What States do people hunt wild hogs, and are they hunted for food, is the meat good, or just for killing and?

Question

not for meat. How big do the wild hogs get (at range, on the average) and is it dangerous to the hunter? What do you hunt them with, bows? rifles (what calibers?), shotguns (slugs or ??).

Answer 1

The top boar hunting states are California, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Mississippi. Texas is the "Wild Hog Capital of the World". Other hot, southern states have a lot of boar hunting. Boar hunting is becoming the next deer hunting. Wild pig populations are exploding. They are currently in 31 states and it won't be long until they are everywhere. It gives us a good opportunity to bring home some bacon since these animals are a huge nuisance.

For rifles, .243 and larger is ok, but I'd stick to .308 and up. I use a .30-06 with 165 and 180 grain, soft point bullets. They have a tough hide and shoulder bone that need to be penetrated to get to their vital area. Their vital area is a little smaller and lower and tighter to the shoulder than a deer. Make sure you can hit within a 6" circle at 100 yards consistently with your hunting ammo. 20 and 12 gauge slugs are fine and .357 magnum and up is fine for handguns. Here is a link of which calibers are acceptable: http://www.jesseshunting.com/site/hog.html

They can be dangerous but for the most part won't charge or attack you under normal circumstances. If you wound one, corner one, or encounter one with young, then watch out.

They have poor vision which makes stalking a good way to hunt. Keep on higher land and look down into valleys and such. They sometimes like to get into the thickest and nastiest stuff so watch out. Using dogs like ridgebacks, Catahoulas, bull dogs, deer hounds, and so on is common. Make sure you get a good protective vest for them. Boar have great hearing like a deer so keep quiet. No camo is really needed. Just wear light earthy tones.

The latest issue of Field & Stream (April '07) has an article about how to get started in hog hunting. It might be worth the $4 to check out.

Answer 2

Wild hogs are nearly everywhere now. In 48 of the 50 States, anyway.

The Texas record since 1974 was 675 lbs. I think that's been broken now. Hogzilla was something like 800 lbs. and another hog shot in Florida being called 'Hog Kong' was eleven-hundred pounds. I once saw a stuffed hog head in Mexico that was huge. I was told that the hog weighted in at 1,250 lbs. That is what got me interested in hunting hogs. The younger hogs and sows are good eating. The older ones, bigger ones (unless they been 'fixed' some game ranches actually do this so that the hogs are good to eat) are really just shot because they are a nuisance, or to mount the head. The tusks can be impressive.

In South Texas wild hogs are in epidemic proportions. The biggest I've taken was 350 lbs., but I've seen bigger. I purchased a new Remington 673 Guide rifle in .350 Remington Magnum for hogs. I also purchased a Ruger #1 (Safari Grade) in .458 Winchester Magnum for the 400+ lb. class hogs.

H

Answer 3

Don't use a shotgun because you do not want any squealing from injured hogs a thirty thirty is a good 'hog gun' or use a crossbow with broadhead bolts. Crossbow hunting has it's risk. Remember if you hit a wild hog and make it squeal you are in danger of being attacted by the adults. If it is a instant kill the others will run a few hundred yards and stop. then wait thirty minutes and try to get another shot. a young pig is good eating but don't waste time trying to dress and cook a adult wild hog. And oh yes! Texas has no bag limit on hogs.

Answer 4

They used to be just all over the south east US....but now they're all over the friggin place. Michigan, all the way up there in the north, posted a notice back in 2005 encouraging hunters to "shoot on sight any hogs they come across while hunting other game." That says a lot.

Pretty much all states that have them don't want them and they encourage you to shoot as many of them as you can....and most states that have them don't regulate them to any real degree. There are almost always no bag limits etc....and the only real laws regarding them are that you can't hunt them in the dark. That was added in to protect hunters from being shot in the dark. ;)

Around here in NC, you can find them up to 350-400lbs ALL the time. They've been taken up to 600lbs here before, though.

No matter what anyone says, you have more folks getting injured by deer each year than by boars. Not to say they won't chew you up a bit if you're stupid. Just the stories get blown out of proportion.

