Hog calling


Hog calling, or pig calling, is the art of making a call to encourage pigs to approach the caller. Competitions in hog calling are held.

Calls

To attract pigs, the calls are based on four strategies: a male call to encourage territorial males to come to fight, a female call to encourage males to come to mate, a general call of dinner is served, and a piglet in distress call which works on adults.

Aids to calling

Calls are usually simple woodwind instruments, sometimes adapted from other hunting lures. Electronic devices are also available.

In popular culture

In the short story, "Pig-hoo-o-o-o-ey", by P.G. Wodehouse the sow Empress of Blandings misses her first keeper, Wellbeloved, when he is sent to jail for a spell; her pining is worrisome to her owner, with the big show approaching, until she is pepped up by James Belford's hog calling techniques, returning to her trough with enough gusto to take her first silver medal.
The Arkansas Razorbacks chant is Calling the Hogs.