# Hogd-- you clean an eat them or haul them to the pile?



## Friendswoodmatt (Feb 22, 2005)

On my place which is not always overrun with pigs u just shootem and take them to the pile. Is it irresponsible to do this? Sometimes,we have dozens at every feeder then its war. But mostly its 5-9 and i kill and drag -- am I wrong in wasting the meat?


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## BBCAT (Feb 2, 2010)

Your place, your rules. Don't worry about what others think.


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

Execute hogs on site with extreme prejudice. Whatever next im indifferent.

Sows and small boars are very good eats. This giant sow's backstraps pulled out by hand. Delicious. I usually get the backstraps no matter what. Hams and ribs if you have time to mess with em......

No matter what get em dead....and have fun.


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

There are too many of them to worry about it out there Matt. We would only keep a few of the sows or any that were under 30 lbs and drag the rest off. It was only 20 years ago that we never saw more than a couple a season out there. It's pretty much warfare now.


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## LarryG (Aug 12, 2005)

Small ones are worthwhile if you have the time to clean one. The big ones are extremely hard to skin out and stink to high heaven. They go to the pile at my place.


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## DR_Smith (Jul 20, 2016)

150 or under (rough estimates) I cut back straps and tenderloins on occasion. anything over is straight dump. 
anything around the 50lb or smaller I will quarter or just cut in half depending on size to cook whole. 
I actually LOVE hog back strap and think it can be cooked just as good or better then venison! if you need good meat, then keep it, if freezer is full then coyote bait!


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## texastkikker (Dec 24, 2008)

Nope---all good


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

You probably grew up like most here, if you shoot it you eat it. But, there weren't wild hogs everywhere then. They reproduce so fast and are so destructive that the old rule doesn't apply to hogs. It is totally your decision and no need to feel guilty. Just think how liberal the laws have become on killing hogs, which is because they NEED to be killed.

This is also a case where pick & choose is a option, such as back straps only.


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## cva34 (Dec 22, 2008)

Yea they stink ..But hang the and give them a bath before you start to skin with Tire Brush and Dawn..And walla stink is gone...and statment of (all good) I gota agree almost 100%... If ita a really big Boar or (any doubt) I usually wash and skin one leg cut out small steak and season and fry..if taste good ..Skin all the way and process..

Rarely do I find one that goes to Gut Pile...

Its a shame we can't Take to a Jail/prison and let them clean and Eat...instead of waste..

I understand the problem of too many Hogs and I can't talk bad about Kill and take to dump..

But MOMMA always said "waste not want not"

and I love SAUSAGE its a life long staple


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## igo320 (May 17, 2005)

If you have a gas station or grocery store close to your camp, post up a note and get a list of anyone interested in coming to pick-up killed hogs. You would be surprised at the number of folks that will jump thru hoops for fresh wild pork. I process all sows and small boars <100# or so. Makes the best chili ever.


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## tpool (Aug 21, 2005)

Great question Matt!! I too was thinking the same question. The reason why is.... I have killed a few in the 60-100lb range. Both boars and gilts (gilts, meaning unbred females). The backstrap was delicious!!! The front shoulders were ok with a hint of wild (still good). The hams were INEDIBLE smoked on the smoker and finished in the oven! Still stunk and tasted like arse! 

Is there something to fix this? I've heard soak in buttermilk for 4 days, etc... I've also heard just use for sausage after soaking for days in buttermilk. Is it worth it?? I hate to let an animal rot but I **** sure will if not worth my time and they are a nuisance like they are!

T-BONE
(tpool)


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## Reality Czech (Jul 17, 2004)

tpool said:


> Great question Matt!! I too was thinking the same question. The reason why is.... I have killed a few in the 60-100lb range. Both boars and gilts (gilts, meaning unbred females). The backstrap was delicious!!! The front shoulders were ok with a hint of wild (still good). The hams were INEDIBLE smoked on the smoker and finished in the oven! Still stunk and tasted like arse!
> 
> Is there something to fix this? I've heard soak in buttermilk for 4 days, etc... I've also heard just use for sausage after soaking for days in buttermilk. Is it worth it?? I hate to let an animal rot but I **** sure will if not worth my time and they are a nuisance like they are!
> 
> ...


