Sometimes anglers get tired of catching fish and look for something else to do. Over the last few years hunting hogs has become popular for many hunting enthusiast and it’s something you can do year round. For those who like hunting and are tired of the same old things you might be interested in trying something different. These are the big game wild hogs found in everycountyofFlorida. They are not your ordinary barnyard pig, they’re ugly, stinky and one the smartest wild animals you’ll ever match wits against. There is an air of mystery about hunting wild hogs and a certain amount of danger, but regardless it’s gaining in popularity everywhere.

Non-native to North America hogs originated inEurasiaand began showing up as early as 1539 with the Hernando Desoto expeditions. It’s believed the first feral or wild hogs escaped from those expeditions and quickly reverted to the wild hogs we have today. Although they started out as domestic throughout the centuries now they’ve become full-blooded wild boars.

Physically, wild boars look very different and are much more aggressive from domestic pigs. With smaller ears and much longer snouts; their tails are straight and tufted at the tip. Hair coloring is brown to black with long bristles running from the head along the center line of the back. It can be raised up in the air two to three inches from the body as a warning when the boar is excited or agitated. With their hind legs shorter than front legs, wild boars have an “uphill” appearance. A mature wild boar can measure up to 40 inches at the shoulder and weigh up to 450 pounds; females somewhat shorter weighing up to 370 pounds. Under ideal conditions a healthy female (sow) can breed when only 6 months old and continue breeding every six months, producing four to 14 piglets per litter. Young wild boars are born with yellowish-brown coats with distinct dark stripes along the back providing camouflage coloring.

Because of their high reproductive rates and voracious appetitesFlorida’s up to its elbows in this prolific porker and it’s getting worse. There is an estimated half a million hogs rooting their way around the state causing serious agricultural, residential and wildlife habitat destruction. Wild hogs are opportunistic omnivorous eating machines with appetites extending beyond nuts, fruits, roots and tubers. Stomach contents actually revealed remnants of young animals, carrion and eggs of ground-nesters like sea turtles, turkey and quail.

Wild Hog Hunting – Stalking wild hogs is an exciting adventure you’ll never forget and the culinary benefits aren’t bad either. If you’re interested in pitting your wits against this cunning opponent then learning to identify certain things like food sources, rubs, wallows, habitats and travel patterns can be important to your success.

Wild hogs are tough intelligent animals with an incredible sense of smell, reasonable hearing, and moderate eyesight. They readily adapt to changing conditions and if it benefits their survival may modify their reaction to humans. Like their domestic cousins wild hogs prefer dense cover that’s close to water, and food.

Whether you’re looking for a trophy or one for the smoker you must recognize where they spend their time. Hogs do not have sweat glands, which make them partial to dense cover and shade with access to water. These pools of water or mud holes allow them to wallow and keep cool. Find these water holes along with muddy trees used to rub off the mud and you’ve found where they spend a lot of daytime hours.

Pin pointing exact food sources is more difficult, because hogs eat just about anything and doing so cause incredible ground damage which makes it those specific areas easily identifiable. Other key feeding areas include hardwoods and conifers that produce nuts or berry producing vegetation.

Hog tracks will resemble small calves and are easy to identify in moist areas. Learning to read these tracks can reveal pig trails to and from food and water. Following them often leads to tunnels through the dense vegetation and straight to bedding areas that are easily identifiable by the unpleasant odors associated with hogs.

Hunting Methods and Techniques

Spotting and Stalking - in reasonably exposed terrain can be an effective and challenging method. Position yourself facing the wind keeping open areas in clear sight. When you locate them start moving slowly and quietly in their direction keeping yourself downwind. By using all available cover you can usually get close enough for a quality shot.

Still hunting - is commonly used in thick or dense brush, find an area with fresh signs, then maintain soft/quiet footing and begin moving slowly stopping often to look, listen and smell. Stay alert as you move and keep your face into the wind.

