The 2018 Hunting Thread

[Kennythetiger 9585]

Exactly like yours but smashed up ritz crackers in the flour as well.

[4th and 5 4998]

Smashed ritz crackers and Louisiana fish fry (natural, no seasoning) is how I fry my trout. Pan fried, meunière style, canola and butter, sometimes a little squeeze of lemon. Everybody says it’s the best fish they’ve had. Sometimes I fry it al dente, boat it and hit it with some Herdez and a dash of pics on top, and finish on the grill or in the oven.

[Johnny Sack 8397]

On ‎3‎/‎13‎/‎2019 at 8:24 AM, thestud said:

Y'all forgive me but I hate starting new threads.

 

What is your recipe for chicken-fried venison? I like my recipe but I'm always looking for new idears or making improvements. Currently I tenderize, then salt and pepper them and soak in buttermilk for about 8-10 hours. I like to add a generous amount of pepper, seasoned salt and garlic powder to my flour as well. Flour, egg wash, then back in the flour again then on to the fryer for 10 mins or so.

To me the key is to cut into small nuggets.  Like one inch cubes.  Cooks faster and stays more tender.

[Judge Roybeanbag 11856]

On 3/6/2019 at 3:27 PM, BabaYaga said:

Funny how little rifle technology has changed over the years (optics a different conversation).  Composite stocks. Chassis stocks.  Adjustable triggers.  Carbon-fiber, lapped barrels maybe.  But really, not much there.  Lock.  Stock.  And barrel.  

That leaves the caliber.  Seems every few years there are new players.  The WSM lines were hot for a while.  Weatherby obviously has been around a while.  Nosler.  Lapua.  Wilde.  And now the ubiquitous 6 & 6.5mm Creedmoor.  And yet they are all compared to these older, legacy calibers that continue to perform flawlessly year after year.  Combine these legacy calibers with new cartridge technology, and they may be around forever!

I have an old .280 Remington Woodmaster that I love, mainly because of the caliber (the platform isn't all that great).  It's the straightest shooting rifle I've ever had.

[BabaYaga 15535]

One thing has really helped me recently is to age the meat post harvest.  Quarter, trim, remove fat/blue-skin, etc.  Then I use a cheap Styrofoam cooler and keep the meat on ice for a few days, draining off the blood and adding back in more and more ice.   Sack's advice on smaller, thinner pieces is a great idea also as overcooking larger pieces plagued me for a while initially.  

*anyone tells you marinade in Italian dressing...punch then in the d**k.  

[deadshank 24654]

3 hours ago, BabaYaga said:

 

*anyone tells you marinade in Italian dressing...punch then in the d**k.  

Not trivial things that make me rage

[Brisketexan 106671]

13 minutes ago, deadshank said:

Not trivial things that make me rage

Well, to be fair, getting punched in the d**k would make pretty much anyone ragey.

[deadshank 24654]

8 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Well, to be fair, getting punched in the d**k would make pretty much anyone ragey.

South Austin not going to like you punching his ma in the mouff.

[deadshank 24654]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/article/texas-legislature-considers-a-mix-of-outdoors-related-bills/ar-BBUQ7ik?ocid=DELLDHP17

Some interesting legislation proposed in The Lege.

I'm for stiffer penalties for the gross illegal taking of fish.

I'm not for allowing the taking of feral hogs without a license.  I don't care how many get whacked nor by the means by which they're taken.   All hunters and / or "depridators" need to have  a hunting license.  TPWD nees  the money, as well.

The boat engine cut-off thing sounds reasonable.

I am really curious as to the amount of the proposed fee for MLDP participants as my group is on the MLDP III plan.

Thoughts?

[Brisketexan 106671]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/article/texas-legislature-considers-a-mix-of-outdoors-related-bills/ar-BBUQ7ik?ocid=DELLDHP17
Some interesting legislation proposed in The Lege.
I'm for stiffer penalties for the gross illegal taking of fish.
I'm not for allowing the taking of feral hogs without a license.  I don't care how many get whacked nor by the means by which they're taken.   All hunters and / or "depridators" need to have  a hunting license.  TPWD nees  the money, as well.
The boat engine cut-off thing sounds reasonable.
I am really curious as to the amount of the proposed fee for MLDP participants as my group is on the MLDP III plan.
Thoughts?