The glands in between the the leg muscles have to be removed.
My son does all the hog butchering here and he showed them to me on the last boar he did New years day.
While it was hanging he used a sawsall to cut the ribs into 5" wide strips.
Best looking baby back ribs I ever seen. Three strips from each side of ribs.


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## tpool (Aug 21, 2005)

Thanks RC!


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## tec (Jul 20, 2007)

I shoot all I can on my place but don't clean many. Too much trouble and I much prefer HEB pork. I let my nephew hunt and he cleans his.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Most all drug to the pile. But at times I roll them on their stomach with their back up and straddle them and take the back strap. Doesent take long and its easy.


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## steverino (Mar 8, 2006)

*OK, My 2 Cents*

I was taught not to waste. I also believe that if you shoot it you eat it. There are some exceptions for varmints, rodents and nuisance animals. I usually clean every pig I kill. I keep the small ones (say 30 pounds or less) for roasting and sows for sausage. I give away and, in a few cases, hauled away the larger boars. I recently couldn't get anyone to take a larger boar so I cut him up. I gave some away and will try eating some (first time). I just brined and smoked a ham. If he tastes OK I'll try to cook more. I guess that I'm lucky. I had a lot of pigs on my place in the past. Now I have a few that with the Axis provide me a year-round hunting season!


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## cajunasian (Mar 7, 2007)

I agree with all the answers. Just remember not everyone gets to hunt as often as the next and some just don't have a place to hunt at all. So it's all up to the person pulling the trigger. I was taught to eat what I hunted and to share if I had extra. If I shot something I didn't intend to eat, I always cleaned it and gave it away. It's my way of paying respect to the animals life I just took. I don't have any issues with other hunters dragging off hogs to the piles. Each hunter is his/her own person. Enjoy the outdoors while you can and take a youngster out hog hunting.


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## SSST (Jun 9, 2011)

No use in lying here, I haven't cleaned a hog in 25 years, and don't see myself ever cleaning one. We have 7 hunters on our lease, we usually kill at least 30 a year to please the landowner, but not one has ever been cleaned. I with the guy that prefers HEB pork.


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## jtburf (May 26, 2004)

To the OP, what do you do with Rat's, cockroaches and spiders when you kill'em???


Hogs are no different.

John


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Just put a bullet in them.


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## tdgal (Jun 16, 2009)

*Hogs*

Timber company's and Biologist in East Texas tell us to shoot them all. I usually shoot hogs when I see them, plenty of people on our place that want them. If I want some backstrap and tenders, I'll cut them out. If no one wants them I'll haul them to the gut pit, but I haven't hauled one to the gut pit in a couple of years.


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## Shooter (Jun 10, 2004)

I usually take the back straps and hind quarters from anything under 150lbs, great eating. Big ones that I trap will go to the buyer if they haven't beat themselves up in the trap. I'll grind hog and deer together for sausage, chilli or hamburger meat. My place is about an hour north of Bryan/College Station and they have a good diet and taste great. Not like the hogs I've tried to eat from the Freer area. I have no problem with anyone doing what they please with these pests.


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## FREON (Jun 14, 2005)

steverino said:


> I was taught not to waste. I also believe that if you shoot it you eat it. There are some exceptions for varmints, rodents and nuisance animals.


 I was taught the same way and agree with you about the exceptions you listed. Apparently though we seem to disagree about what animals are considered a nuisance, if you don't think that wild hogs have become a nuisance.


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## LarryG (Aug 12, 2005)

FREON said:


> I was taught the same way and agree with you about the exceptions you listed. Apparently though we seem to disagree about what animals are considered a nuisance, if you don't think that wild hogs have become a nuisance.


