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Old July 7, 2008, 11:38 PM   #1
Pro-Hunter Mike
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I need a place to pig hunt...

Hello anyone who can help me! my name's mike im 19 and i am an avid hunter and fisherman. For a long as it was legal iv'e been hunting duck and deer. im at the age where iv'e finally decided what i want to do with the rest of my life. i want to be a wildlife management specialest. What does that have to do with pig hunting...

well i find that i don't have any experience hunting other game and thought it would be best to start out with pig because its season is all year round. i live in sonoma county and am willing to drive about 200 miles to do this. trouble is im having a hard time finding any land in that area to hunt.

If anyone knows a place for me to hunt that would be great.

STATS: i dont need a guide, just a map and a compass and just some land to track on. "Im eagle scout". But if a guide is mandatory thats just fine for me.

i am a rifle hunter but have a shotgun that i can use slugs in (if needed)

I have all gear from guns, socks, blaze and camo

I'm all about hunting safe and conserving the wilderness. I want to become a DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME WARDEN.

Your help will be really appreciated!!! Im really getting sick of waiting for deer season to start again so you know where im coming from.

P.S. There are couple of pics below for any to see if they would like.
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Old July 7, 2008, 11:54 PM   #2
Pro-Hunter Mike
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[attach]CIMG2636.jpg[/attach]
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File Type: jpg mike's ducks.jpg (52.4 KB, 224 views)
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Old July 8, 2008, 01:03 AM   #3
Scorch
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Mike-
First off, welcome to TFL. Second, you live in the middle of some of the best pig hunting in North America. Get maps showing public lands in your area, then get out and scout them. I know Tehama county has some great pig hunting on public land, as do Mendocino and Marin. Get out and talk to ranchers and farmers, many of them would love to just get rid of the pigs and are willing to let the right person take them off their land. Also talk to the game biologists at DFG about where to find pigs on public land. Good luck!
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Old July 8, 2008, 04:23 AM   #4
simonkenton
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I can't help you with your question because I live in North Carolina.
But I have killed a lot of wild hogs. It is the best meat on God's green earth.
I would let an 8 pointer walk, if it meant I could shoot a 150 pound sow.

You don't need slugs, any good deer rifle will lay waste to Mr. Pig.

Good luck!

Get one of those smokers, the metal ones about three feet high, and fifteen inches wide, with a little electric element and a plate to put wood chips on, and a bowl to put liquid in to keep the meat moist.
Salt and pepper that wild hog ham, put mesquite in the smoker, and fill the bowl with red wine, or else beer.

Sit around drinking beer for 8 hours while that thing smokes, best eating in the world.
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Old July 8, 2008, 04:43 PM   #5
chow chow
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Best meat aside from deer.
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Old July 9, 2008, 08:33 PM   #6
djonathang
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Pro-Hunter Mike,

I'm a bit older than you, but I fully appreciate your clarity in knowing that you want to be a Game Warden.

The other day I was at a county fair listening to a band with friends. I was thinking to myself, "this is nice, but I would much rather be in the wild, hiking with a gun."

Also, being a wildlife refuge hunter (public lands), I've often wished I had the authority to shutdown some yahoos who are supposed to be hunting waterfowl, but instead are shooting at swans, hawks, and anything else that flies.

As far as pig hunting goes, I'm new to it, but I can give you the most valuable piece of information available. Here it is: 35% of the pigs in California are taken from Fort Hunter Liggett in central California. It's about 5 hours south of where you live. It's a hassle to hunt, but it appears to be where the pigs are living (and dying). You should be there too!

Good luck.

DG
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Old July 9, 2008, 09:14 PM   #7
Yithian
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Here is a link to the Fort 'thang' mentioned.
http://www.liggett.army.mil/sites/fishhunt/

I linked directly to the hunting and fishing updates page.
Click the tabs in the center of the page for more specific info.
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Old July 10, 2008, 01:49 PM   #8
Smokey Joe
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"I want to be a warden..."

Pro-Hunter Mike--first of all, welcome to TFL! You'll find a lot of helpful advice here.

I want to address your job desire. Where I live, there are a zillion guys who would dearly love to become a Department of Natural Resources Conservation Warden (the job is called different things in different states). Most of them never even come close to actually becoming one.

