Does anyone here eat the wild hogs you shoot? I have never shot one(not yet) and I've always heard they are not good to eat? But I don't know why? Would you only eat a young one, and not an old boar? I personally think they would be fine, maybe 50/50 mixed with venison for sausage. Do you just leave em' for the varmints?
Wild hogs for dinner?
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MCgunner
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I wouldn't spend all that time and money if I didn't wanna eat 'em. They're far better than venison IMHO. Tasty and lean, the other, other white meat. 
The BIG ones are gamey, but under about 200 lbs, not a problem. They are very lean. Don't use 'em with venison for your sausage or you'll have very dry sausage. I mix bacon fat sold as 4 lbs bacon pieces with the wild pork about 50/50 for sausage.
No, I've let big hogs walk right on by before. I mean, you can eat 'em, but the smaller ones are mild and easier to process. I don't shoot the big ones and my trap is small enough to eliminate the really big ones. I've caught a 200 lb boar in it, about all that'll easily fit through the door, probably designed that way.
The BIG ones are gamey, but under about 200 lbs, not a problem. They are very lean. Don't use 'em with venison for your sausage or you'll have very dry sausage. I mix bacon fat sold as 4 lbs bacon pieces with the wild pork about 50/50 for sausage. No, I've let big hogs walk right on by before. I mean, you can eat 'em, but the smaller ones are mild and easier to process. I don't shoot the big ones and my trap is small enough to eliminate the really big ones. I've caught a 200 lb boar in it, about all that'll easily fit through the door, probably designed that way.
MCgunner
Member
Oh, HECK no, not all sausage. I grind the shoulders, neck, etc. The ribs barbeque up nice. Try that with venison, you'll wind up with some kind of charred bones. I cut the ribs in half and barbeque 'em. The hams I'll usually crock pot. I love that McCromick's "Pulled Pork" mix. You put the ham in with 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/3rd cup cider vinegar, and 1/2 cup catchup along with the mix and crock pot it for the day, usually about 8 hours. Don't let it get too dry. Put a little water in it if it does start to get dry before it's done. Pull it apart when it's done with a fork, as in shred it. We had the last ham I had in the freezer last night. It's so dry here, all the hogs are on the big ranch near water at my place, so I haven't been catching any, though I've been hunting on a local WMA and may get one there, I hope.
The loin, I just cut it out like back strap and make boneless pork chops out of it. It's really good when breaded as you would venison backstrap.
All the rest I grind. I like to make pan sausage as well as in casings. I pan fry the pan sausage. Ymm. What I'll do is cut the meat up in grinding size bits, grind up some if I need it, save some for later. I sometimes get a hankerin' for a little wild pork stew and I'll use that meat as stew meat.
The loin, I just cut it out like back strap and make boneless pork chops out of it. It's really good when breaded as you would venison backstrap.
All the rest I grind. I like to make pan sausage as well as in casings. I pan fry the pan sausage. Ymm. What I'll do is cut the meat up in grinding size bits, grind up some if I need it, save some for later. I sometimes get a hankerin' for a little wild pork stew and I'll use that meat as stew meat.
retrieverman
Member
I will clean and eat a pig up to 150 pounds, and anything bigger than that is buzzard bait.
MCgunner
Member
I do it all myself, including the grinding and stuffing.
MCgunner
Member
A .308 is my favorite rifle. I kill 'em in the trap with about anything, usually the concealed handgun I'm carrying that day, but hunting, I like .308. Anything that works for deer will work on a hog, though, even .243. Just use a controlled expansion bullet for the bigger ones. I would leave the .22-250 at home, though.
The WMA where I'm hunting now requires buckshot only, so I'm totin' a 10 gauge loaded with 3.5" 00 to maximize my chances.
The WMA where I'm hunting now requires buckshot only, so I'm totin' a 10 gauge loaded with 3.5" 00 to maximize my chances.
351 WINCHESTER
Member
Yea, they can be real mean and nasty. 99% of them will run away from you and usually it's the wounded ones you got to watch out for.
retrieverman
Member
308 will work splendidly. I have killed 4 hogs in the last 2 weeks with mine. Here is the one that I killed last night.
a-sheepdog
Member
I shoot and eat hogs when I see them. Like was mentioned earlier, I avoid the big boars as they stink and are usually tough. Anything under 150 pounds is good. I will take almost any size sow. They usually need to be tenderized a bit, very tasty.
