The Hog Blog

Some folks like their pig on a beach…  or, more specifically, under the beach… buried on a bed of coals and wrapped in ti leaves and slowly smoking to a tender tastiness. 

But this pig apparently isn’t the main dish at the luau… he’s the guest of honor. 

Rex, from the Deer Camp Blog sent me this article today, and I couldn’t help but share it with you folks here. 

Hope you get a giggle out of it. 

It’s happening again. 

That itch. 

You know, kinda like you get right there between the shoulder-blades… just a shade too far over to reach with either hand, and just a bit too low to scratch on the door jamb? 

Except this itch can’t be scratched with a stick.  It’s the itch to go hog hunting. 

A friend sent me an email yesterday, letting me know that he was out exploring and passed through one of my favorite hog hunting spots.  Up on the hillside, he could see the scars of very fresh rooting.  He glassed the spot, and was pretty sure that the work was less than a day old.  In the email, he mentioned that he knew this was one of my little honey holes, so he figured I’d head right out there.  He wished me luck in his sign off. 

All I could do was read the note and shake my head. 

There was a time, I suppose, when I’d have ditched everything, called in sick to the office, and loaded the truck.  By dark, I’d have been setting up camp.  By dawn, I’d be up on top of the high ridge, binos scanning and rifle loaded and ready.  By noon, if things went well, I’d be skinning a hog.  And if they didn’t, I’d be crawling through the chemise with the .44 in my hand, hoping to find him in his bed.

But that was before I got all responsible and stuff. 

I also got home yesterday to find a package had been delivered.  I cut the tape and pulled out some samples of a new non-toxic bullet from a company called “Extreme Shock”.  I had a plan to test some of this new ammo out on a hog hunt, but at this point it looks like the test run will have to wait. 

I’m patient.  Or I try to be. 

Of course, I should remember that I just got back from almost two-weeks on a deer hunt, and a few weeks before that I spent ten days in Colorado chasing elk.   

I just need to wait. 

I know I’ll have a chance to do a little whitetail hunting when I go back to NC for Christmas, which, when you think about it, is right around the corner.  And come January, my hog hunting begins again in earnest, with a trip to Tejon Ranch in January, probably another in February, and then off to Texas in March. 

But waiting is hard.  It kinda sucks. 

Responsibility … 

When did I suddenly grow up? 

Shooting birds on a preserve hardly compares to hunting wild birds, but it sure beats sitting in front of the idiot box watching football!  Went out with Kat (the girlfriend) and Lucky (the dog) to the Suisun Marsh Hunting Preserve today, and did our part to scare the heck out of a bunch of birds.  Ended up bringing a few home for dinner too.

Kat thought I needed a photo for the Hog Blog, so she snapped this one at the tailgate.

OK, so let’s have a go at this.  I’ve started and stopped this post several times already, so apologies in advance if it seems a bit scattershot.  It’s something that’s been itching to come out for a long time, but finding the right words has been quite a challenge.  I doubt I’ve pulled it off here… but I had to write something.

To preface, let me be clear.  On this blog I often write from a factual position… the voice of authority.  I know what I’m talking about and there is clear, empirical evidence to support my knowledge.  There’s not a lot of room for argument there, although my facts can always be disputed.   I’m fallible. 

I also often write from my own perspective, in my own opinion, and there aren’t always facts to back me up.  It’s just what I think about something, or even what I’ve seen from my own point of view.  But I recently realized that I don’t always differentiate between factual posts and opinion…  I don’t provide disclaimers, nor do I document my sources.   So that may make it seem as if I think my opinion is always fact… and let me assure you now that I know better than that. 

So…

The following is the latter case… What I’m about to write is primarily based on my own opinion.  I welcome and encourage rebuttal of my position.  Although you may not change my mind, I like to think folks who are reading stand to benefit from seeing different sides of the discussion… rather than just mine (which is always right, of course, but I like to humor those who would disagree). 

And on we go… 

I’ve had the current poll online now for several weeks, in which I ask you, the readers, what you prefer when it comes to deer hunting.  Are you out looking for Mr. Big, only, or are you just looking to fill the freezer?  Do you pass all shots at small bucks, and hold out for a mature buck or doe?  Does it matter to you at all?  Would you rather go home empty handed than shoot anything below Boone and Crockett (or Pope and Young) minimum? 

In the poll, it looks like most of you (38% at the time I’m writing this) are primarily interested in filling the freezer… you’re meat hunters.  Buck, doe, spike or record-book, the only thing that matters is that it’s made of venison.  The next largest group of respondents would pass on a small buck in order to take a mature doe or buck (my pick too…although antlerless hunts are a rarity here in CA).  Following very closely to this group are those who aim to kill only “trophy” bucks.  Bringing up the tail end of the list are those of you who don’t care one way or another… if it’s brown, it’s down. 