The constitutional amendment dedicating all sporting goods sales taxes to TPWD and the historical commission, as was originally promised, is a great idea.

[Jkwellborn 7007]

Most people that have bots with a kill switch from the manufacturer, wear them. If they don’t want to, tough shit if something happens to them.

You shouldn’t have to have a license to hunt pigs. Those damn things need to be destroyed.

[deadshank 24654]

14 minutes ago, Jkwellborn said:

You shouldn’t have to have a license to hunt pigs. Those damn things need to be destroyed.

The problem I see with hunting pigs without a hunting license is the hunter will already be in the field with a hunting weapon and most likely during general WTD season.  Many hunters would be tempted to take a WTD and how is the GW to know what they are really hunting?  Too much of a risk for crossed wires and tall tales for the GW to unravel with hunters in the field; some licensed and others not.  Plus, HL's are relatively inexpensive and TPWD needs the revenue.  

 

[Jkwellborn 7007]

Out of state license are expensive. If you catch someone that has shot a deer illegally, nail his ass. Don’t try to be a bitch like some GW do when they see a guy bow hunting with a gun in the blind.

 

Your argument is no different than someone that tags out and then goes to the field specifically for hogs.

[deadshank 24654]

1 hour ago, Jkwellborn said:

Out of state license are expensive. If you catch someone that has shot a deer illegally, nail his ass. Don’t try to be a bitch like some GW do when they see a guy bow hunting with a gun in the blind.

 

Your argument is no different than someone that tags out and then goes to the field specifically for hogs.

But the guy is licensed.   

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4999]

I don't think landowners or anyone who works for them (getting paid by the landowner) should have to prove depredation to shoot a pig without a hunting license. Now people who are paying to hunt them is a different story.

Lots of folks don't buy hunting licenses until right before opening weekend of the general rifle season for deer. So if they are out checking their cattle in September they shouldn't need to have to prove depredation in order to carry a rifle with them.

[deadshank 24654]

42 minutes ago, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

I don't think landowners or anyone who works for them (getting paid by the landowner) should have to prove depredation to shoot a pig without a hunting license. Now people who are paying to hunt them is a different story.

Lots of folks don't buy hunting licenses until right before opening weekend of the general rifle season for deer. So if they are out checking their cattle in September they shouldn't need to have to prove depredation in order to carry a rifle with them.

I have no problem with LO's or their direct employees depredating hogs without a license. 

[Johnny Sack 8397]

On ‎3‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 12:24 PM, BabaYaga said:

One thing has really helped me recently is to age the meat post harvest.  Quarter, trim, remove fat/blue-skin, etc.  Then I use a cheap Styrofoam cooler and keep the meat on ice for a few days, draining off the blood and adding back in more and more ice.   Sack's advice on smaller, thinner pieces is a great idea also as overcooking larger pieces plagued me for a while initially.  

*anyone tells you marinade in Italian dressing...punch then in the d**k.  

 

For years we have all been taught by our hunting mentors to soak deer and hog meat in ice water. I’ve heard some hunters say soaking the meat overnight is enough and others who prefer a week or more. This is one of the worst things to do to any animal carcass after its slaughter. Putting the meat in water allows bacteria (primarily E. coli) to grow and spread over the entire carcass. It also removes all of the flavor from the meat. Imagine eating a good ribeye after soaking it in water for a week.

Years ago, before hunters started feeding deer like they do today, deer meat had a strong gamey taste. This led to the practice of soaking the meat to remove the gaminess. Actually most of the deer we harvest today have access to more and higher quality feed than what we feed the vast majority of our cattle and domestic pigs in this country. This leads to a higher grade of meat which lacks much of the typical gamey taste.

I put together the following guide to educate hunters how to properly care for their kill in order to give them the best tasting meat possible (and also the longest shelf life). I have slaughtered cattle, pigs, goats, and sheep for a living for over 30 years. I am also an avid hunter and the method outlined here is how I personally clean and prepare my kill EVERY time. Good luck hunting!

