Hog Wild
by MCL staff writer

Brandson Chambless, Samantha Owens and Brandon Gause took this wild hog last week. The wild boar will stand

You never know what you might see while working at the Miller County Liberal.

Last Saturday, July 14, Brandon Chambless, Brandon Gause and Samantha Owens came walking in to say that they had been wild hog hunting.

Chambless stated that they got up at around 4:30 a.m. that morning heading for Stewart County where he had been asked to see if they could catch a large wild hog that had been doing a lot of damage. They took a number of catch dogs to help with the hunt.

The wild hog hunters stated that they found the tracks, and within a few minutes after the dogs were released, they had come upon this 400 pound boar with 4 1/2 inch cutters on top and bottom. The hog was caught in head-high briars, which made the catch doubly dangerous.

The very large wild hog put up a vicious fight before he was wrestled down by the hunters with the help of some of the hog hunting dogs. Several of the dogs will need treatment and healing after they tackled this huge boar hog. The large tusks do a lot of damage.

The hunters are ready for a hog cleaning and lots of pork and stew from this 400 plus pound porker. The meat is considered a delicacy.

The hunters, when possible, take the wild hogs alive to keep the sporting animals in good numbers.

After whitetail deer, American wild boar are the most popular game animal in the US. Here they are called razorbacks, pineywoods rooters, feral, Russian and European boar.

The wild boar is vigilant, athletic, fast and tough... and is merciless. Most adult boars range from 150 to 250 pounds, but have been know to go over 1000 plus pounds. They have a longer head and snout and smaller ears than a domestic hog. They are longer legged with high, broad shoulders that taper to the narrow hind quarters.

This boar had the classic black color, but they can have any mix of colors and patterns. The coarse bristles along the back, from head to tail, are raised on end when the hog is disturbed, giving them the name razorback.

The wild boar will stand his ground, which means he is ready for a confrontation with anyone or anything. It can be very dangerous and has been known to attack animals and humans. The razor sharp tusks can cut like a surgeon's knife, and the infectious cuts can cause serious medical problems for man or dogs

Chambless stated that they will go hunting wild hogs when called or invited. He can be reached at 220-8843. Again, the hog hunters invited the editor to go with them, but he graciously declined, stating that he doesn't move as fast as it might become necessary to move.