I need some help

[wishiniwasfishin69]

I have been an avid fisherman since I could hold a rod. After a lifetime(37 years) of swearing that I wasn't going to hunt unless i needed to feed the family, I have been pushed to do just that. My wife is a teacher. She not only did not get a raise this year, but along with every other state employee in NC got a retroactive paycut. Add that to cutbacks at my work, and my side construction jobs drying up life has gotten pretty rough. Not even enough leftover at the end of the week to put fuel in the boat. Sad I know, but I can fish from the shore. In an effort to help make ends meet, I took up hunting. I borrowed a rifle from my dad, and with a little help from some friends actually killed my first buck. 6 points field dressed at 111 pounds. What I am trying to do now, is find someplace that has a high population of hogs that I can hunt for free, since there is not a season for hogs. Any farmers out there with hog problems? or does anyone know of some prime hog hunting areas in the western half of the state? There are several low income families near me that would appreciate any help you guys can give me as much as I would.

[NY Bearhunter]

TIMES ARE TOUGH FOR SURE, SAME PROBLEMS HERE IN NY TO, DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT WHERE YOU HUNT BUT I HOPE ALL WORKS OUT FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

[weekender]

be careful up there where you live, check your regulations well. Many of the hogs in western Carolina are classified as wildboar and do have seasons and limits.

http://www.ncwildlife.org/Regs/Regs_Hunt_Trap.htm

[FLATLINER]

Brother, Yes, times are tough. I have a freezer full of geese if you want some. I will be coming down to MHC to look at some properties in the coming months. You want a cooler full, they are yours.

Kevin

[wishiniwasfishin69]

I appreciate it. Weekender, it seems like western NC has the most rules and the shortest seasons. I appreciate the warning. Flatliner, I appreciate the offer but I would hate for you to drive 400 miles out of the way. If you are coming through western NC though I'd love to at least meet you. If wifey is coming along, I work for Biltmore Estate she would love it.

[calebw]

Well I don't know much about hunting in the western part of the state or even hunting hogs for that matter. But I do know that local farmers can acquire a permit to spotlight and shoot deer all year. Now all they have to do is prove to the wildlife commision that deer and hogs are destroying thier crops and they can get the permit. With that being said you would be able to spotlight deer and kill them with permission from the farmer if he has this permit, there is no bag limit and no season dates with this.

[seapower]

Depredation permit's that farmer's get allow "them" to shoot the animal's, I've never heard that they can give an "outsider" permission to shoot them. Although I have been told that the "State" allow's other's to eat the animal's. May be a great idea to ask a local farmer if he would mind if you picked up some "problem" deer.
I can say that my family has alway's eaten "out of" the wood's, we buy very little meat (chicken of course). I just got in from boning 2 bear for burger and have 4 deer to do tommorrow. I don't carry any meat to a processor, as I want every pound I can get. It generally took about 8 deer a year when it was myself, wife and 3 kid's. The only thing we have to buy is beef fat. If you frequent a particular super market, talk with the butcher there explain your situation and he just may well save the beef fat trimming for you.
I guess what I'm getting at is we've allowed ourselve's to away from being more self-sufficient. I have alway's taught my kid's to hunt, they came with me even if they didn't want to (there weren't many times they didn't want to hunt). You never know when thing's are gonna get tight and a 75 cent bullet is pretty cheap eating.
My best advise to you about trying to find a "problem" hog population would be to talk to you're local Game Warden, he would know how to find out the info you are looking for. By the way, ferrel hog's are not nearly as tender (from my experience) as food lot hog's, but have a better taste. Not to mention they have no feed added hormone's or medication's. Frank

[wishiniwasfishin69]

I just never really wanted to hunt. My dad hunted but never took me. I squirrel hunted when I was young with my brother. All I ever heard people talking about was how big of rack this one had, or that was a real trophy....you know how it goes. I never heard anyone say anything about oh this will feed us for the winter. I never understood what the lure of killing an animal for its horns was. So i never really got into it. Now with the things the way they are, I decided it was time. BTW I did keep the antlers, but not to mount. My 16 y/o son is a woodturner and he is going to turn the antler into a pen as a momento of my first buck.....Thanks guys.