# Feral hog problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 8, 2016, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301 "2016-05-08T16:35:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Waltzes\_with\_Cacti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90ced4/32.png) [@Waltzes\_with\_Cacti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waltzes_with_Cacti)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2016, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301/21 "2016-05-08T21:53:51Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > [The CDC warns](http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/trichinellosis/hunters.html) of trichinellosis in bear, wild or domestic pigs & walruses. Proper cooking will kill the larvae. The [Broken Arrow Ranch](https://www.brokenarrowranch.com/Articles/Trichinosis.htm) says that freezing can also do the job. Thank you, **Bridget**. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2016, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301/22 "2016-05-08T21:56:21Z")
In the UK, wild boar meat fetches a premium. I suppose that in a country with more guns than people, the big brave hunters prefer to shoot Bambi than a pissed off 250 kilo animal with sharp tusks and a strong survival instinct. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2016, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301/23 "2016-05-08T23:07:50Z")
I shoot them from less than 10 yards with a homemade wooden bow and arrow sitting in a ground blind made of bush. I admit I am scared shitless. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301/24 "2016-05-09T02:24:13Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > In the UK, wild boar meat fetches a premium. > > I suppose that in a country with more guns than people, the big brave hunters prefer to shoot Bambi than a pissed off 250 kilo animal with sharp tusks and a strong survival instinct. I don’t know if it’s that, as much as the hogs are a lot warier and on top of that, require special handling due to the parasites, etc… ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301/25 "2016-05-09T02:50:48Z")
I worked briefly on a pig ranch as a teen. Working with pigs is dangerous. They are big, strong, smart, and can be very aggressive. A pissed off full grown adult Feral pig would be a lethal threat to your average person. They also have zero problem ripping a chunk out of you to see if you taste good. Full sized adults can be put down with a .357 magnum handgun to the top of the head (that was how we killed them for sale) My father and a few of his buddies have successfully gone pig hunting and use .30-06 rifles. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301/26 "2016-05-09T03:14:59Z")
> [@TSBG](#): > > Can you even eat feral hog? I would guess the experience might be vastly different that a tasty tender porkchop from the butcher. They are beyond delicious. A friend of mine bags one or two every year and hosts a feast. Cooked over a spit all day long, it’s better than any chop you’ve ever had! ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301/27 "2016-05-09T16:03:12Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > My father and a few of his buddies have successfully gone pig hunting and use .30-06 rifles. I looked up hog hunting online for what guns they recommend and the 30-06 was highly recommended. More broadly the advice was “the most gun that you can fire a followup shot quickly”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301/28 "2016-05-09T16:55:57Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I don’t know if it’s that, as much as the hogs are a lot warier and on top of that, require special handling due to the parasites, etc… Deer carry parasites too; the hunters I know always freeze venison. ---
**Author:** ![Nansbread1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Nansbread1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nansbread1)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301/29 "2016-05-09T17:02:02Z")
I dont know much about calibers, but my reading of this thread suggests that the skin of a hog is more tougher than that of a deer hence it needs a more powerful gun to kill it. Is that right? Surely deer hide, with its fur and use in leather making (never heard of hog leather), means its tougher than a hogs hide. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301/30 "2016-05-09T17:16:45Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > In the UK, wild boar meat fetches a premium. > > I suppose that in a country with more guns than people, the big brave hunters prefer to shoot Bambi than a pissed off 250 kilo animal with sharp tusks and a strong survival instinct. **Moderator Note** Let’s avoid political snark in GQ. No warning issued, but save the anti-gun jabs for the Pit. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301/31 "2016-05-09T17:23:33Z")
