Considering "wilderness hunting lodge" in TN

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bigfatdave

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I'm not an experienced hunter, and the area I'm in lacks public land, and the private clubs all have waiting lists.
And we don't have hogs/boar here in NW OH.

So ...
I started looking at hunting packages, and this one seems interesting and within driving distance. I have a friend who is about as experienced as I am (not at all!) and is interested in trying his hand at hog hunting as well.

Website for those curious
http://www.wildernesshuntinglodge.com/index.html

Specific Questions:
1 - Has anyone used this business to set up a hunting trip? (similar experience is helpful, particularly within 12 hour drive from Toledo/Sandusky area)

2 - Would it be approachable for a couple of hunting novices?

3 - How much meat does one get form the typical boar?

4 - What's the success rate for places like this?

On further thought, this IS a seperate topic, and I'd like to put it on hold for now
[strike]And, perhaps worth a seperate topic entirely
5 - Candidates for hunting rifles, in no particular order;
M1 Carbine with soft points (I worry that it wouldn't have enough energy/range, but I could equip both of us with carbines for matched equipment)
Winchester '94 30-30 (an heirloom of mine, I'd need some serious practice)
SKS (I have the Tech-Sight mounted and do OK on targets at 100yards/meters, I'd probably want some purpose-made hunting ammo)
1903a4, scoped with vintage scope (I'd feel crappy if my prospective fellow novice dinged up his vintage rifle, but it seems well suited otherwise)
Shotguns, various, none designed for long-range slugs (between the two of us, there's a Savage 24 20g/.22lr, a Mossberg 500 20g, and a mossberg 500 12g)[/strike]

Thanks in advance for any info/advice
 
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Sounds like you're most experienced with the SKS, so with hunting ammo you'd likely be better off using that rifle. I'd not go bonkers over a really huge hog, but for the usual run of hogs of 200 pounds or likely less, staying inside of a hundred yards would be fine and dandy. :)
 
Thanks Art!
It would be a tossup between the SKS and an M1 carbine for proficiency, either way I'd need to spend some serious time at the outdoor range, as much to get me dialed in as the gun.
The same would go for my prospective hunting buddy, and I'd bet he either runs that (really cool) antique 1903a4 or buys a gun for this purpose.
Either way, we both need to hit the range before making a reservation, and I'd really like info on how this (or other accessible places) place runs hunts.

Still looking for site-specific reviews, for TN's "wilderness hunting lodge" or anywhere within a relaxed day's drive of NW Ohio.
 
I have shot, and seen Russians shot, mostly within 13 to 75ish yards, with .45 ACP (not recommended) through .30-30 Win, .270 Win, .444 Marlin, .45-70 Govt, .375 H&H. Any of those will drop them. Some better than others. Take the one you shoot best, and stay 100 yards or less, and you're good.

If that doesn't pan out as a good place to hunt, PM me and I'll talk with you about Renegade Ranch here in MI. Oh, and I'd guess perhaps 100 To 125 pounds of meat off a nice hog.

Geno
 
Before I had hunted much, I booked a day at a place near Crossville,Tenn. for "Wild Russian Boar". It turned out to be a canned hunt that used black feral hogs that it bought in bulk from a guy who trapped them in central Fla. about 60 miles from me.
Dogs bayed up a couple of small hogs and then pinned a larger one against a rock face. It broke and ran .. right towards me (it was not charging) and I plugged it with a .44 Auto-Mag hand gun. The guide did his best to act the part and to warn me about the "Russian" boars but it was just a canned "hunt".

If they use dogs, you won't be allowed to take a long shot for fear of hitting a dog by mistake. I'd use one of you quicker-handling shotguns with slugs. I would advise against the .30 carbine under any circumstances. $750 seems a bit steep for a hog hunt.
Just my opinion.
 
i live about 15 miles from there and have never heard of it.

i don't hunt, so i have no idea about the exotic stuff, but last time i checked, TWRA doesn't allow hunting your garden variety feral pigs.

it is a very beautiful area, with fairly steep terrain.
 
I don't live too far from there, while it's rugged in places it is anything but what I'd call wilderness - too many people, more than what you'd think. I'd more believe it's like one of the earlier posters stated, some variety of a canned hunt. TWRA changed the rules last year. You can't shoot a hog any more unless it's on your own property. If it's changed since last year I wouldn't know. Might want to check out and perhaps even write the TWRA and check them out, make sure everythings on the up and up before you get money invested!
 
Thanks for the info, I'm adding Renegade Ranch in MI to the list.

I don't know how authentic wilderness hunting lodge's boar are, but they advertise them as non-native. I don't particularly want to shoot a domestic pig that was let loose yesterday.

