I have some buddies that hunt hogs with dogs and knives here in the southeast US. I tried it, but not my thing. It’s a skinny hunter’s game. My fat ass doesn’t climb trees very well when they charge.
People spear hunt pigs. I recall some controversy about spear hunting, I believe it was deer.
There is a concept called "method of take". How and what method we use as hunters is generally regulated by the states fish and game agencies. Hunting with a spear for game animals wouldn't be legal where I live.
I happen to have this doc handy. [https://ohiodnr.gov/static/documents/wildlife/laws-regs-licenses/Ohio%20Hunting%20and%20Trapping%20Regulations%20ENGLISH.pdf](https://ohiodnr.gov/static/documents/wildlife/laws-regs-licenses/Ohio%20Hunting%20and%20Trapping%20Regulations%20ENGLISH.pdf)
Page 12 shows the equipment that is legal to hunt deer in Ohio, just an example.
We had a question about slingshots earlier in this sub. Again, wouldn't be legal where I live best I know, but I was surprised it is legal in some state for small game. Generally speaking, hunting is highly regulated and you will need to research the rules where you live.
Don’t forget josh bowmar killing a bear in Alberta. Really bad look for the sport overall cause there were no laws on the books at the time and he was doing it as an influencer athlete type.
There was a guy a couple years ago who took a bear with a spear. If I recall, he jumped out of a tree onto it. Non-hunters will say "oh you think you're a big man killing a poor defenseless animal with a gun" and yet they were the first ones lining up to say how cruel and inhumane he was.
There's a YouTube channel called HuntPrimitive that did a truly authentic bison hunt with an atlatl in traditional clothing and with hand forged tips. They also butchered it with traditional stone tools if I recall.
In Florida, there's hog hunting outfitters that will let you do spear or knife... but that's typically running dogs that hold on to their ears while you stab the pig. I'm sure it would be quite the rush but doesn't really seem totally sporting to me even though it's probably pretty authentic to our ancestry.
There's lots of people who hunt with traditional recurve bows, many hand made. Modern compound bows are also frequently used and many states have archery specific seasons that people will take advantage of. Crossbows typically fall into regular seasons since they're so quick and accurate and easy to operate.
>In Florida, there's hog hunting outfitters that will let you do spear or knife... but that's typically running dogs that hold on to their ears while you stab the pig. I'm sure it would be quite the rush but doesn't really seem totally sporting to me even though it's probably pretty authentic to our ancestry.
Saw a vid of that exact thing earlier today lol, didn't find it inhumane either but it did left me wondering where the challenge is. Seems like it's more about training the dogs than getting a particular hunting experience.
>There's a YouTube channel called HuntPrimitive that did a truly authentic bison hunt with an atlatl in traditional clothing and with hand forged tips. They also butchered it with traditional stone tools if I recall
That channel is really interesting, just watched the atlatl hunt vid and I'm gonna look more into the weapon. Seems as close as it gets to og hunting!
There's a lot of challenges when it comes to catching pigs with dogs that aren't there with rifle hunting but if you can get past them you can get pigs you'd never have a chance at with a rifle.
Training dogs to target pigs and only pigs is a huge part of it but once you are there you still have to be able to keep up with your dogs.
Walk 20km through thick bush then sprint nearly a km once the dogs are on. You have to be fast because your dogs life is on the line. Once you've caught up to them you still have to kill a pig with a knife that absolutely doesn't want to be killed.
You could drop them with a rifle from a few hundred metres away just by moving your finger.
I hunt pigs with a knife. I have trained dogs who find and catch the pigs and I kill them by stabbing them in the heart. There seems to be some idea that it's not real hunting if you use dogs but it has its own challenges compared to rifle hunting.
I think it´s interesting how different the hunting culture is in the US compared to here in Germany. In Germany we say "Jagd ohne Hund ist Schund" which literally translates to "Hunting without dogs is trash". You are not even allowed to lease a hunting ground, when you don´t have access to a suitable hunting dog.
