I finally got back the mounted tusks of the big boar I shot last December during a drive hunt. It was a big and impressive animal weighting 106 kg (234 lbs.) dressed, which would indicate a live weight of 130-140 kg (290-310 lbs.).
Both tusks were broken and about to be resharpened. It's a pity but very common with big, old boars. One wonders how long the tusks were when intact.
I've laid a 9,3x74R round (the same as the one which felled the boar) alongside for comparison.

that's a mean lookin cartridge!

Nice display.

That's a very cool way of displaying them.

Did you slide the tusks out of the jaw or just cut them off at tooth-level?

Nice, very Nice!

Very nice.

BMT

Bluedreaux,
The sawed off groin was boiled* to allow pulling out the tusks (as a rule of thumb, 2/3 are burried for 1/3 showing).

*BTW, if you want to avoid divorce, don't do that in your kitchen...

very nice looking method of mounting the tusks.

Yes, I like.....

Great looking mount. I really enjoy hog hunting in the US & want to hunt an European Boar. Many US taxidermist can repair horns, antlers, & tusks. You broken tusk could be like it was before.

I know taxidermists can repair tusks and antlers (and even make them grow...), but I never accepted such proposals. I insist on staying with the true and natural character, size, colour, etc. of trophies. To me it's part of the respect I pay to the fallen animal (if not good/handsome enough, why kill him and take a trophy ?). The latter is only a reminder of an adventure and its real value lies in my my remembering of it. To each its own, this is my view

Hello Andr�, Hi US hunters,

If you like tusk i show you these ones from a Lithanian wild boar shot in battue in 2006, they are not world record but a good trophy of 22cm, the boar was shot with a Merkel SR1 semi auto in 9,3x62 with Aimpoint Micro H1 and Norma Oryx bullets during a product test hunt. This boar is not an sus scrofa attila like the turkish or bulgarian ones, its an european sus scrofa scrofa. The same familly of all the western boars. They can grow to 250kg sometimes a bit more but it's not so common. As Andre told i also prefer not to correct trophy small default, i prefer the real and natural way.

Dom

As long as we're showing wild boar pics...

My first boar. The game warden estimated his live weight in excess of 300 lbs.



The skull is being cleaned and boiled for some form of mount. Now that I've seen your tusk mounts, I think that will be in order if I kill another one with largish teeth...



Rifle is a .338 RCM, and I used a 200 gr Hornady Spire Point driven by 58 gr of Reloder 15. Muzzle velocity was app 2750 fps; three-shot groups ran just over half an inch.

Dennis

Andre, Marseille: Thanks for sharing! Those tusk mounts are unique and very pretty. Makes me want to take my 9.3x62 out for some Oregon feral hog culling

Very nice!! I really dig the tusk mount, classy.

Which is the wild boar ? Very nice. Should make a great trophy regardless of what you do with it.

Our friends from Europe do look slightly more civilized, don't they? Might could be that they are, comes to that .

Dennis

a couple of so called European Mounts.

Makes my 280 pound bear look small.

Nice BOARS by the way everyone. Those European hogs are some nasty looking SOB's.

Hey Steelhead,

Nice bear! I would have no problem with a bear like that!

Monsieurs Andre and Marsielle;
Thanks so much for sharing your photos with us.

I like the tusk presentation that you both have as well as the hunt photo from Monsieur Marseille.

Thanks to Mr. muledeer for adding his boar photo as well.

It is always interesting to see how folks hunt in other parts of the world, especially for animals we don�t see locally.

Thanks again all.

Regards,
Dwayne

one of the ones i got this year last years boar and one i had mounted

It's all the fur on the bear.

Dennis

Ain't it always.......

Here's another nice one, shot in '97 with a .300 Win Mag on invitation at the Royal Hunting Preserve of St.-Michel-Fre�r.

Andre, superb mounts!! Do you guys get to keep any of the pork?? If so, how good is it??