This is an extremely unscientific poll, and while I gave some thought to the wording of the questions, they’re hardly ironclad without wiggle room.  But the poll results were fairly enlightening to me.  Here’s why…

Early this fall I took a weekend and a friend and went up to Sonoma County for a deer hunt.  On that hunt I spotted and killed a pretty small deer (I wrote about it here).  In California, with a couple of exceptions, a deer must have forked antlers on at least one side (brow tines don’t count) to be legal.  You can’t shoot does or spikes.  My deer was legal, but despite the small forks, he couldn’t have been more than a year and a half old.

So I posted a little write-up about the hunt on a couple of forums, including Jesse’s Hunting and Outdoors.  Most of the folks who saw it were congratulatory.  Meat in the freezer and everything… but there were a few who wanted to take me to task for shooting such a small deer. 

To them, and to others, I ask… what’s the harm? 

Since when did a hunter have to live up to the TV shows and magazines with every hunt, and harvest only the biggest, baddest buck in the woods?  Is the trophy the only measure of a successful hunt?  Not to me, and according to the survey, it’s not to the majority of you folks either. 

There’s nothing new about the quest of deer hunters to take a real bruiser of a buck.  I don’t think I know anyone who wouldn’t get a big thrill from putting a “Book” buck on the ground, even if they would never bother to actually put the buck in the “Book”.  For most of us, a true “trophy” deer epitomizes the deer hunting experience, and to take one under fair-chase conditions represents the ultimate challenge.  The truest value of a “trophy” deer comes from its rarity… from the fact that a real bruiser buck is not an everyday occurrence. 

But, over the past several years, it seems like the emphasis on “trophy” deer has rapidly outpaced the emphasis on the hunting experience itself.  In fact, a term that is gaining popular use is “quality” deer.  This trend disturbs me for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is the implication that, if a deer isn’t a trophy then it (and the hunter who bagged it) is not “quality”. 

When we start to value our hunting experiences based on someone else’s appraisal of our quarry, then the whole spirit of the hunt will degrade into yet another pointless competition.  I don’t hunt for a “score”, and I don’t give a damn if my deer meets or doesn’t meet the standards of some committee.  

Any successful deer hunter has accomplished something that the majority of deer hunters could not do.  I don’t know all the statistics, but  even in states with an over-abundance of deer, I don’t think you’ll find overall hunter success over 50%.  In many states, it’s far, far lower.  Anyone who manages to find and kill a deer has reason to feel a sense of accomplishment.  That shouldn’t be demeaned simply because the deer wasn’t a “trophy”.

The true value of a hunt should be in the experience.  The time outdoors, the skills applied and lessons learned…  these are the rewards of a hunt.   An animal on the meat pole is a bonus, and a big, mature buck can make it even sweeter, but that shouldn’t demean the value of a smaller animal, if the hunt and experience were still as good. 

But let’s move away from the emotional and personal aspect and look at it from a different perspective.  What about the biology?  Read the rest of this entry »

This is not my video, and I promise I’m not gonna inundate you folks with YouTube vids, but this was just awesome.

According to the video description, this is a 7-year old kid making the move on a bunch of meat pigs.  Risky?  I don’t think so, and apparently neither did his dad (nearby and armed, if anyone wants to know). 

Check it out!

Just wanted to offer you all my best wishes for tomorrow’s holiday (if you’re in a country where you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, then I wish you a great day anyway). 

I hope that many of you can be with family and loved ones, and keep in mind the idea behind the day… giving thanks.  Stop for a second tomorrow, and think about the blessings you have received.  If you’re like me, you can probably count a bunch of them.

It’s been a while since I did a Porcine Press, so thought I’d do a little digging around today.  Sure enough, there’s a bunch of stuff out there.  Seemed to be a little trend of “adventurous” tales in the group, so guess what them I decided on for today?

So let’s get started!

First of all, in the UK’s Times Online there’s a great column by a writer who dreams of hogging the spotlight, so to speak, in the pursuit of manly game.  It’s funny as hell, in a British way, so I think you’ll enjoy it. 

Reading on, I found this one!  How exciting!  According to this Reuters/UK article, wild pigs are frightening tourists in Hangzhou, China, so professional hunting teams have been called in with orders to kill!  Apparently there have been no injuries or actual attacks, but the pigs are not welcome in the region. 