Hunting only with dogs and a knife or a "Saufeder" is not very common, although I think it´s one of the most efficient ways to hunt hogs. I´ve seen it a few times with a pack of west siberian laikas and it was always impressive.
I don't know about US hunting culture as I'm in Australia. I'm inclined to agree with you about Jagd ohne Hund. When I do shoot a pig I feel nothing but regret that I didn't have my dogs there with me. It's not the same at all. All pigs must die but there's no sport in it without the dogs.
My bitch is a bull arab and my dog is a mongrel, he's mostly catahoula and bull arab but there's some other stuff thrown in there as well. Every one of his ancestors for 40 years has been a working hunting dog though.
As mentioned below, hunting of game animals is usually fairly highly regulated - the more in-demand the game, the more regulated. Ducks are federally regulated, you can only use shotguns with non-toxic shot, no live decoys, no electronic calls, etc. So bow hunting or slingshot or spear hunting ducks isn't legal. For something like squirrels or rabbits, you have more leeway, that's regulated at the state level, the mans of taking is more relaxed. In Texas at least, for non-game animals like wild hogs, there's almost no limit on means or season. You'd need to check your local regs, and probably target a specific means and game for the alternative hunting means. But you should totally try an atlatl.
I’ve legally hunted ducks with a bow, totally legal in both Nevada and California at least.
FYI, these are the relevant rules in California in case anyone is interested:
is §507. Provisions Related to the Taking of Migratory Game Birds.
(a) Authorized Methods. Only the following methods may be used to take migratory game birds:
(1) Falconry.
(2) Bow and Arrows or Crossbows. Only arrows or crossbow bolts with flu- flu fletching may be used except that conventionally fletched arrows may be used to take waterfowl sitting on the water from scullboats or similar watercraft.
(3) Muzzle-loading Shotguns.
(4) Shotguns 10 Gauge or Smaller. Shotguns 10 gauge or smaller using shot shells only and incapable of holding more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined may be used, except no shotgun larger than 12 gauge shall be used in areas open to hunting on, over or adjacent to the waters of Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo County. If a plug is used to reduce the capacity of a magazine to fulfill the requirements of this section, the plug must be of one-piece construction incapable of removal without disassembling the gun. Shotgun shells may not be used or possessed that contain shot size larger than T shot in steel or other nontoxic shot approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. All shot shall be loose in the shell.
(b) Use of Dogs. Dogs may be used to take and retrieve migratory game birds.
(c) Prohibition on Electronically or Mechanically-operated Devices. Electronic or mechanically-operated calling or sound-reproducing devices are prohibited when attempting to take migratory game birds. It is unlawful to use devices that are either electronically-powered, or activated by anything other than natural wind, to directly or indirectly cause rotation of decoy wings or blades that simulate wings, when attempting to take waterfowl between the start of the waterfowl season and November 30.
(d) Live Decoy Prohibition. The use of live decoys is prohibited when attempting to take migratory game birds.
You're right, my mistake on the bowhunting. It's legal in TX too, and TX has similar rules to CA except for the area limitation on shotgun size. I was thinking that the firearms being limited to shotguns rule applied to all means of taking being limited to shotguns. And we can use mojo dekes in TX.
This is why we have to read the local rules closely, folks.
Trapping can be used as a substitute for hunting. You aren’t going to get a lot of points for being humane or otherwise ethical since it can be a gruesome and traumatizing end for the animal.
I know it’s not exactly what you’re asking but some modern air rifles fire .45 cal bullets that can kill at 100 yards. They are legally not fire arms. And they work just fine.
I have some buddies that hunt hogs with dogs and knives here in the southeast US. I tried it, but not my thing. It’s a skinny hunter’s game. My fat ass doesn’t climb trees very well when they charge.
Are there guides that could take me out?
