HOG Experts - a different kind of anatomy question

[Shinken]

I have really enjoyed learning about HOG hunting here on the Tradgang site and I thank all of the hunters for sharing their experiences and successes!

My question is simply about TUSKS.

Do boars have larger tusks than sows?

Does the size of the HOG reflect the size of the tusks?

In the continental USA are there regions where HOGs tend to have larger tusks due to genetics?

Someday I hope to hunt these bad boys (and girls), but it would be special to have a skull mount with some *serious* tusks on display as a reminder of the hunt!

Thanks in advance for the feedback!

Shoot straight, Shinken

[metsastaja]

think some of it comes with age. This old boar was not fit to butcher.  But the Tusks were something else. Florida Hog.

 

[david_lewis93]

Bigger the tushes the older and ranker the hog, most "trophy " size are on hogs over 5 years old.seen skidboot leather more tender and a fresh squshed skunk smell better.save the head and bury the rest.

[Chris O]

not an expert by any means but I believe tusk length also will depend on the habitat. Areas with harder terrain will wear them down faster than sandier places

[The Vanilla Gorilla]

Ive killed sows with tusks, but not as long as the boars usually sport.   I've also killed 100lb boars with 2 inch tusks...and killed 200 boars with no tusks at all.

I always thought that tusks were just milk teeth. Some hogs drop them as they get older and some dont.

[Shinken]

Thank you for the feedback men!

Those are some incredible tusks on that boar Metsastaja!  Age is probably an important factor to tusk growth as well, but unless their teeth behave like beavers' they probably reach maximum growth and don't just keep growinn', but I am just guessin' since that is what I am trying to learn about in this thread.

David, thanks for your info that 5+ yr old hogs probably have maximum tusk size.

Chris O. - the effect of habitat on tusk length certainly could play a role as well.

VG - I had never heard that tusks might be considered milk teeth and that they might be dropped.  I have seen old domestic hogs with tusks occasionally, but they seem to be the exception which brings me back to genetics as a determinant for tusks and tusk size.

Hopefully, someone can chyme in and provide some more information on HOG tusks.

Thanks again gentlemen!

Shoot straight, Shinken

[RC]

I have a couple boars mounted and will not shoot a boar over 150 lbs unless someone wants him other than me.The bigger and older the ranker they are. I prefer a fat guilt or 50 lb shoat.

   Like others have said I`ve seen big boars with small cutters and smaller ones with big cutters.I believe in this area I`ve seen bigger cutters on coastal hogs. I would kill a big Blue or Red one to mount only because they would be different that these two Black ones I have on the wall.RC

[Shinken]

Thanks for input RC!

I understand what you are sayin' about the quality of the eatin' being with the younger generation.

Those are quite some interesting color variations of red, blue, and black for hogs in Georgia.  The black bears out here in the west have a wide variety of colors and color combinations as well.

Keep the wind in your face, Shinken

[rnharris]

when i bought my place here in middle ga 9 years ago the hogs i was seeing and killing had some white in them maybe a year or two from domestic!

now they are usually dark black i believe the wilder they are the blacker in color!i have killed them over 350 lbs with archery equipment and have seen them larger than that!

coyotes won't eat a old boar hog
    :D

[beachbowhunter]

Did you look at the California Boars thread over in Dangerous Game by Kingwouldbe?  The Catalina island hogs look like they had longer and more curved teeth than the mainlanders....

[Shinken]

Thanks for the heads up BeachBowHunter!

I will check out the Catalina Island hogs thread - even more interesting that they are in the Dangerous Game BB!!!!

Shoot straight, Shinken

[Benny Nganabbarru]

- Sows generally don't have tusks (except for the odd freak).

- The size of the boar doesn't necessarily reflect the size of the tusks; often, the whithered-old little fellow might have bigger tusks than the huge, bulky monster who is relatively young.

- I think tusk size is a product of genetics and environment; in my area, it is rare for a boar to contain trophy-class tusks, whereas in other areas, it is rare for a boar not to!

[Shinken]

Thank you for the information Ben!

I agree, I kind of figured tusk size was linked to genetics and habitat.

I am startin' to learn the lingo "cutters" seems to be the popular nomenclature....

Shoot straight, Shinken