Im looking to do a pig hunt this spring

Spring for a guy in Wyoming is different than for a guy for Texas. I hunted in South Texas for 15 years. We were just west of Houston. It's spring there now. Trees will be leafing out the grass will be green and getting tall. The ability to see hogs in that tall grass starts to get impossible. The bugs, skeeters, and snakes will be out. We always found February to be the best time. The bait corn worked better, no new green stuff. Bugs, skeeters, and snakes were usually not active. Although some years if they hadn't had a big freeze the skeeters never went away. February worked great for us, because nothing else was open and we didn't step on any other hunters. January can still have deer and waterfowl seasons going on and some outfits don't want you there messing with that. Think paying customers. We were able to get permission because they just wanted dead hogs and the paying seasons were over.
Some of the best hunting trips of my life and I did have to make the decision to hunt in March instead of February or not hunt at all a couple of years because life got in the way. I try not to blame my grand daughter for getting born during peak hog hunting season. But we found February the best month to hunt hogs. I hope you have a good trip and post up some pictures and let us know how it went, but if you go in March or later in the year better take some bug dope.
 
I’m in south west Alabama and hogs are a problem, but a transitory one. IME they move into an area then out, once the food source drops.

There are some guys that trap them and then kill them, but not many. Most of the folks here just want then eliminated. I only shoot them when I run across them. There seem to be some outfits throughout Florida.
We’re getting ready for turkey season here, but I would thing the best time to hunt hogs would be March on.
 
There are a lot of hogs in central California , IF you are interested in that direction . They are considered a game animal so they don't have the high body count types of hunts .You have to get tag's , and I don't know if they still have a daily limit or not . A lot of the hogs there feed on agricultural crops like grapes and barley and they are very good eating . There are outfitters around Tehachapi , Tejon ranch . and around Paso Robles , Shandon , Parkfield , San Miguel , Jolon . Basically all up and down the central coast . Not the high volume of shooting , but the meat is excellent and they take good care of it . You might get a better deal if your just after meat hogs , not sure , I've never hunted with a guide .
 
This is where we hunt in Florida for wild hogs. They're spooky but can be approached by a stealthy stalk. The guide is very helpful and always puts us on hogs. Pricing for a fully guided hunt is $230. for a hog weighing less than 125 lbs. More for the truly huge ones. Guide dresses, skins, and quarters the animal for you but you should tip. Acerage is not small at all. You don't pay unless you shoot one which is very reasonable. http://www.suwanneeriverranch.com

Our shots have averaged about 75 yards so a long distance rifle is not req'd. 30-30 is a keeper! TR
 
Go shoot pigs for fun in Texas, but buy your sausage from the grocery store. I’ll starve before I eat another wild pig.
 
marksman13 said:
Go shoot pigs for fun in Texas, but buy your sausage from the grocery store. I’ll starve before I eat another wild pig.
Click to expand...
I've eaten a few that were ok, but I
have learned that if one stinks when
I approach it, it's relegated to the buzzards.
Had several people tell me do this
or do that and it'll kill the stink.
Nope
Not me
No thank you
 
I've hunted hogs on 2 ranches in Southern Florida.

2019:
claygullyoutfitters.com

- CLAY GULLY OUTFITTERS

Top Florida hunting and fishing outfitter providing the best gator, hog, duck deer, and exotic hunt for every occassion all year round.
claygullyoutfitters.com claygullyoutfitters.com

My thread:

Shot my 1st Wild Boar in Florida last week

Posted this on a few other forums I frequent. Figured I'd throw it in here. If nothing else to get the word out to those in Florida looking for a place to hunt. Just got back Thursday after visiting family down in St. Petersburg Florida. My Nephew in law Pete with his 16 yo son Jake setup a...
www.thehighroad.org

D Hog.jpg

2023:
http://www.hogheavenpreserve.com/

My thread on the hunt:

2023 Hog Hunt Florida

I spent the last 2 weeks down in Cape Coral Florida in a 4 bedroom AirB&B Rental House. We've gone every year for the past 4 years. The 1st year down my Nephew-inlaw, Pete, (who is my age) and I went on a guided hunt. Covid screwed up our plans to hunt that place again. Plus last year I flew...
www.thehighroad.org

Blind.jpg

4 hogs Dan Pete Ben.jpg


I enjoyed the 2019 hunt a little more than the 2023 hunt. The 2023 hunt was pretty close to shooting fish in a barrel. The Hog I shot in 2019 was on the move at around 75yds.

I used borrowed rifles for both hunts.

In Florida you have the choice of a Meat Hog Hunt or a Trophy Hog Hunt.
The meat hogs hunts are less expensive and you shoot younger hogs that taste better as sausage.

The Trophy Hogs cost more to hunt and would probably be best mounted on the wall vs eaten.
 
Larry in wyoming said:
That's interesting. The ones I've killed in Oklahoma were very tasty. Probably the best sausage I've ever made.
Click to expand...
The few I’ve tried to eat made the whole house smell just like a wild pig. Sausage, backstraps, bbq, it didn’t matter. The size of the pig didn’t matter. I eat a good bit of venison, but wild pork is a hard pass from me. I’ve got buddies who love it, but I just can’t get on board.
 
