can hunt these animals year-round) a light rain or cold front is ideal for spotting hogs on the move.
However, strong wind conditions can negatively affect your chances of taking one home. Wind can make it easier for hogs to pick up your scent and move away (as we'll talk about next).
Wind Conditions
Wild hogs are the bloodhounds of American game. While deer have a particularly good sense of smell, a wild boar puts them to shame.
Because of their strong sense of smell, wind can make hunting particularly tricky. Make sure you set up downwind from the hogs you're hunting so they don't smell you coming.
To plan your hunt around the wind, use WindCast in the HuntWise app! You'll get real-time, hour-by-hour wind forecasts to help you plan the best spot to stay downwind of the hogs in your sights.
Where Can You Hunt Wild Hog?
Although the population of wild hogs is rapidly increasing and spreading, twelve states now allow you to hunt this game year-round.
Those states are as follows:
California
Florida
Georgia
Louisiana
Michigan (allowed to hunt during open season for any other game)
New Mexico
North Carolina
Ohio
South Carolina (allowed to hunt during open season for other game on permitted WMA or year-round on private property)
Texas
Virginia
Wisconsin
However, many additional states allow you to hunt hogs with their own specific guidelines. Make sure you're up to speed on hog hunting regulations anywhere you plan to hunt. For example, if you're planning to head out during Texas hog hunting season, check the state's regulations before your hunt.
Find The Best Times For Hunting Wild Hogs With HuntWise
In addition to considering the variables we've discussed today, using the right digital tool can help you plan the ideal days and times to hunt wild hogs. At HuntWise, we work hard to provide digital tools to help users get out of the house and into the field for successful hunts and animal harvests.
With the HuntWise app, you can find private and public land to hunt, use our WindCast feature to plan your entrance and tracking around wind directions and conditions, and mark spots where you see evidence of hog activity to focus on those areas while in the field.
HuntWise is the best tool to target the best hunting times for wild hog! Download the app and plan your hog hunt free during your first seven days in the app.
Content most recently reviewed and updated December 3, 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
We have answers to your questions about the best time to hunt wild hogs!
Q: What is the best time of day to hunt hogs?
A: The best time of day to hunt hogs is early morning and late evening. These times are typically the most productive, especially around dusk when hogs begin moving to feed.
Q: What time of day are wild boars most active?
A: Wild boars are primarily nocturnal and crepuscular, meaning they’re most active at night, dawn, and dusk.
Q: Is a .223 or .308 better for pigs?
A: When hunting wild hogs, both can work. However, a .308 is generally better because it delivers more energy and penetration for reliably taking down larger hogs.
Q: How to attract wild hogs fast.
A: To attract wild hogs quickly, use strong-scented baits (like fermented corn), place them near water or travel routes, and minimize human scent. Pre-baiting an area for a few days can speed results.
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