Author Topic: A life time challenging the wild boar hog  (Read 3377 times)

Offline harbison

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A life time challenging the wild boar hog
« on: August 19, 2018, 02:26:20 AM »
 What an honor living a lifetime in this Tropical Wonderland we call Florida. To many Southern folks fishing and hunting is not just a pastime, but a way of life. Few today would believe what fishing was like in the early fifties in Tampa Bay. Trout, Mackerel, Redfish, Cobia, and Tarpon fishing defied the imagination. And then there was hunting. Florida was mostly open range. You could hunt almost anywhere. A hot on the trail Beagle's howl was music to the ears:

For hog hunting most consider the Beagle to be too small and too slow. There are many very good breeds that are much bigger, much faster. One of the best is the Redbone hound. The American Kennel Club standard says, "The Redbone mingles handsome look and an even temperament with a confident air and fine hunting talents." The Redbone, one of my favorites, has been registered with the United Kennel Club since 1902. 
My hog hunting career began decades ago at the:

My hound of choice... The Redbone:

The hogs were big, fast, and ever so mean. But, more often than not, they were no match for our Redbones. 
Next up Elk hunting in New Mexico, and deer hunting in the high, snow covered, mountains of Maine. The shots were often very long. My BAR 7mm Magnum was perfect for shooting from one mountain to another. With a good scope shot placement was not a problem. Although the distances were great, the target was still:



Elk and deer hunting in heavy snow were experiences never to be forgotten. Regardless, the challenge of hunting the beast with the nose remained my passion. But where? While visiting in Tennessee I decided to try high fence. Mr. Joe Meeks, Tellico, Tennessee

offered guaranteed hog hunting. Would it be like shooting hogs in a...

After mountain climbing for hours, it was obvious that this was not going to be all that easy. Finally, my extremely powerful  BAR 7mm Mag does its thing:

Back in Florida the 50+ thousand acre Aucilla Wildlife Management Area is considered very good for hog hunting.

It was!  My wife and I hunted Perry, Florida's, Aucilla for ten years. 
Organized hunting clubs offer the serious hunter much better chances for success with less pressure. 
Madison, Florida's, Buck & Boar, was, is, known as one of the best:

And for good reason. The hog and turkey hunting is outstanding. In addition, B&B, due to proper management, is home to an ever increasing deer heard. 
Sights like this are common:


My wife, Thelma, and I were members of Buck & Boar for twenty years. Cancer took her shortly after our last hunt.
The thought of hunting alone was terrifying.
After a couple of years I once again felt the urge, I wanted to pull that trigger. Turning 75 age was catching up with me. I could no longer do things as easily as I once did. Tellico, Tennessee, was a very good experience. Let's try high fence again. Both Aucilla and Buck & Boar are close to Perry, Florida. This quaint little town is a mixture of Florida yesterday & today.

In Perry, differently from most media, publisher Aaron Portwood's News-Herald Taco brings you only the real, worth printing, news. It's my pleasure to consider Mr. Portwood a dear friend, a friend with a daughter he can be very proud of:

 


Offline harbison

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Re: A life time challenging the wild boar hog
« Reply #1 on: August 19, 2018, 02:27:05 AM »
Having raised three daughters I know the joy this wonderful young lady brings to the Portwood family. 
After hunting near Perry for over thirty years I wanted to stay close to home, enter Perry Florida's Two Guys And A Hog:

What a nice, well equipped, little Bunkhouse:


My personal guide, Francisco, saw that I was well taken care of:

In addition to the electric feeder, Francisco covered the ground with corn; feed them and they will come. And boy! Did they ever. Just as Buck & Boar, the smaller pigs came in first, then, hopefully, the larger, more leery, big boys. Let's record the action where we can share with fellow sportsmen/women:

It's almost dark; no trophy size hogs. Hold on! There is a huge shadow approaching ever so slowly. This guy is big, really big. I can hear him sniffing the air for the slightest scent of danger. He is on high alert! I know, from past experience, that, with the slightest movement, my birthday hog will vanish, vanish not to be seen again. Slowly, ever so slowly, I position my 45-70:

With a mighty roar, and the kick of a mule, that 405 grain 45-70 is on its way. Hog down! Hog down & out:



Often I am asked why do you use such a cannon? The answer is simple, I got tired of being chased. True, a 'perfect' behind the ear shot, with even a .22, will kill the largest hog. Problem is, in many real-life hunting situations, differently from the target range, that 'perfect-shot' rarely materializes. The more damage inflected, the better the chance of a quick, humane, kill. The better the chance of not being charged. Never, ever, let anyone tell you a wounded hog will not charge. They will!
I am on cloud nine. Thanks to Ralph, Francisco, and Jeff, I welcomed BIG Birthday # 75 not with just a hog, but, at 290 pounds, the boar of my dreams. It was a total effort, an effort recognized in Perry's Woods'n Water Magazine:

What to do with all that meat? No problem! Perfectly seasoned, no fillers, nothing artificial, whole-hog sausage is as good as it gets. My daughter, Dee, does the grinding; I do the vacuum packing. Sausage for breakfast for months to come:


Want to learn my secrets of making the best country whole-hog sausage, Woods 'n Water still has June, 2016, back issues. Follow my simple steps and you will be amazed at the difference between store-bought and real whole-hog country sausage.

What an honor living a lifetime in this Tropical Wonderland we call Florida. To many Southern folks fishing and hunting is not just a pastime, but a way of life.

check out the short hog hunting video:


Bob Harbison
Florida Outdoor Writers Association


Offline blackfish85

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Re: A life time challenging the wild boar hog
« Reply #2 on: August 22, 2018, 10:03:44 AM »
I've read your post with pleasure, sir! Thanks for sharing your pictures, experience and pure emotions!
« Last Edit: August 22, 2018, 10:04:12 AM by blackfish85 »

Offline fluke - u

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Re: A life time challenging the wild boar hog
« Reply #3 on: August 22, 2018, 11:25:11 AM »
 t^ .... Nice read Bob ....  chrz
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Offline harbison

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Re: A life time challenging the wild boar hog
« Reply #4 on: August 27, 2018, 09:44:00 PM »
Thanks guys. Be sure to read my latest fishing report... Huge Florida Sportsman 44 hour full moon catch.

 

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