Stationary Tree Stands or Blinds - is primarily an early morning technique so plan to arrive before sunrise. Pigs continually use certain areas or trails so choose a downwind location with good cover and a clear view. Now it’s a waiting game.

Taking the Shot - When you finally squeeze off the expected kill shot at a wild hog, remember they are surprisingly intelligent, physically adapt and mentally tough and horrifying thing you’ve ever heard about wounded hogs is true.

Head Shot – Not always the best: As a rule, a well placed head shot will drop the pig instantly and you’ve got an instant kill; especially if the bullet enters at or just behind the ear cutting the spinal cord or going through the brain. On the other hand, since animals are constantly moving their heads making this shot can be risky business unless perfectly executed. Virtually nothing in the head or neck area is vital to life except the central nervous system and the slightest miscue often leaves the charged up on adrenaline, blinded, with a possible broken jaw or some other mortal wound.

For that reason shot placement is especially important for a quick clean kill. Ideally, a shot on a broadside should be placed in the lower shoulder area. If the animal is quartering towards or away from you, you’ll want to place the shot so the bullet ends up in the vital organs between the shoulders a couple of inches above the front elbow, where the bullet should pass through the lungs and possibly the heart. Keep in mind that any unplaced broadside or shoulder shot that does sever the spinal cord seldom results in an instant kill leaving the animal mortally wounded and often un-recovered. Nevertheless, once you shoot any animal, it is your responsibility to recover it and depending on the wound it can take hours of hard work over rough terrain.

Much talk has been put forth about the head shot, and that can definitely be a kill shot, provided you hit the brain. Make note of the fact that a hog’s brain is well protected by its thick skull and a small target. Here again, a tough bullet with good penetration is key.

A broken shoulder certainly puts a hog down on the spot, allowing for a fast follow-up shot if it’s necessary; this ideal if you don’t want to have to trail the animal, but would rather kill it quickly and efficiently. Also in the case of a mature hog, you don’t want it coming after you with those nasty sharp tusks.

How Much Gun – One important thing to remember is take enough guns to do the job. I would not hunt hogs with any rim fire cartridge; unless I was dealing with very small young pigs. So, how much gun is enough? That depends on the hog and bullet placement. For normal hogs you might start with any cartridge in the class of a 30-30. Especially with 170-grain bullets you’ll get plenty of penetration. Smaller hogs can be killed with lesser cartridges, and larger boars would best be approached with something much heavier. Overall, you want to use enough gun and ammo to penetrate with enough depth to do the job efficiently, while allowing for a margin of error.

Everyone tries to make a clean kill, but it does not always happen and because pigs have thick hides with the inherent ability to seal a wound they often have a tendency to leave little or no blood. Therefore, after you take your shot try to determine whether you hit the animal and if it’s no longer visible, make a mental mark of where it was when you shot. Go to that spot and hopefully you’ll a have a dead animal; if not mark the spot, so you can return later. Now begin searching the immediate area for signs that help determine what type of wound you’re dealing with. Frothy blood indicates a lung shot which usually causes the animal to succumb rather quickly. On the other hand, stomach contents indicate a stomach wound which seldom drops one quickly. A stomach wounded animal will usually lie down after a short run and expire, so it’s often better to wait a little while before tracking.

Wild hogs are especially strong, hard to kill and capable of inflicting serious injury; they often backtrack charging from behind or lie in wait for an ambush When you think you are close to finding or have located the animal you shot always approach with caution. Stunned animals can also recover quickly attacking without warning; so be alert and prepared for a second shot until you’ve confirmed the animal is dead.

Field Dressing – Like most wild animals, hogs carry parasites and diseases that can transmit to humans. Several possibilities are brucellosis, tuberculosis, anthrax and trichinosis. When handling any carcass take every precaution to protect against disease and pest exposure and most importantly always avoid any blood to blood contact. At all times wear latex or rubber gloves, wear safety glasses or goggles, don’t eat or drink will dressing the animal, wear long sleeve shirts and pants, wash and disinfect hands and clothing and always cook the meat to a least 185 degrees.

