Apex Predator: Year-long Hog Wash Tournament starts Sept. 20

Statewide tourney promotes hunting, control of invasive species

If you like hog hunting, eating pork and competing in tournaments, great news: Louisiana’s first year-long hog tournament begins soon.

I’ve been looking forward to this since word about the possibility of a tourney started circulating, but I was wondering if there would be a division for my type of hunting.

Well, I’m happy to report Nightlife Outfitters of Louisiana has put together this event with divisions to accommodate just about everyone, and it looks to be a blast.

In my view, the best news of this tournament is the longest tusk award. It was an idea I mentioned in a forum when they were asking for ideas on the tournament.

Just like the lunker bass prize in a fishing tournament, at any given moment those winning tusks could walk in front of your stand. Two years ago, I took a 350-pound pig which I mounted, and last season my brother took his first hog — a huge 300-pound sow —that made for a great large-tusked skull mount.

Trust me: I’ve seen pigs way bigger, but my archery equipment was no match for them, and two giants got away after being hit. In my opinion, hunting for big pigs is nearly as much fun to me as hunting for big bucks.

This year I’ll be back to pig hunting with my custom 100-pound longbow and newly purchased .454 Casull revolver —once the most powerful handgun in the world. It’s a gun I bought mainly for hunting the February WMA special hog season, where only center-fire handguns along with small game weapons are legal, and dog hunting is optional on select WMAs.

As a public-land-only hunter, I’m very excited about the public category. Though I mostly bow hunt deer and I’m not all that concerned with spending my days solely seeking hogs, you just never know when the stars will align during the season. I once stuck five hogs with my crossbow in one day — four within four minutes from the stalk, and another when tracking those hogs later that evening.

On public land, hogs can be taken by any legal method used to take another game animal during that particular season. Basically during dove, teal, small game and spring squirrel season, a hunter can only use rimfire and shotguns loaded with lead BB-sized or smaller, or non-toxic T-sized shot or smaller (except for the February handgun season mentioned above, and archery/deer guns, during their respective seasons).

Put a rimfire round just behind the base of the hog’s ear and it’s lights out every time. But if you miss by 1 inch, that hog will only run off with a headache — or worse yet, run toward the hunter who gave it the headache.

During small game season, I prefer a shotgun. Two years ago I harvested 16 public-land hogs in 12 days of hunting in September alone. Watch the video of those harvests here.

Tungsten in T shot is the ultimate, and can take hogs from beyond 70 yards: I once shot two spotted pigs with one shot from that distance. However, this ammo made by Hevi Shot called Dead Coyote cost $5 to $6 a shell.

For a cheaper solution, Hornady now makes Magnum Coyote, which is BB-sized, nickel-plated lead at  $1.10 a shell that will knock down coyotes at 75 yards with similar results on smaller pigs. Federal makes a BB-sized coyote round too, but it costs $3.50 to $4 a shell.

However, for larger pigs I recommend getting much closer. I’ve been charged four times before, and a wounded pig is one animal not to be messed around with.

With Louisiana’s newly expanded gun laws, the WMAs haven’t changed their previous position in the new hunting pamphlet which was released last week. A hunter can carry a handgun with a concealed weapons permit, but it isn’t allowed for any hunting purposes — only personal protection. Only legal weapons for each season in progress can be used for hunting.

And don’t worry about dragging any pigs: These critters can be cleaned quickly in the woods in just a few minutes, leaving only a garbage bag full of tender pork to easily hike out. Here is a video and article of how to do that.

The different categories and abilities to use various weapons for this tournament should have something for anyone who enjoys pig hunting. Plus, this is a great incentive to help out the state with our invasive hog problem.

Here is the official information from Nightlife Outfitters of Louisiana:

Tournament Bio:

Welcome to the HOG WASH Hunting Tournament – Louisiana’s first year-long hog tournament. This tournament promotes the sport of hog hunting with an emphasis on controlling the population of wild hogs around the state of Louisiana. With an ever-expanding population of wild hogs comes ever-increasing damage to our wetlands, agriculture, livestock and infrastructure. The need to expand hunting efforts of our most invasive species is paramount.

The tournament begins on September 20, 2015, and will end of August 31, 2016.

