Going Hog Wild in Florida

A Father-Daughter Hog Hunting trip

A recent father-daughter hog hunting trip to Florida taught me the Sunshine State has more to offer than beaches, theme parks and the NASA Space Center. Hunting opportunities abound, and chasing wild boars with my dad proved to be one of the most exciting outdoor adventures we’ve experienced together.

Wild hogs are a wildlife species that Florida has an overabundance of. These are massive wild pigs that live in swampy, agricultural or wooded areas. They cause millions of dollars of damage to crops in the United States, and their rooting causes damage in woodlands and natural habitats across their range.

Hog Hunting is a great way to see these animals in their natural habitat. It’s an experience that’s unique, and exciting and gives you an exceptional story to tell. And if you like pork, it’s a wonderful way to sample wild hog while knowing exactly where it came from and how it was processed.

My hog hunting experience was nothing short of eccentric. It started early—so early I could barely get out of bed until I remembered why I was getting up at 4 a.m. on vacation. After driving through an agricultural area outside of Titus-Ville, we drove down the driveway surrounded by forest to Hunter’s Envy, who would be our hosts and guides.

Upon arrival we were greeted by two younger-aged men, Jonah Baker and Riley Ferguson, both dressed in their Flori- da camo. Jonah and Riley hunt and fish full time and are two of the owners of the company—talk about dream jobs! The first thing I noticed when we walked into their lodge was a giant alligator skull on the center island of the house and, nearby, a massive hog skull. I knew instantly we were in the right place with people that knew what they were doing; we wouldn’t be leaving empty-handed.

We took a side by side to the first spot, arriving just before sunrise. I was given my position and told where the feeder was. The guides whispered that there were hogs on the feeder. Of course, because it was still dark out I couldn’t see the feeder, so I judged all the lighter spots against the dark background of the woods, trying to guess where it was. Simultaneously I listened for hogs while the guides whispered about where the grunting we could hear was coming from. Eventually the sun rose over the horizon, allowing us to see that there were no pigs on this particular bait. While disappointed at the time, little did I know that the biggest hunting thrill of my life was less than an hour away.

Jonah looked at cellular trail cameras on his phone and found another feeder with hogs on it. Hogs don’t have great vision but they do have an incredible sense of smell, so he explained the importance of approaching without letting the wind give us away. Fortunately, there was very little wind that morning.

We got back into the side by side and motored our way through the forest on a trail of mud and puddles. When we stopped and got out, I could immediately hear the squealing and grunting of pigs. The noise wasn’t like anything I’d ever heard in Canada, and if I hadn’t been hunting with guides, I’d have turned around and left, fearful of what I was hearing. As we got closer, I could see the feeder and got a glimpse of a light-colored spotted hog running down the trail, away from the feeder and directly towards us. As we stopped, it turned and ran into the bush.

We slowly moved closer to the feeder, stopping when Jonah set up the shooting sticks for me while I tried to calm myself and get a good look at these animals I hadn’t seen before. Once the sticks were at the proper height, I propped my gun up while remaining standing, then peered through my scope, waiting for the perfect shot. There was a group of nearly 10 wild pigs milling around eating as I watched through the brush, waiting for my opportunity on one of the larger hogs.

Jonah coached me through the whole experience. He told me which one I should target and tried to tell me when to shoot. But every time he would say, “Shoot,” a smaller hog would walk in front of the one we wanted.

Finally, everything lined up perfectly. Jonah told me to shoot, there were no other pigs in the way, and I gently squeezed the trigger on the 6.5 Creedmoor. The other hogs scattered, and I heard a loud screech. The one I hit ran into the thick Florida palmetto to the left of the feeder and as we approached, we could see something rolling and grunting in the mud. I had taken two hogs in one shot! I handed the gun to my dad, and he finished off the smaller of the two hogs.

We walked closer to the feeder, looking for the larger one, and could hear it in the shoulder-high palmettos. Jonah went in looking for it while Riley, my dad and I waited, talking excitedly about how cool this all was. We were still standing together when we heard a loud grunt and a high-pitched squeal.

I asked Jonah if he wanted the gun and handed it to him when he nodded a resounding yes.

Riley added to the excitement of the moment, telling us that if the boar charged to, “Kick at it. Don’t let it near you. They’re wild animals and difficult to predict.”

As Jonah got closer, he saw the big boar on the ground and quickly fired once. With all safe, I moved in to get a better look at my achievement, while the boys pulled the other pig over for pictures. To drag the 200-pound boar back to the trail by hand would have been a challenge, so Jonah pulled up the side by side, threw the smaller hog in and got a hand from Riley for the larger one.

We made our way back to camp where they hung the smaller hog for gutting; the larger one lay in the back where the other guys hunting could have a look at it. A hunter that had been out with a different guide also came back successful, with a nice hog. The heads of each of the larger animals’ were removed as both of us wanted to keep the skulls.

While Jonah and Riley were cleaning the smaller hog for eating, I asked what they did with the carcass. Pointing at a grove of trees nearby, they advised they’re deposited in the bush, saying the remains wouldn’t last long with all the alligators around. As the boys continued cleaning the hogs they shared exciting alligator hunting stories, making me think my next Florida hunt might have to be an alligator.

After everything was cleaned up, Riley took my dad and I through the property, hoping to find Osceola turkeys we could take pictures of. It was nice to see the property in the daylight as it gave us a better appreciation for the Florida wilderness. It’s not like anything else I’ve seen, reminding me of the Jurassic World movies

If given the opportunity, I would recommend this experience to anyone. My hog hunting experience was amazing, thrilling and affordable. The success of the trip contributed to the thrill, but just seeing wild hogs and deer up close and in their natural habitat, along with the opportunity to hunt something different, was a large part of the experience. If you’re looking for a unique hunting experience, I would highly recommend a Florida hog hunt. The guys at Hunter’s Envy are experienced and knowledgeable and are an outfitter you should consider. For more information, visit huntersenvy.com, or call 321-333-5700.