The Hog Blog

In case anyone thinks the rest of the country has lost interest in banning lead ammo, it’s worth a trot around the national newspapers to see what’s being said.  In the interest of following my own advice, that’s exactly what I did… and I have to say, all is NOT quiet on on the front.  Fortunately, at least some of the coverage has been pretty fair.

For example, this piece in the Sublette Examiner (Wyoming) presents the lead issue as it stands today, then examines the arguments for and against a lead ban.  The article concludes with, what I consider, a realistic outlook on the future of lead ammunition. 

Whatever the regulations, sportsmen may soon look back and wonder why they ever harvested game with lead shot because from all appearances, the push to ban lead in sporting good products is well under way.

It might be just a matter of time.

A matter of time, no doubt.

It’s obvious that it’s not all a black and white issue, though.  I dug up this column from the Northwest Arkansas News online.  The columnist, Bryan Hendricks, dissects the issue of lead ammo, starting by questioning the threat that lead bullets may present to humans who eat game.  He reasonably dismisses this one, but then focuses on lead shot. 

Here’s what he has to say:

Shotgun ammo is a different story. The continued use over generations of shotgun ammo in traditional game fields has produced a large concentration of small lead pellets in relatively small areas. Lead pellets in sizes 9, 8, 7 and even 6 are about the size of seeds. Birds eat it and die. Scavengers eat the carcasses, which contaminates them with lead, too. John Schulz did some important research about lead toxicity in doves for the Missouri Department of Conservation, and his report was sobering. Also, South Dakota now prohibits the use of shotgun ammo on its public lands, and Missouri has been debating doing the same for years.

It isn’t reactionary. Consider these numbers from H&H Outfitters, which has run all-youcan-shoot dove hunts near Cordoba, Argentina, for 20 years. Their clients shoot 5.5 million rounds per year, and the average shooter fires 1,250 shots per day. They mostly use 20-gauge shotguns, which means they’re probably using seven-eighthsounce dove loads. That’s more than 4.8 million ounces of lead per year, or 300,781 pounds. Over 20 years, that’s 96.3 million ounces of lead, or 6 million pounds. Multiply those numbers by an eighth to account for the possibility of using 1-ounce dove loads, and for 12-gauge usage. And that’s just from one outfitter.

I guess I’ve been pretty focused on the big game side that I haven’t really followed up on the research regarding small shot.  Looks like I’ll be cracking open some new reports and doing some more reading.  This is compelling stuff. 

It looks like Petersen’s publishing is taking an active notice too, as I saw in this article from Petersen’s Rifle Shooter online.  The article doesn’t really spend any time discussing the pros and cons of the lead ban, which is a refreshing change, but instead simply describes most of the lead-free ammo options that are currently available.  It’s a good source of info, and worth a read if you’re shopping for lead-free. 

And just to peek across the “pond”, it looks like lead shot is going to be banned in Northern Ireland waterfowl marshes.  In this piece from the BBC News, the Department of the Environment will be passing a new law, effective in September. 

The use of lead shotgun pellets in wetland areas in Northern Ireland will be banned from September.

The move is aimed at ending the slow painful deaths experienced by birds such as ducks, geese and swans because of lead poisoning.

More to come, I’m sure, as more states weigh their options and the lead ammo controversy continues to expand.

Hey all you California hunters out there.  This is just a reminder that your applications for big game drawings are due in Sacramento by 17:00 (5:00pm) on June 2.  That means if you get them in the mail TODAY, you should be fine.  Wait too long, and not only will you miss out on your draw-only tag, you won’t get a preference point either.

Tags for drawing include:

• Limited entry mule deer and blacktail hunts
• Tule Elk
• Roosevelt Elk
• Antelope
• Nelson Big Horn Sheep

Don’t procrastinate and miss it!

A while (a very long, while) back, I got an email from a gentleman promoting a new sauce, Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce. 

Based on a family recipe, they’d started bottling this stuff and were turning to the blogosphere to try to get in a little economical marketing.  He wanted to send me a couple of bottles to try out, and maybe I could do a little review on my blog. 