Here's a few in Florida:
kissimmeeriverhuntandfish.com

Kissimmee River Hunt & Fish LLC.

TO KISSIMMEE RIVER HUNT AND FISH LLC
kissimmeeriverhuntandfish.com kissimmeeriverhuntandfish.com

I've been to this one a long time ago, it's on an Island that has an airstrip if you want to fly in.
They use dogs and the dog handler is on horse back.
Lots of fun when I went...
As I recall, they collected piglets and pen raised them until they are big enough to fend for themselves and I believe they castrated most of the males.
So not stinky meat...
www.floridahuntingoutfitter.com

Lightsey Family Ranch

The Lightsey Family Ranch offers some of the best hunting land in South Florida. We offer one of a kind hunting experiences featuring Hog Hunts, Alligator Hunts, Whitetail Deer Hunts, Quail Hunts, Osceola Turkey Hunts, Pheasant Hunts and Eco Tours.
www.floridahuntingoutfitter.com

Hogwalla Outfitters, LLC – Guided Hog Hunts – Hogwalla Outfitters, LLC is the premier Hog hunting outfitter in Louisiana. We offer guided hog and boar hunts with a Rifle, Bow, and Dogs. Three bedroom lodge with all the amenities of home located in Pl

hogwalla.com hogwalla.com
oops Louisianna.
.
 
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Never had a bad one yet. But I'm sure it'll happen eventually. First place I hunted they discarded all the males.
 
marksman13 said:
Go shoot pigs for fun in Texas, but buy your sausage from the grocery store. I’ll starve before I eat another wild pig.
Click to expand...
I shoot them of my back porch and drag them off to the creek bottom for the buzzards. I will never clean another one. I can't even give them away anymore. If you are going to eat them the 50lb or less sows are the only ones to mess with.
 
Central Cal. Is a lot dryer climate then most of Texas , and the pigs there are almost always excellent eating. @jabell in his thread simi guided boar hunt , is just north of where this one came from a few miles . You might be able to work something out with him to fill your freezer .
 

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marksman13 said:
The few I’ve tried to eat made the whole house smell just like a wild pig. Sausage, backstraps, bbq, it didn’t matter. The size of the pig didn’t matter. I eat a good bit of venison, but wild pork is a hard pass from me. I’ve got buddies who love it, but I just can’t get on board.
Click to expand...
Catch 'em alive a feed them corn for three months, ... done deal! lol
 
InTheSwamp said:
Catch 'em alive a feed them corn for three months, ... done deal! lol
Click to expand...
Yeh, had a guy at work catch one (in Florida) and had him caged for a while.
He choked him until he passed out and then went into the cage and castrated him.
He became somewhat tame, got all excited when he was fed corn, and liked his back scratched with a rake.
Once he became fattened up and did not stink anymore, my friend stuck the barrel of a 22 in his ear and humanely ended his life.
Then cut him up and into the freezer...
:uhoh:
.
 
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There are meat from two wild hogs in our freezers. The huge chops are from a 250 pound sow. The sausage and ground pork came from a 160 pound sow.

Gave a friend a fat sow that field dressed 212 pounds. The friend claimed the meat stunk. Yep, the processor allowed the carcass to hang in his cooler for 19 days and then processed a rotten hog. The same man had several elk rot in his cooler. The guy was a long haul trucker who processed hogs, deer and elk between trips.
 
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alsaqr said:
Gave a friend a fat sow that field dressed 212 pounds. The friend claimed the meat stunk. Yep, the processor allowed the carcass to hang in his cooler for 19 days and then processed a rotten hog. The same man had several elk rot in his cooler. The guy was a long haul trucker who processed hogs, deer and elk between trips.
Click to expand...
I have a feeling this happens more often than many would know. I do all my own processing after a couple of bad experiences years ago.
 
Go shoot pigs for fun in Texas, but buy your sausage from the grocery store. I’ll starve before I eat another wild pig
Click to expand...

Well he got the first part right anyway.....

I honestly could not put a number on the amount I have shot, but ones that were left in the field are probably less than a couple dozen over the past 25+ yrs.

The key thing about them is tending to them ASAP and not letting them lay around for an hour or more before you start cleaning and processing them. The quicker they are on ice or refrigerated the better they will be. The hides are thick and insulate the meat well so it needs to go as well as the internals.

Hogs will eat just about anything and that has some to do with the taste as well. The ones I like run from around 25lbs up to mid 200s. I have my three grandsons living with us and they range from 15 -22 and a deer or hog don't stand a chance of freezer burn around here. We usually quarter and clean them up, then in the freezer they go. Later they will bone out the shoulders and maybe a ham or two depending on what Nana wants, then grind with some venison and bacon butts or some brisket fat to give a little grease.

The smaller ones, I like to just split down the middle and smoke a bit, then finish up in the oven..... 20231225_181221.jpg
 
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