The next time you pull your chair up to the dinner table for a wild hog roast pork dinner with brown rice and gravy, buttermilk biscuits, green beans and cold iced tea, you might find yourself wondering why more people don’t hunt hogs.

A Marriage Certain to End in Divorce…

Since E10 gasoline which is gasoline containing 10% ethanol became widely available several years ago, the nation’s largest recreational boat owners groups, has received hundreds of calls and emails complaining about boat engine problems. The majority of complaints concern older outboard motors, those made before about 1990. According to Mercury Marine’s Ed Alyanak and Frank Kelley, who between them have over 60 years of experience, to find out what’s made these decades-old outboards more susceptible to ethanol’s well-known problems and what owners can do.

1. Vulnerable hoses: In the mid 1980′s new standards (SAE J1527) for fuel hoses were developed for “gasohol,” which was known to deteriorate rubber and plastics. Since then, problems with hoses have largely gone away, but that doesn’t mean they are maintenance free. Tech Tip: Any hose older than 10 years should be replaced. Here’s another way to test rubber fuel hose condition: wipe a clean rag along the hose. If you smell gas on the rag, replace the hose immediately.

2. Carburetors: O-rings and rubber carburetor parts on older engines tend to get hard and brittle when exposed to ethanol and then break off in bits and pieces causing clogs, misfires and shutdowns. Pre-1990 carburetors were also made from alloys that didn’t stand up to ethanol, leading to corrosion that can cause tiny fuel orifices to clog, resulting in hard starts and poor running. Old carburetors are also “dumb” in that they were designed to run on only one type of fuel. Ethanol, however, has more oxygen and affects the air/fuel ratio, causing engines to run leaner and hotter. Tech Tip: The best solution with old outboards is to run straight gas – if you can find it. Some mechanics may also have the ability to “recalibrate” a carburetor to tolerate E10 note: gas with ethanol greater than 10% should never be used with any boat engine.

3. Plastic fuel filter bowl: Some older engines may have plastic fuel filter bowls. Tech Tip: If you still have one, replace immediately with a metal bowl.

4. Fuel fill gasket: Keeping water out of the fuel tank is even more important with ethanol as it can eventually lead to the formation of two separate solutions in the gas tank water and fuel, also known as phase separation. The process is more common on older boats which are more likely to have accumulated water at the bottom of the tank. Once phase separation happens – the tipping point when water in the gas is either harmlessly ingested or transformed into a corrosive mixture no engine will run on – there’s no going back. No fuel additive can restore E10 back to its normal state. Tech Tip: Age and exposure to ethanol can rot fill gaskets or O-rings. Replace them every few years.

5. “Gunk” in the tank: It is still possible that some old outboards and boat fuel systems have yet to sip a drop of E10. But once your boat drinks its first tank full, ethanol will “scour” or dissolve the gunk that’s been coating the tank walls and hoses for years. Tech tip: You may want to think about hiring a professional to have the tank drained completely of any gas and water at the bottom before adding your first load of E10. If not, keep a supply of filters on hand – they will clog quickly. Always use a fuel stabilizer and avoid using octane boosters that contain ethanol.

For more information on ethanol and boat engines, go to http://www.BoatUS.com/seaworthy/ethanol.asp.

Summer is here, and with it, plenty of daylight hours to spend on the water fishing or boating. But while summer brings with it visions of sunshine and warm temperatures, it can also bring in the chaotic weather that often puts a swift end to all that fun on the water. Thunderstorms especially those associated with lightning, and wind are all bad news if you’re caught unprepared on the water. The good news is that with a little basic knowledge, you can learn to predict when these coming storms, and get yourself out off the water before you’re in danger.

 Seasoned boaters have learned to watch to the skies for impending storms and if things don’t look promising they head for safety. Here are a few tips for keeping your eye on the sky:

 • Bad weather is often forecast before you ever leave shore, so make certain you check your local weather stations or local marine forecast paying careful attention all marine warnings that may be posted for your area or the area you may be heading.

