Trophy hogs in FL

Bigfatts · July 25, 2010, 01:10 PM

So my wife said that for our next anniversary I could go on a trophy hog hunt. I live just outside Tampa so I'm looking for something in FL, preferrably within 3 or 4 hours. I know there are several places near Sebring, Arcadia and such but I'm looking for anybody that has experience with them. I'm looking for a place that will spot-and-stalk hunt, I refuse to use dogs or shoot from a vehicle. And I really don't want to spend over $500 for it. I have seen several places that are under $500 and advertise some bigg'uns.

Now, why pay for a trophy hog hunt when the things are running around wild? Because I only have access to public hunting land where Swift Mud has been trapping and removing hogs before hunting season opens each year because they hate hunters. I live over an hour from my nearest public land and work too much to effectively scout and am tired of having idiots wander under my tree stand and pointing and waving just after I've clicked the safety off to shoot something (twice last year). Plus the biggest hog I've seen taken is a little over 200lbs, the biggest I've taken is 110. I want to take a 300 plus boar. I still hunt the public land but I do far more walking around in the woods with a gun. This will give my brothers-in-law the chance to hunt without going to take the classes, which are likely already full for this year, I'm hoping to get them into hunting. It's also going to be a guy trip.

The only place I really like so far is this one:
http://razzorranch.com/boar_hunting.html

Any input?

hogdogs · July 25, 2010, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Now, why pay for a trophy hog hunt when the things are running around wild? Because I only have access to public hunting land

Are you afraid to rub elbows with the old crackers? Find the feed stores (not dog food and pony chow dealers... likely won't have A/C) and local breakfast/lunch joints that start serving at 5-6am... Go in there EARLY and offer to pay for a farmers plate if he will hear you out... Tell him your desires, let him know how you will respect his place and career... If he don't have the hogs you want, ask him to pass your info around.

If he sounds keen to the notion, he will gladly show you his property and tell you where he thinks they hang out as well as any shoot/no shoot considerations.

As a hog dogger, I had a snot load of spots and never paid a cent for the permission.

Brent

ENC · July 25, 2010, 05:30 PM

+1 to this. We go pheasant hunting every year 7 hour drive from where we work. We have yet to pay to hunt or hunt public land.

SavageSniper · July 25, 2010, 09:29 PM

Bigfats, I don't know of any pay to hunt places but for large hog the San Pedro Bay area in Taylor County is a good bet. The largest hog that I have ever killed was from there. He was in the 300lb bracket. Shot him in 1985. I live just down the road from you in Lakeland. All of my hunting is in North FL. It will be a hard hunt without dogs though, that area is thicker than hair on a dogs back and full of snakes.

hogdogs · July 26, 2010, 05:50 AM

Does this qualify as a trophy "hog" to you? He is a barr hog we caught about 8-10 minutes due north of Daytona Beach on a 300 acre (wide ass open) private spot we were doing feral hog removal on for a couple years.

Brent

SavageSniper · July 26, 2010, 05:47 PM

Nice pig Brent. Mean looking cutters.

hogdogs · July 28, 2010, 11:34 AM

Savage, That was me and Junior's first "sho nuff" good hog by ourselves with our own dogs...

Junior was way ahead of me (another story) and his bulldog was the only dog on the hog. Junior had it tipped and starting to tie it up when I got to them... Not a scratch to us or the dogs....

Brent

Bigfatts · July 30, 2010, 08:08 PM

Sorry, I forgot about this thread

. Yeah, I've tried local farmers a couple times and haven't been met with any positive results. Mostly scared old people who don't want a young guy wandering around their land with a gun... Not really many left around either, near me anyways.

Hogdogs, that would indeed be a trophy around here, I've never seen anything that nice on the public land I hunt. With Swift Mud trapping before season opens and a hunter every 10 feet sometimes I don't see ANYthing. Add to that the fact that I don't want to hunt with dogs and I figured a pay hunt place with a guide was my best bet.

davem · July 30, 2010, 10:52 PM

Well......I think maybe your expectations might be too high. The preserves might not be what you consider "fair game" however some places Like Archery Outfitters put out feeder stations but after that it is fair chase although it is a sit and wait and you use a bow. To stalk wild hogs- I think that might be pretty hard- on public land Tosohatchee is tops in my area followed by Bull Creek but hogs can be just about anywhere, one of the biggest I ever saw was in the SW part of Ocala NF and they aren't even supposed to be there, a fine red hog- but I couldn't get a clear shot.
If you really want a hog, maybe rethink the dog part.

hogdogs · July 31, 2010, 12:32 PM

Well you may try committing to the use of shotgun and buckshot to get a foot in the door with land owners... Likely, distance for a shot won't be much beyond the ol' 00 buck.

