A hog hunting pilgrimage to Texas.

[leftyhunter]

I was reading the thread on "Are Cal pig hunts to high" and we could go all day on it but at the end of the day we need a solution. Even though I maybe politically left of most of the JHO'ers I have owned a business and I have to agree with Chooper and the rest of the land owners that it costs money to provide hunting opportunities.

That being said would it be cheaper in terms of harvesting a lot of pig meat for a caravan of JHO'ers driving say a van with a trailer to drive say 1200 to 1500 miles to reach a ranch in prime Texas hog country and then hunting said property after negotiating a "fair" price that the JHO'ers could live with ,harvest said pigs butcher them prior to leaving, put them in a cooler with dry ice, and then trek home? We need a JHO'er with a large brain and a Phd in mathematics or failing that a lot of JHO'ers with medium size brains who could work together to see if the costs of renting said van with a trailer and negotiating a price with a Texas ranch owner be less the then cost of a guided hunt in Calif.

This is no doubt a huge mental undertaking but if the numbers work it would be worth it for wild pig meat is um umn good.

Leftyhunter

 

[Speckmisser]

If you can find the right hunt in TX, you can definitely do better economically. Hog hunts there are priced differently, and the attitude toward treating them as vermin rather than big game animals is more widespread.

However, your best bet is to have someone doing some groundwork for you first. Many places advertise "unlimited" hogs, or "all you can kill", but when you get there and find that the hunting grounds have been scraped bare by previous hunters and you're lucky to scratch out one or two pigs... then the value isn't quite what it could have been.

The other catch is, for many people, the value isn't just in the killing of hogs, but in the quality of the hunt. I'm not knocking Texas, or Texas-styled hunts, but stands, blinds, and feeders aren't for everyone. And it's hard to beat the quality of a hunt in prime, CA habitat for sheer outdoors experience. That's what a lot of folks are looking for in a hunt...not just a bunch of dead pigs.

With some homework and planning, a TX hunt can be a better deal, and it's something worth considering.

 

[sancho]

shhh...dont tell my boss. but i am stealing time away to hunt texas on the 23 of this month. he thinks i am going to a wedding.

anyways, i got a cheap air tix, and the hunt itself is $100 per day. cabin, kitchen BYOfood, bbq pit, the works. i plan on doing some quick butchering, and then freeze the stuff overnight. i will bring an ice chest, pay the $50 for the extra luggage, and bring the booty home.

then the in march, i am off to choppers!!! i am obsessed.

 

[leftyhunter]

Sancho please let us know how your top-secret hog adventure go's. If it works out maybe you have found the Golden Vale of hog hunting. Flying is a definate alternative to driving to Texas!


I agree with your points Spec. The problem is for hunters with limited time and budget baiting is the most practical way to harvest a pig especialy due to the fact that Texas ranch's can be very large and have a lot of thick brush. If a group of hunting partners pays for a guide then they could have a fair chase hunt with the possibility of using horses. I will do some research and try to post some results on group rates. Any help or input would be welcome.

Leftyhunter

 

[bpnclark]

I’m headed for TX in Feb for a Javelina/“Unlimited Hog” hunt. My reason for going is to get 2 Javelinas. My friend wants a couple of hogs. I have shot my number of hogs and I think I’m done hunting them, but I’m working on my “pig slam” and need a couple of different species.

We will be hunting on a Whitetail ranch. After talking to the guide it sounds like most of the hunters that go there, are not interested in hunting hogs. I know if I booked a Whitetail hunt (for a couple of thousand dollars) the last thing I would do is spend my time hunting pigs.

I think the only way to make an unlimited hog hunt work out to be cheaper is to shoot 6 hogs. The guide told me the way people do it, is they bring a cargo trailer with a freezer. They plug it in when they get there and start filling it up. Not a bad idea but there is no way I’m spending 26 hrs driving to TX.

I have never hunted in TX and can’t wait to see what it’s all about.

 

[Speckmisser]

Lefty, like I said, I'm not knocking Texas hunting or baiting. I came to CA from North Carolina where baiting and hound hunting are both legal and prevalent. If you've ever hunted a "pocosin", you'd know why they do it. I've done it before and I'll do it again.

