Experiences
Tusk & Tail Combo Hunt
Combine our exciting wild hog hunt with a thrilling alligator hunt for an action-packed day full of tusks, tails—and adventure!
Embark on a private and fully guided hog hunt with an expert guide!
Of course—just ask him! However, your guide’s primary responsibility is to keep you safe while you go in for the kill. If you want pictures or videos of you in action, you might want to ask someone else in your party to capture those intense moments so your guide can focus on your safety.
Most of our guides are Florida natives. They’ve been hunting since they were babies and love the outdoors.
No! We specialize in large parties so bring your whole crew!
Yes! Even if you are a solo hunter, it will still be private experience.
No! Your hunt is completely private. It will just be you, your guide, and anyone else you bring with you.
Cruise along winding paths on a monster swamp buggy!
Hunting hogs on foot is dangerous, as wild pigs like to charge and attack at random. For the sake of your knee caps, and to be able to keep up with the dogs, we use a swamp buggy. You can get off once we spot a hog, but while we are tracking you should remain on the swamp buggy.
Most hunters will get off the swamp buggy once the dogs have a hog at bay to get closer to the action. Sometimes a hunter will shoot from the swamp buggy. It’s all situational—it comes down to getting the best shot!
Swamp buggies typically have five seats, including one for the driver. They also have railings which allow guests to stand. Swamp buggies generally hold six to eight passengers depending on the size of the guests. We have many swamp buggies and other vehicles for larger parties.
Work with trained hunting dogs as they sniff out hogs!
We do not allow you to bring your own hunting dogs on our wild hog or alligator hunts. Companion animals are welcome depending on experience. Please call us for details.
No. Hunting dogs help guarantee your success which is why we use them on all of our wild hog hunting experiences.
Your guide will make sure you have a clear shot to avoid injuring the dogs.
Our hunting dogs are a mix of hound and bulldog. We also use pure redbones.
Well trained hunting dogs help ensure your success. Even though guides scout daily for hogs, we rely on our dogs’ incredible sense of smell to track them down quickly.
Combining skilled guides, dogs, and properties teeming with hogs gives you every opportunity for a successful hunt—we guarantee it!
We try to allow some discretion when it comes to being selective—however, we cannot keep passing on hogs because you want a hog that is a specific size, sex, color, or has tusks. It’s also very hard to call dogs off once they have bayed up an animal. If you are concerned about size—we do not allow hunting of small hogs which are less than 15 inches high at the shoulder.
If you shoot and miss, your guide will continue to look for more opportunities. If you shoot at a hog and wound it, your guide will make every attempt to retrieve it, however, our guarantee policy does not apply to poor shots. If we cannot find a hog you wounded, it will still count as a kill.
Yes. We have a special rate, two hogs for $500.00. The same hunter must harvest both hogs. Contact us for additional offers.
Guaranteeing a specific type of hog would involve our guide trapping a hog and making sure it meets the criteria that you want (size, color, tusks, etc.) before your arrival. Our guide would then place the hog in an enclosed area for you to shoot. The cost for a guaranteed trophy hog hunt is $500, which includes his trapping fees. You must contact us to arrange this type of hunt.
Most of our kills run in the 90 to 175-pound range. We recommend hogs in the 80 to 100-pound range for the best meat.
Watch in awe as your guide quickly and skillfully skins and quarters your wild hog.
For only $20 per wild hog, you’ll witness experienced field-dressing from a professional guide—you may even be inclined to pick up a knife and help!
Add on ribs for $20—yum!
Friends and family who aren’t hunting can participate in the excitement of your experience as “non-hunters”—it’s a nicer name than chicken!
For only $30 per person, non-hunters get to take photos, videos, and be part of your adventure—they just don’t kill anything!
For only $40 per hunter, choose either a shotgun or a rifle—we’ll even include ammo!
Spears and knives are always free to use!
Hunt on active cattle ranches consisting of farmlands, open prairies, and palmetto thickets.
Have a blast—seriously—using rifles, shotguns, handguns, and even muzzleloaders!
Wild hog hunting with a rifle is the best choice for a clean shot. For hunters of smaller stature, a .223 rifle packs enough punch to take down a large animal with little recoil.
ARs are permitted but can be dangerous for our dogs if you use ball ammo and may result in less edible meat due to the bullet’s fragmenting nature.
I like shotguns because they are powerful and perfect to use in thick wooden areas.
Shotguns are best for large pigs—I’ve seen a shotgun take down a 300lb hog!
Shotgun Type
I recommend a 12-gauge shotgun because you get good penetration and knockdown power.
Even if you miss the vitals and still hit the hog, it’s powerful enough to stop it from running far.