I can think of no game animal that is harder to hunt. Hogs realize that the safest place from all predators is in the nastiest thickest spots they can locate. Finding them is half the work and getting a shot off is the other half... Of course, getting them out of the woods dead is the third half of the work

Brent

bswiv · July 31, 2010, 01:37 PM

""Of course, getting them out of the woods dead is the third half of the work""

What HOGDOGS said right there. We hunt WMD lands usually and you are not allowed off the road with any vehicle. I've drug a couple near on a mile. And more than once drug them to the next road and then walked back to the truck and drove around to get them.

Got to keep in mind that when it's hot this is a consideration because of the negative effect being dead in the heat can have on any meat. Plan for how you will get it if you do go public lands.

Bigfatts · July 31, 2010, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Of course, getting them out of the woods dead is the third half of the work

Boy, you're telling me. I've had to help drag many a dead critter out of the Green Swamp. One guy I saw had rigged an ingenious little cart out of a bicycle to get his deer out. My first hog bit a friend that was helping me drag it out. Drew blood too.

Right now I have four other people going with me, 2 of which have never been hunting, one other has never killed anything. I think the chance for them to take even a small hog could make hunters out of them.

Bigfatts · July 31, 2010, 08:25 PM

Quote:

To stalk wild hogs- I think that might be pretty hard-

Yeah, it's no breeze. But a drizzly day in the swamp makes it easier. Lots of little pitter-patter to help mask your creeping. I just never seem to creep up on anything worth shooting. It's either a sow with a bunch of shoats- I just can't bring myself to shoot a sows with babies, even though I know I should- or a tiny little thing.

hogdogs · July 31, 2010, 09:32 PM

If it helps any, Most of us aware of the non native issue, hope that the kill of one is the kill of many when it is a nursing sow... But to help the other portion of hunters... Keep in mind that few species can compare to a feral hog for their desire and ability to take on orphaned young... any milk bearing sow will gladly take on the sucklers of a dead sow.

Another hunting tip... When you see sows with young, your chances of seeing a good breeder boar are greatly reduced... Unless the momma sow is in a group of sows without young... Boars show up for sows in heat, otherwise they are pretty much solo types...

IMHO, sows come into heat in close time frame to each other like dogs in a "pack" or household do.

After a few trips into boar territory (one reason for my PM offer) the smell of a recent boar visit will greatly help you narrow your search... I have actually had to choke back a gag when I smelled some heavier boar "lay downs"...
Rank is a good description...
Brent

July 25, 2010, 01:10 PM	#1
Bigfatts Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2005 Location: Lutz Posts: 1,528	Trophy hogs in FL So my wife said that for our next anniversary I could go on a trophy hog hunt. I live just outside Tampa so I'm looking for something in FL, preferrably within 3 or 4 hours. I know there are several places near Sebring, Arcadia and such but I'm looking for anybody that has experience with them. I'm looking for a place that will spot-and-stalk hunt, I refuse to use dogs or shoot from a vehicle. And I really don't want to spend over $500 for it. I have seen several places that are under $500 and advertise some bigg'uns. Now, why pay for a trophy hog hunt when the things are running around wild? Because I only have access to public hunting land where Swift Mud has been trapping and removing hogs before hunting season opens each year because they hate hunters. I live over an hour from my nearest public land and work too much to effectively scout and am tired of having idiots wander under my tree stand and pointing and waving just after I've clicked the safety off to shoot something (twice last year). Plus the biggest hog I've seen taken is a little over 200lbs, the biggest I've taken is 110. I want to take a 300 plus boar. I still hunt the public land but I do far more walking around in the woods with a gun. This will give my brothers-in-law the chance to hunt without going to take the classes, which are likely already full for this year, I'm hoping to get them into hunting. It's also going to be a guy trip. The only place I really like so far is this one: http://razzorranch.com/boar_hunting.html Any input?