I will be in TX in March to shoot hogs and exotics... and for the price, it's a pretty danged good deal. Add in airfare, and I should be able to do the weekend with multiple hogs (if the hogs are there), a couple of axis deer (does), and lodging for under $1k. If I didn't want the exotics, the price can drop even more.

By the way, Sancho... make sure you check with you carrier regarding overweight and extra bags. It ended up costing me pretty good to bring home the meat from an axis and a blackbuck, because I not only had over the limit on luggage, the weight allowance hits pretty good too.

It's a very doable hunt, and you are barking up the right tree if you're looking for a good deal on a hog hunt. Just do your research. If you fly, you can get there faster and cheaper, but getting home with the spoils may increase the cost significantly...especially if you're after more than one or two animals. If you drive, that's about 24-26 hours on the road, with fuel and food. I don't know what your time is worth, but unless you love road-tripping (I do), that's a heck of a haul to hunt a hog.

 

[leftyhunter]

I just did some research and I will PM Jesse to see if I can post the results. I would be interested in the various hunts with your respective outfitters to see if that might be the way to go. Has far has flying back the meat check with DHL that might be more economical then shipping the meat back on the same airline that your going back home on. If one is a true hog hunding adict then it pays to live in Texas unless one has family connections to a ranch with hogs in Cal.

Leftyhunter

 

[rwlittle]

I have to agree with Speck. The beauty of California (oaks, rolling hills, poison oak) can not be beat (except for tha poison oak part). However, I would be willing to give Texas a try. I have seen some pretty good hunts on the boob-tube. If you guys get something rolling, count me in!!

 

[sancho]

i have it alittle bit different. my bro lives in el paso, and that is where i will fly into. then we are going to drive in his truck to the area, south of san antonio. if i have to, i can ship my hunting clothing home in a box, and check in a smaller ice chest with the frozen meat. (along with my bowcase)

he scored two hogs last time, and really wanted me to go. hench my "little trip". me, i think all the various terrain we hunt is beautiful. the texas hill country is wonderful. i can say the same about the arizona desert, and new mexico's forests. i just love being out. bonus..i get to hunt with my favorite partner, my brother.

 

[Speckmisser]

Hill country IS beautiful... again, don't get me wrong about TX. I think it's an awesome place to hunt.

Lefty, you can post up whatever you're finding in your research ... the whole point of this site is to share information.

Of course, if we find out you're actually fronting for an outfitter... well then it's fifty lashes with a wet noodle.

 

[leftyhunter]

Thanks Spec,

I did some research and by no means have I have done an exhaustive in depth report but at least I can present a thumbnail sketch. I spoke to the owner of Don Plumas Ranch which is 30 miles west of Abline which is served by American Eagle Airlines. Up to 6 hunters can reserve a 1800 acre ranch and a bunk house with a full kitchen and dish washer or purchase meals at $50 a day per person. A hunt has a two day minimum and its $100 a day for archery vs $125 for a fire arm hunt. Hogs are hunted over feeders and average 80 to 100lps. A 100lps hog will yield 40lps of meat. There are no group discount



MY Ranch is 100 miles north of Huston and 145 miles south of Dallas. Cost is $95 a day plus $15 if the pig is over 175 lps. Lodging is up to 9 people I think its $165 a day for lodging.

North American Outfitters represents many ranch's in Texas and else where, If you order now on the web before Jan 31 there is a special for $399 which gets you 2 hogs any size, two bobcats and two coyotes. OR $190 a day with a guide includes meals and lodging hogs between200 to 600lps will incur a trophy fee of 600 to 1,200 dollars or more if over 600lps however no trophy fee if dogs are not used. The outfitter provides dogs because NA Outfitters says that the big hogs live in heavy brush and dogs are the only way to flush them out. The ranch's are with in 150 miles of either Abiline, San Antonio or Austin.

No doubt there are more ranch's and I will see what I can do to contact a few more. A tourist hunting license good for hunting non-native game and is only $45 and can be purchased at any Texas wal-Mart and there are plenty of Wallyworlds in the Lonestar State. of course more contributions are welcome.

Leftyhunter

 

[Speckmisser]

Keep an eye out any time you see folks talking about 400-600lb pigs. I'm not saying ferals never grow that big, because anything is possible... but when an outfit is saying you may be shooting these monsters, someone is likely to turn out a handful of hampshires or something.

