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olafpfj wrote:

AndyC wrote:It would be good to know - I've butchered deer and small game myself (no hogs), but I've never had meat actually processed before.

Just got back from dropping off at the processor. The hog was considered quartered so $40 for all the main cuts ham steaks, filets, whole loins etc... The rest is per pound based on what you want. I'm getting 10lbs of sausage and the rest as hamburger which they thought would be around 20lbs worth. I'll be picking it up next week and everything should be vacuum packed like you would find at costco.

Needless to say I will be swimming in wild pork that exceeds my freezer space. I will be needing friends to help me with this unfortunate problem

So...185# live weight hog came out to ~60lbs of meat

8 Ham steaks
6 ~1/2 racks of ribs
6 packs butterflied backstrap
2 whole tenderloins
10# ground breakfast sausage
30# ground

It does all fit in my freezer but barely and with some planning
Total cost for processing was $85

I will start the pork odyssey with breakfast sausage in the morning. It's my first time bagging my own game so I'm more than a little excited

AndyC wrote:It would be good to know - I've butchered deer and small game myself (no hogs), but I've never had meat actually processed before.

Just got back from dropping off at the processor. The hog was considered quartered so $40 for all the main cuts ham steaks, filets, whole loins etc... The rest is per pound based on what you want. I'm getting 10lbs of sausage and the rest as hamburger which they thought would be around 20lbs worth. I'll be picking it up next week and everything should be vacuum packed like you would find at costco.

Needless to say I will be swimming in wild pork that exceeds my freezer space. I will be needing friends to help me with this unfortunate problem

AndyC wrote:An excellent result, congrats!

How does the meat-processing work? I see prices for various things, so... I'm assuming a field-dressed carcass is a $70 flat fee, then (for example) $3 per pound to turn it all into sausage?

I'm not really sure how the pricing really works. I read it as the flat fee pertains to the state of the animal when you deliver it, i.e., if you've only "field dressed" it it will be $70 for them to butcher it + anything special like sausage. The more you do before it gets there the cheaper the price so skinned is less on down to 1/4's. Since the guide already butchered mine I think I will only be paying for sausage and any other special butchering to the hams, straps and ribs. I already have the loins dressed and good to go.

I'll find out tomorrow I guess. I have calls in to my brother and a local friend who are both professional chefs Can't wait to start feasting on my catch...can't wait to go get another

mr surveyor wrote:
Good for you, my friend. Looks like a through and through boiler shot. That JSP would have taken both front shoulders if that had been poi.

If you're keeping the meat, I hope you have a competent processor that will do it right.


jd

I'm actually ok with where the shot ended up although a little higher and back from where I really wanted. The bullet was lodged just under the skin on the far side. Caught both lungs square. I was rushed since he and another with him were fairly skittish and agitated. I had just a fraction of a second when he paused broadside on his way to bolting. I was using an old vintage Ruger Deerstalker with an old Herters 2.5x fixed scope. Shot went exactly where aimed.

He is all butchered up and on ice in a cooler till tomorrow. I'm taking the meat to this place http://www.ccrwildgameprocessing.com/

Should be good eating

Just got back from the trip

Bagged a 185lb boar. Shot was about 35yds. He ran about 10yds and dropped




Used a Winchester 240gr JSP. Recovered weight was 219.8gr

Guess who has a cooler full of pork...

AndyC wrote:I think many of us are excited for you - and envious - and wish you well on your hunt; just take some pics!

I'm super anxious...got my license and dope on my rifle. Not much else to do but get up, buy ice and head south

I'm planning on taking the meat to cinammon creek processing http://www.ccrwildgameprocessing.com/

I'm thinking sausage, taco meat and maybe a ham. I've been googling as many wild hog recipes as I can find and my back fence neighbor has a smoker that I'm going to approach with a trade (meat for smoker time).

Back from the range....

Handload 240gr XTP over 21.9 2400 = 1751fps and ~3"@50
Hornady 240XTP = 1762fps and ~2"@50
Winchester 240JSP = 1759fps and ~2"@50

Now the Ruger Deerstalker is only a 3-4 moa rifle from the get go so I'm seeing consistent results with the internet lore of the rifle. Looks like my handloads are right in line with factory rounds. The factory rounds shot slightly better groups.

Something is up with my handloads in that they were considerably less consistent (SD=19 vs SD=9Hdy and SD=6 Win) than the factory rounds. POA was identical so I don't need to completely resight the scope if I switch them up.

I think I'm going to use the Winchester JSP's for my trip on Wednesday. I have no doubt they will get the job done.

I'm totally overthinking and obsessing on this whole project as it's my first time ever hunting and I don't want to embarrass myself

Thanks for all the input

I'll be carrying my M&P 45c with +P Rangers as a sidearm as well. Couldn't possibly hit a hog with it except if it were inside 5 yards and my rifle was jammed but hey...be prepared

mr surveyor wrote:I would recommend carrying what you shoot best from your "choices" to make sure you can hit the boiler. I lot my hog hunting heaven spot a year or so before I got hooked on the .44 mag, so I can't give you any personal "experienced advise" on what would be the best. I do have a buddy that hunts West Texas 2-3 times per year that swears by the 240 gr XTP for hogs inside 75 yards. Another buddy (my late reloading mentor) swore by the heavier RNFP cast bullets for hogs. In hopes that I will someday get back into close range hog hunting, I started loading both 240 gr XTP's and LeadHead 265 gr RNFP cast gas checked with both A2400 and AA#9. The XTP 240's with 19.5 gr of AA#9 seemed to be the "accuracy load" in my 20" Rossi, whereas the 265 gr Lead Head with 17.9 gr AA#9 was the accuracy performer with that bullet. I really believe that the cast bullet, or semi-jacketed FP would have more bone crushing ability than the XTP, but either will do the job.

just my rambling


jd

Since the Deerstalker is a gas operated semi auto I can only download so much. The factory Winchesters just sort of dribble out of the ejection port as did anything I loaded below 21grs of A2400. I'm thinking that while the semi-jacket flat points will be more bone crushing I can't help but think the 240 XTP moving at 1700fps would also be fairly devastating. I will check the factory Hornady loads on the chrono tomorrow and see what they do.

Either way it seems that any 44mag round I stick in there will get the job done according to you and C-dub

I'm heading back to the range tomorrow and I will put a few of each through and see what the accuracy is like.

So I got super lucky and managed to set myself up for a hog hunt at Langley Ranch on Wednesday....

This will be my first time ever hunting and I am beyond excited! I will be using my Ruger Deerstalker which is a semi-auto carbine in 44mag https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruger_Model_44

Soooo...what to load it with?

Choices are...because I have some already

Hornady 240gr XTP
Winchester Semi jacket flat point
hand loaded 240gr XTP (21.9gr 2400 @ 1726fps)

I haven't shot the Hornady factory rounds before but the Winchester and hand loads have been run. I wasn't terribly impressed with the Winchester groups and they didn't seem hot enough for the Rugers action. My hand loads group pretty well at 50yds and that recipe is based purely on accuracy. They just also happen to be right up to the limit and moving absurdly fast for 44mag but that is what I've read the Deerstalker likes and the range tests backed that up.

I would appreciate it if anyone with more experience in the dispatching of hogs could point me in the right direction or confirm I'm barking up the right tree.

I'm inclined to use my hand loads since I'm already sighted in for those but is that load too much? Is there such a thing in this case?