Ticks will leave the critter as when the body temperature starts to drop. Even notice how many religions prohibit eating pork? Trichinosis from undercooked meat. When you are in a restaurant, look at the fine print disclaimer at the bottom about foods. If you are curious or interested, Tennessee's regulations and warnings are found here: www.tnwildlife.org.

 

Is there any diseases or negatives to eating wild hogs where you hunt? Its been awhile since I looked into it.

Here in Ca the claim used to be Trichinosis….but in truth thats more with bear meat eating in Dumps.

The ones here are typically infested with ticks…but I haven’t heard anything about that infecting the meat

Only real concern I’ve ever heard of with hogs is Swine flu from touching the blood. Some guys I know won’t handle them without gloves, I don’t really worry about it

 

I believe Trichinosis is in any animal that eats dead animals or animal parts. I know cougars, bears and pigs carry it.

 

I hunt hogs in Texas whenever I go down there to visit family. All the locals wear latex gloves while field dressing. Other than that cook the meat to a proper temperature. You don’t want to eat under cooked pork. I have been following these basics guidelines for a long time and I eat a lot of Texas pork. I have never had a problem.

 

Absolutely right. Same as bear, chicken/birds. Cook to internal temperature of 160*F.

 

I don’t do anything with the one’s I kill anymore, but when I did clean them, I used rubber gloves. I always heard you could get diseases from pigs, so I didn’t want to take the chance.

 

I always use Latex or nitrile gloves when I take the hide off...then use clean gloves on the meat- it's just a habit that keeps the meat really clean.

 

I did a little research just to satisfy my curiosity, and it seems gloves are a good choice. Brucellosis doesn’t sound like something I need.
Edit: I didn’t even notice you only mentioned eating. As far as that goes, if it looks healthy and the meat is cooked to done, I wouldn’t worry about any disease.

 

the meat is cooked to done, I wouldn’t worry about any disease.

That's the key and why they set temperature for each type meat. You can also get diseases by skinning them so use precautions.

 

I kill about a pig per week to feed to my family and dogs. No issues. Just use proper caution. Commercial pig industry feels that they have about eliminated Trichinosis, but in the wild pigs that's still a risk. So cook well. At least to 165F is what I use. While cleaning, Brucellosis is a risk, but wearing gloves and being careful not to get any fluids into cuts or your eyes is the main prep there. My understanding is that Brucellosis is more of a risk when dealing with the reproductive organs, so if you want to do the gutless method and just keep the main cuts, that would eliminate some of that risk. Ticks and fleas are an annoyance, but will leave after the body temp drops as mentioned. I will also spray the pig down with Dawn Powerwash and that will kill the fleas and annoy the ticks enough to release early. Plus it's a lot nicer to skin and process a clean pig than one covered with mud and whatever else they get into. Gloves are also a good idea for grip. Even wild pigs can be fatty and pig grease is slick

 

Are those wild or farm animals

 

Undercooked meat! I’ve actually seen patients have brain surgery for the cysts that get embedded in the brain!
Life Cycle

 

After 30 years of killing, cleaning and eating feral pigs I'm still alive. I will say the flavor varies depending on what they are eating. And they will eat most anything. I've found if you get one with dark yellow or orange colored fat they taste pretty rank. Usually a product of eating on a lot of carrion.
I've eaten 200 plus pound, fat ol' boars that tasted better than a 100 pound sow who was run down from nursing piglets.
We use nitrile gloves, just as much to keep our hands clean as anything. Pigs can be a greasy skinning job.
Yes, cook to 165 internal temp, meat thermometers are inexpensive, but don't buy into the people who fear monger on the subject of diseases from them.