I’m not real big on bottled bbq or steak sauces (I love my hot sauces though).  My late grandfather, a meat-cutter, instilled in me the opinion that if a piece of meat needs sauce that isn’t included in the recipe, then it’s a sign that either the meat or the cook has fallen short.  There’s no better way to insult such a cook than to dump A-1 or Heinz (or, god forbid, ketchup!) on a steak off of his grill. 

Anyway, I figured it was worth a try, and asked if he had a spicy version.  He sent me a bottle of “spicy” sauce and a bottle of the original.   I have to admit that the samples ended up in the back of the cupboard, and pretty much sat there for a while.

I pulled the “spicy” out a while back.  I had some leftover pheasant breast, which can get a little dry, and thought I’d chop it up and mix in a little sauce to make a sandwich.  It actually worked pretty well.  The flavor wasn’t far removed from some other bottled steak sauces I’ve tasted in the past, but it was original enough to hold its own.  It didn’t completely overwhelm the flavor of the roasted pheasant, although of course the sauce was the main thing I tasted.  The only thing lacking was spiciness.  It just wasn’t all that piquant.

In the interest of disclosure, I enjoy stuff like habanero and scotch bonnet pepper sauces, so I understand that hot is a relative thing.  Spicy means something different to me than it does to some other people.  But even so, this sauce was pretty mild.  Even Kat didn’t really feel much burn.

I kept the bottle around and used it over time to make some barbecue sauces and marinades.  I can’t say it would ever be a staple in my kitchen, but it wasn’t bad for a bottled sauce.   When it was gone, I had every intention of doing my review on it, but life intervened and I moved on.

Until last night…

I had a little piece of backstrap laying around from the pig I shot the other day.  I didn’t have the energy to do much with it, so I wrapped it in foil with a couple of onion slices and stuck it in the oven until it started to smell good.  When it was done, I sliced it up and made a couple of sandwiches.  I was poking around in the cabinet looking for something to put on it when I saw the bottle of Country Bob’s Original back in the corner.  Why not?

As much as I was disappointed with the lack of heat in the spicy version, I was really pleased with the flavors of the Original.  Again, like most bottled sauces, it was stronger than the flavors of the meat.  However, I could still taste the pork.  I’d even go so far as to say that the super-simple preparation (just onion and pork) was accented by the sauce.  With a couple slices of cheese and a little Grey Poupon, it was a fine sandwich.  The only thing missing was a cold beer.

To wrap all this up, the bottom line is that despite my generally low opinion of bottled sauces, I have to admit that I kind of liked the Country Bob’s Original All-Purpose Sauce.  It’s a tasty blend of spices, not too sweet or heavy on the vinegar.  For folks who like to pour something on a steak or chicken breast, I think it would be a good choice.

I made a little trip over to Country Bob’s website a little while ago, and it looks like they’ve expanded the line significantly.  You can order sauces online, and you’ll also find recipes.  There’s even a blog!

The sixth annual JHO Pig-o-rama at the Tejon Ranch is now in the history books.  Twenty-nine hunters came together on Friday, May 22nd, for a couple of great days on one of the most beautiful ranches in the state, and did their best to help manage the burgeoning wild pig population. 

When all was said and done, and our last group of hunters came back to camp on the last day, our group had taken 12 hogs, ranging from approximately 225lbs to 5olbs.  It was not our best showing, but by all accounts, even the hunters who came home empty-handed had a great time.

One of the things I always enjoy about this hunt is the opportunity to spend time with new hunters, or at least new hog hunters.  I think I get as much fun out of helping them and watching their excitement as I do out of hunting and killing my own hog.  As often as possible, I try to help out with information and guidance where I can, and usually try to take one or two of the new hunters to some of my “honey holes”.  It’s hard to describe the look in the eyes of the new hunter when he or she has just shot that first wild hog.  For me to play a part in that experience is a very satisfying (and somewhat addictive) feeling. 

