non-resident Texas hogs?

[Randy99CL]

Haven't posted here for a few years.

Long story short, I live in NM and 6 years ago built my first AR in 6.5Grrr intending to go into Texas and shoot some hogs.

Once I got serious about it reality hit and I found that I couldn't do it.
Turns out that farmers don't want strangers shooting on their land (totally understandable).
I couldn't find any public land where there were hogs to shoot.
It seems that most of the successful hunters were using night vision, which I don't have.
The commercial hunting ranches charge a fortune that I won't pay.

And my health meant I couldn't walk for any distance anyway. My health has improved even though I am now 72.

I'm wondering if anything has changed? Is it possible to kill some of those hogs without spending a fortune?
TIA

[Konocti's Wigwam]

In Texas you don't even need a hunting license to hunt pigs, I believe it is legal for anyone to shoot a pig, resident or non-resident.

Problem is there is not a lot of public land in TX, like it's almost non-existent. Maybe someone will chime in from TX.

Non-resident pig tags are reasonably priced in California, if you're willing to drive, about $100, but some other costs incur with it. There are some 2 day passes which include any game. Some areas also have deer tags over the counter.

https://wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Hunting

California has a lot of BLM land, I don't know about TX, just that the majority of pigs are taken on private land.

Don't you have Javelina in New Mexico? That Grendel would be a dandy rifle for that, it's like a small pig.

[lazyengineer]

Yea, there's no restriction in Texas, since it's vermin and not regulated by the state. Problem with Texas is it was it's own Country for a brief duration, and so never really had any Federal land; and as such, doesn't really have any public land.

To hunt hogs in Texas you have to either have or know someone who has land; or form a relationship with someone who does. Or go through an outfit and pay. TBH, if you're in the early 70's and have been fired up about this - I'd take a second look at just paying and doing it. Not all of them are stupid-expensive, and you don't have to do the thermal-helicopter-ride with bikini ammo-girls and Navy Seals deal for $30k, deal. Some of them are a lot more reasonable, and I'd give that a second look.

[Konocti's Wigwam]

@lazyengineer you make some good points. We do have a fair amount of public BLM land in California and this is a great place to hunt, but I'm not sure the value is there for someone traveling from New Mexico.

@Randy99CL I have this book, and there's a chapter on Javelina and it does say that they pretty much only exist in New Mexico and some parts of Texas. However, it also says that even though Javelina look like hogs, they are actually different families and not directly related. I buy used books, here's a link for one at Abe Books.

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31099027768&searchurl=xpod%3Doff%26bi%3D0%26ds%3D30%26bx%3Doff%26sortby%3D17%26kn%3Dwild%2Bboar%2Bhunting%26recentlyadded%3Dall&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-title7

I wanted to at least mention that there's quite a bit to hunting and harvesting a hog and getting it back, dressed and packed into your freezer. If you haven't considered some of the ramifications of packing a hog back, that's something to consider. Knowing how to field dress a hog is helpful. I took a home butcher class where I was able to skin 1/2 a hog and butcher a ham. This is worth mentioning as if you plan to hunt by yourself it's something to consider. Even adding 60-80 lbs. of boned out meat will put a strain on most anyone.

Also, I haven't decided but I did find a place that will do a $350 fee to do an unguided hog hunt, boar only. If you shoot a sow you have to pay $200 more, but they will drive you in, and pick you up and even dress the pig for you. [EDIT: I should clarify, the ranch will provide you a map of their property, drive you in on an ATV, you hunt by yourself, and go back and pick you up and pickup the hog and dress it for you. They charge $800 for a full guided hunt]

Certainly there must be places in Texas like that. Or there must be places to get Javelina in New Mexico. Javelina are quite a bit smaller than a hog. I wouldn't mind getting one myself, but none out west. I do plan to get a bear tag this year.

[Randy99CL]

Thanks for the responses so far!

I know it is strange to most of you here but I don't care to hunt most animals, only varmints, pests and things like feral hogs that are doing incredible damage.
This state has antelope and elk but those mountain hunts usually cost a lot of money, even for a resident, and you better be in great shape too.
There are some javelinas but again, I am not wanting to kill them.
There are feral hogs in NM but only in the SE lower river valley right next to Texas and they're almost impossible to hunt.