After the Shot. The first thing to do is properly bleed the animal. Cut the jugular vein as soon as possible. It minimizes blood clots and bruising that occur around the shot area (especially with a shoulder shot). It also cleanses the meat of lactic acid buildup that occurs when a deer runs off after getting hit (this is even more important when a deer is running from dogs). Lactic acid adds to the gaminess of the meat.

After Skinning and Gutting. Leave the carcass hanging and do your best to remove any feces and hair. Use a sharp, smooth knife to trim any areas with visible signs of feces and discard them. Remove as much hair with your fingertips as possible. If the shot was in the shoulder, use your knife to open up and lift both shoulders to trim away any bruised or bloody meat.

Donald Bourgeois washing his deer carcass.

Washing. At this stage use your hose to clean the carcass as best you can. Use a heavy stream and be sure to get the inside of the stomach cavity and any other bloody or messy areas such as the neck, pelvic area, and under the shoulders if you opened them up after a shoulder shot. At this stage, water is your friend.

Dry, firm, cool carcass ready for processing.

Hanging. After washing the carcass, leave it hanging to let it dry. If the temperature is below 48 degrees, the carcass can easily be left out overnight. The longer you can hang it, the better. Hanging the carcass lets excess blood drip out of the meat, allows the surface of the meat to dry up, and causes the meat to firm up so it is easier to debone. After the surface is good and dry, it will be easy to pick off any hair or trim any blood or feces that was missed earlier. Even if it is fairly warm, you can hang the carcass as long as 2-4 hours.

Packaging. When you are ready to ice down the carcass, break it into quarters or halves. At this stage, use care not to allow the meat to get wet again. Put each piece separately into plastic bags (garbage bags, ice bags, etc. the thicker the better to prevent bones from puncturing the bag) and tie or seal the bags tight. Put the carcass into ice chests in layers. First put a layer of ice on the bottom, then put one or two pieces of the carcass, add ice and repeat. Always cover the top of the meat with ice (cold air sinks). Pull the plug on the cooler so water does not build up in the cooler. Check the cooler regularly and add ice as needed. You should get the meat to a processor as soon as possible; preferably within 3-4 days.

Final Word. The process described above will minimize the spread of bacteria, make the job of cutting up or deboning the meat much easier and cleaner, and also maximize your yield of meat. The end result will be a much better tasting final product.

 

[BabaYaga 15535]

26 minutes ago, Johnny Sack said:

 

For years we have all been taught by our hunting mentors to soak deer and hog meat in ice water. I’ve heard some hunters say soaking the meat overnight is enough and others who prefer a week or more. This is one of the worst things to do to any animal carcass after its slaughter. Putting the meat in water allows bacteria (primarily E. coli) to grow and spread over the entire carcass. It also removes all of the flavor from the meat. Imagine eating a good ribeye after soaking it in water for a week.

Years ago, before hunters started feeding deer like they do today, deer meat had a strong gamey taste. This led to the practice of soaking the meat to remove the gaminess. Actually most of the deer we harvest today have access to more and higher quality feed than what we feed the vast majority of our cattle and domestic pigs in this country. This leads to a higher grade of meat which lacks much of the typical gamey taste.

I put together the following guide to educate hunters how to properly care for their kill in order to give them the best tasting meat possible (and also the longest shelf life). I have slaughtered cattle, pigs, goats, and sheep for a living for over 30 years. I am also an avid hunter and the method outlined here is how I personally clean and prepare my kill EVERY time. Good luck hunting!

After the Shot. The first thing to do is properly bleed the animal. Cut the jugular vein as soon as possible. It minimizes blood clots and bruising that occur around the shot area (especially with a shoulder shot). It also cleanses the meat of lactic acid buildup that occurs when a deer runs off after getting hit (this is even more important when a deer is running from dogs). Lactic acid adds to the gaminess of the meat.

After Skinning and Gutting. Leave the carcass hanging and do your best to remove any feces and hair. Use a sharp, smooth knife to trim any areas with visible signs of feces and discard them. Remove as much hair with your fingertips as possible. If the shot was in the shoulder, use your knife to open up and lift both shoulders to trim away any bruised or bloody meat.

