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  • rmocarsky

    Active Member
    Apr 20, 2011
    294
    I have a question:

    Over on the Marylandwhitetail.com forum they have a couple of threads about a place in Bainbridge, PA where there is an island in the Susquehanna River where they have what they call hunts (but are really harvests) of pigs and rams. The cost for any animal killed is $375, regardless of weight.

    Now, the place is called Mohr's Widowmaker Island, and they place basically farm pigs on the island a day before the scheduled harvest and bring shooters (harvesters) onto the island the next morning and usually by noon the killing is finished.

    This is not a sporting event at all, at least not to an adult hunter.

    After reading several reviews and posts about this place the harvesters all say the same things:

    The pigs weigh about 300 lbs.; the owner of the island offers to transport the pigs to an Amish butcher who charges about $250 for a custom cut (bacon, sausages, hams, smoked hams, chops, ground, etc.) all freezer wrapped and ready for pickup in about 2 weeks.

    And they all say that the pork is superior to any pork they have ever had. This maybe true, or it may be enthusiasm, but the pork is certainly not treated from time of death to delivery with anything artificial.

    For $375 for the hog plus $250 for butchering comes to $625. (Add to that whatever gas it would cost you to get there and back and then to get there and back again after you have picked up your meat, plus I understand each "guide" is tipped.)

    Here is my question:

    How does this cost compare to buying a whole butchered and wrapped hog?

    Now, while there are vids on youtube and believe me, no one except maybe a child would view this as a challenge. I have watched them and felt sorry for the pigs from a hunter's viewpoint. From a harvester's viewpoint . . . maybe it is cost efficient.

    What say ye?

    Rmocarsky
     

    pbharvey

    Habitual Testifier
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    30,152
    That's cheaper than buying a hog at the 4H auction at the county fair.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,675
    Depends on what the final weight is. I don't recall typical pork yield, but traditional slaughter and butchering I want to say it is around 65%. So a 300 pound hog would be around 200lbs of meat.

    Depends on where and what. I paid a friend $9 a pound for a whole lamb including butchering fees for effectively next door grown, no antibiotics, blah, blah, blah tender lamb.

    They have hogs as well and I want to say they sell them at $6-7 a pound.

    So that would be around $1400 for 200lbs of "free range" pork.

    I'd figure even with great care you are probably looking at 50% yield after shooting a hog and dressing it in the field and what not. Might be more like $900 worth of meat.

    Still seems like a lot of trouble to go slaughter a hog with your gun plus all of that driving around and stuff. Of course it doesn't help my wife doesn't eat pork. I usually just get a few pounds of ground from my neighbor to make breakfast paddies occasionally. I might buy a couple of rashers of bacon from them eventually.

    I am interested in an actual hog hunt at some point for the experience. I'll probably give most of the meat to friends though and only keep a few pounds plus a bunch of bacon (crap, if vacuum sealed I can easily do 20lbs of bacon).
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,675
    Depends on what the final weight is. I don't recall typical pork yield, but traditional slaughter and butchering I want to say it is around 65%. So a 300 pound hog would be around 200lbs of meat.

    Depends on where and what. I paid a friend $9 a pound for a whole lamb including butchering fees for effectively next door grown, no antibiotics, blah, blah, blah tender lamb.

    They have hogs as well and I want to say they sell them at $6-7 a pound.

    So that would be around $1400 for 200lbs of "free range" pork.

    I'd figure even with great care you are probably looking at 50% yield after shooting a hog and dressing it in the field and what not. Might be more like $900 worth of meat. Of course if it really is closer to grocery store "grade" pork, that stuff sells for, what? $3-4 a pound for big farm, pen raised stuff.

    Still seems like a lot of trouble to go slaughter a hog with your gun plus all of that driving around and stuff. Of course it doesn't help my wife doesn't eat pork. I usually just get a few pounds of ground from my neighbor to make breakfast paddies occasionally. I might buy a couple of rashers of bacon from them eventually.

    I am interested in an actual hog hunt at some point for the experience. I'll probably give most of the meat to friends though and only keep a few pounds plus a bunch of bacon (crap, if vacuum sealed I can easily do 20lbs of bacon).
     

    Chris

    Ultimate Member
    Industry Partner
    Jun 21, 2005
    2,128
    Cecil Co, Maryland
    Hog Hunt it's not but if one just wants to shoot something I guess it works. If one wants meat better then store bought there are plenty of Amish farmers that will sell you a hog to butcher some even will do it for you. Go down south for a real hog hunt. The last one I was on was in South Carolina, Boy was that fun-shot that boar with my rusty Sig P-228, I figured I carry it to defend against a 200 lbs+ human it should take down a 300 lbs+ boar and it did. Chris
     
    Lazarus was pretty spot on..
    Live weight minus~35%= hanging weight (gutted hog)
    Hanging weight minus inedible hog bones, head, hooves, etc= ~65% meat
    Thus, a 300lb hog will yield roughly 125-130lbs of meat

    I am paying $3 per pound for a 100lb hanging weight hog for the MDS Pig Roast. This will provide us with 60-65lbs of cooked pork.
     

    Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    Been there done that. my buddy knows the guys. If you want to kill a pig you take a dam 32cal flintlock chase it around and shoot it between the eyes or drink 8 beers spear one or something not a full blown m21 with a unertal scope. The butcher will make meat with half your hog and keep the other half to avoid full cost of the hog and sell his share out of the front of the market. They used to let them run feral on another farm for awhile before the last ride but the GC was getting tough on hogs a while back so I don't know what they have been doing out there on no return since. If you want meat made into something else it will cost a little bit but its fun to do in the middle of winter. Harvest is politically correct. it should just be named how far do I want to chase the thing around before you get tired and want to just strangle it or something and then go get something to eat. Wear a PFD going across especially if you have to break ice to get on.
     

    rmocarsky

    Active Member
    Apr 20, 2011
    294
    ? for Doco Overboard

    Doco,

    Did you (as all of the posters on Marylandwhitetail.com espouse) find the meat to be outstanding in quality and quantity?

    And, the whole reason for this thread is still not answered clearly:

    Does the entire cost of obtaining pork this way undercut simply buying a whole hog and having it freezer ready?

    Rmocarsky
     

    engineerbrian

    JMB fan club
    Sep 3, 2010
    10,148
    Fredneck
    I've done 2 boar hunts in Tioga PA. As mentioned its not really hunting, its more of a guys weekend where you just happen to shoot a pig.

    I say get a few friends together and go have a great weekend. As for butchering, find one close to your home so pick up is easy. I use my normal guy in Gettysburg, he's more than happy to do it :thumbsup:

    https://www.tiogaboarhunting.com
     

    Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    Doco,

    Did you (as all of the posters on Marylandwhitetail.com espouse) find the meat to be outstanding in quality and quantity?

    And, the whole reason for this thread is still not answered clearly:

    Does the entire cost of obtaining pork this way undercut simply buying a whole hog and having it freezer ready?

    Rmocarsky
    The meat is not as good as you can get from a butcher in my opinion. Its a couple of hillbilly's running a slaughter ranch. When you go back to pick up the meat you don't even know if its yours. If I wanted some good pork I would just go to Jason Barnes in Eldorado Md. if your on the Western Shore somebody has to have some hogs. Its more of a gag hunt and Mennonite shell game. I don't know anything about wt.com or the FB Sika gang but I have seen the members directly refute local knowledge of the game they seek for the most part so I don't take any stock in what comes off of there. Like I said my buddy knows the guys and hes a Dutchy.
     

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