Wild Hill Preserve

[Mike103]

Has anyone hunted Wild Hill Preverve in Vermont? I was thinking of taking my two sons for a wild boar hunt. MIKE.

[drdougrx]

Hi Mike,

I say go.  It'll be kinda pricey and you can shoot cheaper, but, it's a great place and he has all of the amenities.  The lodge is cool, the food is great and the guides are good and the preserve is just as I like it, rough and big.

He tends to have alot of hunters, so I'd go in Mid April or early May or Mid-Sept or early Oct when he gets his animals in.  He has three sized hogs, 150-250lbs ($650), 300-400lbs($1,000) and 400lbs or > for $1,500.  He uses dogs and it's really exciting.  

He has on site butchery...I like that.  The owner is kinda, well, he's an artist if you know what I mean.  Your kids will be in awe of his very tall tales.  He gets mixed reviews from some guys as an ass@@@@e.  Sometimes he is and sometime he isn't.  I don't know....I'll go back I'm sure.

Also, you are from NY...try Mark Clark at Big Boar Lodge in Homer.  He's much cheaper but the preserve is only about 250 acres and the hogs are all about 200lbs.  The price is about $500 plus $50/night for lodging and meals are on your own.  

Doug

Here are some the animals that I took at Wild Hill.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/107191326/33347501EHmWwQ
http://community.webshots.com/photo/107191326/33347508halfGi
http://community.webshots.com/photo/107191944/33347559IylCUY
http://community.webshots.com/photo/107191944/33347580YxkIbm
http://community.webshots.com/photo/107191944/107200160xbAGDu

[ARO]

i was there about 3 years ago,  had a great time.  the lodge is cool, and the food was great.  bill is difinitely a character, and tells alot of stories, but i tend to believe most of them, he does have pix of him and fred bear on the wall!!!

one thing though, if you want to shoot two animals, he still charges you the full price for the second animal, which means your paying twice for the food and lodging.

he's a pix of my boar 300#+

[Mike103]

Thanks for the replies and pictures. How big is Wild Hill? I would want the largest area possible to make the hunt as exciting as possible. I like the idea of using dogs rather than stands, more action. So 650 per hog covers the whole trip, food, lodging and hog? Are there any hidden costs? On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the best, how do you rate Wild Hill. Thanks, MIKE.

[drdougrx]

Hi Mike,

WH is about 1100 acres, but, hogs are usually hunted in a small 400acre swampy area.  I have seen them everywhere on the preserve though.  I remember one time when I was looking for an angora goat, across a field on a hillside there was a hog - er, VW beetle more likely - walking along the hillside. WOW...what a beast!  Another time on another hill I was with a guy and we heard some rustling and out of some thick stuff came a hog. Not more than 25 feet from us..he lookeed at us and off he went the way he came.

I'd call it a 7 to an 8.  There are no hidden costs other than butchering which is about 50 or 60 bucks for all meat boned.

The negative is there is no discount on a second animal, though I did bring a couple of guys up who won an auction for a boar hunt that I donated to my College and Bill didn't charge me for the observer.

I'd say go.  Use something other than a scoped rifle just to add to the fun and bring an extra $1,500 in case you see something unexpected, and you will, that will just look fabulous on your wall!!!!  $1,500 will cover almost any animal up there except a red stag or an elk.

Give a full report!!!!

Doug

[Mike103]

Thanks again for the replies. I have been promising my two sons that we would go on a hunt together before they graduated high school. Well my oldest is a senior next year so the time is at hand. Last year I hunted at Roblynsneck in South Carolina for deer and feral hogs. Had a great time, shot a pig, but it was a three day hunt plus two days of travel. Plus it was 1500 per hunter. The good part was that you could shoot a deer or hog each morning and afternoon but nothing was guaranteed. Two guys of of a party of nine went home empty handed. Three shot one pig each, one shot only one deer and the other three shot two pigs and and deer each. A real mixed bag.  I want my sons to shoot something but I do not want a total canned hunt. Chasing the pigs with dogs sounds exciting. Wild Hill was recommended by a co-worker of my wife's but I wanted other opinions because this person has never hunted in the wild. This sound like it could work for us. Closer to home and only a two day hunt. As to guns my kids will use 44 mag carbines, one original ruger and one Winchester 94 trapper. For myself I am not sure. I'll have to give it some thought but most likely a Remington 7600 carbine in 35 Remington without a scope. Thanks again, MIKE.

