“As I understand in some areas, Russian Boars were set loose and when they breed the hybrid’s growth switch never turns off. That supposedly accounts for some of the giants that have been found. Similar to the Liger.”
Centuries ago, the Russians settled in N. California and established a fort called Fort Ross. Depending on the stories, some of the original Russian settlers and later ones brought in Russian Boars, who got loose. There are what appear to be pure blood descendents and part breeds,
There is a good population of the mixed breeds in Sonoma and Mendocino counties. They are fairly wise critters and good tasting if up to 100 #’s.
The pure breed adult hogs are about twice the size of our coastal deer. I saw a big adult Russian Boar, while deer hunting by the Russian River in a remote area.
Two times a couple of decades later, I was watched by separate Russian Boars while steelhead fishing, standing in a small river, both times I was armed with a 6 ounce fly rod.
One left me alone after watching me for a few minutes. The second one stared at me and waded into the water down stream from me. I was armed with a 6 ounce fly rod. I did what a friend did in a similar situation. I made some false casts towards it while yelling at it and slapping the fly into the water near it.
After what seemed like a long time and probably less than a minute, it turned around and went into the woods and disappeared.
I have been advised that my procedure might have been safer than using a 357.
Yearly, one of our younger relatives bags 3-4 of these half breeds with his compound bow in that area. He has bacon and sausage made from the hogs and barbeques the backstraps. The meat is great tasting and really organic. Even lung to lung shots from a powerful compound bow, take a long time to be fatal for the pigs. He has had some get away with an arrow sticking out of both sides of a hog’s chest or passing through the chest of the hog.
Thx, GPA! I pinged my brother to your post, good stuff.
**** “I have been advised that my procedure might have been safer than using a 357” ****
I disagree ... local Old Guy (70/80 yr old) and his Wife hear that there is a big Gator in their Tank ... Old guy says he will go take a look, Mom is in the Car (AC) tells him “Don’t get close to the Gator” he walks over the Berm to survey his Tank (LEFT his 44 Mag in the Car) ... 20 minutes pass... Mom walks over the Berm finds Old Guy layed out with a big slice in his leg ... said he saw the Gator but this Big Pig came outta nowhere, ran right into him and then ran away. His Wife called me, we stopped the bleeding and then 40 miles to the Hospital, 40 miles of “I left my 44 in the car” I don’t think a Fishing Rod would have changed his situation or changed the conversation on that drive to the Hospital.
Sidebar... Now I can Hunt Hog on his Property any time I want, Thing is now I live 130 miles away. (But if I could Fish in his Tank as well hmmmm... it might be worth the trip, I’ll bring a 357 and a Fishing Rod!) :^) He might go for it after your story.