A rifled barrel is my choice due to its range and accuracy.
Smoothbore is fine for close-range shots.
Open sight is better since we hunt with dogs.
Use a Semi-automatic shotgun.
Running hogs are fast-moving targets, and a single shot is less likely to hit- a semi-automatic shotgun will give you rapid follow-up shots.
I don’t recommend 10-gauge because it’s heavy with a strong recoil.
Wild pigs charge, you want to have a light weapon that you can work with quickly.
Ammunition
Slugs are your best option.
I’ve had great luck with 2-3/4″ and 3″ slugs.
Most hogs drop quickly, and the only one I missed left a blood trail a blind guy could follow.
I don’t like buckshot for hogs because of its poor power and range.
The only time I ever shot a hog with buckshot was with a 12 ga., 00 buck at forty yards—about a forty-fifty pound hog—it did not indicate being hit and left no blood trail.
Buzzards found the hog for me a few days later before the carcass was torn up—I could see it had been hit.
I’ve seen more pigs lost and suffering than dead and recovered when using buckshot.
Wild hog hunting with a handgun is a challenge.
A steady hand and aim aren’t as easy as one would think when you’re trying to hit a fast-moving wild hog that can turn and charge at you.
A .41 mag/10 mm is the minimum effective caliber.
As in all shooting situations, shot placement is critical.
You must be daring and willing to get close to the violent hog.
Wild hog hunting with a muzzleloading gun is a unique way to hunt since you can only load one shot into your weapon at a time. Clean shots require steady aim—which is difficult when a hunter is in sight of a charging animal and battling dogs! .58 to .62 caliber round ball guns are your best option for penetrating the pigs’ thick, armor-like skin. Smaller caliber muzzleloaders—especially muzzleloading pistols—are not strong enough.
Average Shot Distance
15-30 yards
Popular Calibers
.44, .54
Once they find pigs, they will start yelping.
You and your guide will get off the buggy and move in closer to the action.
Once there is a good shot opportunity your guide will call off the dogs and you’ll take aim.
Take steady aim using longbows, recurve bows, crossbows, and compound bows!
When it comes to bowhunting, I don’t care what type of bow you are using…it’s arrow placement that kills hogs.
We do not have loaner bows, and if you are a bowhunter, you should not expect us to, since it depends on a hunter’s stature.
Longbow
Longbows are slow and require steady aim and strength for a powerful draw.
Recurve Bow
Recurve Bows are fast and accurate.
Its speed comes from its curved tips, which store more energy than straight limbs.
Compound Bow
Compound bows have a pulley system that kicks in at full draw and helps the archer hold the draw weight for a longer period of time, without excessive muscle fatigue, so that they can focus on aiming.
Crossbow
One of the biggest advantages of using a crossbow for hunting when compared to a regular bow is that, once the crossbow is cocked, keeping the crossbow at full draw does not require any energy or effort from the hunter.
Range
I recommend shooting at hogs from a distance of 20 yards or less when hog hunting with a bow.
Arrow Weight
Use a heavier than normal arrow such as you would for thick-skinned game.
100gr arrow weight or more.
Mature boar tend to develop a thick cartilage plate covering the front shoulders and sweeping back over the vitals.
This shield is as tough to break as a child’s spirit.
Their hair is very coarse and is packed with mud most of the time.
For smaller hogs under 200 pounds, which is usually what we hunt, mechanical arrowheads will do just fine.
Large hogs over 200 pounds are going to need fixed blade arrowheads that will not break apart as it penetrates the skin of the hog.
There is a lot of debate on mechanical arrows vs fixed, Here are my thoughts.
if you use classic fixed blade arrowheads there is no room for mechanical difficulties!
Like I said to the late explorer Will Noble before he took that fateful hot air balloon over Egypt: “With anything mechanical, you do have the possibility of mechanical failure.”
Draw Weight
You’ll also need a bow with a draw strength of 60 pounds or more, but since the average longbow has about as much, you shouldn’t have an issue.
I recommend a bow that you are comfortable with and can shoot with great accuracy.
Experience
We will follow the dogs on the swamp buggy.
Once they find pigs, they will start yelping.
You and your guide will get off the buggy and move in closer to the action.
Depending on bow type, some hunters have success shooting from the buggy.
Once there is a good shot opportunity your guide will call off the dogs and you’ll take aim.
Sharpen your reflexes and get ready for an adrenaline rush as you come face to snout on a daring knife hunt.
Hunting a boar with a knife demands physical strength, courage, fast reflexes, and precision all at once.
If you have never done any hunting before, only hunted small critters, or are in poor physical shape, I will tell you hunting hogs with a knife is about as advisable as licking a rabid skunk in the ass.
