Porcine Press – Hogs Moving Into Southeast Colorado?

I owe Greg, over at the Hunt Wild Pig blog for catching this one.  It showed up on his blog earlier, so I thought I’d share it here.  I haven’t bothered to check my news feeds in a while, and it’s to my chagrin when the new kid on the block beats me to the draw.  But there ya go… the nature of blogging and the Internet.

Anyway…

For those who’ve been following along, feral hogs aren’t new in Colorado, but they’ve been fairly rare.  At one point, there was a law in the state that prohibited anyone from offering wild hog hunts for a fee, or even charging trespass fees to hunt wild hogs, but from the sound of this article from the Rocky Mountain News (published in this case in the Wyoming Trib.com website), there’s some question about who, exactly has jurisdiction over feral pigs.

At any rate, the article is worth a read if for no other reason than the writer is fairly entertaining.  It also presents some sides of the discussion that we don’t get to hear too often, including the folks who oppose the State coming in to eradicate the animals before they can spread.  Check it out.

Hog Blog Friends In the Field – Hawaiian Hogs

Ya’ll heard about my friend, Bruce, a couple of weeks back when I wrote about hunting the Vancouver bulls in Hawaii.  Well, Bruce drops me a line from time to time, usually including some photos or video of his excursions there in paradise.  It gives me a chance to live a little vicariously, albeit with a strong dose of jealousy.  Hawaii is one of those places I really want to hunt, but the logistics involved have just been a little too daunting so far.  Check out his most recent story, and I think you’ll see why I’m so eager to get over to the Big Island, and join him on some of these adventures.

Phillip:

Got up at 3:45 AM yesterday and drove along the west side of Mauna Kea.  Mauna Kea, like its sister mountain Mauna Loa, is gigantic around the base and rises up to almost 14,000 feet.  Parked up on a ridge at 8000 feet and hiked down to the Parker Ranch fence line.  The terrain is grassy with small trees that might remind a Californian of large manzanita or pinon.  Classic mule deer country.  The hiking is really tough.  Every 300 yards or so is a deep ravine that must be traversed and that means grabbing rocks and branches and clawing your way up the far side, and that’s the easy part.  Going down is really hairy.  And consider that I left my house at close to sea level and 2 hours later I’m hiking at elevations between 7000 and 8000 feet with a backpack and carrying a rifle and that in 14 months I’ll be 65.  WHEW!!!

I hiked for about an hour and only saw 3 pigs but none was over 60 pounds, so I passed.  Another hour and nada.  This is very dry country, not the kind of real estate you’d associate with Hawaii but more the dry foothill terrain of Tehachapi in California or elsewhere along the East slope of the Sierras.  I hiked over to a large ravine where on a previous hunt I found a small spring that trickles down the lava and forms a pool the size of a bathroom sink.  I set up an ambush site on the hillside above and waited.  5 minutes later 3 small pigs in the 50 pound range came by and drank.  They left and 10 minutes later a sow with 3 very small piglets came by and started to drink.  They turned and looked down the canyon and took off uphill at a sprint.  I knew they hadn’t seen or winded me so the only thing I could figure was they saw a boar heading their way.  I lay prone and rested the 7mm mag rifle across my backpack and waited.

It had been drizzling—more a windy fog rolling through—and I hadn’t checked my scope for awhile.  Within 30 seconds, a boar came ambling up, took a few gulps, and began feeding on the grass.  I got ready to shoot but my scope was fogged.  I wiped the lenses off with my shirt and could see well enough to shoot.  At the shot, he slowly turned around, started trotting off, and dropped after 25 feet.

It wasn’t a large boar, maybe 140 pounds or so, but it was big enough.  I boned out the good cuts, dragged the carcass over behind a rock and out of the way of the spring, and headed uphill to the 4WD gravel road that belts Mauna Kea and would lead me back to my truck.  It took 45 minutes of lung-busting walking to get up to the road.  Pig tracks were everywhere and there was no sign at all that any human or vehicle had been in this area for some time.  Within 1 minute, a sow and 3 piglets ran across the road and disappeared into the fog downhill.  5 minutes later, a huge boar crossed the road and disappeared into the fog.  I trudged along for another 5 minutes and saw a small herd of good-sized pigs on the road but the wind was at my back and they took off.  I arrived at my truck 2 hours after packing up the meat and heading uphill.  I was pooped, to say the least.

