Hogs, hogs, hogs…

We have no idea exactly how many wild boars roam the woods of Czechia. Their numbers, however, can’t be low, since each year Czech hunters shoot about 200 000 of them and they still seem to be overpopulated. It is not very difficult to spot signs of their presence in almost every forest, but how hard is it to actually find them? I am no hunter, so take my opinion with a pinch of salt, but these big mammals are surprisingly challenging to spot. Who would expect any ninja-like skills in an animal, which can easily weigh 100-200 kg (220-440 lb)? Chances are, in fact, that during your strolls in the woods you have already passed near a hog hiding in a bush without even knowing it.

I ran into hogs only couple of times and it is fair to say, that each time they took me by surprise. My last encounter with group of wild boars took place this winter in Bulhary game reserve in southern Moravia. I was not really looking for them, even though I saw their footprints in the snow (as shown in the video).

However, I only saw the first hog when I accidentally stumbled too close to it and it decided to leave its cover and run away. Even though hog attacks on human are rare, they should not be underestimated, because these cute piggies can easily show you, that their tusks are not just fashion items. But since I knew they were close, I decided to stalk them and try to take some pictures anyway. It took me about ten minutes to spot them through a gap between the trees - a group of about ten hogs pressing themselves to the ground pretending they were just some hairy rocks or that they did not exist at all.

Wild boar thoroughly assessing the danger (Bulhary preserve, 2020)

As you can see on the picture above, I shared a brief eye contact with the biggest one of them. Truth to be told, at that moment I wasn’t particularly sure, that following them was really a good idea. Luckily, after a moment the leader of the group decided that enough is enough and once again the whole group ran away from me with surprising speed. After that I tried to find them again, but after a while I decided not to push my luck any further.

Wild boar during the escape (Bulhary game reserve, 2020)

Even though these encounter can be a real adventure sometimes, I would certainly recommend to exercise extreme caution. Especially in spring there is a chance to bump into female with her piglets and that would be a good time to “retreat and regroup”, because they tend to be pretty grumpy. After all we are visiting their home and not the other way around.

Wild boar with piglets - photographed from behind the safety of the fence (Holedná game reserve, 2017)