A Sanglier isn't a pork, ET ...

Very nice trophies Andre, and great honour to have taken the second one on the Crown's preserve. Was it during a driven hunt ?

GV, great to see ya back with us!!! OK! Whutinhell is the difference between Sanglier and a pig?? I thought they were porkers!!!

I've been out of the forum for a long time ... Quite boring hunting season (and nothing to write about it) 'til the very last days of it, heavy working monthes at the office, and I eventually moved to a new house where I had no Internet connection up to the last week.

Nice to read you again.

Well, there are members of the same family but they are quite different. Would you tell a cape buffalo is a cow ? That's my feeling about wild boars (you name them Russian boars IIRC) and pigs. The first ones are wild games, the second ones are just ... farm or industrial meat ... That's a personal "freeware" opinion, of course.

mmmh ... 17.42 PM ... Time to take the '70, drive 15 minutes and try to see and kill one of those ... "pigs" ..

During a drive hunt, yes, Grand Veneur. I've been quite often in St-Michel and am invited once every 3-4 years in Ciergnon(that's quite something !), the private hunting grounds of the Royal Family. I'm still on the Royal Palace's civil list (at least I do hope so...). This dates back to the days I was the managing director of the Belgian hunters association.

I quite agree with you, though I tend to call meat from wild pigs "pork". What is the meat called in your country? Other nations in Europe? Maybe we need to adopt a new name for the meat from wild pigs, though given the tendency of Americans to be casual rather than precise, it might be a lost cause.

This, by the way, I absolutely love:

"This is my opinion! There are many like it, but this one is mine! My opinion is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it, like I master my life. Without me, my opinion is useless. Without my opinion, I am useless. I must fire my opinion true!"

Nicely done!

Dennis

I do like those mounts ....

self to 'opinion' quit shooting those Sows (or young Boars) for quality meat and get a Boar for a mount

'opinion' to self ... "sounds like a plan"

We killed a few of the nasty bastards this year. I went after them again this weekend. I didn't kill any pigs but I did shoot a nice bobcat this morning.

Then I think I know who you are.

I've visited St Michel & Freyr last september, day and night, with the main warden and 2 friends that were among the "new hunting licenses" guests the previous seasons.

Quite an impressing territory with quite impressive stags. Stalking there could be the experience of a hunter's lifetime.

To Muledeer,

There are genetical differences between domestic pork and european wild boar (sus scrofa scrofa). The pork have 38 chromosomes and the wild boar only 36. They can hybrid together and then the first generation has 37 chromosomes. After they can get 36,37 or 38 chromosome. But there also the big bulgarian, turkish and iranian wild boar (sus scrofa attila) that have 38 chromosomes and can grow bigger than western european boar. That's for genetics. In Europe we try not to call a wild boar a pig simply by respect for such a fearless and tough wild game, intelligent and adaptable. Even if we shoot and kill boar we respect it as a tough adversary, stalking a real big wild boar is a very interesting hunt and you come back most of time empty hands. The pork is an animal only bred for meat that is slaughtered and butchered not hunt.I know that feral pigs can get really bad but it's not really the same thing. As Grand Veneur wrote it's the same as a Cape Buffalo and a Longhorn or Angus Bull.
Sorry if i can't explain you really what i mean because of my poor english, hope that you get the feeling.

Dom

Friends,

reading through this thread, I think, we must not let ourselves get carried away to much.

Sus scrofa is the wild form of our domestic pig. Chromosome differences none withstanding, let domestic pigs run will a few generations and the phenotype reforms back to what we know as Sus Scrofa. Size differences between regions depend much more on food availability, innerspecific competition and the time giveb to each pig to grow large (hunting ;)).

Calling to much attention to the nomenclature, either scientific (Sus scrofa scrofa attila...) or "hunter talk" (not "pigs", it is "Russian Imperial Boar") easily gets carried away.