I double majored in Natural Resources and Biology in college, and had contact with wardens and lots of other people who work in Natural Resources at the state level. Most of my college buds went on to work for State or Federal agencies in natural resources. My then-girlfriend, now wife of 40 years, worked for a time in my state's Natural Resources Department head office. In my current work, I'm again in contact with Natural Resources Department people, with whom I sometimes get to sit and "talk shop."

What I'm saying is, I'm qualified to address this.

To get to be a Warden, you need either Law Enforcement experience, or a college degree in Natural Resources or some related field. Both is even better. To get into Law Enforcement today, you have to have at least an associate degree from a technical college, in Law Enforcement. Or, another way, is to go military and get into the Military Police of whichever service--can't help you with advice there. You'd still want the bachelors degree once you got out.

Bottom line? You get to study, study, study. The better are your math and English skills, the better are your chances of succeeding in college at any level. Yes, my majors were Nat. Res. and Biol, but what got me through was my ability to write a superior term paper. And everybody needs math for understanding, so that you don't just believe whatever your computer spits out.

(One little suggestion: Learn how to spell "specialist," and how to use punctuation/capitalization. Wardens write up writs and warrants for court use--no, you don't get a secretary--and lawyers just love picking your case apart on tiny little English errors.)

There's another consideration: You said you love hunting. How much hunting time do you suppose a Warden gets during season? One warden friend told me that during deer season, he just forgets how to sleep he's that busy. I met two wardens once on the last day of deer season, who were almost literally asleep on their feet. They hadn't been hunting, I assure you! Wardens mostly take their vacation during the height of summer, when there's no hunting season and the fishing is pretty slack.

Oh, and nowadays, Wardens enforce a lot more than hunting and fishing rules--you get to take polluters to court, which means being "up" on your chemistry and biology and physics when you testify. And forensics of course. If there's commercial fishing in your state, you do that, too.

And on, and on, and on...

Mike, I don't want to rain on your parade. Your Eagle Scout experience will have taught you about patience and perseverance, and that is a very good start. If you truly have the desire to become a Conservation Warden, I say go for it. Be aware that it is a long road, but don't let that deter you from trying. We need The Best of The Best, To Protect and Serve.

I wish you good fortune. Please keep us posted.
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Last edited by Smokey Joe; July 10, 2008 at 02:02 PM. Reason: The usual--had another thought.
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Old July 13, 2008, 12:13 AM   #9
Pro-Hunter Mike
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Thanks!

This Forum rocks! thanks to everybody whos sent me messages. each one gets me closer to the hunt to come.
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Old September 5, 2011, 09:09 PM   #10
ART S
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Hi Mike

I have been wanting to get into hunting for a while now and thought that a pig would be great to start i have a client of mine who has offered to me the use of there property in sonoma county up in healdsburg area they have way to many hogs running the property my only problem is i dont know a thing about tracking and hunting pigs or anything else . I do want to learn so how about i get the land to hunt on and you teach me what i need to learn .

I do have a Ar platform weapon it's 223 cal i am in the process of ordering a new Upper for it from Bushmaster a Thumper 450 upper unit this is a great Hog Cal from Hornady and bushmaster . i should have it in the next mounth and i will be getting what ever else i will need for the hunt . as far as transportation goes i have a Suzuki Samuria i bought it is a great hunting jeep type small truck it has a rack over the hood for the Game .

email me if your interested in talking to me about this my email is [email protected] im off work thursday to sunday every week .


Art
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Old September 6, 2011, 11:07 AM   #11
rickyrick
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I can only speak of "my Pigs"....

It is my understanding that pig hunting can vary greatly by the environment that they live in.

Basically, when I Gun hunt pigs I go out ahead of time and find a location with fresh pig activity, after that figure out what time they show up.
Unless they are disrupted you can sometimes set your watch to them.

you can hear them comming for twenty minutes or so on a calm night.
I have never tried the 'pig toy' but I can see how it works. when they are busy depradating, you can walk up to about ten feet from them.


after they are hunted, in light of recent tragedies, they hold a safety meeting and adjust their showtime and activities accordingly.

If you have any plans on trapping hogs, this forum is your best resource, this is where i learned to trap them.
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Old September 11, 2011, 10:14 AM   #12
Smokey Joe
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Progress report...?

Pro-Hunter Mike--As long as this old thread has been resurrected, how about a progress report on your career?
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