Hog track pic's and examples.

Wassman

Houston, Texas
SUS VENATOR CLUB
LoneStarBoars Supporter
Hey I have that same knife. It is my general cuttin knife, but has been known to dress animals too.

Those are some great examples.
 

Brian Shaffer

Hog Hunter
SUS VENATOR CLUB
LoneStarBoars Supporter
For giggles and grins, I am going to add another type of hog print to look for. After I shot this hog and it ran, all the landowner and I found initially were bizarre little horse-like hoof prints, tiny buggers at that. We found the hog about an hour later and something about it bothered me and then I realized the problem and it was quite obvious. It was a mule-footed hog! A guy on another forum had posted a picture of a hoof about a year prior, otherwise, I might not have noticed.

These aren't common. It is a condition that can be caused by natural variation/mutation (not sure of the specific biology, but it can sometimes just happen within a normal population) and at one time, mule-footed hogs were popular to breed, though that has long since passed. There were breeders here in Texas in the late 1800s and early 1900s back when this was popular. So this condition does occur, rarely, be it a breed leftover or natural random event in the population. The tracks they leave are sort of weird little mule/horse-like prints. The proper term for the condition is called "syndactyly" (roughly translated as 'together fingers').

The key trait is that the toes are fused together. The degree to which they are fused together can vary, however.
100_1221HindMulefeet.jpg


100_1220FrontMulefeet.jpg


100_1219FrontMulefeet.jpg


100_1218HindMulefeet.jpg


Pics 1 and 4 are the tops and bottoms of the hind feet and 2 and 3 are the tops and the bottoms of the front feet on this boar. You can see the differential fusion even within the fore and hind limbs of the same animal on the top side and tip. Sometimes it is just partial on some animals and the toes are partially bifurcated...whereas naturally, they are completely bifurcated.

This are pretty rare, but I would enjoy hearing if anyone else has shot one of these and in what county it was. Mine was in Montague County in 2011.
 
Last edited:

TEXASLAWMAN

Lone Star Boars Owner
LSB TURKEY BUZZARD PRESERVATION SOCIETY
SUS VENATOR CLUB
LoneStarBoars Supporter
Very good info Brian! I cant say I have ever killed one I've never inspected the feet.
 

Brian Shaffer

Hog Hunter
SUS VENATOR CLUB
LoneStarBoars Supporter
Mulefootedness might be more common that folks realize, in part for that very reason. If folks don't notice it, then it seems like it doesn't occur...though I doubt folks would ever see very man examples, LOL.
 
Last edited:

FrankT

Destin FL
LSB TURKEY BUZZARD PRESERVATION SOCIETY
LoneStarBoars Supporter
The only time I look at the feet is when I use a lopper to cut the legs off...lol I have heard of these mule footed hogs, used to be bred by some, but don't believe I have ever seen one.
 

Ratdog68

LSB Official Story Teller
LSB TURKEY BUZZARD PRESERVATION SOCIETY
SUS VENATOR CLUB
LoneStarBoars Supporter
Wow... I never knew they even existed, let alone were bred like that. Thanks for the edjumication !
 

Afalex1

LSB Active Member
SUS VENATOR CLUB
I have not seen a mule footed hog, but have heard there is a larger population of them in south east Arkansas. Of course, there are a lot of other genetic mutations there too.


I'm allowed to say this. I have family from Arkansas and its all just a joke.
 
Last edited:
Top