Smoked Hams in the works

[wmidbrook]

Shot a smaller boar down in the Parkfield area on a ranch near barley fields. Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera so just have the "once I got home pic" which is nothing to boast about. Nonetheless, had a great trip. Saw roughly 60 hogs over the course of a couple days--most were piglets. Saw a sow with 13 piglets which is an all-time largest litter I've seen. I saw probably 5 200 lb class hogs that I was not able to get into close enough range of.

I picked off this boar from a group of roughly 15. It was running with 3 sows and about 10 older piglets that were about fully weaned. I waited until they trotted past me and were slightly quartering away before squeezing off a round from a sitting position hoping to push them to another group of hunters about a mile up a draw.

Skinned and delivered to the butcher, it weighed about 70 lbs. Probably about 110 or 120 lbs on the hoof. Perfect eatin' size:

 

[Cal hunter]

Thats going to be some good eats congrats

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

Wmidbrook,

Congrat's on the hog. What ranch did you hunt? I am lucky enough to hunt a ranch on the south side of town. Havent been in about 9 months up to Parkfield, but I enjoy gettin up there. I owe Mr. Superduty a trip up there, so hopefully after the Tejon trip. Parkfield is truly an awesome place. I need a trip up tp the Cafe and get me a steak, boy oh boy...Cant do better than the Parkfield steaks.........

 

[Rancho Loco]

Oh yeah that will be gooood eating.

This wet winter and spring has sure made some healthy hogs.

 

[DILPRXO]

Outfreakinstanding! Congrats on the hog

Smoked ham..what times dinner?

 

[wmidbrook]

I saw 2 200 lb'ers just about half a mile south of town on my way in for a steak. I kinda coyote'd out in camp and ate a few hot meals @ the Inn. The Parkfield Inn does have decent eats alright. I was about 3-4 miles south of town.

Don't know if the hams will be worth the drive that far north but you'd be welcome any time the ham's on.

Fegunde's in Manteca started smoking game again.

I'm really looking forward to trying it out since their meats, marinades and such are to die for.

 

[gnn961]

Congrats on the success. Just nice to even see them in the wild, more so bagging one. By any chance was that the VanHorn property???

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

By any chance was that the VanHorn property???[/b]

gnn961,

You know Gloria & Martin?

 

[gnn961]

I've been there once but have been trying to make it back there again. Really enjoyed Martin's tales and Gloria is one fiesty lady, kinda hard to get a straight answer from her. Nice people though...

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Really enjoyed Martin's tales and Gloria is one fiesty lady, kinda hard to get a straight answer from her. Nice people though...[/b]

Oh you dont have to tell me...

Did you get a pig? Did you hunt the property on the hill or her property behind her house? Last time I was there I did a lot of work on the bunkhouse, I didnt get to hunt much. Wait till Martin starts taking off his shirt and tellin you stories how he chased hogs in pig tunnels and the results are forever shown on his torso.

 

[grtwythunter]

Way to go midbrook. I had my boar hams done last year. One hickory, one sugar cured. Good stuff!

Scott

 

[wmidbrook]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

By any chance was that the VanHorn property???[/b]

No, further out from Parkfield than the Van Horn's.

 

[larrysogla]

Is hog hunting on the Van Horn property guaranteed to harvest or at least a decent shot at a hog???? Seems I remember from other previous posts that it is not guaranteed. Wonder how much the Van Horns charge now for that non-guaranteed hog hunt????

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Is hog hunting on the Van Horn property guaranteed to harvest or at least a decent shot at a hog???? Seems I remember from other previous posts that it is not guaranteed. Wonder how much the Van Horns charge now for that non-guaranteed hog hunt???? [/b]

Larry,

No its not. Its a do it yourself hunt. $225 (2 1/2 Day hunt) If your really looking for a good hunt. Flop down $1000 for the whole season and you can hunt the Varian Ranch 7 months out of the year and take 2 hogs of off the property. Also you can hunt all the upland and varmits and camping is also included. Its a great deal and you have access to all 10,000 acres. If your interested let me know and I'll put you in contact with John.

 

[wmidbrook]

Kyle from Boaring Experiences had the lease on the ranch I hunted but still has both ranches on the sides of the ranch I was on.

Also in camp were 4 guys who hunted with Kyle off/on since '87 with about a 95% success rate--when they didn't get their pigs, it wasn't because they didn't have a shot opportunity.

$1,000 doesn't sound like a bad deal for a shot at 2 pigs if they're quality boars in a 250+ lb class. Like I said, I saw a whole buncha meat pigs and not any 200+ lb boars (or sows for that matter). That's not to say I wouldn't see one there over the course of hunting it more.

I still think there are more reasonable ways to get into meat pigs....but, maybe not with Tejon having raised prices and such.

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

Wmidbrook,

Did you pay a trespass fee to hunt? or do you know the landowner and he lets you hunt his place? Just curious. Kyler is one heck of a guide, works his tail off and will get you on quality hogs. One thing about parkfield I have noticied. I have seen more smaller meats pigs around parkfield than big trophy pigs. I always see bigger pigs when I head off to King City or San Ardo. I have seen some big boys come out of parkfield, but on the average its usually smaller meat hogs. Dont get me wrong, I enjoy those smaller meat pigs, they sure do taste real good.

HH714

 

[wmidbrook]

There are clubs out there that you can join or form. Bottom-line is having the hunting lease and access to it whether via an outfitter, club or otherwise.

The other way, is via friends of course. Which I suppose is another form of a club. Anyway, I've got a place to go these days (finally) and I'm happy about it.

I lost access to a great spot in Colusa county that had tremendous hunting almost 2 years ago now. Ditto for a 4,000 acre ranch near Patterson that got bought up by "friends of the giant golf complex" over the ridge. I just prefer not to talk about it much more.

Anyway, you're well connected and have lots of places to go. So, best of luck to you

 

[gnn961]

HH714 we hunted the property across the river bed up on the hill. Saw alot of sign but no piggies. Even though we didn't see any I still enjoyed hunting there. I'm sorry we didn't try the dinner in Parkfield, didn't know it was that good until readind about it on Jesses. Had a beer there waiting for 1 pm on friday didn't want to be too early. Like to go there again sometime.

 

[Speckmisser]

Way to go, Bill. Sounds like you're onto a real good thing!

 

[BigDog]

Congrats Bill! We will be looking forward to taste testing that for you....lol

I hope to get time to go out and get one of my own soon.