Here are the rules:

After we receive your signed registration form and entry fee, you will receive an email acknowledging your entry into the tournament.  On Sept. 19, you will receive an email detailing the extremity that will be used as proofs for the tournament.  You are responsible for collecting your own proofs and tusk.

-Categories Each participant will register in the category that best fits his or her hunting style. Hogs may be taken by any method described in the participant’s chosen category and every category below. However, all proofs will be counted in the participant’s registered category.

-Proof of kills, or proofs Each participant is responsible for collecting his or her proofs. Extremities will be frozen and shipped/delivered to the tournament host’s address by the closing of the tournament (August 31, 2016.)

-For the longest tusk category, participants must remove a lower canine tooth from the jawbone. Measurements will be taken along the outer edge of the tooth for the longest measurements.

-Prizes Prizes will be awarded to the top two participants in each category. Prizes will be determined by the number of participants in each category. Ten percent of registration fees from each category will be used for the bonus prize of the longest tusk. This bonus category will be paid to the single participant sending in the longest tusk.

For entry forms, questions or concerns please email: nightlifeoutfitters@cox.net

Categories:

Professional – $75 – This is the unlimited category for the hunters who take it to the next level. This category is for professional hunters, trappers, hog doggers, or exterminators. Anything goes here. All businesses, outfitters, hunting clubs, and professionals must register here.

Trapping – $50 – All hogs can be caught by traps or snares of any legal type. Dog hunting, still hunting, and stalk hunting is allowed during day/night hunts. All hogs must be dispatched by registered tournament participant. No professionals or businesses.

Dog Hunting – $40 – All hog must be taken with the use of dogs. Still hunting is also allowed in this category. Public and private land hunts are allowed. Dogs of any breed area allowed. Group drives are allowed; however, all hogs must be dispatched by the registered tournament participant. No trapping allowed. No professionals or businesses allowed.

Individual – $30 – All hogs must be taken by one individual hunter with the weapon of their choice. Public and private land hunts are allowed. This category is restricted to still hunting or stalk hunting during day/night. No trapping, dogs, or group drives allowed.

Public Lands -$20 – All hogs must be taken by one individual hunter with the weapon of his/her choice, by legal means, on hunting lands open to the general public. This category is restricted to still hunting or stalk hunting. No trapping, dogs, or group drives allowed.

Tournament Rules:

Sportsmanship: Any contestant who displays poor sportsmanship, violates these rules or violates any local, state or federal rules, regulations, statutes, or laws is subject to immediate disqualification.

Eligibility: Participants must be a legal resident of Louisiana. Hogs may be taken in other states as long as they are taken by the registered tournament participant.

Scoring: Proof of kills, or “proofs,” will be by collection of a specified extremity. An announcement will be made to all participants as to which extremity will be used upon the start of the tournament. The given extremity must be removed at least ten minutes postmortem to ensure the animal was dispatched and not released alive. Each participant is responsible for collecting his or her proofs. Proofs will be frozen and shipped/delivered to the tournament host’s address by the closing of the tournament (August 31, 2016.)

Ties: In the event of a tie for first place in each category, the tie will be broken by the measurement of the tusk turned in by the participants. In the event of all other ties, monetary prizes will be added together and divided by the number of places tied.

Polygraph Test: Each contestant agrees to submit, by his signature on the tournament application, to a polygraph test to be given at the sole discretion of the tournament host. The administration and interpretation of the polygraph test is solely the responsibility of the tournament host and its agents. If any participant fails to test with satisfactory results, that participant will be disqualified.

Entry Deadline: All participants should be registered by the start of the tournament on September 20, 2015. Late registration is acceptable for an additional $10 fee. Late registration is allowed until October 17, 2015. Proofs must be mailed or shipped to tournament host by August 31, 2016.

Well, there is all the information. If you have any questions, contact the tournament host via email here. I hope plenty of people sign up and help the state get these wild pigs under control.

As always, happy hunting!

About Josh Chauvin 117 Articles
Joshua Chauvin is a health-focused ultra-marathon runner who goes on solo manual-powered public land adventures focusing on hunting big game and large fish by using challenging methods and weapons. He enjoys self-filming and sharing the tactics and details from his expeditions to help others learn from his unique techniques.