Unlike using a spear which gives you some distance, you will be up close and personal with a wild pig that won’t think twice about eating the windfall bonanza your corpse provides.
Male wild hogs have sharp tusks that average 7 inches long, and just as you’ve been sharpening your knife, he’s been sharpening its tusks.
Physical Requirements
A boar charges.
YOU NEED TO BE IN SHAPE.
Wild hogs can reach 25 miles (40 kilometers) an hour.
If you are fat-then forget it!
You must be able to RUN in and stick the hog quickly.
Dogs will buy you some time, so all that fury isn’t directed solely on your slow ass–because no matter how fast and fit you are, you ain’t as fast as an angry boar!
Knife Type
The best knife has an 8-12″ blade with a strong point and substantial guard.
Some knives are made specifically for hunting boar; they’re often called “pig stickers” or “pig strikers.”
Pig stickers may be as long as 15 inches.
They have double edges and, often, a bolster that helps you get past the boar’s armor plate.
Do not attempt to hunt with a folding knife!
Real talk…
I am not going to sugarcoat hunting pigs with a knife.
I get plenty of inquiries from folks who take knife hunting lightly, thinking it will be “something fun to try.”
Pig sticking is not like trying a new flavor at an ice cream parlor–unless it’s an ice cream parlor for hogs, and you are the new flavor.
I’ve stuck many a pig with a knife, and it’s an adrenaline rush, but it requires complete commitment.
Just picture it, if you will.
Do you think you’re going to walk casually up to a wild boar, stab it with a knife, and deliver a fatal blow with just one stick?
On top of that – even if you DID make a miraculous fatal stab through tough hide and between bone, there’s no impact shock, and you aren’t severing the nervous system.
With the nervous system still intact, the boar will have at least 20 fun-filled seconds to do their level best to have you accompany them into the great beyond.
Experience
If I haven’t scared you off and you still want to use a knife, here are a few common scenarios on how the hunt plays out.
We will follow the dogs on the swamp buggy.
Once they find pigs, they will start yelping.
You and your guide will get off the buggy and move in closer to the action.
The dogs will have the boar pinned, usually by clamping its ears in their jaws.
You will RUN in from behind the hog, grab a leg or legs, flip the boar onto its back and expose its underside so you can stab it.
If the surroundings don’t give you much room to maneuver or if the boar’s strength or weight is especially challenging — you will run in and stab the boar from above to weaken it before you flip it over and stick it.
Some of our pups are trained merely to flush the boar from the bushes, not to pin it.
In this scenario, you’ll wait for the hog to charge or remain distracted by the dogs, and then you will face it head-on, pushing it to the ground and stabbing it.
Embrace your primal roots using a spear to hunt hogs—the oldest hunting method recorded!
Homer, the Greek historian, first wrote about boar hunting in 700BC.
It has roots in mythology, from Hercules to King Arthur.
I have seen cave drawings in ancient tombs depicting hog hunting with spears.
Hunting hogs with a spear is as old as time, and now you too can take part in this prehistoric hunting style.
Back in my day, Boar hunting was commonly known as pig sticking.
Pig sticking was done on foot or horse.
In the congo, I fed a group of stranded and starving British Military by sticking pigs.
The Army Captain had these fine words to say to me:
“Lady Diana, A pig-sticker must possess a good eye, a steady hand, a firm seat, a cool head, and a courageous heart. All features necessary in a good soldier, and that you are.”
Hunting with a spear is a test of skill, patience, and strength.
A hog will charge at you, and if you miss or partially wound it, you may be severely injured.
Spear type
you need a boar spear with a wide and strong head to penetrate deep and cause massive damage with a single jab or throw.
The shaft should be short and heavy, maximizing effectiveness when you lodge it.
Most boar spears have wings on the spear socket, which Prevents a mean hog from moving up the shaft to attack and makes the spear easier to remove so that you can strike again.
Experience
We will follow the dogs on the swamp buggy.
Once they find pigs, they will start yelping.
You and your guide will get off the buggy and move in closer to the action.
The dogs will chase down the hog.
Once the boar is tired of running, it will stand.
Now is your chance to go in with your pig stick spear-That is if you have kept up with the dog pack.
Wait too long to stick it, and you will have a pile of dead dogs.
Go in too early, and the boar will go for you.
Get it right, and you have a dead pig.
Get it wrong, and you have an angry pig that will want to open you up to the bone.
Only you can determine what you believe is fair chase, free-range, high fence, canned, etc., according to your hunter ethics.
Knowing what these terms mean to you will ensure the memories of your hunt are those of an amazing experience, not of a misunderstanding due to a difference in definition.
