Boar Buster vs Boar Blanket: How Does the Boar Buster Trap Work and What Makes It Unique?
Boar Buster vs Boar Blanket: Boar Buster is a suspended, remote-triggered drop trap system designed to capture an entire sounder of wild hogs in a single deployment. The circular steel corral is hung from a frame or rigging system, with bait placed at the center to lure hogs in beneath the suspended structure.
What makes Boar Buster unique is its integration with the HogEye camera system, which provides real-time visual monitoring via a mobile app. Once the trap site is active, the user must manually watch the video feed and trigger the drop gate remotely — typically from a mobile device or computer. This requires a strong cellular connection, a monthly data subscription, and the operator’s availability to monitor hog movement live.
In theory, this allows for precise capture timing — dropping the trap only when the entire sounder has entered. But in practice, that timing can be tricky. Hogs are unpredictable. If even a few linger outside the trap, the user must choose between dropping early and risking a partial catch, or waiting and possibly spooking the group altogether.
Boar Buster has seen success on large, flat ranchland with strong infrastructure and multi-person teams. However, it’s a high-tech, high-maintenance solution with multiple moving parts. The system depends heavily on reliable signal strength, camera calibration, and real-time decision-making, making it less ideal for solo operators or remote locations.
For some landowners, this level of control is appealing. But for others, the complexity may introduce more risk than reward.
What Is the Boar Blanket and How Does It Capture Hogs Passively?
Boar Blanket is a ground-based hog net trap designed for full sounder capture without relying on electronics, cameras, or cellular signal. It uses a tapered, double-net system that is staked into the ground using 8 T-posts. During the conditioning phase, the net is raised off the ground to allow free feeding. Once the pigs are accustomed to the bait site, the net is lowered to form a perimeter around the bait zone.
From there, pigs push under the net to access the bait — but once inside, they are funneled into the trap by the tapered shape and cannot escape. The net’s soft structure is silent, low-profile, and non-threatening to wary or dominant pigs who might otherwise hesitate to enter a hard-sided trap. Because it doesn’t use gates or triggers, there’s no “perfect moment” to time — it’s always active, always working.
The Boar Blanket performs exceptionally well in remote, wooded, or uneven terrain, where traditional drop traps are difficult to set up or monitor. It’s ideal for solo ranchers or landowners who need a low-maintenance, high-efficiency solution for feral hog control that can be deployed and monitored without a team or expensive tech.
How Easy Is It to Set Up a Boar Buster vs Boar Blanket Trap?
Setting up a Boar Buster requires:
- A tall trap frame or suspension system
- Cellular connectivity
- A HogEye camera mount and app access
- Time, assistance, and technical calibration
There’s no camera to monitor, no tech to fail, and no guesswork. It’s ideal for hard-to-reach places where signal is weak or nonexistent.
The Boar Blanket can be deployed by a single person in under 20 minutes using only:**
- 8 T-posts
- A T-post driver
- Ground anchors (included in the box and required unless a tree or other solid anchor point is available nearby)
What Are the Risks of Drop-Timed Hog Traps Like Boar Buster?
One of the biggest challenges with remote-triggered systems like Boar Buster is the pressure to drop the gate at the perfect moment.
- If just one pig lingers outside the trap, you face a choice:
- Drop early and risk only catching part of the group
- Wait and risk spooking the whole sounder
- Survivors often become trap-shy and avoid the site altogether
The Boar Blanket eliminates this issue completely. Pigs enter at their own pace, and once they push under the net, they can’t exit. It’s designed to maximize whole sounder trapping— not rely on perfect timing.
Boar Buster vs Boar Blanket: Which Trap Performs Better Across Different Terrain and Conditions?
Condition | Boar Buster | Boar Blanket |
Requires cell signal | Yes | No |
Works in rugged/wooded terrain | Limited | Excellent |
One-person setup possible | Not Ideal | Solo-friendly |
Monthly tech/data fees | Required | None |
Risk of partial capture | High | None |
How Do You Decide Which Hog Trap Is Right for Your Land?
Both traps aim to help landowners control wild hog populations, but they operate very differently.
Boar Buster may suit:
- Ranchers with flat, open pastures
- Teams who can monitor cameras and respond quickly
- Properties with reliable cell service
- Users who want camera-based drop control
Boar Blanket is ideal for:
- Landowners working solo or off-grid
- Ranch managers responsible for multiple properties
- Outfitters and hunting lease operators who need traps that can be relocated easily
- Government agencies and conservation groups managing feral hog control
- Remote or wooded properties with limited infrastructure
- Wildlife researchers conducting passive trapping studies
- Trappers looking for low-maintenance systems that require less oversight
- Anyone who wants full sounder capture without high-tech gear or cellular dependence
Boar Buster vs Boar Blanket: What’s the Best Hog Trap Option for Most Landowners?
Boar Buster is a powerful system in the right conditions — but it’s not always the best fit for every landowner, operator, or agency. Its reliance on cellular connectivity, manual triggering, and higher upfront complexity make it better suited for well-staffed, signal-ready properties with full infrastructure in place.
In contrast, the Boar Blanket adapts to a much wider range of environments, land sizes, and user profiles. Whether you’re a solo rancher working in remote brush, a conservation team managing acreage across counties, or a hunting lease operator relocating traps between seasons, the Boar Blanket delivers a reliable and flexible solution. No tech. No towers. No timing risk.
Looking for field-tested results? See how the system performs in real-world ranchland conditions on our Boar Blanket Case Study page.
Ready to See It in Action?
Boar Buster vs Boar Blanket: Want to see how the Boar Blanket performs in the field? Watch the video and read the full case study here to explore real-world trapping success, learn how full sounder captures work, and decide if it’s the right fit for your property.