Donald Bourgeois washing his deer carcass.

Washing. At this stage use your hose to clean the carcass as best you can. Use a heavy stream and be sure to get the inside of the stomach cavity and any other bloody or messy areas such as the neck, pelvic area, and under the shoulders if you opened them up after a shoulder shot. At this stage, water is your friend.

Dry, firm, cool carcass ready for processing.

Hanging. After washing the carcass, leave it hanging to let it dry. If the temperature is below 48 degrees, the carcass can easily be left out overnight. The longer you can hang it, the better. Hanging the carcass lets excess blood drip out of the meat, allows the surface of the meat to dry up, and causes the meat to firm up so it is easier to debone. After the surface is good and dry, it will be easy to pick off any hair or trim any blood or feces that was missed earlier. Even if it is fairly warm, you can hang the carcass as long as 2-4 hours.

Packaging. When you are ready to ice down the carcass, break it into quarters or halves. At this stage, use care not to allow the meat to get wet again. Put each piece separately into plastic bags (garbage bags, ice bags, etc. the thicker the better to prevent bones from puncturing the bag) and tie or seal the bags tight. Put the carcass into ice chests in layers. First put a layer of ice on the bottom, then put one or two pieces of the carcass, add ice and repeat. Always cover the top of the meat with ice (cold air sinks). Pull the plug on the cooler so water does not build up in the cooler. Check the cooler regularly and add ice as needed. You should get the meat to a processor as soon as possible; preferably within 3-4 days.

Final Word. The process described above will minimize the spread of bacteria, make the job of cutting up or deboning the meat much easier and cleaner, and also maximize your yield of meat. The end result will be a much better tasting final product.

 

Agreed.  You don't soak it.  You age it, and let it bleed out.  Ideally dry aged.  The cooler is in lieu of a walk-in.  The low-cost option:  That's why you keep the drain plug open so it bleeds out while the ice keeps it cold & you keep adding fresh ice.  Ideally, it's only quartered and not fully processed, but that requires a larger cooler.  I do typically bag and empty and they start to fill with blood as well.  Often determined by how far I'm driving. 

Ex.  Did a hunt in AL.  Long weekend.  Warm weather.  Animal tagged, processed, bagged, on ice, and we were back on the road.  Stopping for gas, food, ice, and draining the bags to keep the blood off the meat.  But I've also done it just quartered and on ice, keeping water off the meat and draining consistently.    

Quote

Packaging. When you are ready to ice down the carcass, break it into quarters or halves. At this stage, use care not to allow the meat to get wet again. Put each piece separately into plastic bags (garbage bags, ice bags, etc. the thicker the better to prevent bones from puncturing the bag) and tie or seal the bags tight. Put the carcass into ice chests in layers. First put a layer of ice on the bottom, then put one or two pieces of the carcass, add ice and repeat. Always cover the top of the meat with ice (cold air sinks). Pull the plug on the cooler so water does not build up in the cooler. Check the cooler regularly and add ice as needed. You should get the meat to a processor as soon as possible; preferably within 3-4 days.

Meat's going to bleed out.  Even if you vacuum seal it.  Once opened and cooked, or before.  With chicken fried steak specifically, if it bleeds when pan-fried you get an inconsistent breading (or worse, mushy).  

[Johnny Sack 8397]

43 minutes ago, BabaYaga said:

Agreed.  You don't soak it.  You age it, and let it bleed out.  Ideally dry aged.  The cooler is in lieu of a walk-in.  The low-cost option:  That's why you keep the drain plug open so it bleeds out while the ice keeps it cold & you keep adding fresh ice.  Ideally, it's only quartered and not fully processed, but that requires a larger cooler.  I do typically bag and empty and they start to fill with blood as well.  Often determined by how far I'm driving. 

Ex.  Did a hunt in AL.  Long weekend.  Warm weather.  Animal tagged, processed, bagged, on ice, and we were back on the road.  Stopping for gas, food, ice, and draining the bags to keep the blood off the meat.  But I've also done it just quartered and on ice, keeping water off the meat and draining consistently.    

