Mountain Project Logo

Wild boar/hogs dangerous?

Original Post
Noel Z · · UK · Joined Oct 2020 · Points: 15

I have been camping at many crags in central Europe (Germany, Czech Rep. and Spain) and have now had several night encounters with wild boar. They have come up right beside me grunting. I camp wild alone in just a bivy bag, so this is not very pleasant. I'm worried they may charge or trample me (intentionally or by mistake).
Are wild boar dangerous?
Am I doing something wrong?

I was thinking of building a boundary using 1.5mm dyneema cord. I would wrap the dyneema cord once at shin height and again at hip height around four trees. Then sleep in the safe area inside the two cords. Trampling me to death by mistake wouldn't be as easy. I would be quick to setup and take down. Is this idea daft and unnecessary?

Cherokee Nunes · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2015 · Points: 0

Just grunt back at them, you'll be fine.

Christopher Smith · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2017 · Points: 0

I know in Texas that wild sows can be incredibly dangerous like most animal mommas.  They can really mess you up with those tusks too.

Noel Z · · UK · Joined Oct 2020 · Points: 15
Cherokee Nunes wrote:

Just grunt back at them, you'll be fine.

I was wondering about this. Whether to stay quit or not. Should I whistle, clap loudly, flash a lamp, grunt, light a firework. Each time it's happened (3 times), I just laid still and keep quite each time. I knew the hogs were too close and I didn't have time to get out and hoped, blindly, they were just curios or not too irritated. 

I really hate that I'm on the ground, zipped into a bivy bag and a sleeping bag. Like a full body straight jacket. Then there's the darkness.

Having read this: https://restlessbackpacker.com/how-to-survive-a-wild-boar-attack/ , I'm starting to fancy my thin dyneema trip cord perimeter idea even more. I'm not trying to hurt an animal, I just don't want to get trampled by mistake. Or, in the case of an attach, buy myself time. I really know nothing about wild boar. I've asked some Germans, but those I know don't camp wild.

Cherokee Nunes · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2015 · Points: 0

Wild pigs don't hunt for sleeping humans on the ground, imo. Just sush them if they are grunting too loudly. The danger of wild pigs is vastly overblown.

Ryan K · · Lander, WY · Joined Feb 2015 · Points: 0

Buy a tent? Sleep in car? Shoot ‘em?

Gunkiemike · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 3,687

Time to get a hammock.

M Wolf · · Oahu, HI · Joined Dec 2019 · Points: 0
Christopher Smith wrote:

I know in Texas that wild sows can be incredibly dangerous like most animal mommas.  They can really mess you up with those tusks too.

yep. Horny boars and new mothers are dangerous. 

Otherwise, not likely to randomly attack without provocation. If startled they can become aggressive, but are still more likely to just run away. They generally have poor eyesight, so if they're rooting or upwind and don't smell you it can be pretty easy to get closer than you want to be.

Tripwire might work, but I wouldn't count on it. Could clip some bells to it so you at least have some warning I guess?

ETA: my experience is also based on north american feral hogs, some of which are a little to a lot mixed with escaped european wild boar imports. I always heard the european boars were more aggressive, but no idea if that's really true

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

General Climbing
Post a Reply to "Wild boar/hogs dangerous?"

Log In to Reply
Welcome

Join the Community! It's FREE

Already have an account? Login to close this notice.