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Wild boar

Scientific name: Sus scrofa

Field notes

Appearance

Dark brown to black coarse coat with a stocky, muscular build; males develop pronounced shoulder humps and larger tusks. Females are smaller and lighter-colored; both sexes have bristly manes along the spine.

Size and weight

Males 75–100 kg, females 50–75 kg. Body length 100–190 cm including head; shoulder height 55–110 cm.

Habitat

Wild boar inhabit mixed woodland, scrubland, and agricultural areas with dense cover and water access. They tolerate a wide elevation range from lowlands to montane forests, favoring terrain with soft ground for rooting.

Distribution

Native to Europe, western Asia, and North Africa; now widespread across temperate and subtropical regions globally. Prefer mixed woodlands adjacent to open feeding areas.

Diet

Omnivorous; primarily roots, tubers, and fallen mast (acorns, beechnuts), supplemented by invertebrates, carrion, crops, and vegetation depending on seasonal availability.

Behaviour

Primarily nocturnal and crepuscular, moving to feeding grounds at dusk and dawn; diurnal in undisturbed areas. Solitary or in small groups; females and young form sounders; males often solitary. Highly mobile with established routes between cover and feed.

Hunting tips

Key sign includes deep rooting patches (disturbed soil 10–20 cm deep), parallel tracks 4–5 cm wide with claw marks, and dark cylindrical droppings. Approach upwind through dense cover at dawn or dusk; stalk feeding groups cautiously as they are alert and mobile. Soft ground and leaf litter aid silent approach; position to intercept movement between bedding and feed areas.

Carcass weight

This species is logged by carcass weight — the animal weighed dressed, the way hunting teams normally report it.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 64 countries in Huntify.

Names in other languages

Current language: en

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.