If you thin out the hogs the deer population will improve. I was on a lease like that once. The first year we trapped and killed 160 hogs, I personally killed 16 from my stand. The deer population dramatically improved the second year and kept improving right up until "BigMoney" out of Houston priced us out of the lease. Be agressive and heartless with the hogs, kill 'em all.
Delicious!!! cut them right down the center of the back and BBQ them like Big chicken halves. You won't be disapointed. How a man feels about killing game is his own business. I still won't shoot a Doe deer that has a yearling with her, It doesn't sit well with my conscience. Nor will I shoot a fawn or yearling deer just for meat. But I have a whole different philosophy on Hogs.
For a seven to ten pound piglet (cleaned and skinned weight). Three to five hours depending on the pit and the wood. I use a 55 gal barrel pit and cook on the cold end away from the fire. I keep enough heat on it that you can put your hand on the lid over where the meat is cooking for a "one count" Keep it generously sopped with your favorite sauce. And if you like, you can wrap it in foil for the last 1-2 hours. I know it's ready when the meat starts to fall off the bone.
It would be nice if it really worked that way...But it doesn't. Everyone wants one. Till you have one, or two, or a few on the ground. Then make a phone call and listen to the myriad of excuses why this is a bad time. 'Yotes and buzzards gotta eat too. I feel the way you do about everything else I hunt. I just ascribe to a different philosophy when it comes to hogs.
Amen to that!!! although the sows can surprise you. A lot depends on where she is in her life cycle. I've had sows with no pigs or between pregnancies up to 220 lbs be excellent. I don't really care to keep boars of any size unless I'm really hard up for meat. Any boar over a 100 lbs is a dragger not an eater. I know there are others who will disagree, but to each his own.
