Photo by Ron Sinfelt

Deer season is over. The chill of winter has settled in, and for most folks, it's time to clean the deer rifle, store away the camouflage, and get to work on all those honey-do's that you kept putting off during deer season. Well, maybe you can put the "to-do" list off for a little while longer. If you've still got a hankering to get out there in the woods and wild places with a gun or a bow, an early spring hog hunt may be just the ticket.

Whether you've hunted hogs in the past or not, you can extend your big-game season by setting your sights on one of South Carolina's wild boars. Few things in the world of big-game hunting can rival a one-on-one stalk or still-hunt for the elusive wild boar. If you think a post-deer-season wild hog hunt might be your cup of tea, there are plenty of options. You can participate in one of more than a dozen special wild hog hunts held after Jan. 1 in the Lowcountry and coastal regions of the Palmetto State, or you could take on the numerous herds of wild hogs found on private land throughout much of the state. Let's begin with the public-land hunts.

MANCHESTER STATE FOREST
One of the best post-season public-land hog-hunting opportunities is the special wild hog hunt held at Manchester State Forest located near Sumter. Beginning right after the New Year's Day bowl games, specifically on Jan. 2 and running through the Jan. 28, you are welcome to come still-hunt hogs on Manchester State Forest. If the rough-and-tumble sport of hunting hogs with dogs is more your style, a special dog hunt for wild hogs is coming up on Feb. 6 and lasts until Feb. 25.

Harvey Belser, who manages Manchester State Forest for the South Carolina Forestry Commission, said that the portions of the forest located along the Wateree River represent the best bet for hogs. "We have about 4,000 acres in hardwood bottomland," Belser said. "The Beidler tract is about 3,700 acres and another nearby tract is about 300 acres." That's 4,000 acres of prime hog habitat available for still-hunting hogs during the entire month of January. And then, throughout most of the month of February, the same tracts are open for hunting hogs with dogs.

"January is an especially good time to hunt hogs at Manchester if the river is not flooded," Belser said. But even if the river is flooded when you plan to hunt, Belser said most people hunt around the edges of the bottomlands, as the hogs will try to escape the rising waters by coming up on the high ground, the sand ridges and mixed pine and hardwood knolls. This is fine, because these high-ground hogs can still be hunted within the bounds of the state forest lands. Hunters are not required to check in before hunting at Manchester. Some hunters come in by land and walk to the hardwood bottoms along the river, and some come in by boat on the Wateree River. Regardless, hunters need to plan ahead for getting their hog out of the woods. A deer cart would be a good idea. Also, keep in mind that no live hogs may be removed from the forest and no baiting is allowed on WMA lands.

PRIMITIVE WEAPONS HOG HUNTS
If stalking wild hogs with primitive weapons better suits your style, there is something for you, too. Beginning on Jan. 2 and extending through March 1, a special archery and muzzleloader hog hunt is being held down at the Santee Dam WMA in Clarendon County. That's two full months that you can hunt hogs on public land. No dogs are allowed on this hunt, so if you're strictly a still-hunter, you won't have to worry about being caught up in the sometimes intense action of a dog hunt. There is no limit on the number of hogs taken during this special primitive weapons hunt.