Northeast Wild Boar Preserves?

[bigbore442001]

This has  been a very busy year for me. Since the first week of October I have been rather sick with a combination of sinusitis and bronchitis. Several doctor visits and all kinds of medications from Z packs to Prednisone have assaulted by body. It seems there is this "bug" in the New England area that when people catch it lasts a good two months or so. Due to constantly coughing ,expectorating and being sick in the wee hours of the night I missed much of the hunting season. I went out a handful of times but more or less blew off a week's vacation recuperating rather than standing in a tree with my muzzleloader in RI or bow in Massachusetts.
Needless to say, I missed the rut window in my area. Tommorrow I have to work on opening day of the shotgun season and statistically speaking a good one third to one half of the deer are shot on opening day. After that, the deer are in complete survival mode. I know some will say hunt the second rut with the muzzleloader in Massachusetts but at that point there are fewer deer and those surviving are thoroughly spooked.
So the reason for this post is to glean some information and experiences of others who have hunted Russian boar or wild boar on some of the preserves that are located in Pennsylvania, Vermont, New York and Maine. I'd like to go to Florida this winter and hunt on one of the big cattle ranches but this is not in the picture. My wife will be filling in the shoes of management and any vacations for the foreseeable future( at least a year) are on hold. Granted I'd love nothing better than to go hunt Florida but right now I can't due to this.
So the second best alternative would be a place I can do a one or two day hunt within a six to eight hour drive of my home. I would appreciate any posts or comments regarding your experiences hunting places like Wild Hill in Vermont,Pipeline Ridge in Pennsylvania,etc. Thanks for your information.

[bobg]

    Not sure how far it is from you but check out Tioga Boar hunting lodge. Been there 4 times. Have to admit the rocky mountain rams are dumber than hell and not a lot of fun to hunt. Walked every foot of the place before we found one that would run. I did shoot that one but would never shoot another one. The other 2 breeds of sheep and the spanish goat i shot were at least running and trying to get out of my way. The boars are a different story. Those suckers are mean. The first one we kicked out hooked my guide in the pant leg on his way by and run into the brush and was gone. I did shoot a nice black one.  They don't stand around waiting for you to shoot them. Live weight was 200 pounds. If you go try to get Rodney for your guide. He will make your hunt from easy to hard. Any way you want it.

[Mikey]

Basswoods Lodge in Van Rennsalearville, NY (up by the Canadian border), BattenKillHunts.com in teh 518 area code and Wild Hill Preserve in Vermont are the three that come to mind immediately. 
DrDougRx prefers the Wild Hill Preserve.  I like the Basswoods Lodge (there is a local bar and restaruant nearby with outstanding ribs and some good local bands), and I do not believe either of us have hunted at the Batten Kill Preserve. 
Also, if you go on the net and search for wild boar hunting or Russian boar hunting preserves in your state, you should come up with a goodly number of hits.

[drdougrx]

Hey Bigboar,
 
I have not hunted Battenkill, I think they are bit too expensive.  Mikey's recommendation is always worth taking.
 
I like WHP because I've been going there since 1985 and its an easy drive from Boston.  They take care of me and have good, quality game.  They have really nice boars.  Just remember, all of these places are preserves....weekend get-aways really.  I wouldn't call it hunting...I'd call it meat getting in the woods.  Oh you'll do some walking, climbing and generally spend time in the woods.....but...in the end....you'll have a nice time, meet nice folks and go home with meat. 
Heading to Wild Hill this Thursday.
 

[bigbore442001]

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate the information. I checked out the Basswood Lodge and discovered that they bought the former Old Stone Fence preserve.  Has anyone hunted that place in the past? If so, how was it?

[Mikey]

bigbore:  everything DrDoug sez times 2 about Wild Hill, but remember also what he said about the preserves being weekend get-a-ways, for lots of folk.  I prefer a mid-week hunt when there are fewer, and I mean much fewer folk out there hunting and I also agree that the Battenkill seems more expensive than the others. 
I hunted the Old Stone Fence before it was sold to and purchased by Basswoods Lodge, and it's both the same place and a great place to go.  The next time I hunt there I plan on hunting hog in the morning and pheasant in the afternoon. 
I liked the accomdations at both Wild Hill and Basswoods/Old Stone Fence and in both places the company was outstanding, although I prefer fewer hunters when I go out which is why I prefer mid-week hunts.  The food was pretty good at Wild Hill but I really liked the plates full of ribs you can find in New York's far northern haunts and some of  the locals whuppin' up some karioke were pretty good too. 

[drdougrx]

Gents!

I shot at Old Stone Fence and it was nice.....but...77acres.  I got to choose the hog from the barn.  I was there when Steve Fobare was the owner.  I did stay at the Basswoods lodge but fiund it to be dirty and not at all acceptable.  HOWEVER...I found that they rented it out to a work crew from Deleware who where working on some building for 3 months, so I expect I was there at a bad time.  I have NO experience with their Pheasant hunts. 
 
I guess I'd also suggest checking out Big Boar Lodge and Cold Brook....bioth in Homer NY.

[Mikey]

Doug:  my initial experience with Steve was better than that.  I did not see my hog until it was in my sights and the first night we pulled into the lodge area I encountered the same sort of a mess, but even worse than you describe.  He (actually, the guy who now owns Basswoods Lodge) had rented out the cabins to some work crews who simply trashed the place and left it filthy, and poor Steve (seriously) was horribly embarrassed.  He corrected the situation on the spot and put us up in a new cabin that although not quite finished inside still had all the accomodations we needed and was quite comfy.  As for the 77 acres, you still gotta go out and get them, whether they go to ground, are moving around, or are laying in wait for you, which can get up, close and personal and pretty nasty, and that is different than being dropped off in one spot and told to stay after a half wild atv ride that doesn't take you further from the lodge than a 15 minute walk.   
 
I checked the websites on both the facilities in Homer, NY but don't have a comment on either.  I still prefer Basswoods - the prices are better and I feel a lot more comfortable with a mid-week hunt with just my buds than on a weekend when you have no idea who else will be there. 

[drdougrx]

Hi Mikey.....Steve was great.  The guy who owns the lodge was kinda "unfriendly."  The work crews were also there and the place was trashed to be generous. I stayed in what appeared to be a store-room/back-up bedroom at the lodge.  It was fun none the less....

[drdougrx]

Just got back from wild hill in VT.  Checl out the pic and vid in the handgun hunting thread.