Mark Smith (photo above) has killed more game than Epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD). Ok, that might be a stretch, but not much. Smith is a hunter in the purest form of the word, and when it comes to the moment of truth, he has ice water running in his veins.

Since relocating to Texas, he has become obsessed with hogs. Specifically, big ones.

“Hogs aren’t terribly tough to kill,” Smith said. “Big boars, however, take skill and planning. Their olfactory system trumps a whitetail, and their uncanny ability to detect danger is second to none. If you want to kill big pigs, you’ve got to be on your A-game.”

When asked for advice on tagging huge hogs with archery gear, Smith offered the following three tips.

1. Play the Wind

“Stand placement is crucial,” Smith said. “A big boar will use everything he can to his advantage. If your stand setup allows him to circle, he will, and the game will be over. I know it’s not always possible, but if you can set your stand so your scent stream is blowing out over a lake, pond or slamming up against some obstacle like a creek bank or pond dam, do it. Obstacles like these take away his downwind approach.”

2. Pass on Small Pigs

“You must exercise extreme patience,” he continued. “If you want to kill big boars, you’ll have to wait them out. Typically, they will be the last to show on a bait site, which means you’ll have to pass on lesser-sized porkers. I also like, once my feeders start getting hit, to not go in and hunt them right away. I like the pigs to get comfortable, and I want to get some sows in there. A sow in heat will drag a big boar bowhunting-close when nothing else will.”

3. Wait for an Ideal Shot

“Lastly, it’s no fun shooting ‘Hogzilla’ if you can’t recover him,” Smith said. “Too many bowhunters panic when a pig big comes in. Stay patient and wait for a quartering-away shot that is 20 yards or less. Slip your arrow behind the ribs and keep it in the lower one-third of the body.”