Carpe Sus - Mulefoot!

[Brian Shaffer]

It had been a long day and I had not gotten all of my business concluded before I reached the stand. Just 4 hours earlier, I had sent Bob a text saying I was available to discuss an important matter with him. Obviously, Bob and I have different notions about timeliness and he called just before this boar made an appearance.

Three shots, two hits, and a 75 yard run, but I eventually found the guy, up under a tree in a low spot of a thicket, nestled in the middle of a bunch of briars. It wasn't until I got him back up to the truck that I noticed that he was special...

 

[OneK]

Awesome !! I like the "Pew, Pew"! Good shooting!

 

[Curly Shuffle]

Nice goin Brian!! He would have been a boone and crockett in a couple more years!!! Dandy lil boar porker!! BANG BANG!!!

 

[Ratdog68]

Got'choo a Mutant Ninja Boar once again !! Nice chootin' B !! AB must be using a special call for those.

 

[Brian Shaffer]

Its the hat. The folks at American Hat Company down in Bowie are fans of Angry Bird in my videos and donated at hat to him. Apparently, they thought he needed a hat, LOL.

 

[rgilbert]

You have the genetics there for them. Way to go.

 

[scrmblr1982cj8]

I guess the mule foot in in the gene pool on that property?

 

[theblakester]

nice. Good follow up shots

 

[Brian Shaffer]

Genetics - yeah, I think having shot this many that it isn't an issue of random mutation (which does occur across all breeds of hogs). My guess is that there must have been a mulefoot breeder in the area historically and so the trait is more common in the feral population than would be expected via mutation. Of course, mulefoot breeding went out of popularity around the 1930s, IIRC. So it has been a while.

Check the feet when you shoot a hog. You never know when you might find one.

 

[gshock]

Some talent! On the phone and shooting pigs ... ; D

 

[RattlesnakeDan]

Can't say that I ever looked at my hogs feet before. Do you think it's just you because you look at these things or a good area for them?

 

[Brian Shaffer]

Dan, I don't think they are common, but I am sure that if folks aren't looking for them, they aren't likely to see them. The hooves are just too easily overlooked.

When I first read about this in 2010, I thought it was interesting. In 2011, I shot my first one, but it was after getting photos in the field, loading it, getting it up to the house to butcher, a couple more photos, etc. that it finally dawned on me that something was wrong with the hog I had shot - the feet weren't right. I had handled this hog several times over a couple of hours and it hadn't clicked, but I wasn't looking for it, either. So now, I always check the feet.

I do think I have more in my area than would be normal, but I have read about some killed in east Texas and a couple down around Austin/Bastrop. Glenn Guess has killed a couple in Montague County as well. Back east, the Francis Marion National Forest (South Carolina) is known to have a decent population of feral mulefooted hogs, but nobody seems to know their origin.

 

[ZenArchery]

That must be a good suppressor if bob never heard it.

 

[scrmblr1982cj8]

I didn't know the FMNF had a supply of mule foots. The FMNF is not even an hour from my house. I might have to check it out.

 

[Brian Shaffer]

I didn't know the FMNF had a supply of mule foots. The FMNF is not even an hour from my house. I might have to check it out.

Here is a reference...
Wild Pigs in the United States

 

[Taco]

Brian why are you shooting the 42 instead of the 75? Do you usuallly shoot on 2x? The 42mm in native mag compared to the 3x 75 is quite a difference isn't it?

 

[djones]

i've been looking at hogs feet ever since i saw your first mule foot. never have come across one. i figured it was just an inbreeding thing from east texas.

 

[Brian Shaffer]

Brian why are you shooting the 42 instead of the 75? Do you usuallly shoot on 2x? The 42mm in native mag compared to the 3x 75 is quite a difference isn't it?

LOL, I have both, just on different rifles. There is a bunch of difference, no doubt.

i've been looking at hogs feet ever since i saw your first mule foot. never have come across one. i figured it was just an inbreeding thing from east texas.

Well, they are pretty rare. You could try gluing some together...

 

[JPK]

Bob didn't' hear the shots... Gotta love the Omega!

I am surprised the hog ran as far as he did with your first shot and the third. Again, "tough critters."

Do you ever notice mulefooted hog tracks?

JPK

 

[RattlesnakeDan]

I did some research a while back and read where the Mulefoot was bred on purpose and considered a "better" hog in certain regions. Which came under scrutiny for being true/false. That's all I remember.