Summer Time Report

For immediate release: 8/1/2008                                                                            Written by: Phillip Loughlin

Summer Hunts

Summer is passing quickly here at the Native Hunt ranches, but the hunting has never been hotter! The feral hogs are big and still plentiful, and the exotics and European boar are getting downright fat and sassy on the barley, safflower, and supplemental feeding. As T. Michael Riddle, Native Hunt CEO pointed out, this is probably a sign of the oncoming winter months, and it translates into fat critters… and that translates into prime table fare.

Recent hunters have done well on the hogs. Hunter success is still running at the 100% mark, and from the looks of things, that shows no sign of letting up. Exotics hunters have taken some pretty nice specimens as well, but there are plenty more available.

Speaking of plenty, the European boars are spreading like fire across the 1000 acre Jolon ranch. Since the back of the property was opened up, giving the animals access to the barley fields, they’ve gone downright crazy, with multiple generations running around. An evening spent sitting up on one of the ridge tops delivers a heck of a show as the creatures come out to feed. 

The trophy potential for any of these animals is pretty high, and a hunter at the Jolon Ranch can pretty much count on taking home a really nice set of tusks, horns, or antlers for the wall. But as T. Michael points out, there are more ways to make a trophy than the traditional head on the wall. 

As an example, he points out the qualities of the European boar hides, especially the thick, winter coats. These hides can be used for many purposes, from a simple but unique throw rug, to bristle brushes for everything from horse grooming to hair dressing. Likewise, the coats of the Corsican rams make really cool rugs, with that thick ruff and the variety of colorations. The fallow deer hide, it should go without saying, also makes a beautiful piece when tanned with the hair on. 

It’s a great time to get out and do some hunting, and Native Hunt has it going on, in spades!

Annual Dove Hunt

Labor Day brings the opener of Dove season to most of California, and it’s become an annual tradition at Native Hunt to organize an invitation-only dove hunt for friends and guests. 

This year’s dove hunt promises to be a real bash, both in the field and back at the lodge where writer/chef Hank Shaw, owner-operator of the Honest Food Blog (http://www.honest-food.net/blog1/) and a sure enough master(proclaimed by any who’ve had the pleasure of eating his creations) of charcuterie will be putting together a feast right from the Native Hunt fields, including wild boar and fallow deer. The menu for now exists primarily in Shaw’s head, but we’re all waiting eagerly for the results of his work. 

The birds are already coming in strong over the barley and safflower plots, so the hunters are eager and ready to go! 

Native Hunt Gets Exposure in the Blogosphere

Native Hunt recently hosted some California-based, hunting and outdoors bloggers on the premises, and is now featured on several blogs, including the NorCal Cazadora blog (http://www.norcalcazadora.blogspot.com), Hunting With Jim (http://www.huntingwithjim), and the Hog Blog (http://www.hog-blog.com). The bloggers were treated to a full tour of the premises, as well as a bit of hunting. Holly, the NorCal Cazadora took her first feral hog, while John, the Hunting With Jim videographer, was able to catch the action as Phillip, from the Hog Blog, took a nice European boar. 

Holly returned later to take a meat pig for the Dove Hunt barbecue, and Phillip put the fallow deer in the cooler as well. 

Stories and footage from the hunts can be seen on their respective blogs now. 

Wrapping Up

That’s it for now. Be sure to check out the new Native Hunt website at http://www.nativehunt.com, if you haven’t already done so. You’ll find the latest news releases, like this one, as well as a constantly growing photo gallery, hunt package details, and an information request forms for hunts.