As I loaded up the truck and unloaded my rifle, I looked uphill and saw hundreds of fresh sheep tracks in the dirt.  Mauna Kea is home to Mouflon sheep and apparently a herd had come this way while I was out busting my butt looking for porkers.  I was thinking how good a sheep ham would taste, slow roasted on the barbecue, crusted in peppercorns, Hawaiian salt, and garlic butter.

I began the long drive out and stopped at the base of a cinder cone to sight in my 300 Win Mag, newly loaded with Barnes TSX 165 grain bullets [your suggestion, Phillip].  Right before I shot, I noticed another herd of pigs, 6 of them, trotting up the hillside to my left, maybe 100 yards away.  They were probably siblings and were in the 70 pound range.  I watched them until they disappeared into the brush.  I returned to the task at hand and two shots later the rifle was dead on and will be my go-to rifle for future bull hunts.

Go home at 6:45 PM.  Long day, lots of meat, lots of memories.

My wife and I left SoCal 6 ½ years ago and have made our home on the Big Island.  The hunting here is superb, but it’s rough country.  I’ve long ago lost count, but this is probably pig number 40 for me here.  Add to that 12 Mouflon sheep and 6 or 7 Vancouver bulls and some Spanish goats [no more of them for me because the meat is only so-so at best] and you’ve got world class hunting, all on public property.  On the pig hunt I just described, I never saw another human or another vehicle.

I’ll go after Mouflon on Friday and maybe try for another bull the week after that.  Age is beginning to creep up on me and I want to get in as much of this wilderness hunting as I can while I’m still able to do it.

Aloha for now.

Bruce

Mahalo, Bruce!

Great story, and if that doesn’t wet someone’s chops to pack the guns and bows and head to the islands, I don’t know what will!  Sea-level to 8000 feet and back in a day, with fresh pork, mouflon sheep, vancouver bulls, and all sorts of other wild meat there for the taking.  I understand the bird hunting can be awesome there as well, with francolin, pheasant, wild turkeys, and other species.

Wild Hog Festival This Weekend!

Wow, almost let the day slip by without this short note.  I’d mentioned a couple weeks ago that I was looking forward to attending the Sabinal Wild Hog Festival this year, and guess what?  It’s this weekend!

I’m pretty sure we’ll only make a day of the event, and haven’t decided which day to go.  My brother isn’t going to be here, and I don’t think I can convince Iggy to jump in and help me wrestle a hog into a sack, so I’ll just observe the hog catching competition.  Maybe I’ll pick up some pointers for next year!  I’ll definitely try to get some video and lots of pictures.

So, for a warm-up, check out how fast these guys get their pig in a poke!

A Cautionary Tale For Hog Hunters

Just saw this over at the Field and Stream Field Notes blog, and felt like it’s definitely worth sharing.

Almost every hunter of warm-blooded creatures is at some risk from blood-borne pathogens.  Whether it’s tularemia from rabbits, bubonic plague from ground squirrels, or CWD from deer, we’re warned by “the authorities” to be careful handling game.  By all accounts, hogs are particularly subject to various diseases.  I’ve heard some horror stories from a few hog hunters about mysterious symptoms and illnesses that turned out to have come from handling feral hogs in the field.

Rubber gloves are widely recommended for field dressing and handling wild game meat, and I know a lot of folks use them religiously.  I’ve always been one of the hard-headed guys who won’t use gloves (and I’ve made all sorts of justifications… but I’ll spare you), but that doesn’t mean I’m right.  Sort of like seatbelts or motorcycle helmets, I suppose… you only really appreciate them when you need them.  The rest of the time, they’re  sort of a hassle.

Well, according to the article Chad posted on the Field Notes blog, this hunter in Greenville, SC probably wishes he’d buckled up!

Upstate family and wildlife officials are warning hunters of a hog-bourne illness after a Laurens County man was hospitalized following a hog hunting trip.

“Had we known this, we would have never — he would have never gone hog hunting,” said Renae Hensley, whose 23-year-old son, Josh, was in Greenville Memorial Hospital on Thursday with an undiagnosed illness.

Read more: http://www.wyff4.com/news/30530687/detail.html#ixzz1nh7S2zf9

The “undiagnosed illness” in this case may be brucellosis, but it could be any of a number of diseases.  Cymptoms include dangerously high fever, muscle and body pain (sometimes severe), nausea, and several other flu-like symptoms.  If it is brucellosis, it can be treated, but the treatment is long-term and potentially expensive.