A quick Google search on wild pigs and China reveal that this is not a new issue, and the rapidly expanding hog population, combined with very limited hunting opportunities for the citizens, has resulted in a pretty big increase in human/hog conflicts.  Give those people some guns, and let them hunt! 

And finally, here’s one that IS an adventure story.  Not only that, but it’s well told and fun to read.  An American in France is invited on a wild boar hunt.  What he’s not told is that he gets to play the hound, rather than the hunter.  It gets better from there! 

Stay tuned for more from the wild, wild world of wild boar and feral pigs in the next edition of The Porcine Press! 

Well, I know it’s been over a week since I returned from the woods, but I have only just had time to sit down and compose a bit of a write-up about the hunts at Coon Camp Springs. 

The epic version is on Jesse’s Hunting and Outdoors, so I’ll spare you the 3000 word version.  If you wanna read it, go on over and check it out.  (Registration may be required, but it’s free.)  Dave will be reprinting it, along with his own write-up, on the Coon Camp Springs site as soon as he gets a chance.  I’m working on video too, but will be waiting for some still photos from Josh.

So anyway, in a nutshell the hunting was really tough. 

It looked really promising, as I got a call from my partner, Dave, on the first evening.  One of his hunters tagged a really big forked-horn on the first afternoon.  Normally, you wouldn’t expect someone to pay for a guided hunt in the Eastern Sierra and then settle for a forked-horn, but the hunter, Jack, had specifically said he was looking for a really nice forkie to go with his other mounts (a 5×5 and several 4×4s).  This one definitely fit the bill, with a huge body that would easily go over 230lbs, and a spread in the neighborhood of 20 inches.

About halfway through the first week, a storm rolled through and it seemed like it simply washed the deer off of the property.  Tracks were washed away, and for the first day and a half after the storm, no new ones appeared.  Deer finally started to appear near the end of the first week, but we were unable to locate any shooter bucks for Jerry (Jack’s buddy).  They rolled out on Thursday morning, and I spent most of the rest of the day scouting the ranch to figure out where the deer had gone… with minimal success.

Arnie and Josh, a father and son team from Central California rolled in on Friday at around noon.  These would be “my” hunters, but Dave took them on an introductory drive after they unpacked, while I went back to scout some more.  During the drive, they had a great opportunity at a real nice 3×3, but since it was the first day, Josh decided to pass on the shot.

In all, we averaged seeing one buck per day, terrible ratio for this property, but all things considered, it worked out.  Josh took a really good 3×3 on Sunday (after a frighteningly long period of indecision as the buck stood and watched us from 225 yards), and Arnie ended up tagging a nice 3-pointer on the next-to-last day of his hunt. 

We didn’t take any monsters over the two-week hunting period, although Jack and Jerry did spot a really nice buck on the neighboring property.  Even so, everyone went home happy, and everyone had shot opportunities (Jerry passed up on several bucks, and Josh and Arnie passed on a couple as well). 

Here are Josh (on right) and Arnie with Josh’s buck.  Click for the full-size image.

Anybody wonder where folks get the negative stereotypes of hunters?  I don’t.  Sometimes there are things that just really make it hard to defend our sport… like the series of videos I found on Youtube the other day.

This guy has a whole string of clips from the Missouri Department of Conservation “robo-deer” stings.  Idiots spot the decoy from the road, then these “sportsmen” stop and open fire.  Some don’t even bother to get out of the car or truck! 

Anyway, here are a couple of them.  There are about 12 or 14 on YouTube.  Do a search for “Deer Decoy” and “Missouri”, or you can look them up by user name, “MOHunting”.

Warning, the following video may incite judicious fury in the mind of ethical, law-abiding hunters.

Well, I was a bit surprised to find another email from Jessica in my box last night.  Some moxie that girl has, sticking to her guns, but apologizing for her rudeness.  I couldn’t ask for more.  Wish more young folks were like this.

Anyway, I figure I’ll share this one too. 

Phillip,

  I admire the fact that you took the time to write me back, and i am sorry for the harsh email that I sent you. I will admit that I dont know all of the logical information on hunting and I don’t know the numbers of money spent to hunt. Although I do know that hunting is the worst sport that could have ever been tried (at least in my book it is). And I admire the strong facts that you have given me to support your side of the argument. I am writing back in regards to say sorry for being so rude and to ask you one question. I came to your site in order to find the answer to my question which is as follows: ” How is hunting dangerous to people and the environment?” I am doing a school report and was hoping to find a logical answer in your website. Although it did not help me, that is when I read or should I say skimmed through it, and it sort of brought my anger level higher and higher as i skimmed. I ask you if you can possibly help me in being of answering my question above. Please and Thank You.

