What is the best private hunting ranch for hogs?

[firefighter911]

I really like hunting hogs and i wanted to know what is a good guide or place to hunt them?I have been researching and the BRYSON HESPARIA RESORT is pretty good. it has a pretty cheap semi-guided hog hunt. If you know of a place that would be great to know.

thanks

 

[THE ROMAN ARCHER]

Firefighter911 welcome to JHO and our hunting forum, are you looking for a bow or gun hunt?.........tra

 

[MGGS]

Golden West Guide Service is a good ranch lots of hogs. The ranches are not over hunted.

 

[firefighter911]

Ok the roman archer i use a gun.

 

[THE ROMAN ARCHER]

thanks for the reply, there have been some succesfull members who have gun hunted Bryson for wild pigs here on this forum who find it to be a good place with some good people that would help you out with some good hunting from what i have read and heard. have a great day.............tra

 

[weekender21]

If you do a search on this site you'll come up with several previous discussions on this topic. I HIGHLY recommend Pancho Rico Ranch in southern Monterey county. David and Kathy Rossi, own and operate this 6,000 acre cattle ranch and offer hog hunts on the weekend. They are two of the finest Americans I have ever met and have a ton of hogs too. They are usually booked pretty far in advance but you never know. Give them a call.

Andy
Pancho Rico Creek Ranch - Guide Service

 

[myfriendis410]

We were just up at Bryson for the FHL Bull hunt and talked to Deedy at length about her hogs. They are overrun with them as the normal cereal crops down low have not been put in this year and there is a big acorn mast driving the hogs up into the hills. If you haven't hunted hogs before, a fully guided operation would probably be a better idea than the semi guided option.

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

FireFighter911,

When booking a hog hunt you have to consider a lot of factors. What kind of hunt are you looking for? Spot & Stalk, Using Dogs, Rifle/Bow, Fully Guided or Semi Guided? California has a lot of outfitters who are running hog hunts these days. My best advice to you is do your "homework". "Most" outfitters are generally good guides and won't screw you on your hunt. The best advice I can offer you as a fellow hoghunter is stay away from Trophy Fees. California has WAY to many guides in business who do not charge a trophy fee. I have my personal feelings about trophy fees and how guides try to tax this on to your hunt. I will leave it at that. When you call these guides, make sure you ask a lot of questions. You want to get a feel how your hunt will run and how your guide hunts pigs. I have attached a copy of California Hog Hunter. Click on teh site and look for the "Guide List". That should get you started. A Lot of quality CA DFG "Licensed" Guides are included on that list. GoodLuck and let us know who you end up booking with. :hog chewing: :archer green:

http://www.outdoornewsservice.com/hogs/hog%20index.html


HogHunter714

 

[weekender21]

I will have to respectfully disagree with hoghunter714 with regards to ignoring the outfitters that charge trophy fees for guided hog hunts.
A large number of ranches in CA charge trophy fees for boars that have teeth 2" or larger. There are clients that are only looking for large boars, "trophy pigs". It makes it much harder to guide these clients to a successful hunt if other hunters that just want to shoot any hog are killing the really big ones.
If you communicate with your guide about the kind of hog you're looking for then it's really a non issue. I've killed several large boars and for me, I'd rather kill a 200lb dry sow than any other hog.
Most ranches have plenty of these "meat hogs" and it will typically not be a problem to put you within shooting range of one of them.
Additionally, some ranches that charge trophy fees are less expensive then others that do not.
Just my .02

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

I will have to respectfully disagree with hoghunter714 with regards to ignoring the outfitters that charge trophy fees for guided hog hunts.
A large number of ranches in CA charge trophy fees for boars that have teeth 2" or larger. There are clients that are only looking for large boars, "trophy pigs". It makes it much harder to guide these clients to a successful hunt if other hunters that just want to shoot any hog are killing the really big ones.
If you communicate with your guide about the kind of hog you're looking for then it's really a non issue. I've killed several large boars and for me, I'd rather kill a 200lb dry sow than any other hog.
Most ranches have plenty of these "meat hogs" and it will typically not be a problem to put you within shooting range of one of them.
Additionally, some ranches that charge trophy fees are less expensive then others that do not.
Just my .02

I totally understand where you are coming from weekender21. I 100% agree with you that it is much harder to find a "Trophy Hog" than a meat pig. I know a handful of quality guides in Central and Nor Cal that "do not" charge a "Trophy Fee" that will guide you for that "Trophy Hog" you are lookin for. They will let you pass on plenty of meat pigs in search of your big wall hanger. If you don't pull the trigger/connect come Sunday at dusk, it's on you. Again, I respect your input, just simply stating what my experience has been with ranches I routinely hunt.

I have heard of WAY to many horror stories of guys getting in arguements with guides on weather the pig they shot was "Considered" a trophy or not. (Tusk Length, Weight, Etc). I would just ask my guide upfront, if he charges a trophy fee or not.
<o></o>
<o></o>

 

[weekender21]

I concur, communication with the guide up front is always important. I've only hunted hogs on two separate private land spots, I prefer public land.

One of the outfitters I would recommend to any new hunter or advanced hunter 12-100, the other I don't even mention. It's certainly hit and mis and there are way too many great guides in CA to hunt with a crappy one!

 

[Rick]

I would make sure that the understanding of "Is that a trophy pig or not" was clear before pulling the trigger, as I am not interested in a trophy hog any more, having shot many of them. If the guide, knowing that I do not want a trophy, says "Shoot," and I do - I would not pay the extra fee. In fact, I would have that conversation before booking the hunt.

 

[weekender21]

I would make sure that the understanding of "Is that a trophy pig or not" was clear before pulling the trigger, as I am not interested in a trophy hog any more, having shot many of them. If the guide, knowing that I do not want a trophy, says "Shoot," and I do - I would not pay the extra fee. In fact, I would have that conversation before booking the hunt.

couldn't agree more!