[scottduckw]

I was there with a buddy last fall. We each shot a nice hog. Get in there Thursday night, (on you own for dinner) 3 meals a day for friday and saturday, breakfast on Sunday.  So thats 3 nights stay, and 7 meals for $650 Boar included. If you tag out on the first day you can still stay, hang out have a few beers and relax.  I think its a great deal. The place is clean, the food is good.  This time 4 of us are going there in October

[CPankey]

Has anyone hunted Wild Hill Preverve in Vermont? I was thinking of taking my two sons for a wild boar hunt. MIKE.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Mike ,  You may want to check out  Wilderness Hunting Lodge in Tennesee. He has a great place and his prices are good. If you take a second animal on your hunt he will give you a discount. I have a hunt scheduled with him for Aug 19-20-21. Drop me a line if you want to join us.    Chuck  dengler@ellijay.com

[rpc21]

I'm also looking hard at Wild Hill Preserve.  Looks like the only place to shoot exotic goats and rams north of New York in the New England area. I've also read lots of good things.  Nice trophies drdougrx, I've been really considering a corsican ram or angorra goat.  Were there a lot of niec size trophies? How difficult the hunt? Also I've been dying to know, is the meat any good?  Just one more question, how much did it cost to shoot the Corsican and angorra? Thanks a lot.

[ahunter55]

I put a post on your other question.  You may be interested in a trip to Texas with your boys-the one places I mention are excellent & the 3 of you could Bowhunt Exotics & hogs for $2100.  Lodging, guides, bowhunting, animals & facilities are all 1st class.
Check out the web site Sweetwater Creek Bowhunting, Decater, Tx.  I am headed there end of March for 4 days (5th trip in 3 years) then another ranch hog hunt 2 days & another hog hunt 2 days .  3 hunts-total cost $700, $250,$ 250 lodging included and stands by feeders.  As I mentioned-this is for the making of our 2nd video on Exotic & hog hunting.
If you would like more information feel free to e-mail me at ahunter55@hotmail.com

[drdougrx]

RPC:  I've hunted Wild Hill quite alot.  I live in the Boston area and it's about 140mi from home. Tenn is quite alot further and TX even further.  I my opinion, you have to decide what you want.  I've hunted everywhere in the US almost and use Wild Hill for that get away weekend.  I've also donated boar hunts to my College for fund raising purposes.

Wild Hill gives you a one hell of a hog hunt with dogs.  You can finish up in a day or two.  They usually have descent boars ranging in size from 100lbs to 500lbs.  Make no mistake, you will pay for size.  A basic boar hunt is $650.  Way too much some will say, BUT, that includes three nights lodging in fabulous, clean lodge.  All home cooked meals that are good and plenty.  Guides.  In TX, I had to pay for airfare, car rental, lodging, food, guide fees, tip, meat/trophy shipping, etc.  Same for my recent NY hunt for boar, red stag and fallow.  

Wild Hill is a high end, turn key preserve.  Everything is available without the hidden costs.  Game butchering is on site for extra cost as is true with all preserves.

So.....here are the negatives.  The owner is kinda tough to take.  Every animal is big in his opinion and is great eating.  I'm a trophy hunter first.  I try to eat everything I shoot BUT...in the words of the butcher regarding a sheep I once shot, "Do you like lamb?  Yes, I say.  Well this isn't lamb.  Do you like mutton???  No, I say.  Well....this is old mutton."

Wild hill has the best trophies in September and they get kinda shot out as the season progresses.  Also, there's not alot of choices.  If you want tons of choices, go to TX and hook up with someone that has more than one ranch that they have permission to hunt on.  I can recommend someone if you like.

Wild Hill has descent SCI Silver and Bronze medal trophies.  That means you can shoot mature animals with better than average horns or antlers, if, you know what to look for.  

You are looking for corsicans and angora goats.  Wild Hill will probably have mostly 25 - 30" corsicans (SCI Bronze medals, check out the black corsican on my Fotki site) and some 30 - 32" as well (SCI Silver, check out the white corsican/Tx Dall on my Fotki site).   Same with Angora goats.  All will be in the 28-32" range (check out the angora 1996 on my Fotki site at 31"), a great SCI silver medal animal.  Corsicans will cost the most, $750 depending on size and $550 for all angora.

Remember, the price includes animal, lodging, food, guides, etc.  I think it's worth it. I can drive a couple hours and be there.  

I do hunt other preserves however.  Sometimes, I can get better trophy quality for the same price.  I recent took an 8hr drive to Oldstone Fence Adventures to hunt with Steve Fobare in Rensellear Falls NY. Steve is a great guy and I had a fabulous time. I took a hell of red stag, boar and fallow.  BUT, the accommodations were awful (he doesn't have a lodge and I stayed at his friends place), I had to go to restaurants for all meals and then drive 8hrs back to Boston.  Great guy, nice preserve, way too long of a drive and rather squalid accomadations (a hotel next time).

I'll probably go to Wild Hill in late Oct or early Nov.  It will be may 5th trip.  Go to Wild Hill.  Plan on spending about 2k and you'll have a have a fabulous time and get great trophies.  Oh....goats are inedible as are most big trophies, IMHO.

Long post....sorry to boar ya.

Doug
www.fotki.com/drdougrx