Author Topic: Which preserve do you like? (Read 2890 times)

IronKnees · « **on:** January 11, 2003, 03:18:56 AM »

Some of us, due to time, availability etc. really have no choice but to hunt wild boar at a so called hunting preserve. (Good, ethical ones) Most are no kill - no pay, and although there are some unscrupulous ones, many give you an excellent, fair chase hunt, mostly with dogs in hot pursuit...
Those of you who know me more or less personally know that I would have it no other way...!
I have had a great hunt at Wilderness Hunting Lodge in Tennessee, and one at Telico Junction (which is now closed due to the retirement of Joe and Mazie Meeks, the owners) UPDATE-Dave asked me to change this, it is NOT closed! c2w Where have you been and which one do you like?

bigbore442001 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 11, 2003, 04:49:29 AM »

In the past I have done very well with Dixie Wildlife Safaris run by Mike Acreman in Lake Wales, Florida. He runs his outfit on the FX Bar ranch which is on Lake Walk in the Water. The place is around 5 to 6000 acres in size. I believe that one area of around 800 acres is fenced off with exotic game like sika deer and the like.

Wild boar, whitetail as well as turkeys, referred to as native game, abound on the rest of the ranch.

I have found it to be very fun. You actually put some hunt into the activity. I will say that if you hunt with a bow, muzzleloader or handgun it is a little challenging. If you take a scoped .300 Weatherby, well , it isn't. That is just my opinion on the matter.

I haven't been there in quite a few years due to financial reason.

Graybeard · « **Reply #2 on:** January 11, 2003, 08:14:11 AM »

I've hunted with Mike Carter at Carter's Pasture in north central FL and feel it is a good place to go. Nice lodge and about 1100 acres of the thickest jungle you could expect to see. Hogs are very abundant in all size ranges. http://www.carterspasture.com

I've also hunted with Joe at Tellico Junction and it appears he didn't actually go out of business afterall. Instead he picked up a partner and his name is still associated with the place. Good place to go and I'd like to go back up again some day. You can check them out at: http://www.tellicojunction.com

GB

IronKnees · « **Reply #3 on:** January 11, 2003, 09:35:21 AM »

GB, I was absolutely THRILLED

to hear the Telico Junction is still open. Joe and Mazie are wonderful folks, and I have met the grandson... albeit a few year back. The boar that I am standing beside on my website is there at Telico Junction. This was the most difficult, fair chase, and fun hunt I have ever been on, and I would go back there in a heartbeat. If I was not already in the process (and have already made some verbal promises) I would book this next hunt back there again...

Graybeard · « **Reply #4 on:** January 11, 2003, 07:35:35 PM »

Yup I was glad to hear Tellico Junction is still open also. Not sure how it al came about as the entire operation was supposed to be sold off at auction last year. Apparently instead he just got a partner in it. Might be the partner is running things and Joe and Mazie are just kinda sitting back and watching over it. Dunno. Hope it is still run the way it was. Best set up I've run across.

Where are you going on the next hunt?

Maybe some day we can get together with the Coug and go and slay some of his north country monsters. Ya Coug I've got the armament to handle them. Got some new rounds for the .480 that use depleted Urnanium for penetration and C4 for effect. :-D Dang near up to that T-Rex hunt we once went on.

GB

IronKnees · « **Reply #5 on:** January 12, 2003, 02:13:33 AM »

GB, if you go to the website and click on the different sections, one of them explains what happened. Joe and Mazie are still there, and Josh, their grandson who I have met when he was just a kid is guiding and managing... If I read it correctly, at the very last moment before auction, an old client baught it...

Mad Dog · « **Reply #6 on:** January 13, 2003, 03:32:53 AM »

It's been a number of years, but I have hunted 2 different preserves in Tenn. One was Clarkrange hunting lodge. The last time I was there was 1983. The owner at that time was John Gilbert. He sold the place to Ken Moody back in the early 90's, and I read a lot of good things about the place now. I do know that it is some of the roughest terrain I have ever hunted[ including the rockies]. The other place I hunted was Caryonah hunting lodge, and it was a good hunt also. I am currently looking into a spot and stalk hunt for russian hogs at a place in Missouri. It is called Show-Me-Safaris, and I have gotten some good reports on them. Its been a long time since I have had a chance to hunt hogs, and I am itchin' to go again.

