In July, Governor John Bel Edwards signed a law giving hunters permission to pursue “outlaw quadrupeds” on private land 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you’re not familiar with the term, that means that feral hogs, nutria, coyotes, armadillos, and beavers should sleep with one eye open. For outdoor enthusiasts, there have never been more reasons to start hunting at night.
The State Approves
Make sure you’re clear on all the regulations before you grab a weapon. Hunters are encouraged to cull the populations of these invasive species. They’re more active at night when they’re foraging for food, so your chances for success increase significantly. Just let your sheriff’s office know 24 hours in advance before you hunt at night. For an edge, you can use laser sights, night vision, and infrared devices. You can also use artificial red light, because varmints don’t notice the color.
Feral Hogs Are Winning
If you’re a good shot, you’ll be doing everyone a favor. Louisiana is home to around 700,000 feral hogs, and they continue to procreate and spread. Texas’s hog problem is the worst in the country. Experts say that hunters should kill 70 percent of hogs every year just to keep the population the same. Feral hogs aren’t just unattractive; they destroy crops, trample the habitats of endangered species, raid the nests of alligators and wild turkeys, and pass on viruses and disease.
You’ll Be a Better Hunter
If you want to sharpen your skills, hunting at night will force you to use your senses differently. And if you’ve never hunted hogs before, you’ll be surprised by how thrilling it is to face a wild sow. The dark does provide some advantages. Hogs don’t have the best vision, and while they do possess great hearing, they make so much noise feasting that it drowns out any sounds you might make by accident. If they don’t smell you on the bait, you’ll attract them with typical deer corn mixed with apples. They travel in groups, so you’re likely to get more than one kill at a time. One of the best reasons to start hunting at night, of course, is that you’re likely to come home with a lot more meat for dinner.