 • Look for the telltale signs of a forming thunderstorm such as clumps of thick cumulous clouds (the puffy, cotton-ball type) darkening into a towering, cumulonimbus cloud (think cumulous growing vertically, with an anvil-like shape at the top). Begin heading for safety whenever you see clouds in this formation. Severe winds, lighting, rain or worse can occur in as little as 15 to 30 minutes.

 • The severity of a storm can often be predicted by the shape and color of a cloud’s front edge. The darker, sharper, and lower the edge, the more severe the storm. A storm cloud’s anvil-shaped top also will typically point in the direction the storm is traveling.

 • During the summer thunderstorms will often build over the water when the humidity and temperature on land are high. As hot air radiates upward, it absorbs moisture from nearby water, ultimately rising to begin forming a thunderhead. The telltale sign of these storms are fast-moving black clouds, often approaching from the southwest, south, or west.

 • How long do you have before a storm arrives? Try this trick. When you first see a lighting flash, count how many seconds pass before you hear the accompanying clap of thunder, then divide by five. The result is the number of miles you are away from the storm.

 • Even if a storm is still several miles away, the lightning it generates can easily reach you. Lighting often strikes well before a storm, as well as once the storm has seemingly passed. Watch for the “coppery” haze and building cumulonimbus clouds that indicate a thunderstorm, and seek shelter well in advance.

• If you can’t outrun a storm or find some kind of shelter, point your craft into the wind, and try to take approaching waves at a 90-degree angle. This will keep your pump in the water, and lessen the chance of your craft getting rolled over. It’s also best to stay as low as possible, so that your body is not the tallest target on the water.

 • Remember, whenever you’re venturing farther than just your local bay or shore, a handheld VHF radio can be a lifesaver. Many include a weather alert feature to warn of approaching storms. In addition, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) broadcast continual weather bulletins on designated “WX’ channels, which are updated every six hours.

Located at the mouth of Tampa Bay, Egmont Key is now primarily a wildlife refuge. Accessible only by private boat, it has a unique natural and cultural history, including a lighthouse that’s stood since 1858. On any given day you’ll find boating, swimming and fishing activities going on around this small island; often oblivious to the decades of history. Although its outward appearance deceives the average observer, take a moment and travel back to the beginning.

This modest island located at the entrance to Tampa Bay played a dynamic part in the area’s history. Named in honor of John Perceval, the second Earl of Egmont, it witnessed the passing of Spanish Conquistadors, English, and Spanish Privateers, the violent struggle between brothers in blue and grey and later ships of steam and iron. Today hundreds of steel hulled, oil driven, satellite guided ships pass this small island, on course to Tampa.

Throughout the early 1830′s as Tampa developed into an active seaport, so did the number of shallow water groundings near Egmont Key. To remedy the situation local citizens petitioned the Government to construct a lighthouse at the entrance to the bay. In March 1848 Congress authorized $7,050.00 to erect the only lighthouse between St. Marks and Key West. Living on the island with his family, the first lighthouse tender, Sherrod Edwards operated the new beacon.

Shortly after completion, the great hurricane of 1848 struck Florida’s gulf coast. As a result, enormous tidal surges completely covered the island. Before the storm; Edwards placed his family in a small boat and tied it to cabbage palms at the highest point on the island. There they rode out the violent storm. By morning the exhausted family returned to the lighthouse finding it severely damaged and their possessions gone or destroyed. As the powerful storm passed and the winds and seas subsided; Edwards again loaded his family into the boat, rowed to shore and resigned his post as lighthouse tender.

In what is generally called today’s hurricane season; subsequent storms followed and also, wreaked destruction on the island and lighthouse. Once again, Congress came to the rescue and appropriated monies to redesign and rebuild the lighthouse to withstand future storms. The new 120 foot lighthouse was fitted with a “Fresnel Lens” and “Argard Lamp,” the most modern and newest equipment of its time. As a tribute to the builders this structure still stands today.