 

After 30 years of killing, cleaning and eating feral pigs I'm still alive. I will say the flavor varies depending on what they are eating. And they will eat most anything. I've found if you get one with dark yellow or orange colored fat they taste pretty rank. Usually a product of eating on a lot of carrion.
I've eaten 200 plus pound, fat ol' boars that tasted better than a 100 pound sow who was run down from nursing piglets.
We use nitrile gloves, just as much to keep our hands clean as anything. Pigs can be a greasy skinning job.
Yes, cook to 165 internal temp, meat thermometers are inexpensive, but don't buy into the people who fear monger on the subject of diseases from them.

A lot of people around here in south GA say you can't eat a boar, or you have to soak them in vinegar or ice water or whatever to make them edible. Most people just shoot a boar and leave it there to rot.
I haven't had a chance to try a bigger boar, but did butcher a 75-80 pound boar and a sow about the same size and both tasted amazing.

 

Trichinosis for sure. Make sure it's cooked to correct temp (165 or so at least). They can carry other parasites and diseases as well.

I make sure to wash them off thoroughly before skinning/butchering and wear gloves. Freezing the meat for several weeks before cooking it can also help kill off some parasites.

 

This one was 209lbs and his backstraps were slow cooked for pulled pork. The rest was made into sausage.
Don't expect them to be tender. Do expect them to be delicious.

 

After 30 years of killing, cleaning and eating feral pigs I'm still alive. I will say the flavor varies depending on what they are eating. And they will eat most anything. I've found if you get one with dark yellow or orange colored fat they taste pretty rank. Usually a product of eating on a lot of carrion.
I've eaten 200 plus pound, fat ol' boars that tasted better than a 100 pound sow who was run down from nursing piglets.
We use nitrile gloves, just as much to keep our hands clean as anything. Pigs can be a greasy skinning job.
Yes, cook to 165 internal temp, meat thermometers are inexpensive, but don't buy into the people who fear monger on the subject of diseases from them.

I like your well thought out response. I’ve literally cooked them over a camp fire with salt pepper and some beer. Taste great.

View attachment 8097996

This one was 209lbs and his backstraps were slow cooked for pulled pork. The rest was made into sausage.
Don't expect them to be tender. Do expect them to be delicious.

about as cool as it gets

 

I've been eating them for 40 years or better.
I agree with GCook. Some you can eat some are rank. The big lone boars are usually good eating.. The small 100 lb +/- ones running in the pack have been some of the rankest I've tried to eat.. A pregnant sow is the best.
Trapping and snaring seems to get em worked up too.

 

I've been eating them for 40 years or better.
I agree with GCook. Some you can eat some are rank. The big lone boars are usually good eating.. The small 100 lb +/- ones running in the pack have been some of the rankest I've tried to eat.. A pregnant sow is the best.
Trapping and snaring seems to get em worked up too.

That is pretty much 100% my experience as well.

 

Yeah, I’ve been eating them for 4 decades too.

Center for Food Security

Heres a link on swine diseases for those interested…just curious if anyone has had cases of anything in their area. The local water company was claiming they introduced Cryptosporidia into the local reservoir.

 

Yeah, I’ve been eating them for 4 decades too.

Center for Food Security

Heres a link on swine diseases for those interested…just curious if anyone has had cases of anything in their area. The local water company was claiming they introduced Cryptosporidia into the local reservoir.

It would be interesting if the water company had some study done that would be public.
I don't know enough about swine flu. How long it can hang out or conditions.
Is there cases in the area that the water company serves?

 

Will add to many above, wear gloves, and cook thoroughly. After that it's probably better than the pork at the store IMO. Also freezing meat for 1 month also kills some parasites as well. I clean with gloves on, rinse with water, vacuum pack, and freeze for one month. Then cook... that number is up to you... "authorities" state 160, trichinosis dies at 137, so depending on how you're cooking you may be able to lower the temp a little. We often sous-vide for 2-3 hours and use 150.

 

We kill a few when we go S. to Tx. or Ok. after Deer season to get out of the snow & cold & a fun break (Me, son & a couple G-son's).. Cook them done, never worried. I've never used gloves on any wild critter to gut, skin but always aware I don'

t have any open cuts. I arrowed my 1st one in 1965 & still kicking.