Getting back into the game...

[blkbrd666]

I grew up hunting, but only the "classics" in my area(squirrel, rabbit, deer, quail). I haven't hunted in years, but after acquiring a few varying guns, I would like to take them hunting at least once. I don't particularly want to go hunting just for sport, would like to make use of the meat...the sport part is just what's getting me out of the grocery store.

The thought: Feral hogs(I love pork!). The opportunity: Hunting land infested with them...population out of control. In this case I can try out several guns/calibers(.41 Mag, 7.62x39, .223, etc). Reason for this post: I read several articles about hog hunting in South GA and they would lead one to believe you need a haz-mat suit and you'll be lucky to empty the freezer with your health still intact...scary! I exaggerate, but they stressed rubber gloves, don't let your dog near it, and MAKE SURE IT'S COOKED WELL! I never had these worries years ago. Is this just me reading too much on the Internet, or are hogs a dangerous food item(more so than deer or eating a rodent)? One of the articles I read was an official document from DNR.

ANY info or pointers on feral hogs/pigs, hunting them in S. GA, gun choices, etc. are more than welcome as I have never hunted them before.

TIA,

 

[blkbrd666]

???

Okay, so no one hunts wild pigs in Georgia???

 

[alsaqr]

It is a very good idea to wear rubber gloves while field dressing hogs or deer. All pork, domestic or otherwise, must be thoroughly cooked.

Get them hogs.

 

[Art Eatman]

I guess I could understand gloves if I had open sores on my hands, but I've never known anybody to use them during my hunting years.

I've hunted down in the Appalachicola River bottom land "jungle" below Blountstown, Florida. Lots of hogs and hog hunters in that area. Nobody ever seemed to worry about danger from the hogs, whether from hostility or germs.

I heard a couple of interesting yarns about black bears wanting to share a tree stand with a bow hunter, but no hog problems...

 

[blkbrd666]

Check out this PDF link from Georgia DNR...makes ya kinda skeered to eat'em. I know lots of people toss morsels/innards to their dogs...they make that sound dangerous.

http://www.georgiawildlife.org/assets/documents/Feral Hogs in Georgia 2006 read version.pdf

 

[qajaq59]

We do wear gloves to skin and cut them up but mainly because we might have a small cut and not know it. Then cook it well as you would any pork.