- Overpopulation of wild feral hogs in many southern states NEED hunter help.
- Choose hunting lodges carefully. Many provide full-service facilities, including meals, guides, and butcher services, at reasonable costs.
- Thermal night vision rifle scopes are allowed for night hog hunting in Alabama – and they work.
By Forrest Fisher
This summer, I enjoyed the most thrilling hunting experience of my life in the heart of central Alabama. Venturing into new territory, uncharted in my personal experience, I joined a group of four fellow hunter friends from across the country to hunt wild feral hogs. We planned and gathered at our destination, the renowned Great Southern Outdoors Plantation (https://greatsouthernoutdoors.com/) near Union Springs, Alabama. Nestled in the rich, fertile black topsoil sector of Alabama known as the Alabama Black Belt Region, this 23-county area supports a diverse range of wildlife, especially wild hogs and whitetail deer.
We arrived mid-week at the sprawling 6,000-acre private, unfenced plantation and were greeted by Hunter Pritchett, the owner, and Pam Swanner, the Executive Director of the Alabama Black Belt Outdoor Adventure Association. After completing in-process registration, we geared up for a mandatory pre-dinner orientation and then a new hog-hunting adventure—a first for me.
The anticipation of the hunt was matched only by the sheer beauty of the natural habitat here. The hardwoods and ground cover resembled north-country habitat. With accommodations that offered both comfort and luxury, we prepared for the post-sunset hunting wilderness on Day-1. Our hunting options included simple ground blind seating and elevated ground blinds, each strategically positioned near baited mechanical feeders on timers, offering the perfect vantage point for our pursuit of these elusive invasive wild hog creatures. Each feeder was equipped with a green light motion detector.
As I embarked on the hog hunting journey, I was a bit anxious about hunting in an unfamiliar area. I was sweating from the temperature, it was 90 degrees—but guided by Leroy Upshaw, a seasoned Alabama outdoorsman, I cooled down with his invaluable advice and confident encouragement. Each 10-15-minute trip to the stand was an enjoyable ride with Leroy.
Once at the stand, the sheer adrenaline flow from the anticipation of spotting wild hogs added to my sweat rate. Upshaw said the hogs would range in size and agility, and seeing them can be nothing short of electrifying. With Upshaw’s guidance, I planned to carefully select my targets – hogs or coyotes only; we could not hunt deer at this time of year. We were all mindful of the significance of the seasons. Each of us was captivated with expectation during each hunting episode. The thrill of the chase, the anticipation of a successful shot, and, for each of us, the satisfaction of knowing that we could contribute to the conservation of the natural habitat made this experience even more unforgettable.
As the sun settled over the Alabama Black Belt on day-1, I found myself immersed in the darkness of the Alabama night wild in a world of untamed beauty. The sights and sounds of this amazing region were bold and new. Each encounter with the majestic nightlife creatures here left an indelible mark on my soul, conjuring up that primal connection between man and nature. The after-dark sounds of the birds, chirping tree frogs, and snorting hogs in the distance, 17-year cicadas, and other wildlife – the Alabama nature music, kept me wide awake in the stand. I’m only a few years short of 80, and while sleep is a very welcome and good thing, I did not have to fight to stay alert and awake. I did forget my coffee thermos, but the water bottles in my backpack would help prevent dehydration in this heat.
My journey to the heart of the Alabama Black Belt was a transformative new hunting experience that deepened my gratitude for the great outdoors and added to my life-long appreciation for the importance of responsible wildlife management. The staff at the Great Southern Outdoors Plantation are part and parcel of annual controlled burns, reforestation efforts and healthy game harvest management. Each hunting episode was an adventure that will forever linger in my heart. This outing simply fueled my personal passion for conservation and the untamed spirit of the Alabama wild.
Over our three days of hunting, I spent a thrilling 17 hours in the stand, surrounded by the picturesque Alabama wilderness.
Prior to hunting, lodge owner Hunter Pritchett had provided a detailed firearm safety and wildlife awareness introduction. Hunter advised us to stay in the comfy and slightly elevated ground stands placed along trails leading to the baited food sources and bedding areas to realize the best odds for hog harvest success. This rule was in our signature agreements. He said, “Stay in the stand if you down an animal, text your guide, wait for your guide to arrive.” The reason? After dark, familiarity with property lines and unseen or unfamiliar critters that could be on the after-dark prowl. There are no rule-breakers in our group; safety comes first.
The wildlife sightings were phenomenal, as I witnessed over 40 majestic deer, mostly doe, and watched wild turkeys gobble up the sweet corn during daytime hunting stints. The anticipation of each hunt episode was electrifying, as I was eager for the perfect moment to take a shot.