 If you don't think wild hogs have become a nuisance you need to visit my property near Crockett. Several of my openings I can't go into with my tractor because of the wallowed out holes and trenches from packs of hogs. Trap them and more will move right in and tear things up. I know of a lot of other people with the same type of destruction.


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## steverino (Mar 8, 2006)

*Don't Get Me Wrong!*

I do consider feral hogs a nuisance. Some of them (smaller pigs and sows) are tasty and good tablefare and as such I think that we should keep those and discard the rest. Large Aoudad rams are not a nuisance per se but as far as I'm concerned they are not good tablefare. As such, I do not shoot them but I don't have a problem with those that shoot them for their horns/mount.


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## DIHLON (Nov 15, 2009)

Of the dozen or so hogs I have killed, it seems they all hit the ground and s*** all over themselves. Between being covered in s*** and ticks, there was no way in hell I was cleaning and eating one of those nasty bastards. The ranch owner was not fond of letting hogs "walk" either, so I shot all I could.


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## gmiska (Jun 18, 2012)

Clean 1 nice sow a year to have tamales and pan sausage made, the rest let lay.


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## WillieT (Aug 25, 2010)

Does under about 130 pounds are excellent eating. Any small pigs, say 70 pounds and under are all great, 50 pounds and under are great to barbecue whole.


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## Friendswoodmatt (Feb 22, 2005)

Steverino -- have one of those doodads tear up a high dollar protein feeder or 3 and they will get to be a nuisance fast


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## skinnymeII (Jun 19, 2012)

When I was running dogs we would catch and kill a couple hundred every year. Never cleaned a single one. Stick and move was our style. If a landowner saw us let one walk we'd probably never be invited back.

I view them as cockroaches with teeth


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## Cabollero (Jun 1, 2011)

Gut shoot the big ones. Same result but you donâ€™t have touch them. Like Josey Wales says, â€œBuzzards gotta eat, same as the worms.â€


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## oOslikOo (Jul 13, 2010)

steverino said:


> I was taught not to waste. I also believe that if you shoot it you eat it. There are some exceptions for varmints, rodents and nuisance animals. I usually clean every pig I kill. I keep the small ones (say 30 pounds or less) for roasting and sows for sausage. I give away and, in a few cases, hauled away the larger boars. I recently couldn't get anyone to take a larger boar so I cut him up. I gave some away and will try eating some (first time). I just brined and smoked a ham. If he tastes OK I'll try to cook more. I guess that I'm lucky. I had a lot of pigs on my place in the past. Now I have a few that with the Axis provide me a year-round hunting season!


I've eaten some big boars and sows over the years and never had a problem. I've eaten every hog I've killed on my places and family land, but never killed more than 2 in one lick and don't shoot another until I need more meat. When me and buddies go on an all nighter with thermals for farmers those get dumped.


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## budreau (Jun 21, 2009)

Cabollero said:


> Gut shoot the big ones. Same result but you donâ€™t have touch them. Like Josey Wales says, â€œBuzzards gotta eat, same as the worms.â€


gut shoot all of them . most destructive animal around .


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## Wade Fisher (May 22, 2006)

If they stink I'll drag them off, but ground seasoned stuffed in casings and smoked, I can't tell how big they were when they got shot.


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## awesum (May 31, 2006)

I've shot one and trapped 3 so far this season and I've only kept some straps. But the rest of the hogs were consumed by friends and neighbors. I've found that you don't have to go far to find someone that wants them.

But Josey was right you know.


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## dwilliams35 (Oct 8, 2006)

Cabollero said:


> Gut shoot the big ones. Same result but you donâ€™t have touch them. Like Josey Wales says, â€œBuzzards gotta eat, same as the worms.â€


 are you really that scared to touch a dead pig?


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## Cabollero (Jun 1, 2011)

dwilliams35 said:


> are you really that scared to touch a dead pig?


