Texas Feral Pig logistics

[Nambaster]

I live in Idaho.

Flying United Airlines to Lubbock, Texas. Have a pig hunt scheduled for the 17th of June.

In the event that I am successful, I will be staying in Lubbock until the 26th. I will have very limited free time for processing (about 2-3 hrs in the late nights) and even more limited refrigerator space as I will be staying in an Airbnb with several coworkers. I am considering Facebook market place to look for coolers or possibly a freezer fridge combo on the cheap. I like to age my meat about a week before I start to cut and wrap it.

Is there a place that might cold store a feral pig?

Does anyone have experience checking frozen wild game with United Airlines?

I plan to do a Euro mount stove top or on a burner in the backyard depending on the Airbnb. Are there any cheats that I might be overlooking in Lubbock?

Anyone else have travel experience from Texas for harvested pigs?

 

[jt13]

I assume you're hunting on a ranch or with an outfitter. I'd see if they know anyone with fridge or freezer space available. Buying a fridge/freezer for a week stay at an airbnb seems like a tall order.

There's a Texas Hunting Forum you could check out, pretty active place especially in the guides and outfitters section. Make a post on there looking for cold storage and I'm sure someone will come forward.

Edit:
First few results on Google for Lubbock game processing didn't look great but found this place about an hour away with all 5 star reviews:

https://m.facebook.com/DuckCreekWildGame

 

[ccc23454]

I once went into a rent-a-center and rented a freezer for a week for $14. I am sure you could do same with "i need to rent a big fridge/freezer for a party we are having" just dont say its for hogs.

 

[Sam Colt]

The parasite load on summer pigs is crazy. We usually treat hogs like rabbits - wait for the cooler months to eat them. The rest of the year, buzzards gotta eat too.

I’ve not found a benefit to aging, but brining can help. In any case, if you’re hunting in summer, move FAST to get the skin off and the meat cool, and be aware that there will likely be a wave of ticks, fleas, lice, and chiggers coming off the body once it hits the ground. Wear gloves to clean. Rubber bands on your cuffs can help. Check yourself carefully for hitchhikers after you’ve processed, and don’t leave a dead pig in your truck for any length of time.

Have fun and enjoy the hunt!

 

[JV842]

Here in San Antonio next week it’s supposed to be over 100 all week. Does that mean don’t hunt….hell no!! Just take proper precautions. Get the hide off and guts out quick, chill the meat quickly, don’t throw the meat into the freezer until the meat is chilled. There will be LOTS of fleas, ticks, n lice on pigs but it will not taint; yes I said taint lol, the meat, just annoying as hell and you will feel em on u even after u got em all off. This time of year is the best in my opinion….especially if u can get around oat fields!!! We are harvesting ours now n that’s where the pigs are
Good luck n have fun

 

[Sam Colt]

To be clear, taint isn't linked to processing, it's hormonal. Intact boars are the most likely to have the funk. For eating, stick with sows or target boars under 125-150 pounds and hope for the best.

Boar taint - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Myth–Busting Boar Taint

Some of these misconceptions regarding boar taint and its management are put right by Dr Darryl D’Souza of GM Research & Innovation at Australian Pork Limited in the publication, Pig Tales from th

www.thepigsite.com

You can usually detect the taint odor when you approach the pig on the ground, but heating a small cube of fat will quickly reveal an offensive concentration. Taint isn't exacerbated by summer heat, it's the parasites and pathogens that are. That's why, as said, get the hide off and meat cooled as quickly as possible, and take extra care to cook the meat fully!

 

[JV842]

That ain’t the “taint” I was talking about…..

 

[Sam Colt]

A few more observations.

United is pretty good with coolers. I've frozen meat solid, double bagged it, and wrapped it in clothes in my checked bag before; however, that would royally suck if you are delayed or miss your connection on a hot day.

This time of year the pigs will be largely nocturnal. They don't sweat, so they need to stay in or near deep cover and seek out mud to regulate temp during the heat of the day. If you don't have thermal or night vision, make sure you have a good low-light scope. Remember, as a rule of thumb, the higher the magnification on your scope the darker the image.

If you can barely make them out with your scope, remember they eat with their head down and moving forward. So use that data to find the front 1/3 of the pig.

Pigs tend to ignore red or green lights *unless the light is moving*. They don't like shaky lights, no matter the color.

The vitals on a hog are lower than on a deer or elk. The heart is only a few inches above the brisket. Aim lower than you think you should if you're trying for the vitals.

Hogs are pretty self-sealing. Blood trails are often harder to follow than with ungulates. Hammer the shoulder to anchor 'em, or hit just below the ear.

 

[Nambaster]

A few more observations.

United is pretty good with coolers. I've frozen meat solid, double bagged it, and wrapped it in clothes in my checked bag before; however, that would royally suck if you are delayed or miss your connection on a hot day.