And all for the lack of wearing gloves…  Food for thought.

CA SHARE Program Again Offering Free Spring Hog Hunts

Just saw this in my inbox yesterday.  It’s a sign of spring, I suppose, when the CA DFG announces the SHARE program hog hunting opportunities.  The SHARE program opens private land to a limited number of hunters.

The Bobcat Ranch in Yolo County has been participating in the program for a few years now, and this year they’ll be hosting hog hunters once again.  Here’s the info about the hunts directly from DFG:

Bobcat Ranch is located in Yolo County’s Vaca Mountain foothills, west of Winters. The property is 4,000 acres of rolling oak woodland with a couple of steep canyons. Some hunters consider the Bobcat Ranch to be a challenging property to hunt.

Two-day wild pig hunt permits will be issued to hunters by a random draw.

• Applications will be accepted for parties of up to two licensed hunters.
• Hunters may apply for more than one hunt period per application but can only be drawn for one period.
• Only one application will be accepted per party or individual.
• Individual hunters may be accompanied by no more than one non-hunter.
• Hunt parties may consist of two licensed hunters, non-hunters will not be allowed in a party.
• Apprentice hunters may only apply as an individual and must be accompanied by an adult.

Apprentice hunt applications must be received by 3 p.m. February 22, 2012.

General and archery hunt applications must be received by 3 p.m. February 29, 2012.

No more than six hunters will be allowed to hunt per period. No dogs may be used. Only certified non-lead ammunition for big game may be used during this hunt. Archery equipment may be used during the general hunt periods. A pre-hunt orientation is required on the first day of each hunt, and all hunters are required to check in and out of the hunt area. DFG personnel will be onsite during the hunts. For this SHARE opportunity there will be no application fee.

The hunts are limited entry and by permit-only, available to all holders of a valid California hunting license and a wild pig tag, which are available at license providers throughout the state. Applicants must indicate the periods for which they wish to be considered. Hunters may apply for the two-day wild pig hunts by submitting an application to DFG. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Address and fax number are provided on the applications. Successful applicants will be mailed entry permits with maps and additional information.

DFG or AUDUBON CALIFORNIA RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CANCEL THIS HUNT AND CLOSE THE AREA TO ALL PUBLIC USERS WITHOUT PRIOR NOTIFOCATION DUE TO UNFORSEEN CIRCUMSTANCES OR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.

Unfortunately, at least for some of you Hog Blog readers, I received this a little late.  The deadline for apprentice hunters to apply for the hunts has already passed.  Gun and archery hunters have until February 29 to get their applications in.

The SHARE program is a great opportunity for hunters in CA, and it’s very deserving of support.  Check out the website for more info about the program, as well as the hog and other special hunts.

 

Sabinal Wild Hog Festival – Hog Catching Competition

Every year, I come down to hunt the Hill Country and it seems like I’m a week late or a week early for the Sabinal Wild Hog Festival.  You’d think, considering this blog and my semi-fixation on wild hogs and hunting, I’d make this a vacation stop.  But for whatever reason, it hasn’t happened yet.

Well, this year, it looks like that may finally change.  The Wild Hog Festival will take place on March 24-25, and it looks like a great weekend to be in southwestern Texas!

While I’m not relocated down here just yet, I do think I’ll be here on that weekend.  Still not sure how fully I’ll participate, but check this out!  Looks like fun, doesn’t it?

Jim Shockey Shooting Hogs With An Air Rifle – Benjamin Rogue .357

I have a feeling we’re going to start hearing more and more about air rifle hunting… not only the hunting stories, but discussions about the ethics of using these “low-powered” rifles to kill game animals.  It’s an area of firearms and hunting in which I’m only slightly immersed, but it is an area that holds a lot of interest to me.  Hunting is the primary purpose for my Marauder (even though it hasn’t really had a chance yet).

Anyway, Jim Shockey is really on the forefront of celebrity hunters who are embracing the airgun technology.  He’s become a regular spokesman for Crosman and Benjamin airguns, and he’s on video now hunting everything from grouse and rabbits to wild hogs.

Yes.  Wild hogs.  With an airgun.