Yep! Wonâ€™t touch live ones either, donâ€™t believe me ask your girlfriend. Might want to modify your avatar. Youâ€™re an amature pot stirrer a best. Class dismissed


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## dwilliams35 (Oct 8, 2006)

Cabollero said:


> Yep! Wonâ€™t touch live ones either, donâ€™t believe me ask your girlfriend. Might want to modify your avatar. Youâ€™re an amature pot stirrer a best. Class dismissed


 Seriously, are you scared of touching them, or just lazy? Iâ€™ve dragged many of them off into the bushes, picked a bunch up with a front end loader, and whatever other means of disposal I could come up with, but Iâ€™ve never purposely and intentionally sentenced one of Godâ€™s creatures to a slow and painful death just because I was too lazy to dispose of them after the fact..


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## Cabollero (Jun 1, 2011)

Iâ€™m not lazy just efficient and God didnâ€™t bring them to Texas, European settlers did.


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## dwilliams35 (Oct 8, 2006)

Cabollero said:


> Iâ€™m not lazy just efficient and God didnâ€™t bring them to Texas, European settlers did.


Iâ€™m amazed that you think their initial origin makes any difference whatsoever in that aspect. Do you gutshoot cows, horses, and pretty much any human being on the continent as well?


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## Cabollero (Jun 1, 2011)

If they were reproducing exponentially and constantly vandalizing my property? Possibly.


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## budreau (Jun 21, 2009)

dwilliams35 said:


> Iâ€™m amazed that you think their initial origin makes any difference whatsoever in that aspect. Do you gutshoot cows, horses, and pretty much any human being on the continent as well?


We are talking about feral hogs here . They are very destructive and as a landowner I could care less how they are killed as long as they are dead and not reproducing. We shoot them out of helicopters , trap them and shoot them in the gut when in the deer blinds and let them run off . The PETA website might be better suited for you .


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## ihunthorns (May 3, 2017)

*Ihunthorns*

We take the larger ones to the pile and give the smaller ones to various employees.


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## dwilliams35 (Oct 8, 2006)

budreau said:


> We are talking about feral hogs here . They are very destructive and as a landowner I could care less how they are killed as long as they are dead and not reproducing. We shoot them out of helicopters , trap them and shoot them in the gut when in the deer blinds and let them run off . The PETA website might be better suited for you .


Peta would be really, really bent out of shape at me once they found out how many of the things Iâ€™ve killed, theyâ€™d probably just summarily reject my application.

I simply am not going to intentionally gutshoot anything because I was too lazy to deal with the carcass. I just really donâ€™t think the Lord would look kindly on me intentionally prolonging the suffering of one of his creatures, and for that matter Iâ€™d rather not have randomly scattered decomposing pig carcasses scattered around the property for me to find when Iâ€™m shredding. They get the earhole shot and I go ahead and spend the extra two minutes to dispose of the carcass, by whatever means. If I was to unintentionally gutshoot one that is running or something, and it dies later, I can accept that, and will just have to live with it.

Itâ€™s merely an ethical consideration, and not by any means anything resembling an affection for the pigs or opposition to their wholesale termination with extreme prejudice. I simply find intentionally and blatantly causing undue and unnecessary suffering in any creature to be despicable.


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## WillieT (Aug 25, 2010)

dwilliams35 said:


> Peta would be really, really bent out of shape at me once they found out how many of the things Iâ€™ve killed, theyâ€™d probably just summarily reject my application.
> 
> I simply am not going to intentionally gutshoot anything because I was too lazy to deal with the carcass. I just really donâ€™t think the Lord would look kindly on me intentionally prolonging the suffering of one of his creatures, and for that matter Iâ€™d rather not have randomly scattered decomposing pig carcasses scattered around the property for me to find when Iâ€™m shredding. They get the earhole shot and I go ahead and spend the extra two minutes to dispose of the carcass, by whatever means. If I was to unintentionally gutshoot one that is running or something, and it dies later, I can accept that, and will just have to live with it.
> 
> Itâ€™s merely an ethical consideration, and not by any means anything resembling an affection for the pigs or opposition to their wholesale termination with extreme prejudice. I simply find intentionally and blatantly causing undue and unnecessary suffering in any creature to be despicable.


