A Finest 4th of July Florida First

Predator257Roy

New member
Since moving down here a few months ago it's been tough to actually get out and hunt. Moving, working, getting settled, tons of projects and the list goes on. I've seen some pigs, a coyote and quite a few deer. Only half way tried calling a yote one time and for one reason or another haven't had any attempt other than breaking my bow out for the hogs. With the Fourth of July coming up, I was going to make a big effort for some pork.
The night of the 2nd of July, I battled mosquitos while sitting out in the middle of my neighbors peanut field, hoping to spotlight some pigs. I left at 11P.M. The only crop damage happening that night was from the two dozen deer out in the field.
I returned to the field the next morning just after daylight. No deer, no hogs.
With temperatures getting warm quick, I though I would check out some nearby woods and check for some action at one of the ponds. On my way I noticed a tree worn smooth at its base with a hole trampled all around it. I had actually seen this a couple days prior, it had not been there a couple weeks prior. About two feet off the ground was a very wet smudge of mud, with drips still running down the tree. It was fresh, like just a couple minutes old. I eased through the woods, looking for pig sign and approached a grassy pond area. As I stopped to survey the pond, to my left coming through the trees I see movement only to realize that a group of hogs are walking right up on me only 20 yards away! I quickly remove scope cover, dial back the magnification, and choose a nice sized one for the smoker, I didn't have much time to decide! Pigs were still facing me, a few feet closer, most unaware, one looking right at me, somewhat suspicious. Crosshairs go on a nice looking black one, squeezed the trigger and drop her in her tracks with a 178 gr. A-Max. Pigs scatter, but not as fast as I thought they would. Grunting and sqealing all around as they headed into the woods, some close, some on the other side of the pond. It was a pretty big group. I squeezed off another round at one about 15 yards away running into brush. Way too big a rifle for up close, and too much magnification. I guess I missed that one, but I was super stoked about the one I shot. While I'm standing there, I can see the grass folding down out in front of me as a piglet is running straight towards me. He is blazing a trail through the grass and literally runs between my legs, I didn't have enough time to lean the gun up and try to catch him, but it was definitely funny.
The bullet entered the eye, vaporized the brain, took out the back of the scull, top of the spinal cord, through the neck and went between the ribcage and shoulder and ended up right under the skin behind the shoulder. Surprisingly it did not ruin much meat.
My first Florida kill! My first pig in a while! All I want t do is kill pigs, and I finally got it.











As clean as she was and not to hairy, I opted to scald and scrape like a domestic hog, my first time doing this with a wild hog. I used a turkey fryer burner and an old porcelain coated metal bathtub, worked great!
I couldn't believe how much fat was on this girl! Guessing she was around 150ish. After scalding her, she was impossible to tell from a farm raised hog.





I had her in my neighbors smoker by 12:30 that day. This is how she looked a few hours in.




In the smoker for 22 hours. Possibly the best whole hog I've ever done. Her fat was so thick, everywhere, belly, back, sides. I like fatty pork, but there was way too much. Plenty fat for me and handfuls of fat that I took out in clumps and handfuls when I was cutting her up. The dogs loved it. So tasty!






HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

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Thanks for the nomination! - Time to Dump PhotoBucket DesertRam
DesertRam says: Amen Brother! Working on it. Here's a temporary fix.







 
I took some sides of fat off her belly yesterday and added salt, brown sugar, pepper, and a smidge of garlic along with a good splash of liquid smoke. This evening it was breakfast for dinner and thick cut country bacon was on the menu. Delicious!

 
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NICE work!

Mind sharing how you scalded the hog? How long, hot, etc? I've done it on a smaller on years ago and it took forever.

Also, what are you shooting?
 
Shot it with a custom AR-10 .308, 178 grain A-max.

Another member here asked me about scalding, so here is my reply from my PM. He asked a few questions, so this should answer most anything.

Scalding is with the hog whole. It is done as soon as possible after the hog is killed. I do it before field dressing, but if you were going to cook it immediately afterwards, I don't guess it's a big deal. The reason for this is that you do not want to cook the meat, (with an open chest and abdominal cavity), you just want to scald the hair off (exterior). Doing pieces would be a mess. Hair and dirt on the meat would not be good. Freezing after scalding it would be fine, just like pork from the store.
Scalding is with water just barely hot enough to burn you if you stick your finger in it flow more than a second or two, not boiling or anything. I've done it wit a 55 gallon drum and a bathtub. The bathtub worked great, much better! Dunk the hog, 30 seconds to a minute, roll it and the hair should come out easily, if not give it another 30 seconds or so. When the hair comes out easily I just start scraping it all with my knife, about 8" blade. Typically going downward. I don't think with or against the hair makes any difference. Go one way then you can go the other - After a majority is scraped, opposite direction may help get tougher places or just smooth the skin a bit more. Scrape at pretty much a perpendicular angle to the pig, don't want to cut into the skin. I was able to scrape for short bits of time while it was still in the tub, but just bearly because of the temp, then lifted it up and scraped.


Bobby
 
Bacon and Merica... so I take it your finding places to hunt after your move?

Bacon looking pretty good Bobby!

Sweet...
 
We back up to some forest land that holds some hogs. My neighbor has a peanut field and pasture. He's turned me loose on coyotes and hogs. That's all I've had time for now, got some other places nearby that hopefully I can get permission to go on.
I bought some fishing kayaks too, so that's something else to split my time between as well.

Ribs anyone? Whole slab of ribs with the tenderloin left intact. Stuffed myself!

 
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If you dont have a barrel or bathtub, you can still scrape one. Get a piece of plywood and some burlap sacks or just buy some burlap material from walmart. Heat your water as hot as you without boiling. Moving water is fine just not a rolling boil. Pour enough water over the hog to wet the burlap. Let it scald for a few.minutes and then check to to see if the hair slips off easily. If you can pick it off with your fingers without pulling you are set. The back side of a draw knife knife works good as a scraper and doesnt cut the hair. Problem areas can be scalded again by using the same method.

Good looking piggy. Next time render the lard.from that fat and make some cracklins. Good for your heart and the best fish frying oil ever.
 
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I've heard of the burlap sack way, but never tried it.

Originally Posted By: sandy hicks

Good looking piggy. Next time render the lard.from that fat and make some cracklins. Good for your heart and the best fish frying oil ever.

That bacon did render out lots of oil and I did fry up some redfish, jack crevelle and mangrove snapper the other day, worked and tasted great!
 
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