Hogs ... 11/29 and 12/1

I never did understand why anybody would use a modern inline, unless they are just trying to extend their season and are unwilling to learn the skills required to hunt with the kinds of muzzeloaders that those seasons were intended for. Many of the modern inlines will shoot accurately at more than 300 yards. With that kind of performance I've often wondered why states would even bother with a separate muzzle loader season. Give me my Ohio Style or Hawken any day. BTW sorry for the thread-jack! 

    Del Gue: Ain't that Hatchet Jack's rifle?
    Jeremiah Johnson: Yep. Found him froze to a tree.
    Del Gue: Damn! He was a wild one, old Hatchet Jack. He was livin' two year in a cave up on the Musselshell with a female panther. She never did get used to him.

Sweet!!!!

Nice Eric,
I can't stand those things and wish more people hunted them.  Those things rip up the soil on the banks along a number of creeks that I work on.  As far as I'm concerned there should be no limit to how many you can take.

Yeah, the land back there looked like someone went wild with a roto-tiller and had been at it for a long time. 

There is no limit, but the need to be tagged and the tags ain't cheap any more... friggin California.  You used to be able to buy 5 tags for like $7.50.  Now it's $15 for one tag (plus license agent fee, making it like $17.50). 

I can imagine their impact causes quite a bit more turbidity in the lakes and rivers than would normally be expected.

I just picked up 30# of sausage from Martindale's... 1/2 italian sausage and 1/2 country breakfast sausage.  Yummy stuff. 

EK

Before the 5 for $7.50 used to be no tags just the hunting license.

Great Pictures,  Made me break out the savage .308 and dust it off.  It's been a while since I have shot it, but may go to the range and sight it in.

Hmmm, bunch of topics here. First one I remember is a question on caliber. The caliber is really not the most important point though. Bullet placement is. I know lots of guys who are killing lots of pigs each year using .243s. But, they are making heart shots. You can hit a big bruiser boar head on in the chest with a .308 or even an '06 and you might never find him. Either it won't penetrate his body armor or it will but not enough to kill him out right.

Tags, yes, each has to be tagged and they are not as cheap as they used to be. The smart way to go, in my oh so humble opinion, is to buy a lifetime license. That way, you automatically get 5 pig tags with you license each year.

Property, well, here is a chance for me to get in a plug. My non-profit is going to be holding a fundraiser dinner Jan 26. We are going to auction off a couple pig hunts. I have access to a ranch up by Lake Sonoma and two ranches down near Paso Robles.

Erik, where is Martindale's. My favorite butcher went out of business due to a fire. Doesn't seem to be anyone else around here.

Found this booklet produced by DFG.  Provides a very good primer on hunting wild pigs in california.  Has a very nice section on recommended calibers / ammunition for pigs under and over 90 lbs as well.

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/pig/docs/pigguide.pdf

BigDog... Martindale's is in Santa Rosa... near the corner of Old Redwood Hwy and Airport Boulevard.  They are the best meat market I've  yet to come across locally.  I have yet to be unsatisfied with anything I've tried there. 

I know that Bud's Meats in Cotati also will process game animals and are less expensive than Martindales... not sure about the quality.  I've heard they are good but haven't tried them myself yet.  Friends who have had Bud's and Martindale's products say that Martindale's tends to be better. 

Willowside Meats on Guerneville road in Santa Rosa is also supposed to make some pretty good sausage, etc., but I'm not sure if they process whole animals or not. 

Not sure if I'll make it to your fundraiser, but I would really like to get in on that raffle.  We'll have to check the calendar.

EK

Way to go Erick. good choice for eating size and not to much meat so it freezer burns. Ive found that its not all that easy to give away. As to the size of your gun, do yourself a favor and stick with something larger. I have seen way to many hogs get up and scramble off while what I thought was a capable hunter was standing there with there mouth hanging open going WTF. I use a 12 guage slug, none of mine have ever got up!
 Randall

Marinated tri-tip from Martindales is good...super good...but not Mickfish tri-tip good.

 Try the Bloody Mary marinated steaks there!

Try the Bloody Mary marinated steaks there!

Ditto that... the bloody mary marinated tri tip is da' bomb!

EK

Way to go Erick. good choice for eating size and not to much meat so it freezer burns. Ive found that its not all that easy to give away. As to the size of your gun, do yourself a favor and stick with something larger. I have seen way to many hogs get up and scramble off while what I thought was a capable hunter was standing there with there mouth hanging open going WTF. I use a 12 guage slug, none of mine have ever got up!
 Randall

My .308 with 150 gr bullets dropped both of these piggies in their tracks at 200 yards and 100 yards respectively.  I think shot placement is key with hogs. 

EK

I think the .308 is fine. I was speaking about some of the others mentioned. As to shot placement "One shot, One kill"  Ammo is to damn expensive!!! Ha!
   Randall

 

Del Gue: Ain't that Hatchet Jack's rifle?
    Jeremiah Johnson: Yep. Found him froze to a tree.
    Del Gue: Damn! He was a wild one, old Hatchet Jack. He was livin' two year in a cave up on the Musselshell with a female panther. She never did get used to him.

One of my all time favorite movies! Just got a DVD on it