Hunters Chat Room

[philddreamer]

Solar wrote:

Just curious....do you eat those bears? Aren't they full of trichina worms?

Yes we do, Solar, and it is good eating when harvested in the months of august and september when they are feeding on blueberries! And you're correct, some may carry worms.

And if so, how long do you have to cook them in order to kill the trichinellas?

First of all, we take care when we butcher them by using gloves... then the meat is placed in the freezer for several months, that kills any eggs that might be present in the meat. And we cook the meat hot enough and long enough to make it safe for eating.

Tom wrote:

I don't know about Bear meat having these worms, But they are very common in Pork and as long as it is properly cooked, they present no problem to us. Yuk It is very important to cook ALL meat fully (not rare) to kill off organisms that can harm us.

Yes, bears like pigs, may carry these worms... but as you stated, if properly cooked, they're safe to eat. Even beef is recommended to be fully cooked because of e-coli and other bugs; more so wild game! Also, fresh fish, like salmon...

Thank you gentlemen for your input!

Phil

 

[butcher]

Phil, like you and your son had a great time, and I am sure its nice to have all of that good meat in the freezer, I sure would like a little tender back-strap :lol:

I bet your busy smoking meat and making jerky,and sausage, darn I am getting hungry for some of that good tasting meat.

 

[moose7802]

I miss whitetail hunting!!! I am originally from WI but live in SoCal now so the only hunting I get to do now is waterfowl. My dad owns 127 acres of wooded hunting land back home that I really miss being able to hunt. I am going to make it back next year for rifle season and can't wait. It actually starts this Saturday so I'm sure my dad will be sending pics and rubbing it in what he's gotten to kill! Glad to see there at other hunters on here

Tyler

 

[pinman]

http://i.imgur.com/5yMOlzD.jpg
The results of my day of hunting this Saturday.

 

[philddreamer]

Yummy!

We also had a successfull hunting season! I bagged a deer and my son, too; plus he also bagged a black bear!

He went hunting with his friend in So. Washington and pick some chanterelle mushrooms, and I tell you, they are delicious!
When he got back, he cooked some spaghetti with ground deer meat and the chanterelle mushrooms, Brother that's good stuff!!! 8)

Phil

 

[Shark]

I can not believe I missed this thread. But here is a picture that always make's me smile. My "guide" and a man I considered a friend from our first meeting, Jerry Wendt (right), retired teacher, later worked for and even later retired as Dean from the University of San Jacinto, in Texas.

 

[philddreamer]

Talk about bringing home the bacon! :lol:

 

[Harold_V]

here is a picture that always make's me smile.

Talk to us a little about those wild hogs. How do they taste compared to domestic critters?
How large was the one pictured, and how does it rate amongst hogs? How large can they (and do they) get?

Thanks!

Harold

 

[Shark]

The one in the picture was around 325 pounds. Two days before there was another one shot that went 265 pounds. The average weight in that area is usually in the 225 to 250 range, but quite a few will make it to around 400 pounds and more. Some areas produce some really big ones, there was one killed here in Alabama with a pistol that went over 600 pounds, and several in the 500 pound range, with the typical being only around 175 pounds. The larger ones become quite adept at killing other game animals and this was the case where this one came from. Jerry had several pictures from a game camera of a large boar killing or pulling dead deer into heavier brush and invited me out. I was working in the Houston area and jumped at the opportunity. After getting the smaller one and knowing it wasn't the one causing the real problems, we went back a few days later, after one missed chance due to heavy brush, a few hours later a clean shot was offered and an we made it count. When pressured, they become very spooky, and will run at the slightest sound or even unusual changes in the surroundings. They are a very challenging animal to hunt, and even more so when spooked.

As for eating them, I prefer it over commercial raised meat, no additives or drugs which seem to change the flavor quite a bit to me. It has a milder, less sweet flavor. I was working with a crew of 18 people, and that hog only lasted a week. A big part of it was cooked into Curried Pork with jalapenos, and went great in cold weather working outside. We grilled a shoulder and had it for Christmas dinner, and it was gone in under 30 minutes.

 

[FrugalRefiner]

Mmmmm... Pig meat! That would make me smile too... Every time I pulled a package out of the freezer! :lol:

Dave

I made a post here earlier this morning, but it seems to have disappeared.

 

[yar]

Shark I know some states have a year round open season on hogs because they are out of control and very destructive to farms and livestock. Is it the same where you were hunting?

Nice big boar you guys got there, good job!!

