Hunting the Florida wild boar hog with Ralph

[harbison]

 clpHunting the Florida wild boar hog with Ralph
  
As the weather starts to cool even the slightest bit, one things comes to mind, hunting. We in the sunshine state are so fortunate to have excellent hunting available from one end of our state to the other. Turkey, both Osceloa and Eastern, provide the serious turkey hunter with opportunities for real trophies. In addition, we have a large, healthy, deer heard. Who could ask for anything more? Well! how about hogs? How about the Florida wild boar. The Florida wild boar, recognized as one of the smartest animals in the woods, is equipped with huge cutters, an un-equaled nose, and comes with an attitude, all bad. This monster, this beast, is a master of survival. It it were not for one little weakness, his stomach, the Florida wild boar would be most difficult to see, more less harvest. The answer, corn, yellow gold. Hogs can smell corn from hundreds of yards and come running.
Is that Marlin 45/70 stainless guide gun ready? How about that Nikon 3X9 scope? One good way to find out. Let's visit Fritz Casper owner of Tampa's newest, most modern, indoor pistol/rifle range, Florida Firearms Academy:

The Marlin is ready, so are we.

OK! Let's go hog hunting. But where? Well! Tiger Island Outfitters is a very good start. But first things first. After all hogs are not the only thing in the woods that gets hungry. Nothing really beats a real country store. Our trip would not be complete without a quick stop at Hershel's.

Think I will have a good old Southern hamburger:

Man! was that ever good. OK! off to Crichton & Tracey's Tiger Island Outfitters.
Today we will be hunting with Ralph, a wounded warrior, a true American hero. Ralph lost both legs defending our freedom. We could never come close to paying this man what we owe him. We are FREE because of men like Ralph.
Ralph's believes in one shot, one kill. His weapon of choice, a 50 caliber no nonsense put them on the ground cannon.

Check out my cute little home away from home:

What choices. Man! Do they ever come to that corn. Think I will wait for a real trophy. The really big boys are much harder to harvest.


Think I will set up my video camera:

Hold on! Ralph has more than earned first shot. Did I just hear a blast? What an explosion!  Ralph has unleashed the 50. Look at that boar. Our guides, Joey (middle) and Kevin, congratulate Ralph on a job well done, very well done. Bet his shoulder still hurts.
Great good old Southern hospitality, outstanding  food, and the trophy Florida wild boar.  Hunting the Florida wild boar hog with Ralph has been quite an experience, an epic adventure to remember. We will be back.
Check out the video of our hunt. See the 50 in action:  
 Click on teh link:

 
Bob Harbison   Native Florida Sportsman
                           Florida Outdoor Writers Association
 

[overbite]

I guess it a southern thing.
Thank the vet for me.
And if he ever gets a notion to Hunt New Jersey hes My guest.

Pigs, 50 Cal. Blind. Bill

[harbison]

    Don't really know how far North the wild boar roams. Maybe someone on here can tell us.

I will pass your kind words on to Ralph. This American hero was shot in the arm. His left arm was all but destroyed. He demanded to go back & fight form his Country. Lost both of his legs. Ralph loves to hunt. He is making the very best of a terrable situation.

[fluke - u]

 ..nice

[overbite]

This is all In Jeast Southern Hunting 50 Cal. For Pigs.
I will be setting up for North Jersey Mountain Rabbits soon. as soon as the Clay-More bombs arrive
I have the pit traps being dug as I speak. and a reinforced Blind being built. High in a tree with a pull up Ladder. But my choice of weapon has not been made yet, maybe a 22 Cal Short. or like the photo. you never know.

[harbison]

   Great post!   Thank U sir.  I want a gun like that.   Just wait until I tell Ralph he  was underpowered. After all, his hog ran.