Ridgerunner665
Member
"Are they mean???"
If I had to choose between a fight with a 200 lb. wild pig or a 500 lb. black bear...I'd climb right on that bear.
If I had to choose between a fight with a 200 lb. wild pig or a 500 lb. black bear...I'd climb right on that bear.
cliffy
member
Pork is Pork
60 to 100 pound wild hogs are the other white meat. A 200 pounder borders on nasty. Wild fare is far leaner of fat than domestic piggies, but fully-flavorful non-the-less. While wild hogs are not native game, they are delicious. cliffy
60 to 100 pound wild hogs are the other white meat. A 200 pounder borders on nasty. Wild fare is far leaner of fat than domestic piggies, but fully-flavorful non-the-less. While wild hogs are not native game, they are delicious. cliffy
Rottweiler
Member
Haven't bought or eaten domestic pork in years. I've got a lifetime supply running wild. I also do all the butchering, grinding and stuffing myself
MCgunner
Member
I've been charged by a wounded boar before. This brings to mind kill zone. DO NOT shoot BEHIND the shoulder. Shoot the shoulder, break the shoulder. All the good stuff is under the shoulder. Nothing is behind the shoulder, but guts. This will avoid having to blood trail a POed wounded pig.
You should see 'em go nuts in the trap. They'll charge the trap snapping the jaws trying to get a piece out of you. Evil little beggars. LOL! I think I'd pick a fight with a pig before a bear, though. The pig will usually just take a chunk out of you or lay you open before running for the brush to get away. They won't normally stick around long to finish you off. I know a guy that ran afoul of a hog when chasing 'em with dogs, has a scar from his navel to his left nipple to prove it. Dog hunters are sewing up their dogs all the time from the fights that ensue when they catch up with one. The dog guys normally carry a suture kit just for that.
You should see 'em go nuts in the trap. They'll charge the trap snapping the jaws trying to get a piece out of you. Evil little beggars. LOL! I think I'd pick a fight with a pig before a bear, though. The pig will usually just take a chunk out of you or lay you open before running for the brush to get away. They won't normally stick around long to finish you off. I know a guy that ran afoul of a hog when chasing 'em with dogs, has a scar from his navel to his left nipple to prove it. Dog hunters are sewing up their dogs all the time from the fights that ensue when they catch up with one. The dog guys normally carry a suture kit just for that.
The only thing I don't do myself is grind and stuff the suasage the processor does it for a dollar per pound. Other than that I do it all. Sometimes I will have him cure a ham for me because his always seem to end up better than mine. Even my wife prefers wild pork to store bought which says a lot because she won't eat venison.
MCgunner
Member
I've never tried to cure a ham. How's that work?
...Boar is by far the most tasty meat you make a "ragout" of.
Recipe:
Add wine, soysauce, garlic, onion, pepper, juniper, bayleaf
to a big pot and let the meat simmer in it for like 2-4 hrs.
Then take the sauce - put through screen - add some fruity-jam
ad some cream - put in mixer.
Serve with potatoes or dumplings!
Oh yum!
Recipe:
Add wine, soysauce, garlic, onion, pepper, juniper, bayleaf
to a big pot and let the meat simmer in it for like 2-4 hrs.
Then take the sauce - put through screen - add some fruity-jam
ad some cream - put in mixer.
Serve with potatoes or dumplings!
Oh yum!
qajaq59
Member
One recipe I like for hog is bone it and cook it in the crock pot with sliced apples, brown sugar, apple juice and some other stuff. Takes about 5 hours, but it's tender as can be and absolutely delicious.
http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/foods/458-223/458-223.html
MC This the way I tried to do it and it worked out ok. Didn't really end up the way I wanted, but was still. The processor does a combo of brining and smoking. Next time I talk to him I will get more details.
MC This the way I tried to do it and it worked out ok. Didn't really end up the way I wanted, but was still. The processor does a combo of brining and smoking. Next time I talk to him I will get more details.
MCgunner
Member
That curing procedure looks like a royal pain. I think I'll just keep crock pottin' 'em. LOL
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