JeffG · « **Reply #7 on:** January 13, 2003, 09:10:11 AM »

I'm sure people that know me, are sick of hearing about the Renegade Ranch, that we went to, but we had a ball. It's all fair chase, and the only hunting restrictions are kill what you wound, and close the gate. They will accomodate the hunters. The place is "hunter comfortable",and great for people in the midwest that might not have access to wild hog hunting otherwise.
An EXCELLENT way to get the wife and kids going on big game bow hunting, or exotics.

http://www.renegaderanch.org/
http://www.hunting-pictures.com/members/moonhuntr/Bowhunting.html

kevin · « **Reply #8 on:** January 13, 2003, 11:37:59 PM »

My father and i came back from a hunting trip just before christmas in south carolina with RED BLUFF LODGE and highly recomend them, they have guided turkey hunts and the deer and hog hunts are still hunting thier web site is www. redblufflodge.com lots of info and pictures to boot dad killed a hog and i killed two fat and juciy piggys.
kevin

volshooter · « **Reply #9 on:** January 14, 2003, 08:27:22 AM »

I thought I'd post something related. The wildlife management system in Tennessee has a special open hog hunt until Feb 28 for the BIG SOUTH FORK NAIONAL RIVER AND RECREATION AREA. (423)569-9778 or (423)286-7275 ( located on the TN/Ky line, Scott, Fentress, Pickett counties) Permits are free and entire area is open. I've talked to one wildlife official there and they really want folks to put a hurt on them pigs. They don't even know how many pigs they have there, they do know the damage they do. 4 wheelers are allowed on the multi use trails (free maps avalaible during operating hours) ok.....8-4:30 est. I don't work for the state but I sure wish we could get a handle on these hogs. they do alot of damage and can get downright cranky when you walk up on a sow with youngns around. Real thrll to be stalking deer and have dang ole hogs get up like grouse.
We are lucky here, we have access to 300,000 of acres of public hunting land. I just never realized how lucky we are. I have heard good things about Tellico Junction. We hunt the Cherokee National Forrest (625,000 acres) for pigs. Tellico Plains is surrounded by the National forrest. Now I'm wondering just how much hunting land (public/magaged) we do have. ROYAL BLUE wildlife management area has 50,000 and Catoosa WMA has 79,740 acres, not bad for a small state.
Rick

TopGun · « **Reply #10 on:** January 14, 2003, 03:54:27 PM »

I had a great time in Tennessee at the Caryonah? lodge. I shot my first and only Russian boar there. I nailed him with my 45-70 Sharps Cav carbine! Factory Rem 405sps. 1 shot at about 60 yds through the brush, last February. 1st time ever hunted in a fence. Not sure I'd do it again. maybe with friends as to-do in the doldrums of winter. The food was awesome and lots of it, teh lodge was nice, and there were so many pigs to choose from, but not too many in the lodge itself. They had a real nice old-time rifle collection to peruse! I'd like to do a fair chase 'dog' trip with my TC. Back-packing into the Colorado wilderness Elk hunting has spoiled me. I do it every year and will, till I can't walk anymore!

Graybeard · « **Reply #11 on:** January 14, 2003, 06:48:42 PM »

Jeff, guess it depends on how ya define "fair chase". Some say nothing inside a fence is fair chase and I assume that if the US was fenced at the borders with Mexico and Canada that would end fair chase hunting in the US. I'm sure not one of those. But 300 acres sounds kinda small to me.

At Tellico Junction I believe Joe told me he had 2000 acres. Might be mistaken. I know it was a huge area we were in and the fence sure wasn't hog proof by any means as it had numerous holes in it a hog could get thru. They had traps in the fence and caught the hogs from the National Forest land that surrounds them in the traps. If it was a hog they wanted for hunting they released it on their side. If not they ran it back out the other side again. Eleven hundred acres is the smallest fenced preserve I've hunted. Most of my hunting has been for free roaming hogs with no boundaries to retain them. Sure is tougher that way and not nearly as successful.

GB

JeffG · « **Reply #12 on:** January 16, 2003, 02:30:40 PM »

Graybeard you are 100% right. We have no real hog hunting here, there are no native populations, and we have to make due. Going "south" to hunt 'em costs us and our families too much time, and money. Getting the meat back from a long distance is a huge problem.

For our group, three years ago we went to Cumberland Island, Ga. Nirvanna, right? We spent major bucks just to get there and back...the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service was more that happy to have us come and hunt hogs that were thick as ants.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service was under lawsuit to do something about the loggerhead turtle egg predation by the wild hogs. They took it upon themselves to hire professional hunters to shoot the hell out of them with rifles the week before, never telling the bowhunters the conditions that they now faced. Two hogs amongst 125-150 hunters, was a disaster.
We were never told why hog heaven never came true, they just took our money, license fees and camping fees, and smiled.. :grin: If we hadn't bumped into some turtle biologists, we would have never gotten the scoop. All the locals went to Osibow Island north of there. Next year, they published the hog eradication program for the island: that had started a year or two ago. Kinda left a sour taste in out mouths...just my two cents. The hunt was a tradition with the local fellas, and they really cherished the hunt, I hope they aren't gettin' double-dealt and back stabbed the way we did that year

willis5 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 27, 2003, 08:56:10 AM »

Hey, Gray Beard!

