RFI - Hog Hunting Outfitters

[MRW]

For my birthday this year, I decided to set up a hog hunt with an outfitter. I'm in a state that doesn't yet have a population of hogs running around. The birthday is somewhat of a milestone so I wanted to hunt something I don't get a chance to at home.

I'm looking for recommendations on a good outfitter. I'm in the NE so I'm looking at southeastern and western states with Oklahoma and Texas as the farthest west I would probably go.

I'm looking for an outfitter that has access to land with free range hogs. I plan on using a rifle or possibly a pistol. There are plenty of outfitters online I've researched, but if anyone has personal experience with any, I would like to hear it.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations or input.

[Depmur]

I would take a look at Lone Star Boars, it’s run by a retired Deputy Sheriff and he knows his hogs. He has a web forum, YouTube channel, Facebook and Instagram presence.


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[Hambo]

There are a lot of ranches here in FL that offer hog hunting. Hogs are all free range because there really isn't a way to stop them, but they're always going to hit known food sources. High fence operations usually have exotics.

The general setup is that the hunter gets dropped off at a stand where there is a feeder or where they drop feed. The hunter is under strict 'do not leave the stand' orders. They pick you up at the end of the day, or maybe if they hear you shoot. Distance to animals will be about 50 yards.

Some outfitters go out in swamp buggies and spot game. They may stalk a bit, or not, once they see something. You might get longer distance shots hunting this way.

I don't think any of them will let you go out on your own.

[LJP]

I’ve been down to Dorsey’s Trophy Lodge in Blackstock, SC a couple of times now. He does have hogs all over his property, but we don’t see too many of them sitting in the tree stands in deer season. What is really fun though is when he traps a couple and sets them loose in his 400 acre pen. Then, you follow the dogs in. Killing a hog with a knife is a visceral experience indeed. All of the sausage in my freezer this year came from two hogs we took that way last year.

I also intend to visit Spartan’s Hunting Preserve in Eastern TN before my hunting days are done.

My only other experience has been with Ticonderoga in PA, and I would avoid them like the plague unless you want to essentially target shoot a hog.

[okie john]

I've hunted hogs in Hawaii, California, and Texas. Hawaii is crawling with game and you can add a day of hog and deer hunting to a family beach vacation easily. Gun and hunting laws there are a drag, though.

California is pretty far from your neck of the woods, but a good call for a once-in-a-lifetime hunt because the country is so beautiful. I'd look for something that would let you fly in to Sacramento, rent a car, and drive out to hunt. There are a lot of places to hunt hogs in California so it's easy to add a day or two in wine country (Napa or Sonoma) to keep a wife or girlfriend happy, but that gets expensive with a quickness. You also have California gun laws to deal with.

Texas is good because the ranch owners have everything down to a science and there are no problems moving through the airports with firearms. I prefer south Texas because it's so stereotypically Texas, so I'd look for outfitters around San Antonio or in the Hill Country. Texas is good if you want to add exotics like fallow deer, Axis deer, aoudad, or African game. For that, look near the King Ranch or outfits near Rocksprings. The country around Dallas is gentle rolling hills like you see in most of the rest of the US and they have plenty of hogs, just not my cup of tea. I used to work in Houston. I avoid it every chance I get, but plenty of folks around there have hogs and it's close to the beach if you want to extend the trip.

I've looked at hunting Louisiana but haven't done it yet. I have family there and there are plenty of options. You could also add a day or two in New Orleans to celebrate your birthday on Bourbon Street.

Let me know if you have questions.


Okie John

[60Driver]

Look at Dry Creek Outfitters Wichita Falls TX. Have hunted with them through some mutual LEO friends in the area (not as paying client) and they know their game! Don't know about the quality of their lodge but do know that they have the knowledge and access to put you on big free range hogs in this area.

Most of this hunting is at night so you may end up using their gear, or they can work you in close and then go white lights if you want to try pistol or carbine.

[OlongJohnson]

Texas is good because the ranch owners have everything down to a science and there are no problems moving through the airports with firearms.

Ironically, traveling through SEA and LAX with pistols has been a breeze with outstanding professionalism from TSA and United staff.

At IAH, the TSA has interpreted the plain language of the regulations incorrectly, and it has made it kind of a PITA when guns were packed properly and two agents were standing there saying they weren't.

[MRW]

Thanks for the replies. There are some good suggestions. For those of you who have been successful with these hunts, how hard was it to find someone to process the meat from the hunt? I've read some commercial operations might not want to process wild hogs.

[rob_s]

My experience has been strictly with the “ride around in swamp buggy following the dogs, wait for dogs to flush hog, shoot hog” type places. Calling it “hunting” is a stretch. I’ve also figured out that the meat just isn’t very good. I’ve cooked it a bunch, and have friends that hog hunt and cook the meat a lot, and it’s just not what I want in a meal. Tough, no matter what you do, primarily. I’ve had my last couple hogs turned into sausage but I understand that a lot of places that make sausage actually mix in commercial pork, that’s how nasty wild hog meat is.

[willie]

My experience has been that hogs are nocturna.