Questions about Hogs!

[BUCKSHOT]

A lot of you guys in the U.S.A are fortunate to have a game animal like hogs, in my opinion. Something to hunt outside of Deer season!
It sounds like they are considered a nuisance/varmint and that the season is pretty open for them! (?)
What are the furthest North States where you would be able to hunt hogs?
Can out of country/state residents hunt them?
Can they be transported from state/state, country/country after a harvest?
Are they good eating?
I know there are a lot of questions there but it seems like an interesting quarry to me!
Dangerous and rewarding!

One more question: Do many hogs get hit on the roads in areas where they reside?
What a mess that could be!

[Grizzly Adam]

Hey, Buckshot ... I can't answer all your questions, but I might shed some light on a few of them. "Wild hogs" come in two varieties ... the imported European "Russian" Wild Boar, and ordinary feral pigs. In many states, European Wild Boar are considered game animals. I don't know of a state where feral pigs are considered a game animal. Here in NC, feral pigs are not a game animal, and anyone can hunt them at any time, with any weapon, so long as it's a legal hunting property and they have permission from the owner (if it's private land.)

We've got 'em, and they're getting more populous every year. Last year, someone killed a 450 pound boar about 400 yards south of my farm's border. Big old nasty ugly thing ... and stunk ... whew!

They're smart and wary, but like bears, their belly will get them every tiime. Bait them and you've got it made.

They can tolerate cold conditions, but do not prefer them. Don't know how far north their range is. There are more of them in the South.

Some states restrict transport of any swine without proper inspection and papers, because of disease.

Some folks say they're good eating; most of what I've seen was rank and so tough you could have saddled it up and rode to town. Haven't cooked any myself.

They are a horrible nuisance and do untold damage to woods and crops. They also get into people's yards and gardens and orchards and ruin things. I've repaired a great deal of lawn damage caused by them, and witnessed the destruction of acorn flats and ridges caused by them. Because they are an "introduced" species, it cannot be said that they belong in most of the ecosystems they're currently upsetting. Kill all you want. You aren't going to hurt the population any.

Doubtless others will have more experience. Fortunately, with the exception of that big boar, I've not had many on my farm, except for a few small ones moving through.

I consider them a pest to be eliminated on sight. That comment might draw some criticism, but I imagine people would feel different if it was their woods and fields and yards and gardens in danger of being roto-tilled by feral hog snouts. They also adversely affect deer populations where they're thick. As for me, when I see 'em, I shoot 'em.

[hatchet jack]

in kansas ,if you have a special permit you can hunt them on private land,the state is killing as many as they can because they spread disease to domestic livestock . i wont eat any, down in oklahoma & texas they do.

h.j.

[rifleman]

I have hunted them in Iowa and have taken three. I have found that they seem to get rank and tough when they get over 200 pounds. Wisconsin has them scattered around the state. There are some along the Lake Superior shore according to the DNR website. All that you need is some sort of a hunting license and permission to be on the land and you can shoot all that you want.

[flbuckmaster]

HOGS ARE VERY PLENTIFUL HERE IN FLORIDA. WE CALL THEM "PINY WOODS ROOTERS". THE SOWS ARE DELICIOUS TABLE FARE BUT THE LARGER BOARS GET PRETTY RANK AND ARE NOT FIT FOR MUCH MORE THAT SAUSAGE. THE WIFE WOULD MUCH RATHER ME GO HOG HUNTING THAT DEER HUNTING AS SHE LIKES THE MEAT ALOT MORE THAT VENISON. I BELIEVE THEY RANGE AS FAR NORTH AS CANADA HERE IN THE U.S. BUT THEY REALLY LIKE THE WARMER TEMPS FOUND IN THE SOUTH. HERE IN FLORIDA HOG HUNTING IS BIG BUSINESS AND FOR A FEW HUNDRED BUCKS YOU CAN KILL 2 HOGS IN MANY PRIVATE PRESERVES WITH NO HUNTING LICENSE REQUIRED. JAY

[Cedrus]

You'd better be sure to cook the sh!t out of any wild pig unless you want :

Trichinosis, also called trichinellosis, is caused by eating raw or undercooked wild pork which can be infected with the larvae of a species of worm called Trichinella spiralis. Infection occurs worldwide, but is most common in areas where raw or undercooked pork, such as ham or sausage, is eaten.