Example:

German language: Wildschwein --> Wild Pig
Hunter talk: Schwarzwild --> Black Game

This discribes wild boar in german and german hunter talk.
When we adress the species as such, german hunters will say "Schwarzwild" meaning "Black Game". Whem adressing one single animal, it either gets identified by ageclass name or refered to as "Schwein" a "Pig".

Nothing wrong with that, IMHO.

It is true. Language shows respect. It can also show closeness, familiarity and such. Showing respect to game animals is much more in the hunting of them, than in the talk.

Just my .02 Euro.

Fantastic tusk mounts, Andre. Thanks for sharing.

Absolutely true ... I was not in a philosophical deep disagreement . We could also discuss the terms we use in local languages ... Could be fun.

But there is somtehing I would'nt admit ... When I go to the restaurant and order some dish based upon wild boar meat ... I can't admit to receive ... pig meat

So when I cook pheasant meat, I name it pheasant
When I cook hare meat, I name it hare
When I cook roe deer, I name it roe deer

The same with wild boar.

Anyway, I have no problems with other habits ... and Andre's trophies seem absolutely great to me.

Andre, congratulations on a fine hunt and superb trophy!

To Grand Veneur

It seems that you understood what i meant when i was writing respect. I agree with you. And cmg is right too, respect is also in the hunt. I think it's a way of life and a way of thinking.
You have a lot of luck to hunt such places in Belgium, i know a little about and they are fabulous. Where you from? The Ardennes may be?

Not so south but Belgium is quite a little country ... The Ardennes are quite easy to reach from here but I'm from the "Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse".

Grand Veneur,CMG,Marseilles,Andre and the rest of our European Contingent, I certainly am not quibbling about the respect. You guys have some fun hunts and some excellent trophies. GV, allow me to rephrase: Do you keep the meat from a boar you kill??

Hi Evil Twin,

Sorry not to answer you. About the meat it depends where you hunt. In most parts of France, Italie, Portugal, Spain where we hunt in group (driven hunts is also a social activity) meat is divided and each parts are drawn by hunters, the one that as shot an animal can choose his part. You must understand that a lot of hunting teams are formed by people living close together in villages or very small towns. In the eastern part of France near german border (Alsace) you pay only for hunt, the meat is sold to meat processor and the hunter must pay for his part. There are also exceptions. In Germany generaly it's the same has i was told by my german friends but as they hunt on their territories german hunters can also have agreements between each other. The monney earnt selling meat is reintroduced in the management of their territories, buying corn, salt, buiding high seats and so on...
When i hunt alone, stalking wild boar, roe deer, mouflon, gams or even stag i keep the meat but as i have enough for years i share it (for free naturally) with hunting friends or old people, former hunters that can't go no more hunting. Some people sell the meat but that's every one way of doing.
So to be short depends of where you hunt the meat is kept by hunters or sold to meat processors.


Here are three pictures that will help you understand, may be a little "gore" for US tastes they represent well the end of a good hunting day. We were around 30 hunters and dog leaders, we got seven wild boars (only male) which were shared between all the guys who wanted some meat. Note that we have a big cooler room on this hunting area and a house where we share meals and some drinks after the hunt, taking time to relax and enjoy before returning to the job and civilization.....
Dom

Dom

Same here, Dominique. Small hunting parties with only a few kills may cut up and divide the meat between members but once the "tableau" gets more important, the venison is sold to a wholesaler and the (small) proceeds of the sale come back to the common purse (it helps to take care of the ever growing hunting costs).

Still have much more than I can eat in the freezer

I need help

Thanks Gents!! I was aware of how it is usually done in Germany but did not kow what the other hunter countries do. I gather that land suitable for and open to hunting is at a real premium in Europe and that maintaining those lands comes at a cost not to mention what must be a lot of difficult and exasperating regulations. My hat is off to you guys. Good Hunting Gents.GV, I heard you are a helluva good gourmet cook. Maybe worth a trip to help you eat your game<<GRIN>>

To Evil Twin,

Why not we have no problem with US people and it's always interesting to meet other people and exchange ideas and recipes
Sorry i think the pictures were blacklisted...

