Editor’s Note: Parrey Cremeans is the far-West big-game Pro Staff manager for Mossy Oak. He also guides for elk, mule deer, blacktail deer and other species in California, Mexico and other areas with Just For Hunting, a full-service outfitter (visit www.justforhunting.com or call 650-888-0808). If you plan to hunt in the far West, make your reservations now. If you can’t get in for this year’s hunting season, go ahead, and book for next year.
There are few places in the country that don’t have feral hogs. They’ve become a real nuisance for farmers, landowners and wildlife managers. I think feral hogs are the game we harvest most often in our outfitting business. These hogs tend to get pretty big and have big teeth. Our place has different colors and sizes of feral hogs, including spotted, black-and-white, black, red and other colors. We also have a ranch that exclusively contains Russian boars. All these hogs are black and don’t get quite as big as feral hogs. If you get one weighing 300 pounds, he’s a giant. These Russian boars have longer snouts than feral hogs, have much-higher backbones that drop-off more quickly, so they aren’t as round and are built differently, in that they’re more husky-looking up front and leaner in the back.
There are a number of choices for various prices with our Just for Hunting operation. We have several ranches that charge $600 for a 2-day hunt. Some charge $350 for a pass permit to hunt trust lands and $250 for the hog you take. Our premium 2-day Russian boar hunt is $750. We have about a 97-percent success rate for hogs. If hunters want to come out here and take a pig to eat, we try to find a hog weighing 160 to 220 pounds. If they’re coming out to get a hog with big teeth to mount, we look for a boar with 2- to 2-1/2-inch teeth that’s on the prowl for a sow. We’ve had hunters harvest several hogs in the last few years with teeth measuring more-than 4 inches in length. Hog hunting is getting more and more popular, because in some states, hogs are seen as a nuisance and can be hunted year-round with a variety of weapons. Young hogs can be delicious to eat, and the meat is extremely lean compared to that of domestic hogs. The food the hogs eat is all-natural, making the meat very tasty. Whether you’re a bowhunter, a shotgun hunter or a rifle hunter, if you want to take hogs in California, try out this opportunity.
Day 3: Parrey Cremeans Tells about Hunting All Three Species of Elk in California
Tomorrow: Parrey Cremeans Talks Bear and Predator Hunting in California
