On feral hogs and guns and dogs

[GLK]

For what its worth here in fla feral hogs are considerd livestock and belong to whomevers property they are on at the time. As long as you don't intentionally torture them they are yours to kill however you see fit. On private property there is no size or bag limit. This of course allows the state to make the rules in regards to how they are hunted or (not) on state lands. On my property the big ones will be live trapped and fed a proper diet till slaughter time . The smaller ones will have to suffer the wrath of the two bitches . Their biggest so far has been maybe 100 pounds. Neither one was able to lock on but they had the sow spinning and running like a tazmanian devil and they never once backed off in fear. In my experience feral hog hunting in fla without dogs is a sit and wait affair or stumble across a roving band while looking. In either case I would never feel underguned with a 308. But then again ours are not Razorbacks or Russian boars or the like. Ours are simply domesticated pigs that got loose and survived and repoduced in the wild. Very different critters indeed. The guy in the middle photo would go approx 90-100 pounds, you think? He already has a good set of cutters & tusk in the making. I have seen him a few times and he is scarred up real good on both sides. He is obviously been tangling with something. Believe it or not within a week of being in a pen one would be able to hand feed even the "meanest" feral hog. Of course stay on your side of the pen. Guys that live trap them are known to pop them in the ear with a 22 mag once they are used to them feeding them. Bottom photo is a set of tusk from a 175-200 pounder if I recall correctly.

 

[impact]

I never did understand the tusk thing? Ive shot big hogs with small tusk and small hogs with big tusk. Good looking dogs! The one on the bottom looks just like my 7 month old yellow Catahoula. Well except for the color. My boy rocky gives me that same look all the time. He is always looking to see what I'm doing

Around here in Texas the timber companys will clear small sections of land and after about three years there is some really nice under growth that the hogs love to use for cover and if its near a river or stream!!! Oh man you bet there is going to be hogs! and snakes. The hogs will make trails that go into these areas. So if you feel up to it you can get on your hands and knees and crawl in. I cant tell you how many snakes I seen while laying on my belly. I would like to get one more catahoula and use dogs. I think if I use one dog the hogs will kill the dog. I think three dogs would be better. My buddy south of Victoria uses 6 dogs. But then again he dont use a gun.

In Texas you can hunt hogs in most counties year round. I find that I like to hunt hogs more than I do deer.

 

[stephen426]

Cute dogs! Just curious about hog hunting with them. Is it still a challenge or do you wait for the dogs to corner tham and put them out of their misery? That doesn't sound very sporting. I also sure the extra adrenaline from getting attacked and chased by the dogs will affect the falvor and texture of the meat. I think a high powered shot that killed the animal quickly might be better.

I am currently working in Spain and they are BIG on their pigs. The hogs their Iberain ham comes from are super pampered. They eat a strict diet of acorns to keep them lean. They strive to keep the hogs as stress free as possible as they claim it makes the meat more tender. Handlers are not even allowed to yell at the pigs and would get fired for doing so... Crazy Spanairds!

 

[Mannlicher]

I have to say that when hunting hogs up in South Ga, there are many times when I wish I DID have a few dogs to help. You are spot on, with saying how 'catch as catch can' it is when hog hunting without dogs.
As to whether it is 'sporting' or not, well, to me, hog hunting is not sport, its varmint control. These darn porkers just ruin our deer hunting feed plots, and farmers fields.

 

[dale taylor]

Never have hunted hogs with dogs. My fence contractor uses a pack of pit bulls. I like to hunt slowly walking the swamp with a 357. Small hogs can have large tusks. 6.5x55 rifle is good in long shot situations. An airdale to fight hog when cornered is new to me but a good ideal like out west one does for mountain lions. daleltaylor@att.net

 

[GLK]

Mannlicher pretty much put it best. And I'll add, no it is not sporting, or at least to me the way I do it it is not. Pest control with gun fun thrown in is how I look at it.

Now if one is talking about Russian or Razorback wild boars or sows from the accounts I have read and the few VHS tapes I have seen on the subject, it offers more than enough sport for my taste. The one tape should have been called, Hogs hunt man! I could not believe the tenaciousness or the power and speed of the boar as he tried to get at the "hunter". This hog was in the attack and kill mode until the moment it died. If I recall correctly it took place in either Tenn. or WV. The hunter ended up with a rather nasty gash in one of his calves and still climbed a tree faster than I thought a human could.

I don't hunt hogs with the dogs. They are more than willing and very able but I personally don't have it in me to take a chance of one of them getting hurt. Unless it is a small(well under 100lbs)pig I won't even let them chase it. I only allow that as a way to keep the hogs off the property and so that the dogs keep a bit of an edge. Once the hog clears the fence line I hit the tone button on the dogs collars and they break off the chase(usually ) and come to me for their reward.