Marseille,the pics weren't blacklisted. Rick Bin isn't anal about game pics or butchering. That's what this joint is all about. Maybe a glitch with you photo host. As far as a trip goes, I have a hunt for bison in the works for late this year nad am already conspiring to commit another moose murder in Newfoundland the next year. IF I hit the lottery, I would be thrilled to pay GV and the rest of you a visit. Just keep me out of civilized areas and I'm a well behaved lad!!


Hey Marseille, you pics are UP and they are mighty cool!!!

Evil twin i'll hunting moose and whitetail deer in Finland from 20 to 25 of november and i have a driven hunt in Sweden for a mixed bad of moose, deer and boar in middle october but you're welcome for the rest of time from 1st of september till 28 of february. Life is too short not to hunt!!

I like your motto so much and i sent you some words from your third president.

sorry it's a mistake here are the words

Marseilles, I sent you a PM

ET ... I'd be glad to welcome you if you come to Belgium some day (but I'm afraid it's difficult to stay really far from civilization around here ... Even wild boars often cross city limits ... )

Marseille, I guess you hunt mostly with long range running dogs down there in the south ... What a sun ... I'm almost freezed when I hunt boars around here.

Thank you -- I understand your point. I think the difference may be that your wild boars were never domesticated, while the ones we have in the USA were once domesticated -- brought in from Europe by pioneers -- and escaped to the wild. They have largely reverted to the original genotype, but they are not native wildlife.

I want to thank all of you from Europe who have contributed to this thread -- this has been very enlightening and very interesting. It's always good to gain perspective.

Friend John from Sweden -- are you reading this? Could you step in and tell us about wild boar hunting in Sweden? That should make an interesting comparison with France, Belgium, Germany and other parts of "The Continent".

Thanks,

Dennis

Thanks for all the great info & pictures. Please post frequently. I am a pig/hog/boar slut here in the US. I have hunted quite a bit in Scotland & England & next trip I want to schedule a boar hunt in France. I am told its a short trip under the channel by train. My Scottish friends have sent me several articles about free ranging hogs outside of London going feral. For what ever reason there have been reports of several attacks. One was at a school & serious injury was barely averted.

Marseille,

How did you hunt those boar in the photos?
Man drive, dogs, stands, combination?

Hi Lee24

These boars were hunted with dogs, the drive was from 0900 to 1200am, we were hunting on a wooded piece of land with wineyards on the outskirts, about 650 hectares. There are three teams of dogs, and on this hunt there were 26 posted hunters.

Here is a picture i took with dogs and dogs leaders. ( i drive dogs too)
All the game is wild free ranging and generally shot on the run, while full speed.
We can also hunt wild boar by stalking (very difficult and interesting) or on stand but in south of France "battue" is the way we hunt.

To TBear,

Thanks for your greetings. About feral hogs for sure they can be very aggresive because they know men and are no more affraid of him. We have no more in France now, i think cause we erradicated them and introducing bred wild boar in the wild is strictly forbidden.

If you like boars here is one shot with 12gauge coach gun during the beat while he was charging dogs.

Very nice pictures, Marseille.

To the Europeans that contributed to this link - thank you!

It is SO interesting to read about how things are done on your side of the ocean. Please continue your posts, and encourage your friends to do the same. I know that many of us enjoy the education!

One more thought...

I love seeing how you display your trophies in Europe - very classy! In looking at those tusks - I can't help but wonder if - when the boar's tusks wear to the nerve within the tooth - if it wouldn't be very painful. Is there an age when they are more grumpy and tempermental? Because, if there's a nerve in those teeth (and why wouldn't there be?) it must be very very painful when they first expose it.

Anyways, random thoughts...great looking trophies!

Terrific trophies and a most interesting read. Hopefully the thread will be continued.