Hogzilla II Wasn"t Raised in the Wild
June, 2007
Well, the word is out. Jamison Stone's "Bigger than Hogzilla" boar did not grow up in the wild. It was raised by a farmer, whose wife named it Fred.
So what?
To tell you the truth, it doesn't really matter to me where that hog grew up. And why do people care? The hunting facility where that hog was killed needs hogs for its clients to hunt. Where do they get them? Wherever they can, that's where.
A hog-hunting business needs hogs in order to survive. Trapped wild hogs, farm-raised hogs released into the wild, or critters bred by hogs already on their property - they have to get them somewhere. And once farm-raised swine are turned loose, they can be a real challenge to hunt - been there and done it.
Some years ago, a friend of mine had a hog-hunting business. Some of his porkers came from farmers. Nobody minded... things worked out for the farmer, for hunters, and for my buddy. Some of the hogs were just plain nasty, and would put up a heck of a chase and fight right to the end, no matter where they came from.
Challenging? Well, unless you have pursued dogs pursuing hogs through head-high briars and then put the booger on a hog with only a knife, you don't really know how it is... but it is most definitely a challenge.
Of course, only a crazy person would take on a thousand-pound hog with only a blade. A big 500 S&W revolver? Heck yeah - and it would be a challenge and an adrenaline-pumper for sure, especially if you had to track and chase that long-tusked behemoth after he was wounded and having a bad day.
As Dad said to me, who ever said a hog had to wear a label on its butt that classifies it as "wild" or "feral?" Answer: Nobody. And anyhow, all a "feral" hog is, is a domestic hog run wild. And by all accounts, ol' Fred was not a nice hog. He was a meany.
So to Jamison, I say congrats. He may need to work on his shot placement, but overall and considering that I wasn't there to see the hunt, I think he did very well, especially for a fellow his age. I have seen worse from grown men.
Let's just hope the sausage is edible. And give the Stones credit - from what I have hear, they are going to try to use the meat from their gigantic hog. The slayers of Hogzilla buried theirs and let it rot. Shame, shame.
Happy hunting,
- Russ Chastain
Well, the word is out. Jamison Stone's "Bigger than Hogzilla" boar did not grow up in the wild. It was raised by a farmer, whose wife named it Fred.
So what?
To tell you the truth, it doesn't really matter to me where that hog grew up. And why do people care? The hunting facility where that hog was killed needs hogs for its clients to hunt. Where do they get them? Wherever they can, that's where.
A hog-hunting business needs hogs in order to survive. Trapped wild hogs, farm-raised hogs released into the wild, or critters bred by hogs already on their property - they have to get them somewhere. And once farm-raised swine are turned loose, they can be a real challenge to hunt - been there and done it.
Some years ago, a friend of mine had a hog-hunting business. Some of his porkers came from farmers. Nobody minded... things worked out for the farmer, for hunters, and for my buddy. Some of the hogs were just plain nasty, and would put up a heck of a chase and fight right to the end, no matter where they came from.
Challenging? Well, unless you have pursued dogs pursuing hogs through head-high briars and then put the booger on a hog with only a knife, you don't really know how it is... but it is most definitely a challenge.
Of course, only a crazy person would take on a thousand-pound hog with only a blade. A big 500 S&W revolver? Heck yeah - and it would be a challenge and an adrenaline-pumper for sure, especially if you had to track and chase that long-tusked behemoth after he was wounded and having a bad day.
As Dad said to me, who ever said a hog had to wear a label on its butt that classifies it as "wild" or "feral?" Answer: Nobody. And anyhow, all a "feral" hog is, is a domestic hog run wild. And by all accounts, ol' Fred was not a nice hog. He was a meany.
So to Jamison, I say congrats. He may need to work on his shot placement, but overall and considering that I wasn't there to see the hunt, I think he did very well, especially for a fellow his age. I have seen worse from grown men.
Let's just hope the sausage is edible. And give the Stones credit - from what I have hear, they are going to try to use the meat from their gigantic hog. The slayers of Hogzilla buried theirs and let it rot. Shame, shame.
Happy hunting,
- Russ Chastain
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