The full moon during our visit illuminated the wild surroundings, offering a distant, seeable animal profile. However, it was too dark to shoot a glimpse of nighttime hogs and deer in the far distance. Despite this, it was still an exhilarating experience. I made sure to prioritize safety, following my father’s wise words, “Be sure of your target.”
The thrill didn’t end there. One of our group members, Serena Juchnowski, displayed incredible marksmanship, taking down a magnificent hog sow with a single, accurate shot. Her target expertise and the advanced firearm gear she was using left us all in awe. Her file was a Savage 110 Hog Hunter with a handsome GRS Bifrost stock chambered in .350 Legend, using Hornady 170-grain SP American Whitetail ammo. With the addition of a Pulsar Thermion 2 LRF XL50 1.75-14x50mm Thermal Imaging Rifle Scope, Serena could see in the dark and could see long-distance thermal images in daylight. The scope is powered with two rechargeable batteries that provide up to 10 hours of continuous operating time.
Though not necessary in Alabama, the Pulsar Thermion scope provides an impressive 2,500-yard detection range and 875-yard laser rangefinder for pinpoint accuracy.
On the second night out, the air was thick with heat, a sweaty 91 degrees, as we settled into our individual stands two hours before sunset. The anticipation was palpable. About an hour later, I heard a gunshot in the distance, the sound echoing through the stillness of the evening air, and I couldn’t help but wonder if one of our group had made a successful kill.
A few minutes later, Serena’s text came through, breaking the silence with the exciting news that she had downed a nice sow. Thanks to the magic of modern technology with the thermal scope, Serena provided all of us with an exhilarating video recording of the entire episode as seen through the thermal scope optics. The replay was stunning, allowing us all to see her group of wild hogs approaching the feeder from over 100 yards out. At 70 yards, she took a shot and immediately downed the animal.
Thanks to the video and sound recording, it was a moment that would be etched in our memories forever.
This adventure was not just about the hunt; it was about the camaraderie, the thrill of the chase, and the stunning natural beauty that surrounded us.
Every member of our hunter group had an opportunity to harvest a hog during this fully catered hunting outing, but only Serena took home the bacon. Girls: 1, Guys: 0. The Great Southern Outdoors Plantation provides deluxe breakfast and dinner meals for camp attendees and munchies and beverages (water, cola, and juice) for hunting stand time.
If you travel to hunt here, pack deer tick protection to be extra safe. Deer ticks live everywhere these days. Three of my grandkids have had to fight Lyme disease delivered by deer ticks. We use Sawyers Permethrin spray for exterior clothing and boots (not for skin exposure) and Sawyers Picaridin lotion for exposed skin. Deer ticks are repelled upon contact. The Picaridin formula is people-friendly. Visit https://www.sawyer.com/product-categories/insect-repellent. Using this choice for bug protection is key since wild hogs are VERY sensitive to human odor; the Sawyer products are scentless. As an option, you can choose to wear a Rynoskin suit if you prefer the no-chemical approach. Rynoskin is a skin-tight full-body suit (uppers, lowers, socks, gloves, and head) that protects from deer tick penetration, no see-ums and other invisible insect critters. Visit https://rynoskin.com/. Beyond bug bite protection, I wore ultralight camo clothing, Irish Setter MUDTREK snake boots (https://www.irishsetterboots.com/) and a camo backpack with lots of water bottles.
To learn more about the Alabama Black Belt Outdoor Adventure Association, the region, and the certified outdoor professionals that form a part of this hunting-fishing-hiking-birding-camping group, visit https://alabamablackbeltadventures.org/.
About Great Sothern Outdoors Plantation: The cost to hog hunt at Great Southern Outdoors Plantation at this time of year is affordable for every hunter. During the post-winter and summer months, the “Hog Wild Blowout Special” includes meals, lodging and guide service with no limit on the number of hogs harvested. The 2-night lodging fee is $600, a 3-night stay is $900. GSO hog hunts run from late February through mid-September. There are no hog limits, no cleaning fees, no trophy fees, semi-guided to stand locations, and you may choose your hunting implement of choice – firearms included. With your license, coyotes and bobcats (daylight hours only) are also fair game. For info or booking at Great Southern Outdoors, call 334-738-5066 or visit https://greatsouthernoutdoors.com/.
Alabama License fees: Add the cost of a license, and you’re good to go. As a nonresident, my small game license ($54.30), bait privilege license ($59.95) and nighttime feral swine and coyote hunting license ($58.30) added to the total cost for a 3-day hunting privilege: $172.55. Worth every penny. Visit: https://www.outdooralabama.com/licenses/hunting-licenses.
Go get ‘em!