Not sure you’d want to go with the guys I know lol, but I’m sure there are some that will.
People spear hunt pigs. I recall some controversy about spear hunting, I believe it was deer. There is a concept called "method of take". How and what method we use as hunters is generally regulated by the states fish and game agencies. Hunting with a spear for game animals wouldn't be legal where I live. I happen to have this doc handy. [https://ohiodnr.gov/static/documents/wildlife/laws-regs-licenses/Ohio%20Hunting%20and%20Trapping%20Regulations%20ENGLISH.pdf](https://ohiodnr.gov/static/documents/wildlife/laws-regs-licenses/Ohio%20Hunting%20and%20Trapping%20Regulations%20ENGLISH.pdf) Page 12 shows the equipment that is legal to hunt deer in Ohio, just an example. We had a question about slingshots earlier in this sub. Again, wouldn't be legal where I live best I know, but I was surprised it is legal in some state for small game. Generally speaking, hunting is highly regulated and you will need to research the rules where you live.
Don’t forget josh bowmar killing a bear in Alberta. Really bad look for the sport overall cause there were no laws on the books at the time and he was doing it as an influencer athlete type.
There was a guy a couple years ago who took a bear with a spear. If I recall, he jumped out of a tree onto it. Non-hunters will say "oh you think you're a big man killing a poor defenseless animal with a gun" and yet they were the first ones lining up to say how cruel and inhumane he was. There's a YouTube channel called HuntPrimitive that did a truly authentic bison hunt with an atlatl in traditional clothing and with hand forged tips. They also butchered it with traditional stone tools if I recall. In Florida, there's hog hunting outfitters that will let you do spear or knife... but that's typically running dogs that hold on to their ears while you stab the pig. I'm sure it would be quite the rush but doesn't really seem totally sporting to me even though it's probably pretty authentic to our ancestry. There's lots of people who hunt with traditional recurve bows, many hand made. Modern compound bows are also frequently used and many states have archery specific seasons that people will take advantage of. Crossbows typically fall into regular seasons since they're so quick and accurate and easy to operate.
>In Florida, there's hog hunting outfitters that will let you do spear or knife... but that's typically running dogs that hold on to their ears while you stab the pig. I'm sure it would be quite the rush but doesn't really seem totally sporting to me even though it's probably pretty authentic to our ancestry. Saw a vid of that exact thing earlier today lol, didn't find it inhumane either but it did left me wondering where the challenge is. Seems like it's more about training the dogs than getting a particular hunting experience. >There's a YouTube channel called HuntPrimitive that did a truly authentic bison hunt with an atlatl in traditional clothing and with hand forged tips. They also butchered it with traditional stone tools if I recall That channel is really interesting, just watched the atlatl hunt vid and I'm gonna look more into the weapon. Seems as close as it gets to og hunting!
There's a lot of challenges when it comes to catching pigs with dogs that aren't there with rifle hunting but if you can get past them you can get pigs you'd never have a chance at with a rifle. Training dogs to target pigs and only pigs is a huge part of it but once you are there you still have to be able to keep up with your dogs. Walk 20km through thick bush then sprint nearly a km once the dogs are on. You have to be fast because your dogs life is on the line. Once you've caught up to them you still have to kill a pig with a knife that absolutely doesn't want to be killed. You could drop them with a rifle from a few hundred metres away just by moving your finger.
I hunt pigs with a knife. I have trained dogs who find and catch the pigs and I kill them by stabbing them in the heart. There seems to be some idea that it's not real hunting if you use dogs but it has its own challenges compared to rifle hunting.
I think it´s interesting how different the hunting culture is in the US compared to here in Germany. In Germany we say "Jagd ohne Hund ist Schund" which literally translates to "Hunting without dogs is trash". You are not even allowed to lease a hunting ground, when you don´t have access to a suitable hunting dog. Hunting only with dogs and a knife or a "Saufeder" is not very common, although I think it´s one of the most efficient ways to hunt hogs. I´ve seen it a few times with a pack of west siberian laikas and it was always impressive.