Of course these aren’t ordinary airguns.  Lately, he’s been doing a lot of hunts with the Benjamin Rogue, .357.  I had the opportunity to shoot the prototype of this rifle last year, and they’ve done a lot of work to get it into production.  It’s an incredibly accurate gun, and delivers some pretty significant impact on target.  With the Nosler hunting bullets, I have no doubt this is plenty of gun for stuff like coyotes and bobcats.  Hogs, though, are a different question.  Shockey answers the question, though, in a series of videos on YouTube,including the one below.  A well-placed shot at close range is definitely enough to bring down a pig.

But is it a good idea?  What do you guys think?

Predator and Hog Hunting Challenge In Georgia

Personally, I’m not crazy about “competitive” hunting.  But the truth is, it isn’t up to me.  Some folks dig it, and anything that gets hunters out to kill feral hogs can’t be a bad thing.  So here goes, for those of you in Georgia or those able to travel for an event like this…

2nd ANNUAL GREAT SOUTH PREDATOR & WILD HOG CHALLENGE

January 27-29, 2012 Bass Pro Shops & Sportsman’s Warehouse in Macon, Georgia

MACON, GEORGIA – January 11, 2012:  Scurry Outdoors South, LLC is promoting the SECOND ANNUAL GREAT SOUTH PREDATOR & WILD HOG CHALLENGE beginning January 27-29, 2012.  Scurry Outdoors South will be teaming up again with Bass Pro Shops who will host the event at their Sportsman’s Warehouse facility in Macon, Georgia.  The Georgia Outdoor News will be joining the team this year to help raise awareness of their Sportsman’s Pantry charity.

Participating teams will have from 12:01 am on Friday, January 27th to 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 29th to hunt and register their harvest at the Bass Pro Shop in Macon, Georgia.  All harvested animals will be registered in the competition, then weighed and evaluated by the Scurry Outdoors South event staff.  All prizes will be awarded the afternoon of Sunday, January 29th, 2012 at the Bass Pro Shops facility in Macon Georgia.

Scurry Outdoors South started The Great South Predator and Wild Hog Challenge in order to draw area hunters together to share their enthusiasm for predator and wild hog hunting.  This was the first hunting event of its kind to be offered in the Southeast.  Last year, over four hundred people came out to see fifty teams compete for various cash purses and prizes.

WHAT DO THEY HUNT?  The Challenge offers two divisions for its participants.  The first is the Wild Hog Challenge Division.  Four person teams will hunt wild hogs using the Dog Bay/Catch method of harvesting the hogs.  The second is the Predator Challenge Division.  Two person teams will hunt for any combination of Coyote, Bobcat and Fox.  Scurry Outdoors South insists all participants must abide by all local, state and federal game laws to make this event enjoyable, fair and most of all safe.

WHAT DO THEY GET?  Cash purses and prizes will be awarded to the top teams in both divisions.  The first place team in the Wild Hog Division will receive $1,000 and various prizes including a Scurry Outdoors South Commemorative Belt Buckle will be awarded to each team member.  Second and third place team members will receive prizes.   The first place team in the Predator Division will receive $1,000 and various prizes including a Scurry Outdoors South Commemorative Belt Buckle will be awarded to each team member.  The second place team will receive $500 and prizes and the third place team will receive $250 and prizes.

FOR A GOOD CAUSE – THE SPORTSMAN”S PANTRY – This year, Georgia Outdoor News will be joining Scurry Outdoors South to help raise money for the GONetworks Sportsman’s Pantry by serving BBQ chicken dinner.  GONetworks started Sportsman’s Pantry in 2008 with two goals.  The first goal is to provide approved food distribution agencies with fresh game for families in need.  The second goal is to permit the sportsman to employ sound management practices without wasting game or fish or penalizing the sportsman.

ABOUT SCURRY OUTDOORS SOUTH Scurry Outdoors South was founded by brothers Ken and Jeff Scurry with the purpose of developing trade shows and special hunting events specifically for outdoor enthusiasts.  Their lifetime love of hunting and the outdoors, combined with 40 years of convention and trade show industry experience, has resulted in forming several events and expos for both predator and wild hog hunting.  Scurry Outdoors South is producing The Modern Sporting Arms Expo and the World Predator and Wild Hog Extravaganza, scheduled for September 7-9, 2012 in Waco, Texas. Visit www.scurryoutdoorssouth.com for complete information.

CONTACTS: Ken Scurry (404) 732-5658 ken@scurryoutdoorssouth.com

Jeff Scurry (404) 732-5399 jeff@scurryoutdooursouth.com