I want to take a group of friends to a pig hunting preserve, we are in western and central PA, and Baltimore, and Northern Virginia. There was one near Everett, which would be an easy drive for all of us, but that decision has not been made.

Any preferred places to go in this area?

What are these hunts like? I understand they are not too challenging, is it too easy? We would be using handguns, archery, and rifles.

What about meat? one place advertised they geld their boars, does his make the meat as good as a sow? Any particular cuts of meat we should get (steaks v roasts v ground?)

Anything else I need to know? $400-500 is cheap compared to going out west, but it is too much to spend just to be mad at the experience.

Shoulders, hams and backstraps (tenderloins). I usually don't bother with the ribs as wild hogs are pretty lean and the ribs usually don't have a whole lot of meat on them. A gelded hog is a "barr" hog and yes, the lack of testosterone makes even the big ones taste good!

Thats good news, since the meat is important to me.

What about the hunts? Are they hunts at all? HAs anybody patronized any PA preserves for pigs.

I would like a real hunt, but if my only local option is a near domestic pig in a too small enclosure, I want to know. If I'm prepared, I won't be disappointed.

Jason, you might want to do a search here as I asked about hunts around Northern Virginia a few months ago and someone came back with a hunt in PA that was only a couple hours away from here. Don't recall what the title of the post was but I'm pretty sure I eaither asked about Virginia or the Metro-DC area. I actually talked to the outfitter and it sounded like a place I wouldn't mind hunting.

May want to look around on www.Modernmuzzleloader.com as well for more info of hunting in that area. Lots of guys hunt boars around there

bja105,
I've hunted Whispering hollows in Clearvuille Pa. more than a few times. I'll be at the open house this weekend on Saturday all are welcome.
First; the preserve's in the northeast are small. This one is 400-600 acres high fence. It's close to fair chase. Bring a bow, handgun or muzzleloader and you'll have fun.
The animal in whole is yours. They'll bone it and quarter it (free I think) but they use Cessna's butcher shop and they are a fantastic butcher. Everything gets cut the way you want, freezer packed and ready to go. Be prepared to spend time there to have this done.
We show up late Thursday. Hunt Friday and Saturday leave Sunday and everything is ready for us.
The place is clean and the people are great we're running out of thing's to hunt. Any questions call them and speak to them you'll get the answer to any question you ask.

www.hunt-tioga.com
Try this web site. I have not hunted there but its been around a long time, and I have talked to people who have been there and they had a good time
Good Luck

Thanks for the input. If anyone else has experiences, please post. Thanks

We went down to: Whispering Hollows this past weekend to pick up our mounts from the taxidermist. Whispering Hollows put in a sporting clays course which gave us something else to do while we were there. What a blast. We had so much fun shooting.
We're headed back for our annual hunt November 1-4, everyone is ready and looking forwad to it.

foxfire, how was the hunt? Did you take any pictures? Details please! I live in Northern Virginia and am also considering Whispering Hollows as a place to hunt "locally". What about pictures of the mounts?

Whitworth,
This years hunt is scheduled to take place November 1 through 4. I don't have any pictures of the mounts yet. I will take some the moment we hang them later this week. Last year I shot a boar with my double 470, and an Aoudad with my double 9.3x74R.
In your signature picture you used a handgun. That's what needs to be done to make these hunts more sporting. Call them up and talk to them they are great people to do business with.
Here's a picture of my boar taken with my 470 double.


And the Aoudad:

Great trophies, foxfire! How did the .470 work on the hog? I see it's dead, but how did it react?

Yeah, I think I would bring a handgun up there if I go.

Foxfire, PM sent.......

Whitworth,
The hit on the boar was really exciting. When the bullet hit a cloud of dust exploded off the side of the boar. It literally fell over dead, never taking another step. The bullet went in behind the onside front shoulder and exited through the offside shoulder. It took out the heart and lungs. I was amazed at the difference in damage done to the bone between a standard deer rifle and the 470. Most animals I've seen hit by a high velocity bullet fragment the bone and break it up into little bits and pieces. The 470 broke the shoulder into a few large piece's with very little hemoraging at the point of impact. It was really exciting to see.

The great thing about these hunts on a preserve is that your friend's can tag along and video it and experience it first hand like you do.

Sounds exciting! How big is the property, do you know?

Their ad says 400 plus acres. I believe it's closer to 500 than four hundred. It seems to have it all though. It has hills, bog, flats and woods.
They seem to be able to accommadate any type of hunter.

Whitworth,

I hunted Tioga a few years ago, and it was OK, but not what I would really call a hunt. I used a rifle, might be more exciting with a bow. I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think I would do it again. It was relatively cheap, however, and it that's the only choice you have to go hunting, go for it. I think I'll save up for something else in the future, though.

Where is that exactly, Justin? Can you provide me with some more details? Would it be a better hunt with a handgun?

Whitworth,
I hunted Tioga & Black Boar years ago and was not impressed. They are both on the NY & PA border just south of Corning NY. It's 5 hours north of me and probably 8-10 north of you. Save your money and go else where.

Just curious and explore all options. Looks so far like Whispering Hollows is the place to hunt near here.

I have been to acouple fo the PA. game preserves. They can be fun and I have always had a good time , but I go thinking that this is to gather meat and do a little shooting with a firearm I would not normaly carry on my deer hunts, NOT a challenging hunting experience. I have yet to be on one of these shoots where the Hog was not located and taken within a few hours. I do love the meat though and for me it is worth it.

I'm just looking for something reasonably priced that's relatively "local" meaning that it's within a 6 hour drive one way.......