I agree 100%. There is never a reason to cause anything undue suffering. I hunted many, many years and have killed a variety of animals, but have never intentionally wanted to make something suffer needlessly. Something wrong with people that do IMO.


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## Cabollero (Jun 1, 2011)

Just curios. Either of you two holy rollers ever throw a live fish in a cooler?


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## budreau (Jun 21, 2009)

They can't answer that one .


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

For the record, people who condone gut shooting any animal so they can run off and die are just too lazy to haul them off or clean them and are extremely bad ambassadors for hunting.

People who do that are not welcome on 2cool.

TH


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## Mr. Saltwater (Oct 5, 2012)

I trap and shoot a lot of hogs. Process them myself and when the freezer is full I give the meat away...over 1000 pounds of pork last year. Never a problem finding folks to take the meat. 

They always get a quick and as painless as possible death. I have no respect for anyone who would cause any animal to suffer needlessly.


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## redfish203 (Aug 10, 2010)

dwilliams35 said:


> Peta would be really, really bent out of shape at me once they found out how many of the things Iâ€™ve killed, theyâ€™d probably just summarily reject my application.
> 
> I simply am not going to intentionally gutshoot anything because I was too lazy to deal with the carcass. I just really donâ€™t think the Lord would look kindly on me intentionally prolonging the suffering of one of his creatures, and for that matter Iâ€™d rather not have randomly scattered decomposing pig carcasses scattered around the property for me to find when Iâ€™m shredding. They get the earhole shot and I go ahead and spend the extra two minutes to dispose of the carcass, by whatever means. If I was to unintentionally gutshoot one that is running or something, and it dies later, I can accept that, and will just have to live with it.
> 
> Itâ€™s merely an ethical consideration, and not by any means anything resembling an affection for the pigs or opposition to their wholesale termination with extreme prejudice. I simply find intentionally and blatantly causing undue and unnecessary suffering in any creature to be despicable.


Well said.


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## FREON (Jun 14, 2005)

Trouthunter said:


> For the record, people who condone gut shooting any animal so they can run off and die are just too lazy to haul them off or clean them and are extremely bad ambassadors for hunting.
> 
> People who do that are not welcome on 2cool.
> 
> TH


And apparently get sent to Band camp!


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## old 37 (Nov 30, 2014)

Mr. Saltwater said:


> I trap and shoot a lot of hogs. Process them myself and when the freezer is full I give the meat away...over 1000 pounds of pork last year. Never a problem finding folks to take the meat.
> 
> They always get a quick and as painless as possible death. I have no respect for anyone who would cause any animal to suffer needlessly.


Totally agree


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## steverino (Mar 8, 2006)

*Humane Kills*

I see no reason to purposely gut shoot an animal. I think all responsible hunters would try to put down an animal with a humane and the best placed kill shot possible. I know that poorly placed shots will result in gut shot animals. These shots not only damage the meat but also causes the animal to suffer a long and painful death. I don't think a responsible hunter would promote this. I would never consider a "Texas kill shot" no matter how big the buck is. When you successfully shoot a trophy buck at least half of the accomplishment is in the quality of the hunt. If you don't agree with me that's fine but I will always be proud of how I hunt no matter what I harvest!


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## oOslikOo (Jul 13, 2010)

steverino said:


> I see no reason to purposely gut shoot an animal. I think all responsible hunters would try to put down an animal with a humane and the best placed kill shot possible. I know that poorly placed shots will result in gut shot animals. These shots not only damage the meat but also causes the animal to suffer a long and painful death. I don't think a responsible hunter would promote this. I would never consider a "Texas kill shot" no matter how big the buck is. When you successfully shoot a trophy buck at least half of the accomplishment is in the quality of the hunt. If you don't agree with me that's fine but I will always be proud of how I hunt no matter what I harvest!