I'm not entirely against a "canned hunt" within reason, I don't want to be led to a shooting bench with a gun bolted to it and a pig staked out up ahead, but an area with the desired game and some help scaring it up wouldn't be a bad thing.

Patocazador said:
$750 seems a bit steep for a hog hunt
Click to expand...
It seems like a bit much to me as well, but I have no frame of reference. Is it a lot considering three days of guided hunt? I was somewhat reassured by the policy of refunding most of the money if you come back empty-handed.

===

I'd like to shelve the weapon choice discussion and focus on the location / methods for now, I might split the "what guns" out into a seperate thread. I do appreciate the advice, I just need to narrow down the "where" first.
 
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Contact the local fish and game and see what they have to say about them. Also check local papers and other news sources and see if they have any publicity.
 
Dave, any particular reason you want to go all the way to TN? There are a couple ranches in southern Ohio that would probably fit your needs and for a bit less coin and save drive time ect. Probably in the $500.00 range for the hunt.

Never hunted them but I have heard decent things about at least one.

Review of DD ranch in McArthur, OH
http://youtu.be/d8AuJGxe-K0
 
I've never done that kind of hunt, but have been tempted over the years. I researched the same place a few years ago. While $725 may seem a bit steep, considering it includes 3 nights lodging, all your meals, licenses, plus a no shoot/no pay policy, one could do worse. One needs to remember the tip to your guides on takin' an animal($50-$100) and processing fees. Since it is a no kill/no pay hunt you can be a tad selective, but odds are there won't be a lot of skill involved other than makin' a good shot. Like most of those places, a wounded and lost animal counts as kill. Sounds like they have 3400 acres to hunt, which means odds are you won't be shootin' from a bench with a gun bolted to it.
 
That price is on the steep side, look for places closer/cheaper. Don't be in a hurry, hunting when it is cooler will be better. Less stress on you plus the meat won't be harmed as much in cooler temperatures.
In Texas it is all private property and our hog hunts range in the $300 zone for two day hunt.
 
This is not hunting, this is killing an animal in a fenced enclosure. Hunting implies a possibility of failure. This is no different than walking out into a cow pasture, picking the one you like and putting it down, no sport to it. Personally I'm against this sort of thing just because I don't want to be associated with the kind of people that participate in it.
 
TNboy, it depends on how big an area, and on the sort of cover. You fence in a thousand acres or more, and if it has a lot of forest and brush? You can fail there as easily as in any other hunting situation.
 
TNboy - I'm specifically avoiding that kind of scheduled critter shooting, perhaps if you'd read any of the original material and/or perused the website you'd have noticed that.

If I want to pop a cap in a hog, I'll just ask down at the local butcher's shop, they have the meat walk in the back, steaks & bacon go out the front.
And now I want Hasslebach's peppered bacon.
 
There is a difference in hunting an animal on a large ranch where the people who own the ranch do not own the animals which I think is what you are looking for. However if one chooses to hunt some exotic critters and not leave our country their is little option. If that animal is roaming free on hundreds to thousands of acres, depending on cover and terrain, it can be just as difficult as any hunting you are likely to do. I think that fair chase is a matter of opinion and circumstance in this case.

I believe that what TNboy is referring to is what you specifically said you wished to avoid. The shooting of an animal that is confined, tied up or other wise at a distinct disadvantage, like a hand fed deer. Although I personally don't have a problem with any one shooting an animal they bought (what business is it of mine what you do with your property) as long as you don't try to convince the rest of use you took the animal in a fair chase hunt.
 
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bigfatdave, I think you can count on about 40% +/- of the live weight of the animal in edible meat, once the guts, skin and bone are removed.
 
Hey dave, Come to Mississippi and shoot all the feral hogs you want. These nasty devils are everywhere. They are pretty smart and hard to pattern though.
 
bigfatdave said:
TNboy - I'm specifically avoiding that kind of scheduled critter shooting, perhaps if you'd read any of the original material and/or perused the website you'd have noticed that.

If I want to pop a cap in a hog, I'll just ask down at the local butcher's shop, they have the meat walk in the back, steaks & bacon go out the front.
And now I want Hasslebach's peppered bacon.
Click to expand...
I read all the posts in this thread, I also read the Wilderness website in detail, additionally I used to live in the area of the lodge and I am familiar with the company and their practices. I maintain that hunting in any fenced area is unsportsmanlike. You can call it what you want but shooting an animal in ANY kind of enclosure is not the same as shooting a free ranging animal. BTW I'm by no means anti hunting, I kill a good deal of the food that I eat, I'm just more of a purist than some.
 
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