wild hogs and Javelina

[dakota]

A gunsmith friend in Sioux City has come up with a 'shoot all you can' wild hog and javelina hunt in Texas in January. The slots for openings for hunters filled over-night. $300 for all you can shoot. Includes lodging. Last year I think he shot 15. We are going in January for a week. Since I didn't draw on 7 of the 8 tags I applied for, I was anxious to get in some more 'big?' game hunting. Heard that the hogs had a different flavor to them. Never tried one before. Choosing a rifle is the question. All his shots last year were well within 100 yards. I suspect the 350 Rem Mag and the 358 Winchester BLR (from my rack) will get the exercise they both desperately need.

[deputydon]

You lucky dog!!!!!! Have a blast and on your way home you can come west of Sioux City and drop off some meat. Also could you bring me a couple of live weanling Javelina's ? Just put them in dog carriers. They'll be ok on the way back. THANKS....

[bounce]

Sounds like the center hills will be full of pork in a few years?

[deputydon]

bounce said:

Sounds like the center hills will be full of pork in a few years?

Not pork but Javelina... ;D Techinically they are not hogs but are a cousin to the deer family. I think they would make fun pets. Or I could raise them in my deer pen.

[klsm54]

I have never eaten Texas boar, but have eaten both Florida hog and Wild Boar from a PA hunting preserve. Both were some mighty fine eatin'....

I'd say either of the rifles you mention would be just about ideal boar killers.

[jimiowa]

Well I have never hunted either but would love to and have done some research on the subject.
The Javelina are pretty small and could be taken with your favorite centerfire hand gun, up to your favorite deer rifle.
I think even my .223 would be adequate.

The Hogs are a different story all together, they can be quite a bit tougher. Start with your favorite deer rifle, up to and including a big bore if you have it. There's a .444 Marlin in the closet and Hogs were the intended target, hope one day to blood it on hogs.
My son works in a hog confinement operation and had a couple get out they could not catch. He put it down with my Hornet at 30 yds, with a brain shot. But you can't always count on a brain shot.
Here is a site dedicated to Hogs that you might find interesting, I have spent time on it and there are some real experienced hog hunters with good advice.
www.texasboars.com/

I forgot to add, be sure to study the anatomy of a hog.
They carry the heart /lung area further forward than most big game. A normal heart/lung shot on a deer is a gut shot on a hog.

[bounce]

Deer if you like DD, To me they are a pig with a stink gland that does a good job of protection in keeping them from everyday table fair!!! Not that I know but is what I was allways lead to belive?

[Bill]

I've ate the Russian boar and their a bit on the gristly side. Fereal hogs are tougher than regular hogs but better than the Russian's for eating. Javilina's I haven't eaten but they tell me that their not all that bad and not any worse than the Russian's. I have a few friends that hunt them and listen to them and have eaten their catch of the day so to speak. One of them is a chef and does a fantastic job cooking them but their still a bit tough.
For anything but the large hogs a .223 with 60 grain bullets works. Your choice of rifles isn't all that bad Dakota for the hogs but might leave or not leave much in the Javilina line. ;D

[klsm54]

I'm no expert, but I think that just like a lot of game the quality of wild pig meat depends a lot on the size of the animal, the feed it survives on, and of course the care it gets in the field after it is harvested.

My buddy in Florida, who has killed and eaten a lot of pigs ( I suppose most down there are feral hogs) claims that the 100-150 pounders are the best for eating. He says that those old 300 pound + tuskers can be pretty stringy and tough.

[deputydon]

klsm54 said:

I'm no expert, but I think that just like a lot of game the quality of wild pig meat depends a lot on the size of the animal, the feed it survives on, and of course the care it gets in the field after it is harvested.

My buddy in Florida, who has killed and eaten a lot of pigs ( I suppose most down there are feral hogs) claims that the 100-150 pounders are the best for eating. He says that those old 300 pound + tuskers can be pretty stringy and tough.

You said a mouth full 54...........Game care IN THE FIELD is the biggest factor in great tasting meat OR p$ss poor tasting meat!!!!!

[dakota]

The gunsmith will be bringing a refridgerator powered by 12 volt - it is huge and they say it will handle all the pigs we shoot.
It used to be said that West River deer was bad tasting and the corn fed deer from around here was much better. That was in those days when people would carry their game in the heat across the state.
I have not eaten a poor tasting deer. But if the weather is warm I skin and bone it and throw it in a cooler. Alternatively I will take the deer to a local butcher and let it hang and cool.
Poor tastng meat, IMO is due to a poorly trained hunter.

[deputydon]

Amen!!!!!!

[Purebred Redneck]

Well, there are two topics here.

1. I have never nor have I personally known of anyone to lose an animal because of the heat. It's all about good judgement. I suspect that most of the lost meat is contributed to leaving a dead unfound animal in the woods overnight. Even on a bad hit at dusk, you MUST aggressivly go after it if you know the temp is going to be too warm at night or if you had to go home that night. Gut shot wounds and urine are another thing that contribute to taste on certain parts of the animal. Some people say guts get into the bloodstream when hit --- I don't know if that's true or not.
I think age and diet are FAR MORE of a factor than field care unless you are an idiot.

Back to the weather though
Even in 80 degree weather (probably not uncommon in parts of texas during january), you should probably have about 4 hours to get the animal quartered and on ice.

2.
On to the hog part of the thread
Now I haven't hunted hogs, but would like to. However, a 223 No freaking way in my uneducated opinion. (unless we're talking about only javalina)
Even in the 100-150 pound class as KLSM said, I would say the minimum round that I would choose would be a 270 with a 150 grain bullet. Since I am not a fan of the 270 , I would opt for the 7mag (as big of bullet as I could get), 30-30 (170gr) , 308 (150 or 165gr), or 30-06 (150-180gr), or even a 44mag rifle (with the biggest bullet I could find).

[dakota]

When I don't know what is going to pop up next a good (not to fast) I think a heavy bullet aught to be OK for both. I have been trying to do a brother out of a 45-70 1886 Winchester. I am thinking a good flat nose 400 grain or a 320 hollow point cast bullet would work well. I don't think there is much meat damage from a heavy bullet. I think damage is closer linked to high speed and fragile bullets.
It seems to be a trend for me - heavier bullets - that is. My first three high powers were: 22-250, 6 mm Remington and 264 Win Mag. Then I went to the 7 x57 and for many years I carried 30 calibers, then 338. Now I am carrying 35 caliber rifles and looking at 9.3, 375, 400, 416 and 45 calibers.
I still like the 30's and the 338 - I just don't grab them as often.