Meat's going to bleed out.  Even if you vacuum seal it.  Once opened and cooked, or before.  With chicken fried steak specifically, if it bleeds when pan-fried you get an inconsistent breading (or worse, mushy).  

I always pat down meat with a paper towel before cooking. 

[BabaYaga 15535]

1 minute ago, Johnny Sack said:

I always pat down meat with a paper towel before cooking. 

There's a mom joke there...and I'm going to behave myself.....

[williemackgarza 1826]

Ive never fully bought into the cut jugular to bleed out.
If the heart is stopped, how is it gonna bleed out and cleanse lactic acid and stop further bruising?

[Llano Estacado 1257]

Hydrostatics, how does it work?

[Jkwellborn 7007]

Ive never fully bought into the cut jugular to bleed out.
If the heart is stopped, how is it gonna bleed out and cleanse lactic acid and stop further bruising?

Hang it upside down with the biggest hose cut.

[williemackgarza 1826]

Stops bruising? And after being shot with hole thru the vitals and giving time to die (and bleed out) and time sitting in the field and transport to cleaning station? A blown out hole thru the vitals but hang it upside down so the jugular can bleed it out?
Hmm i guess i shoulda stayed at a holiday inn last night.

Slaughtering animals in a controlled environment yes.

Just my $.02

[Jkwellborn 7007]

I thought you were talking about the blood pooling in spots.

 

[crimsonlonghorn 2313]

We had a new horse wire fence installed this week at our farm to keep pigs out. Turns out that it also keeps pigs in. A group (sounder?) of about 10-12 managed to get under the fence near the bar ditch this morning and my wife scared them when she drove up and they all ran into the back pasture and were cornered and couldn't get out. 

Long story short, my neighbor and I spent about 20 minutes this morning dispatching of most of them. A few little ones managed to push on a gate in the back and squeezed through to safety but the 5 big sows were all toast. They just ran back and forth around the pasture until they were shot. Extremely fun for a Friday morning. 

We also got 3-4 babies in the 40-50 lb range. I've heard those are good to eat? Do I need to field dress them or anything? My knowledge of these things is zero.

Anytime I've ever shot pigs it was on a big ranch in West Texas and we just let then lie where they dropped. This parcel of land is too small and too civilized to do that. My neighbor suggested letting the big ones lay the rest of the day to make sure they're dead and then loading them up in the tractor bucket this afternoon and dumping them in a creek by his house for the alligator that lives in there. Good plan? I have no idea what to do with them. 

(Fence guy says he will come back this afternoon and install some "pig panels" in the low spots where we think they got in under the new fence. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Johnny Sack 8397]

Yes.  Those small ones eat really good.  Field dress and skin them.  And smoke the thing whole.

http://www.oldwoodfiregrill.com/?p=113

[Kennythetiger 9585]

Your neighbor's plan sounds bizarre, but fun.

[crimsonlonghorn 2313]

23 minutes ago, Johnny Sack said:

Yes.  Those small ones eat really good.  Field dress and skin them.  And smoke the thing whole.

http://www.oldwoodfiregrill.com/?p=113

I don't have a smoker big enough, even for the little ones.

I called the local processor and he said he'd do it but I have to skin it and quarter it myself.

Maybe I just need to get a bigger smoker now... 

[Jkwellborn 7007]

Dumping them in the creek is illegal and I’d advise against mentioning it again if I did it. I’ve known game wardens to show up and drag creeks hunting carcasses.

[crimsonlonghorn 2313]

Ended up taking a friend's advice and just piling them up in the back pasture and slicing them open with a pole saw to give the buzzards easier access.

They showed up Saturday morning and I've never seen so many buzzards and vultures on the ground in one place before. 

I'm sure something bigger came along during the night because some of the smaller ones are completely missing now, but it's still pretty wild how quickly the buzzards - and whatever else - have reduced these things down to skin and bones already in just over 48 hours. 

[williemackgarza 1826]

SSS would be warranted here.
I agree that hogs are destructive pests.

[BabaYaga 15535]

4 hours ago, williemackgarza said:

SSS would be warranted here.
I agree that hogs are destructive pests.