This time of year the pigs will be largely nocturnal. They don't sweat, so they need to stay in or near deep cover and seek out mud to regulate temp during the heat of the day. If you don't have thermal or night vision, make sure you have a good low-light scope. Remember, as a rule of thumb, the higher the magnification on your scope the darker the image.

If you can barely make them out with your scope, remember they eat with their head down and moving forward. So use that data to find the front 1/3 of the pig.

Pigs tend to ignore red or green lights *unless the light is moving*. They don't like shaky lights, no matter the color.

The vitals on a hog are lower than on a deer or elk. The heart is only a few inches above the brisket. Aim lower than you think you should if you're trying for the vitals.

Hogs are pretty self-sealing. Blood trails are often harder to follow than with ungulates. Hammer the shoulder to anchor 'em, or hit just below the ear.

Shot placement is something that I haven’t really considered. I’d like to keep the skull and most people we will be hunting with aim for the noggin. I am thinking front shoulder or heart shot. Is there a way to identify boars from 75 yards? I sure would like a skull with cutters.

 

[Sam Colt]

Shot placement is something that I haven’t really considered. I’d like to keep the skull and most people we will be hunting with aim for the noggin. I am thinking front shoulder or heart shot. Is there a way to identify boars from 75 yards? I sure would like a skull with cutters.

Pretty much any boar with trophy potential will be running solo. Older boars are solitary.

Sows have cutters too; the difference is that a sow’s upper whetters or “sharpeners” curl the other way.

Feral Hog Tusk Characteristics – Feral Hogs

feralhogs.extension.org

 

[Nambaster]

Pretty much any boar with trophy potential will be running solo. Older boars are solitary.

Sows have cutters too; the difference is that a sow’s upper whetters or “sharpeners” curl the other way.

Feral Hog Tusk Characteristics – Feral Hogs

feralhogs.extension.org

This sounds like it is going to be a lot of fun. We are setting up about 75 yards from a feeder and there will be a gradual light that increases as it detects movement. I am packing pillow cases and zip ties and my plan is to get them quartered out as soon as possible.

I have noticed that the meat on pics on the internet do not appear white like store bought pork.

It is going to be extremely hot. I have shot pronghorn in this type of heat and ice made a good difference in keeping the meat.

 

[Sheltowee]

Anyone warned you about being careful where you grab to make your first ventral incision when field dressing? Just be aware that a boar usually is, er, locked and loaded for the ladies even post mortem and a touch in the wrong place can lead to a minor eruption. A friend learned this the hard way when gutting a boar on our first trip to Texas. Laughter ensued, along with the inquiry "Hell [name], what you were doing to that pig before you shot him?"

 

[Sam Colt]

Sitting in a stand right now waiting for twilight. Bring on the fun!

 

[HuntTalk Freak]

I prefer neck shots or straight into the forehead. I have a euro or two with bullet holes in the skull.
I hunt the hill country and this is about the cut off time I keep the meat due to their diets, outside temps and parasites. You can almost count on ticks year round around the inner ham areas.

 

[HuntTalk Freak]

Anyone warned you about being careful where you grab to make your first ventral incision when field dressing? Just be aware that a boar usually is, er, locked and loaded for the ladies even post mortem and a touch in the wrong place can lead to a minor eruption. A friend learned this the hard way when gutting a boar on our first trip to Texas. Laughter ensued, along with the inquiry "Hell [name], what you were doing to that pig before you shot him?"

I’ve never experienced that with the few hundred I’ve killed.

 

[Sam Colt]

Anyone warned you about being careful where you grab to make your first ventral incision when field dressing? Just be aware that a boar usually is, er, locked and loaded for the ladies even post mortem and a touch in the wrong place can lead to a minor eruption. A friend learned this the hard way when gutting a boar on our first trip to Texas. Laughter ensued, along with the inquiry "Hell [name], what you were doing to that pig before you shot him?"

I carefully put a dab of peanut butter on it so the first coyote gets the surprise.

 

[LousyResident]

I carefully put a dab of peanut butter on it so the first coyote gets the surprise.

 

[HuntTalk Freak]

What? You’ve never heard of the old “peanut butter pecker” trick?

 

[ImBillT]

How’s it going?

 

[CactusOnTheBrazos]

I live in Idaho.

Flying United Airlines to Lubbock, Texas. Have a pig hunt scheduled for the 17th of June.

In the event that I am successful, I will be staying in Lubbock until the 26th. I will have very limited free time for processing (about 2-3 hrs in the late nights) and even more limited refrigerator space as I will be staying in an Airbnb with several coworkers. I am considering Facebook market place to look for coolers or possibly a freezer fridge combo on the cheap. I like to age my meat about a week before I start to cut and wrap it.

Is there a place that might cold store a feral pig?

Does anyone have experience checking frozen wild game with United Airlines?

I plan to do a Euro mount stove top or on a burner in the backyard depending on the Airbnb. Are there any cheats that I might be overlooking in Lubbock?

Anyone else have travel experience from Texas for harvested pigs?

Too bad I just saw this. I would have had many food recs