                                                                                Sincerely,

                                                                                Jessica

P.S. Sorry

And my reply: 

Hi Jessica,

It’s a pleasant surprise to hear from you again. 

No worries on your last email.  You’re a passionate young lady, and it’s obvious you feel strongly about this topic.  I’ve certainly received emails and comments that were much ruder.  At least you had the courtesy to follow up with an apology and explanation.  Hold onto that fiery spirit. 

Now, as to your search… How is hunting dangerous to people and the environment?

That’s gonna be a tough thesis to prove, as the facts and statistics really show that hunting isn’t very dangerous at all.  I mean, sure, anytime you have an endeavor that includes the use of firearms, knives, and archery equipment, you’re going to have an element of physical risk.  These are dangerous tools, and like any dangerous tool, improper use or failure to observe common safety rules can result in some pretty horrendous accidents.  Contrary to most peoples’ assumptions, though, a large percentage of hunting accidents and injuries are not from firearms, but from slipping and/or falling. 

Fortunately, these accidents, or incidents, are statistically very rare.  Comparatively, people are more likely to be injured playing table tennis or swimming than they are while hunting. 

A major reason for the low number of hunting accidents is the fact that all states now require hunters to attend and complete mandatory Hunter Safety Education training before they are allowed to get a license.  While the course varies from state to state, students are taught the proper use and handling of firearms and bows, along with some basic shooting and woodsmanship skills.  Since this requirement has been widely implemented, the number of hunting accidents, particularly firearms related, has dropped significantly.  A little Google research on your part can turn up the specific numbers, if you care to do so. 

As to dangers to the environment, again, there’s not much evidence that supports the argument.  Regulated, sport hunting is generally neutral to positive in regards to environmental impacts.  Now there was a time in the past when there were no laws or regulations, and people didn’t know any better.  Market hunting (hunting game to sell to restaurants and stores, as well as for skins) killed masses of animals and resulted in the near eradication of some species.  It was sport hunters who recognized this, and worked to establish the first hunting seasons and licenses. 

Since then, as I’ve mentioned, many species have recovered and are now thriving.  In fact, as I wrote in my last email, hunters are generally responsible for most of the wildlife restoration and wild lands conservation in this country.  It’s completely arguable that hunting has shown an extremely beneficial impact on the environment, as opposed to being “dangerous”.

I’ll be honest and say that we do occasionally discover negative impacts.  For example, in the mid-70s, biologists discovered a link between lead shotgun pellets and poisoning of waterfowl.  The shot from hunters’ guns was accumulating in the mud of waterways and ponds, and the ducks were ingesting this lead.  As soon as this was identified as a problem, a movement began to remove lead shot from waterfowl habitat, and by the early 1980s, it became illegal in all 50 states and Canada to use lead shot for waterfowl.  Hunters now use non-toxic shot, such as steel or tungsten. 

There’s a similar issue in California and Arizona right now, as scientists have discovered that some condors may be ingesting lead from the carcasses of big game that was shot by hunters.  As a result, new laws are now being passed to require hunters in the condor areas to use non-lead bullets.  This should alleviate that risk, not only to condors, but to other carrion birds as well. 

The only other risk to the environment that might be partially attributed to hunters is damage caused by ATVs to sensitive wildlife habitat.  However, there are many non-hunters riding ATVs in the fields and forests as well, so it would be unfair to separate hunters as the cause of this problem.  Many hunters support stricter regulations on ATV use, both for hunting and recreational purposes. 

I’m afraid I have very little else to offer, Jessica.  Hunting, as it is practiced today, is a very safe sport.  There are accidents, but when you compare the number of accidents with the number of people who are hunting, you’ll find that they are actually not the “norm.”  Newspapers and TV don’t often talk about the safe hunters, since that’s not news.  It’s only news when someone gets hurt or killed, which is why you may hear and read so much about hunting accidents. 

You can learn a lot more about this through a Google search on Hunting Accident Statistics, or on hunting effects on the environment.  Also, take some time to visit the International Hunter Education Association website (http://www.ihea.com).  There’s a lot of good info there, too.  Try those, and read carefully.  I think you’ll come to the same conclusions I’ve presented here.

Good luck on your paper.  I’d love to read it if you care to send it when you’re done.

Be well,

Phillip 

So then, here’s a challenge to you, readers.  I didn’t really have time to do thorough research on statistics and numbers over the years.  I know the trend data is out there, if someone had that info at their fingertips and would be so kind as to reply with links, it would be great for Jessica and anyone else doing this kind of research. 

And here’s another question.  What steps have you taken to be a safe hunter?  Do you do anything special to minimize possible impacts on the environment?