<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by olazul:
What size boar are the best tasting?
I have heard 50-60lb but am going on a pig hunt soon for the first time and would like some more meat.
regards,
Olazul[/quote]
For the feral pigs out in west Texas and hill country where I hunt, the rule is no more than about 100 lbs or about knee height. Any bigger and the meat is kind of, well, stinky. I've taken all of mine with a .25-06, hitting them right behind and below the ear- drops 'em like a sack. The meat is dandy as roasts, cutlets or sausage (german, country pan, or italian- whatever you like). I've never had any of mine cured so I can't speak to that.
Javelina are a different story. The big ones (~50 lbs, maybe) are nasty to clean and the meat takes a low yield nuclear weapon to cook thoroughly. It doesn't taste bad at all, just tough. One thing that great philosopher, engineer, racecar driver, and TFL moderator Art Eatman
implied in his post about javelina is that it's necessary to shoot the shoats to get that tender meat, and that point is well taken.
Dang, Art, you're right, it's about time to go huntin'. But not all of us are lucky enough to live in South Brewster!
Good eating,
Kurt