 
Humor among friends, among real sportsmen/women, is needed not only on this forum, but all.  Man! Have I ever learned respect for the peoples of NJ.  Bob

[overbite]

Bob said as a true sportsmen something some NJ and northern sportsmen Lack. Your post comes on the heels of some ridiculous reality shows of the Southern hunting and many other subjects, Plus many other reality shows that show people at their worst. Makes one wonder where its all going.
One example that gets me Is Hunting on a Managed Ranch with selective deer breeding and feeding program with growth hormones planted feed lots and steroids then mount a hunt in a elevated blind on a road clearing. after the harvest posing proudly with a Buck with huge antlers and claiming a Boone and Crockett record.  That should not count period.
sorry for the rant Bill 

[harbison]

Sir, I agree with you. Many of us in the South look differently on hogs than we do deer. Hunt hog at night, in a high fenced area, over electric corn feeders? No problem! Deer, NO way!
Any deer harvested from a selective breeding and feeding program is not a wild deer and indeed "should not count period."
The hogs we hunt at Tiger Island are completely wild. No hormones or anything else artificial. Most are trapped in the swamps of Florida. They are wild & mean.  Thanks for posting.   Bob

[overbite]

Enjoyed talking Bob,  Enjoy your Hunting and Fishing to. Just to used to Old school 12 ga 00 and Traditional 50 cal. Black Powder round ball and cap. New Jersey Hunting. Scouting during small game and standing and posting for deer.
Don't Care for what Black powder has evolved to in New Jersey. Pennsylvania has the right way true Black powder apply. New Jersey its about Money, Fees, permits. with all the ways and permits in NJ one could harvest 20 or more deer a year. My personal best was 12 donated 10 and not thou their program again they want Butchering fees if you donate. I donated wrapped cuts to many people. what is the harvest limit down there some states I hear are open season. Bill

[harbison]

Thank you sir. You sound like a real sportsman. Unfortunately money dominates everything, not just NJ, but all over. 
Florida deer limits:
During Archery Season and first phase of Crossbow Season, daily bag limit is:
 
2 antlered deer
or
1 antlered deer and
1 antlerless deer
or
2 antlerless deer.
 
 
 
During Antlerless Deer Season (Nov. 17-23 in zones A and C; Dec. 26 – Jan. 1 in zones B and D), daily bag limit is:
 
2 antlered deer
or
1 antlered deer and
1 antlerless deer.
 
 
 
During all other seasons (including second phase of Crossbow Season), daily bag limit is
 
2 antlered deer,
and antlerless deer
may be taken by
antlerless deer permit only.
 
 
 Possession limit: 4 deer

[overbite]

And Thank you Sir, as we share many of the details of a hunt, There are many things that are very different between Flordia and New Jersey. For one the weather and terrain. Let alone the habits of the Game and types available. ( AS ) Some years ago NJ had no deer. they were gone, It took many years and hunter funding to bring them back to where they are today. They brought them in from PA-NY-VA. To the record Numbers we have today. Not to leave out The Black Bears & Turkeys that have also grown in recent years. NJ once Allowed Black Bears to be harvested. then closed it. And today have reopened it with the success of a harvest in the 100s. Estimated POP. 3000 + or - they drop Twins and trips with success even with a lack of natural habitat. They have become Urbanized some what. And the same with Turkeys from a Few to a explosion thanks to a Federation of sportsmen that introduced them not to many years ago. they put them where they thought they would survive, But they to became urbanized and Citified. they are in 90% of NJ. Like the Black Bear. reported in most every county in NJ.
Then there is The Canada Goose they have become a big problem with the explosion of flocks Now Native year round  and non Native. Got to the point of a round up and gassing them buy the 1000. and dumping same, to control them BS. What a waste. farmers in NJ also can get permits for a Kill and dump to control the deer doing damage to their crops,Again BS.
I assume you have been a hunter for many years As I have i hunted with 4 generations in my Family for 60 some years. and have seen it all. I was taught conservation and respect for all wild things. I have hunted with Bow-Shotgun-Black Powder. and trapping.
I have a record Deer in NJ scoring  142 4/8 typical
just shy of Boone a Crockett scoring . Photo is My Dad and me with same. Harvested many deer and small game over the years all In NJ. Never had the need to hunt out of state.
Now where I live in Marlboro Nj Central some say south Jersey. I have a lot of wild life in my back yard that was never there in the numbers in the past. Turkeys from 8 -16 in a flock at times to many deer mostly Fall winter and very early spring, 3 nice looking bucks also. Fox- Quail have thinned with Coyotes being reported in the area. Photos show how comfortable the deer have become in my yard.
But no wild pigs as yet. one never knows.  
Bob these photos of the deer are last year/ Left click to enlarge. Bill  

[overbite]

Bob you also said how far do they rang in the USA/
Goggle ( wild pig range usa ) there are links to much information.
 Wild Pigs -Hogs-Boars what ever. Bill