This small island added a dreadful footnote to the Seminole Indian Wars. Egmont served as a holding area, and point of departure, for hundreds of Seminoles awaiting transportation to a reservation in Arkansas. As the final Indian War came to a close in 1858, a tragic event took place on tiny island. The last remaining chief in South Florida; Billy Bowlegs surrendered in Fort Myers with his remaining followers.
For their final rendezvous before crossing the Gulf of Mexico they were transported to the holding facility at Egmont Key. Shortly, before boarding a transport ship and unable endure the humility of being taken from his native Florida. A proud warrior named Tiger Tail committed suicide by grinding up pieces of glass and swallowing it with a glass of water. His suicide tragically ended an era of Indian Wars in Florida.

In 1861, the deadliest Civil War in U.S. history commenced. Confederate troops decided to occupy this strategic location, but quickly realized they were unable to defend its location. Making preparations to leave, they decided to render the lighthouse useless, and took the Fresnel lens during the evacuation.

Despite the inoperable light beacon, Union Forces captured the island in November 1861 and established a Union gunboat base. These boats successfully blockaded the entrance to Tampa Bay and shelled buildings of military importance, around the bay. At one point they even invaded and briefly occupied the Tampa. Before the war ended, with the surrender of General Robert E. Lee in 1865, thousands of run-away slaves, Union sympathizers, and Confederate prisoners were held captive on the small isolated island.

As the war subsided, new lighthouse keepers were hired to live on the island. They were responsible for day to day operations involving general house keeping, lens cleaning, and wick trimming.

When the U.S. Lighthouse Service established a sea buoy depot and coal shed in 1872; the small history filled island finally seemed destined to some normality, but not for long.

In 1898, irresolvable differences over the liberation of Cuba loomed on the horizon, between the United States and Spain. The Spanish-American War seemed inevitable and apprehension ran high for the citizens of Tampa. Concerned over a Spanish fleet invasion, they demanded the government intervene and establish some kind of security guarding the entrance to Tampa Bay. In 1906 an Army Fort was completed for an invasion that never came to pass. Never the less, the mighty fort, named in honor of Army Major Francis Dade stood ready to guard Tampa Bay.

Fort Dade soon became a sprawling island town. Complete with post office, Movie Theater, electric lights, telephone service, sewers, icehouse, and hospital; it even had an elementary school. Nearing the 20th century, a fort that proudly served even during the World Wars was finally decommissioned in 1923. Now the once proud fortress succumbs to years of abandonment and pounding surf. Much of the original fort and buildings located 250 yards inland are literally crumbling into the sea.

In 1939 lighthouse operations was transferred to and are now maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. In the 1940′s the lighthouse was modernized by adding two 200,000 candle power airport beacons visible to 28 miles offshore. When the original beacon was removed; to accommodate the modern lights the tower was shortened to 85 feet.

The Tampa Bay Pilots Association was founded in 1886, to help guide merchant ships into Tampa. Today, their presence on Egmont Key is a living statement to Tampa’s maritime history.

Egmont Key State Park and National Wildlife Refuge – was established in 1974 and protects a diverse community of animals and plants, many of which are either threatened or endangered. This island refuge was once the site of the former United States Army Fort Dade Military Reservation, and abundant reminders of this unique military past can be found scattered throughout the island today. Silent gun batteries testify to a time when mighty battleships reigned supreme on the world’s oceans. Anyone with interest in Tampa history or ghost towns should visit Egmont Key State Park that’s open 365 days from 8 AM until sundown.

Captain Woody Gore is an outdoor writer, photojournalist, and speaker. He also guides fishing charters in the Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, Bradenton, and Sarasota areas. Fishing these areas for over fifty years he offers memorable fishing adventures. Capt Woody’s website is located at: WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM or give him a call at 813-477-3814

This article is owned by Capt. Woody Gore and is copyright protected. Permission to republish this article in print or online must be granted by Capt. Gore. wgore@ix.netcom.com