I'm retired and living on SS so money is tight. I've checked into commercial ranches, probably the best way for me to go, but haven't found one I like yet. Many are nothing but a money grab for the owners; they charge a few hundred a day, you have to bring your own food, they drive you out to a blind 50 feet from a feeder and turn it on and you get to shoot one hog. They charge hundreds more for extra hogs and hundreds to clean them.

I had hoped to get my son to fly in and the two of us get some Texas hogs but at this point I don't know.

[lazyengineer]

Don't know what Oklahoma regs are, but there are LOTS of hogs just south of the Red River. I would imagine just as many on the other side. Access to hunt'able land may be easier there. They also have lots of Tribal Indian land, and I'm not sure how that works, but they may offer some route to access as well.

[AZHTfreak]

"Not all of them are stupid-expensive, and you don't have to do the thermal-helicopter-ride with bikini ammo-girls and Navy Seals deal for $30k, deal."

Lazyengineer, LMFAO :-)

[grendelnubi]

We do have some public land available in Texas. Here is an interactive map of what is available. https://tpwd.maps.arcgis.com/apps/we...7b49206e8ef153

FYI... A hunting license is not required to hunt hogs in Texas but is limited to private land only. For any public land hunting opportunities in Texas, you will need a hunting license plus a $68 hunting permit. Both can be purchased from any hunting license retailer in Texas.

[LRRPF52]

"Not all of them are stupid-expensive, and you don't have to do the thermal-helicopter-ride with bikini ammo-girls and Navy Seals deal for $30k, deal."

Lazyengineer, LMFAO :-)

Is that an option?

[Randy99CL]

Still researching to learn more and found this video:

https://youtu.be/i8zoeXXDHj0

I bought a 10mm 1911 to carry while hunting boar (with my 6.5G AR) but after watching that video it may not be big enough, damn! Actually, J/K, I am sure it is big enough, you just have to keep a cool head. But will I???

And another fun fact I just ran across: one writer said that feral hogs have killed 84 people in the US from 2007 to 2017.

[Konocti's Wigwam]

I bought a 10mm 1911 to carry while hunting boar (with my 6.5G AR) but after watching that video it may not be big enough, damn!

Yeah, well, you're not gonna get much bigger than that in a handgun unless it's something you don't want to carry as a sidearm, IMO. I know you were jesting there...

And another fun fact I just ran across: one writer said that feral hogs have killed 84 people in the US from 2007 to 2017.

They can be mean for certain. Keep that 10mm for bear and take extra Grendel ammo...I would think that's a better bet. Good to have a 10mm for bear though.

[Old Bob]

A friend was bow hunting mule deer in southern NM when he stumbled into a pack of Javalinas snoozing in a patch of scrub oak. Being startled, the whole pack charged at him so he climbed the nearest tree. The boars in the pack circled his tree grunting & snapping their jaws. He had a Javalina tag so he arrowed a large boar from up his tree. That sent the pack running. Even a smaller animals like Javalinas can chew your a$$ up. Some of them boars have impressive tusks.

[Randy99CL]

Yeah, well, you're not gonna get much bigger than that in a handgun unless it's something you don't want to carry as a sidearm, IMO. I know you were jesting there...
They can be mean for certain. Keep that 10mm for bear and take extra Grendel ammo...I would think that's a better bet. Good to have a 10mm for bear though.

10mm is the perfect cartridge for feral hogs. They're tough, thick bones and skull. An all-steel 10mm 1911 is not hard to control or shoot accurately.
During the day hogs lay up in cover, in mud if they can find it. In really thick cover I'll sling the rifle and just carry the 10mm, ready for a quick shot.

[Konocti's Wigwam]

10mm is the perfect cartridge for feral hogs. They're tough, thick bones and skull. An all-steel 10mm 1911 is not hard to control or shoot accurately.
During the day hogs lay up in cover, in mud if they can find it. In really thick cover I'll sling the rifle and just carry the 10mm, ready for a quick shot.

Well, it's certainly compact.

I look at sidearms as being more for self defense in case I was to be attacked. I have a few 1911s and have thought about converting one to 10mm as that is better suited for a bear. It is certainly enough for a pig, but if I had the Grendel also, I'd rather shoot 6.5 pills. Possibly get a shorter barrel if it is not needed, but I would use the 6.5 Grendel for pigs.

KW