Wild Hogs!

stanley · May 13, 2004

LAST EDITED ON May-13-04 AT 09:11AM (MST)[p]This story caught my eye today; http://www.azcentral.com/offbeat/articles/0513Wild-Hogs-ON.html . My wife is originally from the Watsonville, CA area. We get up there to visit on occasion, and I always think about hunting pigs while I'm there....

Does anyone hunt hogs on a regular basis? Looks like it could be fun sport.... Are the ferel hogs as tasty as farm raised?

S.

BigPig · May 13, 2004

Wild hogs are a blast to hunt. CA is the best place in the nation for a spot and stalk hog hunt. The only downside is that 99.9% of the hogs are on private land since that is where the food and water is. That being said, unless you know someone with a ranch, you must hire a guide. The good news is that since hogs are so plentiful you are all but guaranteed to at least get a shot. Most guides will charge anywhere from $400-750 for a weekend hunt, depending on accomodations. It great fun and you really should try it. Hogs are an interesting adversary.

SoTX · May 13, 2004

Down here in South Texas there is a never ending supply of feral hogs. There are so many we mostly shoot them in the guts and let them run off to die in the brush. They are a nasty character and filthy stinkin. The meat is only as good as what they eat. It does not taste as good as farm raised. Remember they are omnivores. I have seen them eating on dead cows. Once we killed one as it was coming out of the inside of a dead cows body cavity. This was a cow that had been dead for several weeks baking in the hot Texas sun. If you are into hogs one fun way to take one is with a knife at night with dogs. It gets pretty western at times especially when you are goin in on a 500 lb plus boar.
Down here they are like rats only more destructive. The only good hog is a dead one.

"We must HUNT"

NMRaptor · May 13, 2004

I agree with your post SoTX....only good hog is a dead one. I have a buddy down in the Uvalde area who takes hogs with a knife every now and then. Pretty ballzy in my opinion. I've seen pictures of dogs that were killed by em.
-Raptor

Blueoak · May 13, 2004

I have cleaned out our hogs for the time being. I'm worried they will come back to the ponds now that it is getting so dry. They ruin the creeks and ponds. I think they eat fawns. I know they eat dead pigs, they don't leave a trace. They fun to hunt with a gun, but I don't think that knife thing is my bag.

HogWild · May 13, 2004

LAST EDITED ON May-14-04 AT 00:25AM (MST)[p]Here's some pics of the hogs my boys and I have taken of the last few years, the ones with the boys were taken this year.

Hope the link works.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/89600657/138046089jEwEKj

http://community.webshots.com/photo/8900657/119250492nmIOfz

http://community.webshots.com/photo/87893224/87893348EckLRO

http://community.webshots.com/photo/87893224/87893593BeQCQM

H.W

bigbull1 · May 14, 2004

I'm going on my first hog hunt next week in Idaho. Supposed to be "European Wild Boars" that this rancher imported, selling non-guided hunts year round. My son and I are trying our first archery hunt, and thought this would be a fun wack at sticks and string. The rancher did warn us not to leave a dead hog unattended as they others would be soon munching it.

elk_horn · May 14, 2004

bigbull.... how do you get hooked up with this rancher... would like to try archery on a hog!

stanley · May 14, 2004

Thanks for all of the replies guys! Hunting these things is definitely something I want to try. Sounds like you want to be sure they have access to good feed if you want to eat them though...

Hogwild, AWESOME pics! Looks like you guys really know how to handle those babies!!!!

BigPig, Some of my wife's relatives apparently have access to some land in Monterey County that has lots of hogs. I think I'll throw the .308 in next time we go for a visit! ;-)

S.

bigbull1 · May 14, 2004

elk-horn:

His name is Richard Olsen (208) 886-7072 in Shoshone Idaho. His web site is www.europeanwildboarhunt.com

He lets up to a party of five have free access to the ranch (600 acres) for $350 a hog, and guarantees a kill. To top it off, he refers clients to a nearby bed/breakfast for 50% off=$30 a night. That one sounds to good to be true, but will let you know when I return.

Heard about it right here on MM, and talked to two guys in our local archery shop who said they had a blast there a year ago and are going to return.
Ed