> [@Nansbread1](#): > > I dont know much about calibers, but my reading of this thread suggests that the skin of a hog is more tougher than that of a deer hence it needs a more powerful gun to kill it. > > Is that right? > > Surely deer hide, with its fur and use in leather making (never heard of hog leather), means its tougher than a hogs hide. it’s not the toughness of the hide, it’s the shape of the animal. with a deer, the usual recommended shot placement is behind the front leg into the rib cage, which will (hopefully) strike the lung(s) and heart. [http://deerhuntingdiary.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/shot1.jpg](http://deerhuntingdiary.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/shot1.jpg) with hogs, it’s a bit more difficult to get such a shot, you stand a good chance of striking it in the leg or shoulder blade, wounding it. [http://0.tqn.com/d/hunting/1/S/5/H/hog\_anatomy.GIF](http://0.tqn.com/d/hunting/1/S/5/H/hog_anatomy.GIF) ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301/32 "2016-05-09T17:27:08Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > **Moderator Note** > > Let’s avoid political snark in GQ. No warning issued, but save the anti-gun jabs for the Pit. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator I suppose anti-Southern jabs are right out, then. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![FasterThanMeerkats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/278dde/32.png) [@FasterThanMeerkats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FasterThanMeerkats)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301/33 "2016-05-09T17:30:24Z")
> [@Nansbread1](#): > > …Surely deer hide, with its fur and use in leather making (never heard of hog leather), means its tougher than a hogs hide. Deer hide is not at all tough. Almost any rifle above a .22 will kill a deer. The deer hide uses I’ve seen are to make clothing because it can be made very thin and supple and has a pretty tan color, not because it’s an especially tough leather. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301/34 "2016-05-09T17:35:47Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > In the UK, wild boar meat fetches a premium. In France too. I’m surprised that whether boars can be eaten or not is even a question. Sounds as puzzling as asking “can you eat deer meat?” to me. People weren’t used to hunt them in the USA? ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301/35 "2016-05-09T17:38:56Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > I shoot them from less than 10 yards with a homemade wooden bow and arrow sitting in a ground blind made of bush. I admit I am scared shitless. Now that seems crazy to me. What do you aim for? I just cannot imagine a homemade bow would have the same power as a heavy compound bow and therefore strong enough to put an arrow thru a wild hog. But maybe I’m wrong. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301/36 "2016-05-09T17:57:03Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Now that seems crazy to me. What do you aim for? > > I just cannot imagine a homemade bow would have the same power as a heavy compound bow and therefore strong enough to put an arrow thru a wild hog. But maybe I’m wrong. Never bow hunted boar, but I would assume you aim for the neck to hit the jugulars, or right behind the shoulders for the lungs and heart. I’d also use my sturdiest, sharpest broadhead in any case. Actually, I’d druther use something bigger than .308 Winchester HP… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301/37 "2016-05-09T18:08:25Z")
They’ll do a number on your Buick, too. > **[U.S. News: Latest Breaking Stories, Video, and Photos on American Politics,...](https://www.nbcnews.com/us-news?lite)** > > Get the latest news headlines and top stories from NBCNews.com. Find videos and news articles on the latest stories in the US. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301/38 "2016-05-09T18:12:35Z")
Another option for killing feral pigs is to build a high-speed toll road through their stomping ground. [Hitting one going 85 mph will usually ( not always ) kill it. (Warning, link includes photo of our then asshat governor, Rick Perry. The current governor is also an asshat but that is a different story.)](http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/On-Texas-130-road-hogs-are-the-feral-kind-3981958.php) Hard on the vehicle though. ninja’ed while typing about asshats. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301/39 "2016-05-09T18:17:42Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > Another option for killing feral pigs is to build a high-speed toll road through their stomping ground. [Hitting one going 85 mph will usually ( not always ) kill it. (Warning, link includes photo of our then asshat governor, Rick Perry. The current governor is also an asshat but that is a different story.)](http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/On-Texas-130-road-hogs-are-the-feral-kind-3981958.php) Hard on the vehicle though. > > ninja’ed while typing about asshats. Rick Perry looks even dumber than usual in that pic, and the giant novelty scissors make it seem like he can’t be trusted with sharp implements. He’s like, “Why am I holding this thing?” ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301/40 "2016-05-09T18:28:47Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Rick Perry looks even dumber than usual in that pic, and the giant novelty scissors make it seem like he can’t be trusted with sharp implements. He’s like, “Why am I holding this thing?” They just unveiled this prick’s official portrait at the state capitol yesterday. The big question? Whether he would be wearing his dorky glasses in the portrait (He wasn’t). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feral-hog-problem/754301.md?page=3)