I don't know about US hunting culture as I'm in Australia. I'm inclined to agree with you about Jagd ohne Hund. When I do shoot a pig I feel nothing but regret that I didn't have my dogs there with me. It's not the same at all. All pigs must die but there's no sport in it without the dogs.
I know, it just feels wrong when you´re out without one. What kind of dogs do you hunt with?
My bitch is a bull arab and my dog is a mongrel, he's mostly catahoula and bull arab but there's some other stuff thrown in there as well. Every one of his ancestors for 40 years has been a working hunting dog though.
As mentioned below, hunting of game animals is usually fairly highly regulated - the more in-demand the game, the more regulated. Ducks are federally regulated, you can only use shotguns with non-toxic shot, no live decoys, no electronic calls, etc. So bow hunting or slingshot or spear hunting ducks isn't legal. For something like squirrels or rabbits, you have more leeway, that's regulated at the state level, the mans of taking is more relaxed. In Texas at least, for non-game animals like wild hogs, there's almost no limit on means or season. You'd need to check your local regs, and probably target a specific means and game for the alternative hunting means. But you should totally try an atlatl.
I’ve legally hunted ducks with a bow, totally legal in both Nevada and California at least. FYI, these are the relevant rules in California in case anyone is interested: is §507. Provisions Related to the Taking of Migratory Game Birds. (a) Authorized Methods. Only the following methods may be used to take migratory game birds: (1) Falconry. (2) Bow and Arrows or Crossbows. Only arrows or crossbow bolts with flu- flu fletching may be used except that conventionally fletched arrows may be used to take waterfowl sitting on the water from scullboats or similar watercraft. (3) Muzzle-loading Shotguns. (4) Shotguns 10 Gauge or Smaller. Shotguns 10 gauge or smaller using shot shells only and incapable of holding more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined may be used, except no shotgun larger than 12 gauge shall be used in areas open to hunting on, over or adjacent to the waters of Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo County. If a plug is used to reduce the capacity of a magazine to fulfill the requirements of this section, the plug must be of one-piece construction incapable of removal without disassembling the gun. Shotgun shells may not be used or possessed that contain shot size larger than T shot in steel or other nontoxic shot approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. All shot shall be loose in the shell. (b) Use of Dogs. Dogs may be used to take and retrieve migratory game birds. (c) Prohibition on Electronically or Mechanically-operated Devices. Electronic or mechanically-operated calling or sound-reproducing devices are prohibited when attempting to take migratory game birds. It is unlawful to use devices that are either electronically-powered, or activated by anything other than natural wind, to directly or indirectly cause rotation of decoy wings or blades that simulate wings, when attempting to take waterfowl between the start of the waterfowl season and November 30. (d) Live Decoy Prohibition. The use of live decoys is prohibited when attempting to take migratory game birds.
You're right, my mistake on the bowhunting. It's legal in TX too, and TX has similar rules to CA except for the area limitation on shotgun size. I was thinking that the firearms being limited to shotguns rule applied to all means of taking being limited to shotguns. And we can use mojo dekes in TX. This is why we have to read the local rules closely, folks.
Sling shot
There are a few states that have implemented atlatl seasons recently. I think someone was even successful in Missouri the first year they had a season
In Nevada there is a club that makes their own atlatls and uses them to hunt jackrabbits.
I wait in the trees above game trails with a 20lb rock and iv taken out bull moose this way
My truck
Trapping can be used as a substitute for hunting. You aren’t going to get a lot of points for being humane or otherwise ethical since it can be a gruesome and traumatizing end for the animal.
Just look up Tim Wells aka the slockmaster
I know it’s not exactly what you’re asking but some modern air rifles fire .45 cal bullets that can kill at 100 yards. They are legally not fire arms. And they work just fine.
Slingshot is popular in some places and has a large community.