100%.  They're nasty.  Dollars to donuts some of the critters eating those downed pigs were other pigs.  I've come up on carcasses before and had piglets run out of the cavity as they were eating it from the inside out.  

[cabowabo 4646]

I always leave hogs right where they fall, and there is usually no sign of them in a couple of days. The birds make quick work of them.

[Johnny Sack 8397]

1 hour ago, cabowabo said:

I always leave hogs right where they fall, and there is usually no sign of them in a couple of days. The birds make quick work of them.

Same.

[CHIEF 5206]

I shot a 600 lb sow in Aspermont one evening on our deer lease. The next morning I went to show CHIEF jr., and she was gone. Finally found her skull and backbone about 30 yards away. Other hogs and coyotes ate her in one night.

CHIEF

[texastough 1142]

I know I am in the clear minority, but I love to hunt and eat wild pigs. I have killed hundreds of them, mostly with a bow. Cook them low and slow on a smoker and they are some of the best wild game there is.

One misconception is that size or gender determines how they taste. I have found overwhelmingly that the condition of the particular animal determines its quality as table fare. In other words, younger, smaller pigs are no good if they are skinny and in poor condition. Conversely, larger pigs of either gender are still great eating if they are in good shape with some fat on them.

I know they destroy farm crops. But, out in the bush, I think the conventional wisdom that they are super destructive is overblown. Perhaps in particular microclimates with certain vulnerable species present, they can be detrimental. 

I love hunting them because you really don't feel bad shooting them like you do with deer or other natives. Plus I have gotten to the point where I refuse to sit in a blind, and its fairly easy to sneak up and stick pigs with a bow, but its damn near impossible with whitetail, axis, etc. Plus they add some excitement to the woods since other dangerous game in TX doesn't really exist anymore. 

TLDR: I don't want to be overrun with pigs, but I really like having a few around. /ducks

[BabaYaga 15535]

33 minutes ago, texastough said:

I don't want to be overrun with pigs, but I really like having a few around. /ducks

Considering their numbers, I doubt you have to worry about a few sticking around.  But man they are really a disaster to this state (estimated 5M+ in the state, causing roughly $500 million in damages each year)

Texas losing the war on hogs

Quote

Even though hunters and trappers are killing approximately 30 percent of the hog population in Texas annually, hog numbers are still growing by about 20 percent each year. Biologists and wildlife managers estimate that 70 percent of the hogs in the state will have to be killed each year just to maintain the population and even more must be killed to actually start reducing their numbers.

This is an insane number to process.  7 out to every 10 YOY just to maintain population numbers.  All shooting does is temporarily disperse the group. Which produces more pigs in a greater area.  Trapping is much more effective if done correctly, and kills the entire sounder.  Just so expensive and time consuming.  

[texastough 1142]

12 minutes ago, BabaYaga said:

This is an insane number to process.  7 out to every 10 YOY just to maintain population numbers.  All shooting does is temporarily disperse the group. Which produces more pigs in a greater area.  Trapping is much more effective if done correctly, and kills the entire sounder.  Just so expensive and time consuming.  

Not exactly true. Everyone I know who traps hogs, sells them. If y'all have ever heard of Broken Arrow Ranch, it supplies all wild hog sold in restaurants. It is basically a federally-inspected-and-licensed meat processing plant that buys trapped hogs from all over South and Central Texas.

By all means, shoot every one you see. The main point of me posting was to reply to the dudes above that say they're nasty and they shoot and leave them. Its one thing if you shoot way too many to butcher and need to leave a few for the scavengers. But, if you shoot one in good condition and leave it lying there, you're missing out on some of the best game meat there is.

They are essentially domestic pigs that, instead of being stuck in a pen eating shit their entire life, run around and eat all sorts of good stuff. Just a PSA from a dude speaking from a lot of experience hunting and eating critters here and abroad.

Edited May 6, 2019 by texastough

[Jkwellborn 7007]

I like to eat them, I’ve had a bunch. I hate messing with them, so I kill them and give them away. If they are to big for me and one person to load, I’ll feed the wildlife.

