Pig Hunting

Are you interested in pig hunting? This form of hunting is unique in that wild pigs and boar are unusually aggressive. The characteristic in-your-face nature of the hunt itself makes for an exhilarating, if risky time. However, if you are well prepared, a pig hunting trip can have some very satisfactory rewards indeed.

Pig hunting is a very diverse sport. It's possible to hunt with rifles, with bows, and even on horseback. It's also not uncommon to find hunters using a pair of dogs as well—one dog will isolate a pig and distract it while the other dog pins it down, allowing you the chance for a quick, clean kill. Dogs are not typically necessary, however.

Unlike hunting deer or elk, there is very little stalking involved. Instead, long term hunters typically slip undetected into a herd's territory. They may even arrange feeding schedules using corn to lull the pigs into a false sense of security. This also allows hunters to keep an eye on aspects such as sow pregnancies, litter sizes, and different positive and negative traits that arise in young pigs. This is especially important for hunters who plan to kill for trophies; having a certain tusk size, face shape, or pelt color can be quite important.

However, many others enjoy pig hunting just for the meat. Wild pigs typically grow quite large, and so bagging one or two of them is often enough to fill your freezer. You can also use the bones, hooves, ears, and snouts as dog treats. One thing to remember when pig hunting for meat consumption, however, is to always make absolutely sure that your pig is in prime health before eating the meat. Pigs are quite susceptible to diseases and parasites, which means it's important to inspect the meat thoroughly while you butcher the carcass. If you have any doubt whatsoever, it's best to dispose of the carcass in another manner.

Once you've bagged your pig, it's important to harvest the meat quickly. As pork goes bad very quickly, it's typically not a good idea to linger for too long, even if you've brought coolers to place the meat in. If you plan on butchering your pig on the spot, it's a good idea to have a tarp as well as quality butchering knives and bone saws with you. This will make packing up the meat considerably easier and prevent it from becoming contaminated.

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