Boar Hunting

Boar hunting is an exciting sport that many hunters in America are now enjoying. In fact boar hunting is enjoyed throughout much of the world. It is the aggressiveness and wildness of the critter that makes this type of hunting one of the most exciting hunts available. Boar hunting can be one of the more dangerous hunts as well, if you are ill informed and unprepared. Make certain you do your homework before hunting boar. Hunting with a guide or a friend who is an experienced hunter the first few hunting trips would be advisable.

Other names for boar are pigs, hogs, razorbacks, wild boar, free-ranging European wild boar, Russian wild boar and wild hogs In America they are believed to have originated from domesticated pigs that simply wandered off the farm or ranch, when fences were not popular in the 1800’s. It is also said that in 1893, domesticated pigs escaped from supply boats during the off loading process on the east coast.

Boar hunting in some states has become a necessity when the population exploded causing hungry foraging animals to leave the forests, invading the crops on farms and ranches. In some states, wild hogs have become such a nuisance, that farmers and ranchers welcome hunters on their land to thin them out.

The hunting of boar is one sport that you will want to learn as much as you can about it before your first hunt, since it can be dangerous for the hunter and hunting dog. The one predictable thing a boar will do if cornered by a dog or a hunter, is retaliate with his 3 to 6 inch long tusks. They can easily kill a dog and seriously injure a human in a split second, when they are fighting for their lives. Some weigh up to 450 pounds and are as long as 6 feet. That is a lot of pork behind the two tusks that curve upward out of his mouth; so be careful!

Wild boar can expose you to two diseases that can be transferred to those who dress the meat or eat it: Swine Brucellosis and Pseudorabies. The meat also carries parasites. Therefore, when you roast your pig, make certain you use a meat thermometer bringing the meat temperature up to 165 degree Fahrenheit.

With that said, wild boar meat is reportedly excellent to eat. As with all wild game, make certain you know how to properly bleed it and dress it out starting within moments of the kill.

A well-trained eager to hunt dog can greatly improve tracking this game, as well as taking the brunt of an aggressive attack when the boar is hemmed up in a tight place. Some boar hunting is done with bows and arrows. In this case, you may wish to have someone standing by with a gun, in case you antagonize the beast with a poor shot. Night vision scopes are also popular with some hunters. Happy boar hunting!