With this in mind, on Friday night I took to the field with a new friend, Jack.  Jack had been asking around about a guided hog hunt, and my friend (and semi-annual elk guide) Rick, recommended that Jack give me a call.  I told him I don’t really have any properties of my own to guide, but if he was interested, I’d be glad to recommend another operation, like Native Hunt or Bryson-Hesperia resort. 

As we talked a bit more on the phone, though, I learned that what he really wanted was the opportunity to go out with an experienced hunter and learn more about hog hunting.  I told him about our annual JHO hunt at Tejon, and he locked right onto it.  I offered to help him get started if he joined the fun, and he signed up right away.  Read the rest of this entry »

Before I get to the Tejon hunt stories I want to get this out there. 

A little while back I posted about the condor that was found suffering from lead poisoning.  Further investigation showed that he’d also been shot with a shotgun, and had pellets embedded under his skin.  Turns out, another sick condor, a female, also had shot pellets in her. 

Treatment failed, and the condor died. 

It’s kind of redundant to say it now, because a lot of hunters are also saying it, but I’m still pissed that someone did that stupid crap.  Regardless of our protests, the fact is that because these birds were shot with guns, the general public and the media are going to call the culprits, “hunters.” 

At any rate, the Center for Biological Diversity is now offering a $40,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the offenders.  You can read more about it in this article from the Monterey Herald. 

I’m crossing my fingers that a hunter is the one who claims the reward.

Well, here we go again… sometimes the hunts just seem to keep on coming! 

I’m heading out in a few hours for the beautiful Tejon Ranch for another Jesse’s Hunting and Outdoors annual hog hunt.  Along with about 30 other JHO members, friends, and family, we’ll be hitting the hills in search of the semi-elusive wild hog.  It’s always a great hunt, and generally successful. 

Hopefully, when I come back I’ll have stories, pictures, and maybe some video as well.  If not, at least I’ll be able to get things back on track with this blog.  I know the posts have been a little irregular over the past week and a half.

The events of this past weekend got me thinking about the shot I took on that sow as she was trotting fast up the hill. What did I do right and what did I do wrong?  But I want to preface this entire post with a couple of caveats. 

First of all, running shots present one of the most difficult scenarios that might ever face a hunter… especially a hunter with a scoped rifle.  It’s what is usually referred to as a low-percentage shot, which means your odds of placing a clean hit are pretty low.  As hunters with the ethical responsibility to maximize our odds of making a clean, humane kill, that makes this kind of shot somewhat controversial.  With this in mind, running shots are not the best shot option and should probably be avoided when it’s possible. 

The second caveat is that I want to be clear that I do not condone or recommend running shots for everyone.  If you have never practiced shots at moving targets, a living animal is not the right place to start.  For bowhunters, I absolutely believe the only time you should take a shot at running or trotting game is when the animal is already wounded and you need to do whatever you can to stop it.  This basically transfers over to gun hunters as well, although I think that a gun hunter can become proficient enough to make ethical shots on running game.  And that’s the point… it takes practice and skill, but running shots can be done well.

With this conversation, I recognize there’s room for a huge ethical discussion.  Many people believe that you should never take a running shot, period.  Others (like me) think that, much like long-range shooting, it’s OK under certain conditions (a practiced marksman and a reasonable target presentation).  For now, this is about all I will dedicate to the ethical debate.  We’ll save that for the comments.

I am not an expert marksman, by any stretch of the imagination.  At the same time, I feel that I’m pretty proficient, in large part because I practically grew up with a gun in my hand.  I’ve done a lot of shooting, and a good part of that was on moving targets such as running rabbits and driven deer.  I don’t think I took a standing-still shot on a deer until I was in my mid-twenties.  For hunters with this kind of background, the moving shot is simply another opportunity.  It may not be the optimal choice, but it’s a valid one. 

“OK,” you say.  “That’s fine for you lifelong hunters.  What about the rest of us, or those who grew up in places where we couldn’t shoot whenever we felt like it? ”  Read the rest of this entry »

That’s right folks, boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen, alligators and crocodiles…

The NorCal Cazadora and the HogBlog hit the field this weekend for our first television hunting expedition.  I’m sure that after this, offers will be pouring in from all the major sponsors!  Next thing you know, we’ll have our own show, and be chasing wild pork from Africa to New Zealand! 

