feral hogs

[farmhouse]

We are having a terrible time with wild hogs. Because it doesn't rain much in August and only a bit more in September, we have had this hogs rutting up areas where there are springs or where people are irrigating their lawns or gardens. Herds are reported in number of up to 17 or 18 and some have been shot that weighed over 500 lbs. I'm told that you never want to get between a sow and her piglets!

 

[TresCrows]

When I was about 12 or 13 I had taken my pirogue up a small cutoff from the main bayou. I wandered several miles up it before deciding I was sleepy. I layed in the bottom of the boat and took a nap just floating along looking up at the cloud shapes. I woke to the sound of nearby squealing and grunting. I peeked over the side and saw a big group of wild hogs. I was in knee deep water so I jumped out and quietly beached my boat and grabbed my trusty .22 rifle. I sneeked around their flank and saw me a big fat one and decided to shoot it right in the rear end /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. I did so /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. About that time all sorts of squealing and grunting commenced and some snorting too and I saw that they was all headed after me. Problem was that in flanking them I had put them between my pirogue and myself---not good /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif. It was about that time I decided running was a good thing and let me tell you for a skinny white boy I can run--so I lit out /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif. Somewhere along the way I lost my rifle whilst being pursued by the hogs intent on I imagine eating me /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. I was flying across the ground and had a lead on'em so I cut for the water and hit it in a headlong dive and was doing the crawl stroke for all I could with a huge mad hog right in behind me. It was sometime before I could get my boat and there was no way to get my rifle. Dejectedly, I cranked the 3.5 horse Johnson and headed homeward in hopes my grandfather would come back and get my rifle, it was important because it had belonged to my uncle who was killed in WWII and leaving my rifle behind was not how I had been trained either /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif. Well, I recoverd my rifle the next day not much worse for wear, still have it. Moral is, if you shoot a hog in the arse, better do it with something more than a .22 /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif.

Seriously, those hogs can be dangerous, be careful. J

 

[GareyD]

I hear ya on the 22...Was working in South Georgia swamps replanting pines on some cut over swamp land...water and muck about knee deep with little hummock of "dry" land sticking out...the farmer/owner told us he wanted a tree anywhere it was dry enough to stick one...and to be sure to watch out for the "squealers" down in the bottoms...

Packed a heavy 44 mag in a shoulder holster for three days, never saw a pig...just about decided not to pack it the next day, walked over one of the bigger hummocks and came face to tusk with about a 500 pounder...not real sure which one of us was the most suprised, but am real sure which one of us started running first, me!!!

To make a long story shorter, I ran to a slash pile and climbed/jumped to the top, followed closely by my little friend who was very determined to get there first. Decided once I was settled on the top that he would make a pretty good supper for me and the rest of the crew...so I pulled the 44, took careful aim, shot and to my suprise...watched that bullet put about a 3 inch crease in the shield around his neck and head /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif ....about like shooting a sweep on a bottom plow...took another shot between the eyes to bring him down....glad I wasn't shooting on the run....might have been the other way around and him and his crew would have been having me for supper that night /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Wouldn't even want to think about using a small caliber on wild pigs /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[itsmecindi]

Yes they can. My advice, call your local firing range or gun smith and tell him to let the hunters know that you would like your area cleared of wild hogs. If you don't want guns on your property tell them it's hog dogs only. Be selective of who you choose and it will be up to you to coordinate hunts and not let more than one group at a time on your property. It's better to get people you know, but if you don't know any hunters that can be hard. Don't post your address. Let them contact you by phone first. They'll thin them out for you but they won't get them all, and others will come back, so it's nice if you can find some folks you're comfortable with and give them cart blanche access. Feral hogs are not only dangerous, they're destructive. Where we're at there is no limit. My son keeps them pretty well weeded out for us, we eat them.

 

[dmccarty]

Farmhouse,

What state are you living?

Check with your state Fish and Game folks. Cindi can likely tell
me if'n I'm right or wrong, but the way I remember the law for
FL, hogs on your property was your hogs. So you could do with
them what you wanted and when. Even if this is not true in
your state, if the hogs are damaging property, the states I have
lived in lately will give permits for the animal(s) removal.

I have seen what big hogs can do to ground and it is
IMPRESSIVE. They are good bulldozers!

Later,
Dan McCarty

 

[EastTexFrank]

We have the same problem in my part of East Texas with feral hogs. They are the reason that the pastures at the farm are so rough it makes mowing a challenge for the equipment and my poor body. The land across the county road belongs to the city and they have let it get overgrown and don't allow hunting. As a consequence the wild hogs have multiplied out of control. They come up out of the Sabine River bottom, cross the road, break the fences and can plow up a pasture in no time flat. We try shooting and trapping (there is actually a market for wild hog meat - low in cholesterol) but it doesn't seem to make a whole lot of difference. They are slowly destroying the property by breaking down terraces and digging holes you could lose a front wheel in. A full grown hog has no natural predators and the other posters are correct - don't get too close to a sow and piglets and stay away from 500 pound boars unless you are carrying a BIG gun. They take a lot of killing. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[Docsknotinn]

Big pig medicine = Docsknotinn and a 44 mag Marlin lever action with Buffalo Bore 300 grn JFP @ 1300 fps /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[itsmecindi]

Yes Dan, if it's between your fences, it's your hog. Here in Fla anyway.

 

[MossRoad]

If the law says they are your hogs, I know what I'd do. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Egon]

How's about a Winchester 338 Doc ?

Egon