I am looking into a hog hunt, and Telico Junction looks to be a great spot. Since you have hunted there and liked it, you have some personal experience.

Are the hogs big, small? I want a big mean S.O.B. ! Is the hunting mostly stand/stalk or what?

My buddy and I went on a hog hunt hunt in Georgia with our 454's. The place was great... the problem was the size of the "fenced-in-area"... I'll just say that it was WAY TOO SMALL!!!!!!!!!! We both want something that is more challengign and has more "hunting" instead of chasing the hogs around and around in a little plot.

Thanks for any insight that you can share, and also thanks for the quick and usefull replies that you have given in the past.

Good Huntin'

Willis5

IronKnees · « **Reply #14 on:** January 27, 2003, 09:03:50 AM »

While you are waiting for GB to reply, I will jump in and tell you that I have hunted at Tellico Junction and know Joe and Mazie personally... It was without question the best, most ethical, hardest and honest hunt I have had to date. And, in answer to your question, yes, they sure do have good size hogs... Here is the one I took there in 1995 with a Barnes XBT 180 grain bullet, and my Remington 700 .30-06 with Ramline stock...... Dave

Graybeard · « **Reply #15 on:** January 27, 2003, 12:16:50 PM »

Willis5, the size of hogs at Tellico can vary greatly. If it is still done as it was when I was there back in '93 they primarily get their hogs by trapping them from the adjoining National Forest land in which they run wild. Joe had several traps in use when I was there. The traps were placed on his side of the fence with a hole cut for the hogs to enter the trap. If they caught one they felt worthy of hunting they turned it loose in their enclosure. If it was one they wanted they ran it back out the Nat. Forest side and baited up to try again.

When I was there four hogs were taken by four hunters including myself. They did not and likely still do not have scales to weight them so weights are at best a guess. But I'm guessing the smallest taken by a bow hunter would go about 125 pounds. Mine I have estimated at about 200 pounds and other hogs I've taken and put on scales make me think that estimate is close at least. The next largest was also taken by a bow hunter and would go at least 250-275 I belive.

The largest was a special case situation. It was taken by the curator of a Museum hunting not for his museum but for another. He had specially asked for a large black true european looking boar of over 300 pounds. It was provided. BUT provided is the right word. It wasn't taken from the local Nat. Forest land but purchased and stock just for his hunt and on a rather small enclosure separate from the main hunting area. The guide told me this is the way they do it for folks who make a specific request for an "over 300 pound" hog.

When I was booking my hunt back then I was told an average hog would go 160-180 pounds. I saw that size, smaller and larger on the hunt.

So if you specify a big mean S.O.B. you 'might' find it is one like the one the museum curator got but I think that's at extra expense. Now they do sometimes take them like that in their traps. My guide showed me a trap all torn up and said the hog that did it was well over 300 pounds and was killed the previous week by a hunter. If you want different that what I mentioned we got you'll need to be specific in your request and may have to pay extra.

The place isn't working alive with hogs by any means. There are always a good many inside but finding them without the dogs isn't an easy chore. You will work for it. They do have feeders and I guess stands but I saw no stands while I was there and never saw a feeder but the large one taken by the bow hunter was taken near a feeder after the dogs were turned loose.

I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself at Tellico. Or you could just book at Clarkrange while me and Dave are there and hunt with us.

GB

willis5 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 28, 2003, 08:21:34 AM »

Iron Knees and Graybeard,

Thanks for the info. I would love to book up with you guys at Clarkrange, when are you going? April??? I can't remember.

I am definately going to Tellico this spring because it is only 2 1/2 hours from me in Georgia. I have some family coming down too, so it should be a great trip.
thanks again!

Willis5

Graybeard · « **Reply #17 on:** January 28, 2003, 12:06:16 PM »

I believe the dates of our hunt are 14-17 April with the actual hunt being on 15-16 April. The other two are our arrival and departure dates. I have the story down below in my post about the hunt at Clarkrange.

GB

willis5 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 30, 2003, 08:40:17 AM »

I have to teach those days... Damn! There are always other times! I am going to hit Tellico though. I'll keep you posted on how it went, pictures and such. I know you'll let us know about your hunt, and I can't wait to hear the stories that you and "Iron Knees" pull out for us. Good luck!

Cheers,
Willis5