The venerable SKS is the tool of choice around the south east. You won't need any major weaponry and you won't need 500 yard scopes and rifles. Boar hunting with an SKS is as close to real hunting as most folks will ever experience anymore. You have to get out in the woods and you have to get dirty.

As to eating....anyone that tells you that wild boars/sows aren't good to eat has probably never boar hunted before. They make for some of the best game eating you'll ever find. A wild turkey done just right is fine eating....venison, done right is almost as good....but hog, there's almost no way you can cook it that you won't like it.

Answer 5

I've never been, but want to go. I think some hogs can get up to 400lbs in some areas. People hunt for food generally. The hogs can be dangerous when wounded and they are very social and the others try to protect the wounded. A shotgun with slugs might work, but most people use a rifle and carry a .357 mag or larger gun for backup. You can hunt hogs in select counties throughout the southeast.

Answer 6

I live in Arkansas and our state animal is the Razorback Hog.

But guess what? There aren't any natural hogs left. The hogs you hear people talk about hunting here are "FERAL" hogs. This means they are domesticated animals that have gotten loose and bred in the wild.

So states like Texas do have some natural wild hogs. But "feral" hogs are a drag on the local ecosystem. An adult "feral" hog can tear up better than an acre a day of crops. And in the woods they can root around and damage natural food sources for deer and other animals. And lastly they literally "CRAP" were they eat. This means they will destroy water sources such as ponds and creeks by leaving waste in them. The water becomes infested with bacteria and disease spreads like wildfire through the food chain.

"Feral" hogs can have 2 to 3 litters of piglets a year and these can as many as 10 or more piglets in each litter. Boars normally run by themselves but sows can bunch up and run in packs. A sow will defend her litter.

Hogs can and will defend themselves. They can "gore" you with there tusks and they are very dangerous when wounded.

I have seen hogs as large as 300lbs taken in the Ozark National Forest in Arkansas. I have also seen the footage on CNN of a 1200lb hog killed in Georgia.

You can hunt them with bow and arrow if you choose but I recommend a semi-auto rifle. A back up pistol is a good idea too. I like to hunt hogs with an SKS 7.62x39.

Hog hunting is encouraged by our Game and Fish Commission. We also have a law in place that protects hunters from the liability of accidentally killing someones livestock. Our law on hunting hogs is very simple. You must use the weapon that is legal for whatever season is in place.

I encourage you to hunt hogs. Its good for the environment. And they taste awesome. I will see if I can find links of interest and post them.

Miketyson26

Answer 7

Any where there is hogs there are people that will hunt them. In most states they are considered a nuisance and there is no season for them. In Texas (and some other states) they even use dogs to track down and catch hogs, they then tie them up and drag them out alive. As for hunting them for meat, the male boars that are mature are not fit for eating but immature boars and sows are edible. There size depends on many factors but there was one in Georgia that was killed last year that was documented to weigh over 900lbs. Hogs are tough so you want to use a stout gun, one suitable for hunting deer.

Answer 8

IMHO if the killing is done humanely and the animal is actually used for food and clothing it's fine. I'm an animal lover, rescue worker and very pro animal. Some people are over the top on animal rights and they don't even make sense. Eating supermarket meat can be cruel (have you seen the way some of these animals are treated and then slaughtered)? The slaughter of any animal done cruely is wrong. Pita is a group of fanatics and like almost everything else, take it way past the limits of...oh yeah COMMON SENSE. Cheers

Answer 9

In California more people hunt hogs than deer and they typically hunt for food. I think you get four or five hog tags and one deer tag each year.

Sadly there are no hogs on the place I shoot.

The gun I will use on them is a 300WSM, it could be a bit over the top, but not much. Anyway, more than enough is better than less than enough.

Answer 10

i live in lousiana, an we have a few whild hogs,,,hog arevery dangerous, if you make a miss shot,,,,so her get to 300 pd,, an we kill then with rifel, an shotgun with buck shot,,,,, the boar,, not to good to eat but the sow, is very good eatten,,