Agreed. I was going to respond to the comment that started this the other day but got a phone call and forgot about it. I've seen too many crippled hogs for them to all be "missed" shots with good intentions. If you are too lazy, don't have the time, or don't want to dump an animal after a clean kill on your land, don't pull the trigger. Never understood the gut shoot mindset.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

> And apparently get sent to Band camp!


It's not so bad there.

Basket weaving, pottery classes, yoga classes, square dancing and limbo.

We added archery but ran out of money so there are no bows or arrows but the targets are top notch!

TH


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

I gut shot a homely chick in college one night after a fairly long bender... hope I don't join the band!


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## steverino (Mar 8, 2006)

*Haute*

By your own admission, by the way you play your instrument you don't qualify for a seat in the band!


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

> I gut shot a homely chick in college one night after a fairly long bender... hope I don't join the band!


You're safe Blake. I mean Band Camp does have it's standards. 

TH


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## FREON (Jun 14, 2005)

Trouthunter said:


> It's not so bad there.
> 
> Basket weaving, pottery classes, yoga classes, square dancing and limbo.
> 
> ...


 Nice to hear that there are so many extra curricular activities for Band Camp members like Gilbert and jc to enjoy. :slimer:


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## goatchze (Aug 1, 2006)

I used to clean every hog I shot, sans the big boars. But it's really only possible if you don't shoot that many (i.e. your objective is hunting and getting meat).

If your objective is annihilation, the death toll could be in the hundreds and it simply isn't possible from a time stand point. The overwhelming majority of hogs I shoot now get dragged off.

I still clean some, if I shoot a sow in the 100lb range (hams and loin) or anything under about 50 lbs (fully skin, cut in half).

That said, even though I do view them as cockroaches in many respects, I still go for a clean kill every time. I would never want to gut shoot one and have it run off to a long, painful death.

And throwing a live fish on ice is not a good analogy/comparison at all. Cutting the fins off a shark and dumping it back into the water would be a better analogy to intentionally gut shooting a pig.


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## Mad Mike (Dec 28, 2005)

I've cleaned some of the smaller ones 100lbs or less and they were good. Big ones feed the buzzards.


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## huntfish2011 (Jun 16, 2011)

steverino said:


> I would never consider a "Texas kill shot" no matter how big the buck is. !


What is this? I've never heard of the term.


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## steverino (Mar 8, 2006)

*Texas Kill Shot*

I have heard a shot on a deer walking away that basically goes from the rear end to the front of the deer's torso called a Texas Kill Shot. I am aware that some hunters will shoot a deer walking or quartering away. I'll pass or wait for a better shot myself.


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## Friendswoodmatt (Feb 22, 2005)

Texas Heart Shot


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## Wade Fisher (May 22, 2006)

I always heard that shot originated in Arkansas


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## BullyARed (Jun 19, 2010)

Just wonder what a California Kill Shot would be like! You can guess!


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## tpool (Aug 21, 2005)

LOL.

And as far as gut shot - what I have heard is guys that don't want to deal with stinky dead hog on their place gut shoot them so they will run far onto someone else's place and die, so they don't have to deal with them... I do not condone this myself. This is just the mindset of some I have heard...

Never heard of this "Texas kill shot" and would NEVER shoot at a deer heading straight-away!!!!

T-BONE
(tpool)


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## Mr. Saltwater (Oct 5, 2012)

tpool said:


> LOL.
> 
> And as far as gut shot - what I have heard is guys that don't want to deal with stinky dead hog on their place gut shoot them so they will run far onto someone else's place and die, so they don't have to deal with them... I do not condone this myself. This is just the mindset of some I have heard...


Maybe it's against their religion to touch them...lol.


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## tpool (Aug 21, 2005)

Hahahaahaha! True, true!!!!


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## Capt. Marcus Canales (Aug 25, 2005)

Really?

Was trying to quote the not welcome on 2cool comment but tapatalk has changed. Lol

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk


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