[Hog Buster]

Hogs here are just considered a nuisance. They're crop destroyers and everybody wants to get rid of them. They're not considered a game animal so you can trap or kill them all year during daylight hours. Here they mostly feed on corn and/or sugar cane, doing quite a bit of damage. Because of their diet they're pretty good eating. When I was a kid in Arkansas most of the wild hogs were eating cypress knees and pine trees and weren't very tasty, here it's different. In the fall, when our hog harvest is going strong, one gets barbecued or roasted just about every weekend. The neighbors come by, eat hog , tell lies and drink beer. I never thought about trying to sell them, most are just given to who ever wants one. A few every year get made into sausage. They're like deer, not much fat, so a little fatback or bacon ends needs to be added to the sausage.

Hunting them has paid off for me. I have just about exclusive rights to deer hunt on large tracts of land because the owners know I'll bust any hogs I see.

I have never seen a spotted, white or red hog here in the wild, what we would call feral. Wild hogs here have fairly long hair,3 to 4 inches, black-gray with a tinge of red, long legs, short bodies, narrow butts and large plow shaped heads.

Head shots with any rifle will put them down, but .243 thru 45/70 is probably a better choice for shoulder shots. I find that they are a lot tougher to kill than deer. There's talk here that a bounty may be put on them shortly, $20 to $50. Maybe I can get some coin for hog busting while still keeping my freezer full.