A Backcountry Hog Hunt in the Pineywoods of Texas

In the spring, Dan drove from Pennsylvania to Texas for a backpack-style pig hunt. Going into this hunt, we weren't expecting to backpack into a remote and secluded valley; Texas simply lacks the large tracts of public hunting land that are often associated with backpack hunting. That being said, we still wanted to try and get off the beaten path as much as possible. We packed our bags and headed into the National Forest of eastern Texas where we hunted and camped for 5 days. Luckily for us, we didn’t see a single soul. The public hunting ground that Texas does offer, can yield some great opportunities for hunting. You just have to do a little bit of homework and scouting in order to get away from the more popular areas.

The following video was shot over the 5 days that Dan and I were camping and hunting pigs. This was our first attempt at trying to film a hunt. The camera footage is a little shaky (we will remember to use the tripod next time). We learned a lot while filming, so hopefully our future films will be better!

Gear Dump:

This was our first backpack style hunt. Dan and I felt like we were pretty well prepared for it. Below is a list of all the gear that I brought in my Osprey Volt 60 backpack

(Left to right, starting on the top row)

Winchester .270
Leather Gloves
Game bags (latex gloves)
Windacator
Katadyn Hiker Pro water filter
.270 boresnake
Spork
TP
Snacks
Mountain-house freeze-dried meals
Camp soap
Electrolyte tabs
DSLR Camera
2 Lenses
GoPro
Sony Handycam
Camp stove
Fuel for the stove
EDC (hunting license, extra lighter, extra pocket knife, water purification tablets, other essentials)
Headlamp

Gerber folding knife
GPS
Buck Knife
Flask
Instant Coffee
Metal cup
2 water bladders
2 tripods
Sack o’ cords and chargers (external battery pack for cameras)
First aid kit
Leatherman
30lbs braided fishing line, hooks, and sinkers
50’ paracord
Synthetic down jacket
Rain jacket
Extra socks
20 DEG sleeping bag
Ground pad
Tarp
2 dry bags
Nalgene
Bug spray
Camp shoes (sandals)

Everything packed nicely into the Osprey Volt 60

A quick note about cooking wild pig:

Every night, we were fortunate enough to cook either catfish or wild pork for dinner . Dan brought a meat thermometer to test the internal temp of the meat. It should be noted that any animal that eats meat has the potential to carry trichinosis. This parasitic disease is usually associated with bears, but there is a potential for wild pigs to carry it, although it is pretty rare. The parasite can be killed by cooking the meat to at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit. That is about medium-rare. So, there really shouldn't be any issue with eating wild pig meat. Just don't eat it raw!

Conclusion:

Dan and I had a great couple days of hunting. The woods were full of pigs and the added adventure of living off our backs while we hunted was a very fun and unique experience. Dan and I were both very happy to fill our freezers with wild free-range organic pork. The meat just tastes better when you're able to procure it yourself. We are both looking forward to our next backpack-style hunt.