Or, maybe not… maybe I’m just a little bit giddy from this weekend’s hunt, my first hunt with TV crew in tow.

What the heck am I rambling about?  Let me back up a couple of weeks.  Read the rest of this entry »

I’m walking a fine line here, although I don’t think I’ll be saying anything I haven’ t said before… but it is becoming increasingly obvious to me that it’s time to rethink this strategy of pushing for bans and restrictions on certain hunting practices based on this idea of “ethics”.  It’s drawing a deeper and deeper division between hunters, and tightening a noose around our collective neck as the definition of “ethical hunting” becomes narrower and narrower.

It’s most recently, and loudly evidenced in the discussion (more like a raving fight) over high fence hunting that began on Albert Rasch’s blog and spilled over onto The Daily Limit blog. 

Here’s the thing… the most consistent argument I’m hearing against things like high fence hunting, baiting, and hound hunting is that it provides fodder for the antis because it makes us look “bad”. 

My argument against that runs a bunch of divergent courses, but here’s the question they all lead back to… if there were no anti-hunting movement, would we even be having these debates? 

Think about that for a moment, if you can or if you will.  Is the perception of our sport by outsiders the biggest driving factor for our ethical arguments? 

If so, what does that really mean about our commitment to ethical behavior?  We only do it when someone is watching? 

Of course we know better than that.  It’s been echoed from Aldo Leopold to Ortega y Gasset, that the thing that defines a hunter is that the only witness to his actions is nature.  The real definition of ethics is what we do when no one is watching, when we have no audience to applaud or deride us.  It’s a personal decision… an individual choice to shoot or hold, waste or conserve, or participate or simply observe.  There is no way to quantify that, nor should we try to do so.

Sport hunting can stand on its own quantifiable and logical merits.  It does no harm, and instead often provides measurable benefits to the resources and habitat.    We can PROVE this.  Any challenge to any practice should be addressed with a simple response.  “What does it hurt?” 

And that is all the public image we should require, because it is the image we embody both publicly and privately.  We don’t eradicate game or non-game species.  We don’t harm the environment.  We don’t put ourselves or other humans at risk.  We make honest attempts to humanely kill our prey, and do so far more often than wild predators.  Added to that are the often unintentional benefits, such as the money raised for conservation and the management of populations. 

Hunting should not be defended based on esoterica and emotion.  Any emotional argument can be countered easily, and justifiably.  Emotions are personal.  Values are individual.  There is no right or wrong at that level.  Why do we let ourselves stake the future of our sport on such a precarious balance? 

Remember.  The root of all opposition (both overt and passive) to hunting is that WE KILL ANIMALS.  The how and why are irrelevant.  We need to embrace that reality.

Now for your saccharine sweet moment of the week, I bring you this tidbit from the Spiegel Online International news about “Manni” the piglet and his new friend, “Candy”, the Jack Russell Terrier. 

According to the article, Manni was found abandoned and starving in a field, and the family brought him in, bottle-fed him back to health, and introduced him to the family dog. 

The family also introduced the perky porker to their Jack Russell terrier Candy. It turned out to be a match made in hog heaven. According to Dahlhaus, “the pair play together every day. They play hide and seek, romp around in the hedges and bushes and just have a lot of fun together.” Apparently Manni, who is now five weeks old, is even figuring out how to communicate with Candy — he’s learning to bark.

Sound crazy?  It’s not, really. 

Most of us know how intelligent pigs are.  They are easy to domesticate, and actually can become very good pets.  We had a sow when I was a kid, and that thing learned to do everything my Lab puppy would do, including retrieving a tennis ball, bringing me a food dish when I called “dinner time”, and swimming with us in the tidal creeks.  Unfortunately for “Petunia”, she became the main course at a fund-raising pig pickin’. 

According to the article, Manni won’t see any such fate.  Although Mr. Dalhaus, the fellow who rescued her is a hunter, he’s guaranteed that Manni will remain a family pet.