RFI - Hog Hunting Outfitters

[rob_s]

My experience has been that hogs are nocturna.

Hence the dogs. Or, for that matter, crashing through the brush in a swamp buggy. Wakes them right up.

[Hambo]

My experience has been that hogs are nocturna.

I think hunting pressure dictates behavior. In areas where they are hunted, I've seen them out feeding in even in the middle of the day. We ran a camera for a year on one spot and there was no rhyme or reason as to when they would show up.

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.

Some outfitters will skin and clean them. There's a processor here that leaves a walk in cooler open 24/7 so hunters can drop them off at night. That said, I'm with rob_s on feral hog meat. Unless you go to extremes to clean it and cook it, it's pretty grim.

[okie john]

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.

True. Some butchers won't touch a feral hog. Also, you need to process hogs quickly before they spoil. If you travel very far, then ask your outfitter who can process the hog near him then freeze it and ship it to you.


Okie John

[okie john]

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.

I find that the flavor depends on what the hog eats. Swamp hogs taste swampy. Hogs that eat carrion taste like carrion. Hogs that eat acorns are incredible.


Okie John

[rob_s]

I find that the flavor depends on what the hog eats. Swamp hogs taste swampy. Hogs that eat carrion taste like carrion. Hogs that eat acorns are incredible.

I've heard, and even made, that argument in the past. I can't say that I've tried one right next to another, nor gotten scientific enough to really have a true comparison. However, I recall at least thinking that the hogs my buddy used to kill in the orange groves tasted "better".

[MRW]

Generally speaking, I've noticed diet changes the way game meat tastes. I've noticed with white tails who have corn in their diet as opposed to ones who mostly browse in the forest. I've heard the same for black bears too. Field dressing and processing the meat correctly make a difference too.