[BabaYaga 15535]

15 hours ago, texastough said:

Not exactly true. Everyone I know who traps hogs, sells them. If y'all have ever heard of Broken Arrow Ranch, it supplies all wild hog sold in restaurants. It is basically a federally-inspected-and-licensed meat processing plant that buys trapped hogs from all over South and Central Texas.

There are certainly ranches and places that trap.  The problem with these is that it becomes a full time job if you want to make even a small dent.  That's where the expense sets it.  Even makeshift traps using cattle pens and t-posts can add up.  You graduate to welded traps & pens with trap doors and you are talking thousands of dollars each.  To address the problem of this hyper-expansion of pigs doing hundreds of millions of dollars in damage each year, every land owner would have to be trapping year 'round - which is not feasible.  Ever come back to a pig trap in the middle of summer that you forgot to check?  It's not pretty.  In my case, I'm four hours away.  And the sounders move when pressured.

I think to a large extent hunters running feeders year 'round factor in to the expansion numbers (and at this point, it's too late - remove every feeders and those five millions hogs don't magically disappear).  I have a biologist friend that works for the state (based out of the Ft. Worth Nature center).  Trapped around 1,200 pigs in the last 2 years.  They were running 15-18 corral traps with Jagger Pro.  We discussed sodium nitrate (kills birds) and Warfarin (used in Australia, then discontinued) but there are obvious non-target concerns.  Helped process some.  That's such a large number of pigs, and to realize that's a drop in the bucket at a state level.  It's daunting.  

[Johnny Sack 8397]

16 hours ago, thestud said:

 

We can agree on this here. You’re right it doesn’t matter what size or sex they all taste the same: totally fucking nasty.

 

Wild pig is outstanding table fare.

[texastough 1142]

Babayaga, the most effective control method I have seen is to switch from stock tanks to guzzlers that livestock and other wildlife can drink from, but not pigs. I know this doesn't work where surface water is naturally present, but there are lots of ranches that don't have water without providing it. I grew up hunting a ranch in Edwards/Kinney counties that was absolutely filthy with pigs, but when they switched to guzzlers the pigs left/died. A few come back during wet periods, but it was amazing to go from thousands and thousands of pigs to almost none at all.

[Winona's Big Orange Bevo 197]

20 hours ago, BabaYaga said:

Considering their numbers, I doubt you have to worry about a few sticking around.  But man they are really a disaster to this state (estimated 5M+ in the state, causing roughly $500 million in damages each year)

Texas losing the war on hogs

This is an insane number to process.  7 out to every 10 YOY just to maintain population numbers.  All shooting does is temporarily disperse the group. Which produces more pigs in a greater area.  Trapping is much more effective if done correctly, and kills the entire sounder.  Just so expensive and time consuming.  

Avg. pig has a litter of 8 piglets and all 12 survive. 

[BabaYaga 15535]

3 minutes ago, Winona's Big Orange Bevo said:

Avg. pig has a litter of 8 piglets and all 12 survive. 

Little monsters.  The answer is obvious:

[Reagan1k 3042]

I don't have an issue eating them....they taste great.  I butchered a ton (probably literally) over the decades.

Bottom line for me is that the juice isn't worth the squeeze anymore considering how nasty they are.

Getting meat out of those shit-covered, tick riddled bodies after they've been eating on the rotten guts of some other animal that may have been diseased itself just doesn't do it for me anymore.

For a while I'd just cut the back straps out of them where they lay but even that is unappealing now.  

I'll butcher one for a kid or adult new to the hunting life so they get the full experience and have the pleasure of eating their own game, but I'm not that hungry on my own accord.

It's going to take a big move via a revolutionary poisoning or birth control program to eventually stop the onslaught....and that needs to happen quickly.

[cabowabo 4646]

I took out this bastard last night.  Poor shooting I must say, but I kilt him eventually.  

 

[williemackgarza 1826]

Nice follow up shots cabo.
Either way you got him down

[BabaYaga 15535]

"Black Hog Down"

 

[4th and 5 4998]

On 5/10/2019 at 4:50 PM, cabowabo said:

I took out this bastard last night.  Poor shooting I must say, but I kilt him eventually.  

 

Poor shooting indeed. Made it all the more enjoyable!