July 25, 2010, 09:29 PM	#4
SavageSniper Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 2005 Location: Crawfordville, FL Posts: 494	Bigfats, I don't know of any pay to hunt places but for large hog the San Pedro Bay area in Taylor County is a good bet. The largest hog that I have ever killed was from there. He was in the 300lb bracket. Shot him in 1985. I live just down the road from you in Lakeland. All of my hunting is in North FL. It will be a hard hunt without dogs though, that area is thicker than hair on a dogs back and full of snakes. __________________ This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights!

July 26, 2010, 05:47 PM	#6
SavageSniper Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 2005 Location: Crawfordville, FL Posts: 494	Nice pig Brent. Mean looking cutters. __________________ This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights!

July 30, 2010, 08:08 PM	#8
Bigfatts Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2005 Location: Lutz Posts: 1,528	Sorry, I forgot about this thread. Yeah, I've tried local farmers a couple times and haven't been met with any positive results. Mostly scared old people who don't want a young guy wandering around their land with a gun... Not really many left around either, near me anyways. Hogdogs, that would indeed be a trophy around here, I've never seen anything that nice on the public land I hunt. With Swift Mud trapping before season opens and a hunter every 10 feet sometimes I don't see ANYthing. Add to that the fact that I don't want to hunt with dogs and I figured a pay hunt place with a guide was my best bet.

July 25, 2010, 05:30 PM	#3
ENC Senior Member Join Date: August 31, 2001 Location: Grand Lake, OK Posts: 658	+1 to this. We go pheasant hunting every year 7 hour drive from where we work. We have yet to pay to hunt or hunt public land.

July 26, 2010, 05:50 AM	#5
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	Does this qualify as a trophy "hog" to you? He is a barr hog we caught about 8-10 minutes due north of Daytona Beach on a 300 acre (wide ass open) private spot we were doing feral hog removal on for a couple years. Brent

July 28, 2010, 11:34 AM	#7
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	Savage, That was me and Junior's first "sho nuff" good hog by ourselves with our own dogs... Junior was way ahead of me (another story) and his bulldog was the only dog on the hog. Junior had it tipped and starting to tie it up when I got to them... Not a scratch to us or the dogs.... Brent

July 30, 2010, 10:52 PM	#9
davem Junior member Join Date: October 4, 2004 Posts: 458	Well......I think maybe your expectations might be too high. The preserves might not be what you consider "fair game" however some places Like Archery Outfitters put out feeder stations but after that it is fair chase although it is a sit and wait and you use a bow. To stalk wild hogs- I think that might be pretty hard- on public land Tosohatchee is tops in my area followed by Bull Creek but hogs can be just about anywhere, one of the biggest I ever saw was in the SW part of Ocala NF and they aren't even supposed to be there, a fine red hog- but I couldn't get a clear shot. If you really want a hog, maybe rethink the dog part.

July 31, 2010, 12:32 PM	#10
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	Well you may try committing to the use of shotgun and buckshot to get a foot in the door with land owners... Likely, distance for a shot won't be much beyond the ol' 00 buck. I can think of no game animal that is harder to hunt. Hogs realize that the safest place from all predators is in the nastiest thickest spots they can locate. Finding them is half the work and getting a shot off is the other half... Of course, getting them out of the woods dead is the third half of the work Brent

July 31, 2010, 01:37 PM	#11
bswiv Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2006 Location: NE FL....... Posts: 1,081	""Of course, getting them out of the woods dead is the third half of the work"" What HOGDOGS said right there. We hunt WMD lands usually and you are not allowed off the road with any vehicle. I've drug a couple near on a mile. And more than once drug them to the next road and then walked back to the truck and drove around to get them. Got to keep in mind that when it's hot this is a consideration because of the negative effect being dead in the heat can have on any meat. Plan for how you will get it if you do go public lands.

July 31, 2010, 09:32 PM	#14
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	If it helps any, Most of us aware of the non native issue, hope that the kill of one is the kill of many when it is a nursing sow... But to help the other portion of hunters... Keep in mind that few species can compare to a feral hog for their desire and ability to take on orphaned young... any milk bearing sow will gladly take on the sucklers of a dead sow. Another hunting tip... When you see sows with young, your chances of seeing a good breeder boar are greatly reduced... Unless the momma sow is in a group of sows without young... Boars show up for sows in heat, otherwise they are pretty much solo types... IMHO, sows come into heat in close time frame to each other like dogs in a "pack" or household do. After a few trips into boar territory (one reason for my PM offer) the smell of a recent boar visit will greatly help you narrow your search... I have actually had to choke back a gag when I smelled some heavier boar "lay downs"... Rank is a good description... Brent