What are the symptoms of trichinosis?

The initial symptoms of trichinosis are abdominal discomfort, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue, and fever.

These symptoms are usually followed by headache, fever, chills, cough, eye swelling, aching joints, muscle pains, itchy skin, and diarrhea or constipation.

As the infection intensifies, patients may experience difficulty coordinating movements, and heart and breathing problems. In severe cases of trichinosis, death can result.

I believe the commercial hog industry has eliminated this parasite from our food supply through vacinations.

[BUCKSHOT]

I say, I say Wow!
Keep it comiing, and thanks for the replies!

[Lucky Lar]

Trichinosis can be in bear meat also. Thats why sausage makers have to take the internal tempeture up to 152 degrees to kill the trichinosis in pork or bear. Freezing meat at a certain tempeture for so long will kill it also.

[wabi]

I Ohio there is no closed season or limit for hunting wild boar. I don't know of anyplace where they can be found, though. I think the open season is more of a preventative measure to keep them from getting a foothold. My son-in-law did kill a huge russian boar on his dad's farm several years ago, but it had escaped form a hunting preserve.

[awshucks]

Freezing the meat [less than 6" thick] for 20 days at or below 5 degrees F and cooking it to an internal temp of 160 degrees both kill any possible trich. bacteria. They hunt the hogs heavy in my area and also trap them to feed out and sell for butcher hogs, no problems that I'm aware of.

[rutman]

I have a buddy from Texas, he has done some guiding for this guy. www.huntingwithjeff.com, He says he's cool and his family wants me to go down there for a pkg. hunt. You get 2 boar and an awedad sheep, however ya spell that. It's 2 days and 3 nights and check out the ranch! Shh! don't tell the significant other.

[hawg hunter]

well the people on here have spoken so far about climate , seasons, and table fare. that covers some of the ??? you have asked. the meat from these wild hogs is cinsidered in my part of the country to be the very best. as with any type of meat it's how well its taken care of after the kill. on our lease we hunt them , trap, call , and snare. the ones that are traped are killed and bledout immediately. they are then skinned and put on ice to cool as fast as possible in large ice chest ice a layer of meat and more ice until all meat has cooled at least overnight. drain the water offf and refill with ice if needed,add water but put about a cup of vinegar with the water,this cleans any hair or other contaminates out of the meat.let it cool at least 8hrs. and cook the way youw ould like. any thing you would do with a deer,bear, moose, or elk works with a wild hog. the one that have been run with dogs need the most care , because of all of the adrenalin.

[DrDan]

I shot a 200# sow in SC and it was great eating. It is not as fat as store bought pork and tasted just as good. I highly recommend it! I wouldn't do anything with a big boar but make a head mount, but for good eating get a small sow.

DrDan

[ComfyBear]

Buckshot, if you really want to hunt hogs, there are also "Game Preserves" here in Ontario that you can hunt Russian boars, if you don't mind pen raised "canned hunts".

[BUCKSHOT]

There is some great info about hogs, Thanks!
I hear a lot of mention about them all the time from you guys, but never really a lot of detail!
I didn't know you could call hogs in for example, and as with any pork I would guess that cooking it properly is very important!
Comfybear, I thought the Game Preserves which once offered wild boar as a hunt were shut down here in On.!?
Forgive me if I am wrong! I know the preserves which offer bird hunting are still going!

I have a friend at work who has hunted wild boar down in the states and if I am not mistaken I think he said some of the fella's use handguns to take them! That must be exhillerating and sounds a bit adventurous!
Perhaps not quite as adventurous as hunting them with a spear or hounds and a knife, I've heard of that as well but that just sounds crazy to me!

Thanks for the good info!