 

[Shark]

At the time, and I am pretty sure it is still that way, wild hogs are a big problem, and it is pretty much open season on them. At the time of that trip, on private land you didn't need a license to hunt them in Texas. You could hunt at night under artificial light and even the use of night vision was legal. Public land is a different set of rules, but were still very generous for resident and non residents. During our hunt there, I spotted one herd that had over 50 hogs in it, mainly younger animals, we were after the big animals that were killing other game. Here in Alabama, they are still a big problem in some areas, and expanding, especially in the brushy country such as the middle and southern parts of the state. Swampy areas as well can be highly populated and even dangerous at times to roam without some protection. A few years ago I got a good look at a corn field where a herd had been rooting and eating and the entire field was pretty much a waste land. Now that I think about that, the property was owned by a retired agriculture professor from the University of Auburn that we had been doing other work for at the time. Well in his 80's at the time, he killed 8 in one morning with a shotgun. A very spunky, likable man.

 

[yar]

I figured it was an open season. Haven't had a hog problem this far north yet but I have heard there have been sightings in lower parts of Pennsylvania so I guess its only a matter of time before they get up my way. I hunt in the lower Catskill Mts here in NY. Good deer and turkey hunting. The Spring turkey season is better, hunt turkey until noon and then head to the streams to fly fish for big rainbow trout. Anyway glad to see there are a few people who still enjoy the outdoors and the benefits that mother nature provides us.

 

[philddreamer]

Shark, what "means" were used for putting down the beast, bow, modern firearm...?

Thanks!
Phil

 

[Shark]

Modern firearm. I had just bought a new .270, and it was the choice after a bullet failure from a .243 a few days before on another hog. Since I couldn't find my favorite .243 load locally, I went with the .270.

 

[Harold_V]

Thanks for the great report. No (wild) hogs here in Washington, at least that I know of, but if there was, I'd likely attempt to harvest one. Keep in mind, I don't generally hunt, but I do enjoy a meal of pork.

Interesting comments on the failure of a .243. If my 6MM didn't haul one down, I'd resort to my 458 Winchester magnum. A sure kill, I would think!

Harold

 

[yar]

That .458 wouldn't leave much of any thing left. Instant pulled pork, just add bbq sauce. That has to have one helluva kick Harold!!!

 

[Shark]

Funny about that .243 bullet in a way. The shot was made standing broadside at about 60 yards. The shoulder blade can be very hard, so I opted for a neck shot just behind the head at the neck. The shot appeared to be perfect, but a few minutes later it started to move again. Another shot in the same general area from the top side of the neck and it went crazy and was on it's feet and gone before a third shot could be taken. We found it later, and discovered the first bullet had been spent in the fat around the neck and never made it into the vital area. The second bullet had managed to connect with a vital artery but took some time to have the desired affect. The fat will act as a sealant and stop the flow of blood, which is very common, and makes tracking very tough and dangerous in heavy cover. After the bigger one pictured I went with the .308 for a firearm where there was a chance for hogs, but still try to avoid hitting the shoulder blade. Even the bigger hog was shot at a quartering angle from the neck, and the bullet was found in the lung cavity, very shallow for that caliber and only from 70 yards. There was no blood on the ground from either of those two.

 

[yar]

Shark have you tried Nosler with ballistic tips. Good penetration and expansion after impact. I used them in my .270 with a 130gr bullet. I moved up to a .308 with 150gr bullet and if shot placement is good it only takes one shot to put down a deer. They are a bit pricey but I only use them in the field. For sighting in I shoot Remington soft points. Where I hunt its heavy woods so a shot longer than 70 yards is rare, so the rounds use to sight in do not make a difference.

 

[kurtak]

Just curious....do you eat those bears? Aren't they full of trichina worms? And if so, how long do you have to cook them in order to kill the trichinellas?

Yes - bears like pigs can carry the trichina worm - however the worm dies (quickly) at a relatively low temp - 160F (the worm actually dies a bit below 160F but 160F is recommended) which is much cooler then the temp of a frying pan - contrary to common belief there is no need to cook to well done - you just need to be sure it reaches 160F to the center of the meat being cooked

I have been making my own sausage, ham & bacon for many years now - when smoking the meat (sausage with pork or bear meat in it) & you like a heaver smoke flavor you start with a cold smoke of about 90F to 120F in the smoker for the first few hours & then at the end you bring the smoker temp up to 160F & run it at that temp till the center of the meat hits 160F for about 1/2 hour to kill the worm --- if you like a lighter smoke flavor run a hot smoke (160F) from the start till the center hits 160F for 1/2 hour (go an hour if you are worried)

Bear/venison sausage = yummmm goooood :mrgreen:

Edit; to correct temp at which trichina worm dies

Kurt