The Ears
By Dustin Bergen
Awesome. A pig’s sense of hearing is at least on par with any other big game animal. Coupled with the fact that they live in social packs (called sounders), you could feasibly have anywhere from one to 25 different little sets of radars just waiting for you to step on a twig, chamber a round, or whisper to your hunting buddy, “I think I hear’em.”
As nocturnal animals, hogs have become equipped with some of the best, non-visual detection systems Mother Nature can produce. His ears are inherently faced outward, listening for anything out of the ordinary and in an instant, can prop up to focus on what’s directly in front of their face. And therein lays their limitation.
You have probably noticed that members of the deer family are uniquely capable of pivoting their ear lobes independently of one another, scanning different directions simultaneously for anything unusual, just like chameleons maneuvering their eyes in different directions in search of bugs, branches, and bad guys.
Unfortunately, a porker doesn’t have this ability, at least to the same degree. He can only primarily focus hearing on what is directly in front of his face. Given that his neck is not as lengthy or maneuverable as other ‘necky’ creatures, he is forced to turn his whole body in order to precisely perceive what is behind him.
Your Plan
Listen to yourself when you walk around. Do you hear the fabric rubbing between your legs or between your arms and body? Does it sound loud when scraping against the foliage? Gore-tex type fabrics work great for protection against rain and cold weather, but tend to be noisy when moving through brush. Softer, wool-like fabrics are very quiet when encountering friction from either itself or against branches and twigs when walking among brush but their insulative qualities can tend to heat you up, producing stinky sweat (compromising your scent suppression).
Your best bet is to judge where and when you’ll be hunting and what the territory is like. Also, be sure to watch the weather and be prepared. That noisy Gore-tex jacket gets a lot quieter when it’s soaked with rain. Conversely, those thick cotton overalls become perfect on a cold day’s spot & stalk. Do your homework and bring clothing that could fit all potential scenarios. It may be a pain, but you won’t regret it when you’re packing out pork. As the saying goes, “It’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.”
Carrying shells in your pocket? That makes noise too. Things like keys, loose change, cell phone ringtones, a bottle cap, an empty shell, sandwich bag or that swiss cake roll wrapper can give away your position before you realize that you’ve been busted. Crumple plastic wrappers up as tightly as possible or put them as close to your body as you can. The padding from your clothes can help dampen the sound.
When safety allows, chamber your round before you see animals, remembering to keep your gun’s safety on. Then, after you’ve spotted them, ease the safety off as quietly as you can. Some safety switches produce a louder *click* than others so you may have to cushion the switch with both fingers when clicking it off. Practice this beforehand if it is an issue with your particular firearm.
Lastly, watch where you step. Always try to think of what you are going to do before you do it. Where is my left foot going? Do I have to lift my foot up higher to get over this fallen branch without brushing it? Try to walk in the dirt as much as possible and avoid dry leaves and twigs (unless they’re damp from rain).
Paying attention to detail will go miles in helping you get closer to the all-too-aware wild hog.
Next — “That Incredible Nose”
