Baiting Hogs With Diesel: A Beginner’s Guide

Diesel is one of the most popular baits for hogs. It’s a smelly, oily liquid that hogs love to root around in. While you can use diesel on its own, it’s often mixed with other ingredients to create an even more powerful hog bait. There are creative ways of baiting hogs other than using soured shelled corn. I have used petroleum successfully a couple of times, here’s what I’ve gathered so far.

We’ll look at some of the best diesel hog baiting recipes out there, and some tips for baiting hogs with diesel, so read on!

Why Are Hogs Attracted to Diesel?

A popular misconception is that hogs love to drink diesel. Not exactly. But if you happen to douse the food source with this pungent fuel, you will notice them wallow in the area before eating it. Although it’s a viable strategy, some people have expressed concern over the quality of meat from hogs fed on diesel-infused sour corn. And their apprehension is valid.

It turns out that neither the taste nor the smell of diesel brings these ferals trotting towards your bait, but how the petroleum product benefits them.  

When hogs come across a puddle of spilled oil, they roll in it. The diesel or oil forms a protective barrier against insects and parasites, just like a bug repellant of sorts.

Guide For Baiting Hogs With Diesel

Although it sounds out of this world, diesel is one of the most effective hog attractants out there. Other than it being an excellent repellant, they keep other animals, varmints, and critters from eating food in the bait. Deer, raccoons, rabbits, and even livestock will not touch any food that smells or tastes like diesel. 

Here are two simple diesel-inspired ideas you can try to help you bait hogs successfully.

Method 1

1. Make a two-foot-wide circle inside your trap.
2. Loosen the soil and remove the vegetation.
3. Sprinkle a half-gallon of diesel fuel or used motor oil on top of the loose dirt.

Method 2

1. Make a hole about a foot deep and 6 to 8 inches wide. 
2. Pour in about a pack of corn
3. Add in 1 bag yeast, one packet strawberry jello mix, 1 cup sugar, and one beer. 
4. Mix it with a long stick and cover it with about 2″ dirt. 
5. Finish off by applying diesel to a creosote pole or the trees surrounding the hole’s area. 
6. Place the spot right underneath the trap and pour a bit of diesel on the grass around the hole. 

You also need to be cautious with holes because some begin small and grow quite large and deep, making them a great hiding spot for these feral pigs. 

If you’re hunting on someone else’s land, seek prior consent and avoid digging holes that could become a hazard.

If you advocate for the green parade and are concerned about causing environmental damage by dumping diesel or oil directly on the land and plants, there are alternatives. Put some old carpet or burlap sacks around a tree near the bait area and cover it with diesel or used motor oil. Or put up a creosote pole and apply the fuel on it.

The hogs will vigorously rub against the diesel-soaked material with the goal of getting as much as possible all over their hides. 

Additional Tips For Baiting Hogs With Diesel

• Refresh the baits regularly by spraying the loose soil, bait poles, or other lures with a bit of diesel.
• Avoid leaving human scent in or around traps. Check the traps from a safe distance if possible.
• To improve your chances of success, try pre-baiting hog traps.
• Switch up the baits. Hog preferences can shift throughout the seasons.

How Far Can Hogs Smell?

Knowing how far the hog’s sense of smell reaches is vital if you plan on baiting hogs with diesel. Hogs have an acute sense of smell and a keen sense of hearing. They can even detect carrion buried beneath the ground. This feral animal is said to detect odors up to 7 miles away and as far underground as 25 feet.

You may also want to check out Hog Hunting: Beginner Guide (Helpful Illustrations)

Will Hogs Eat Corn With Diesel?

Absolutely! Hogs can feed on corn that has been soaked in diesel, and when used alone, it doesn’t affect them.. Some hunters claim that the fuel doesn’t diminish the quality of hog meat in any way. As to how much diesel to use, I would say it depends on the method you choose.

If you want to mix diesel with the corn, you should sprinkle only a tiny amount around the trough or over the post-hole. This applies to both methods 1 and 2. Only spray the loose dirt covering the hole. If you want to use a creosote pole, you may need to add a little more diesel.

Try not to use more diesel than you need, as it can cause soil pollution.  Use diesel only on parts of your property where you do not intend to cultivate crops as the chemicals may take some time to dissipate.

The Bottom Line

If you were skeptical about baiting hogs with diesel, it works. The next time you’re shooting or trapping wild hogs, try using diesel. You’ll have a sounder flocking the bait site in no time.