Not to cast aspersion on North American Outfitters, because this is the first I've heard of them, but check references... especially references who came home empty-handed. And check several. Listen close to what they're saying. If ANY flags go up, bail out. There are other outfitters. Nothing would suck worse than going all the way to TX for a "better deal" and getting screwed by shady outfitters.

You're a smart guy, Lefty, and I'm not trying to preach at you like you're not... but folks in TX have made big business out of hunting, and they know there are a lot of rubes coming from all over the country to "git sum" of the bounty that state has to offer. Pigs are about the easiest thing they could put you on, especially with the liberal hunting and wildlife regulations in TX. The field is ripe for the harvest of los cazadores touristos.

 

[leftyhunter]

Good advice! I am still going to do some research. I know Texas has more pigs then any other state but your right I have to find an honest outfitter so I might have to pay a bit more. I will check with Border Bandit since he does advertise on JHO. I will get back with more research but any other contributions are most welcome.

Thanks;
Leftyhunter

 

[sancho]

first day back at work today! had a great trip. traveled and hunted with 10 law enforcement guys. i pretty much made it impossible for me to get a speeding ticket in west texas. i got some names i can drop

oh, i got TWO pigs. embarrassingly enough my parents mentioned that a small pig that they could roast whole would be really cool. so i shot a little guy. now if you know law enforcement guys, you know that i got a rash of schit. it was amazing the ribbing i got. i then arrowed a (approx) 80lb sow. i saw 30+pigs, but i got my two critter limit, and i just observed them from then on. my 100gr slicktricks shut the two i shot right off. short distance recoveries. which was a good thing. we were on hands and knees crawling thru the bushes. gutting them, it was like they were rifle shot. my arrows did a number on them. out of our group, three of us got 2 each, and one guy got one. for a total of seven. (it was 50/50, bow/rifle hunters) the rest got skunk city. we hunted from stands, over corn-flingers. not really my style of hunting, but it wasnt easy. at all. those things are wily, and we needed to hike the miles into and out of the stands in darkness to not alert them. i cant say, i would go back. i like hiking and glassing. but trying to keep your cool when a small band of hogs start creeping in is not easy. the first one, i was rattled. i had a hard time nocking the arrow. still fun, and we got lots of pork meat to share with the group.

this was on the walker ranch. one hour from san antonio, in ulvalde, tx. $100 per day, for a two day minimium. hot showers, (that smelled like a hot spring), and a full kitchen to DIY cook. walk in cooler, chest freezers, butchering room with meat bandsaw.....lots of huge unhuntable whitetails, some escapee exotics from neighboring ranches....

sorry for the rant. texas is cool

 

[Speckmisser]

Glad to hear you had a blast, Sancho! Definitely sounds like fun... and it's got me drooling for my March trip to TX.

 

[bpnclark]

Congrats on a good hunt

 

[sancho]

this is basically the second animal i ever killed with my new bow. my dry streak may be coming to an end!

 

[sancho]

opps, double post.

 

[leftyhunter]

Hi Sancho I am glad you got two small porkers for the barbie. I wonder why the other guys in your group didn't get any even though they had firearms/ In theory it should have been easy to hunt them over feeders but I guess not.

Thanks;
Leftyhunter

 

[sancho]

i arrowed one pig early. i pulled her into the shade and waited till somebody could come help me haul her out. this gave me the opp to sit and watch them. believe it or not, new groups came in, sniffed the dead one, and move on in. it was unbelievable. i think i counted 30. i could have shot way better pigs if i had waited. but you know, "bird in the hand is worth...............". the dead pig i dragged was in a shady ravine. they used this ravine to come in. this cause some animal to skirt around, and come about 10 feet from my stand. (i climbed back in). the neatest thing i saw was; the big boars are smart. they would growl all the way in. i hear them before seeing them. those things would let the sows and young pigs move in to eat first! this one medium sized brown critter just moved about at 100 yards while his traveling group of 5 sows ate. he never came in. i still had alot of daylight, so i climbed out of the stand, and checked the wind. i nestled into a bush along the travel way, and i let them walk on by. i would hunt them from the ground if there is a next time. way more exciting being at eye level with them. my bro who got skunked told me over the radio to arrow one of his pigs, but it didnt feel right.

i dont understand why the rifle guys didnt massecre them. i ranged the feeders, and most ranges were less than 80 yards.