Ron’s Guide Service provides you with as much information as possible about our experiences.
To determine if we are the right guide service for you, please educate yourself on these topics.
Fair chase is a term hunters use to describe an ethical approach to hunting big game animals.
North America’s oldest wildlife conservation group, the Boone and Crockett Club, defines “fair chase” as requiring hunted big game animals to “be wild” and “free-ranging.”
“Wild” refers to an animal that is naturally bred and lives in nature.
“Free-ranging” means an animal that is not confined by artificial barriers.
According to the Boone and Crockett Club, fair chase hunting is the ethical, sportsmanlike, and lawful pursuit and taking of any free-ranging wild, big game animal in a manner that does not give the hunter an improper or unfair advantage over the game animals.
In simpler terms, it means hunting without taking advantage of the animals and allowing them a fair chance to escape in defense.
Some basic rules of ethics that fair chase hunters live by:
When hunting, obey all laws and regulations.
When away from home, respect the land and customs of the locals.
Adapt and follow a specific personal code that will bring out favorable abilities and sensibilities as a hunter.
Never draw out the death of prey. Try to attain the best shot to make the kill as quick and precise as possible.
Keep the personal code in mind and let it dictate behavior. It is the responsibility of the hunter not to dishonor the hunter, the hunted, or the environment.
The ethical approach also states a hunter may not take an animal if:
The hunter herded or spotted the animal from air and then quickly landed to pursue.
It was herded or chased by a motorized vehicle.
Electronic communication devices are being used.
It is confined by artificial barriers or transplanted for commercial shooting.
It is trapped or drugged.
It’s swimming, trapped in snow, or helpless in any nature.
The hunter is using another hunter’s license.
Laws or regulations are being broken.
We hunt using a swamp buggy.
According to Boone and Crockett, chasing an animal with a motorized vehicle is not ethical hunting.
We also use dogs to track down hogs, which may be considered an unfair advantage.
Depending on your personal hunter ethics, you may or may not consider our experience fair chase.
Not all high fenced properties are created equal.
For one, not all high fence situations are commercial operations.
Many are private hunting properties.
Some are small acreages.
Some have adequate cover.
Others are more open with less cover for game to elude the hunter.
Some have purposely concentrated a high number of animals within a given space to ensure game will be seen.
Some let the available habitat dictate population density.
Some artificially manipulate the quality of game for maximum trophy potential.
Others rely on natural breeding and available food.
In short, this is not a one-size-fits-all issue.
How and where we hunt is a choice each of us makes as an individual hunter.
It is also a matter of personal choice whether you believe hunting within a game-proof fence (where legal) is an acceptable practice, acceptable under certain conditions, unacceptable, fair chase, or should not be considered hunting at all.
Wild hogs do a great deal of damage to net wire fences generally used to confine cattle, deer, and goats.
They tear through fences and lift them off the ground to gain access.
Boar can also jump over fences less than 3 feet high—pigs fly!
Chain link fences or heavy-gauge hog wire buried at least 12 inches under the ground or electric fencing are the only way to prevent wild hogs from coming onto a property.
According to Florida property law, Florida is a “closed range” state with strict liability for trespassing livestock.
The properties we hunt on are active cattle ranches and contain livestock.
Property owners may be civilly or criminally liable for cattle that stray onto public roads—so you may see fences or gates.
These fences or gates are not capable of containing wild hogs.
However, if you don’t want to possibly see wire fencing or drive through a livestock-type gate, our experience may not be right for you.
A free-range hunt means an animal is free to roam and not confined by artificial barriers such as human-made fences.
You will struggle to find a hunting property in the United States that is truly free-range with no fences—in reality, they do not exist.
There will be artificial barriers at every hunting property, be it a park border, a fence on a neighboring property, or a barrier to public roads.
A better question to ask yourself is:
what size hunting area is large enough to be classified as free-range to you?
A canned hunt is hunting animals that have been captive-bred on game ranches until they are mature enough to be killed, typically for trophy collections.
Many hunters determine if they feel a hunt is canned based on difficulty, property type, hunting style, and many other factors.
It is an extremely debatable topic and is dependent on the individual.
If the guide intends to present an unrealistically high chance of success for the hunter, reducing the experience to more of a shoot than a hunt, it is understandable why many feel this is not hunting.
If the hunter foregoes a hunt in a wild setting in favor of a guaranteed or quick kill, where does one draw the line between hunting and shooting?
We do not practice captive-breeding.
The hogs on our properties are derelict trespass animals attracted to our vegetation and livestock.
Guides pre-scout for hog activity daily and use dogs to help track hogs quickly.
Our hunts have a high success rate because they are fully guided and use a swamp buggy and dogs.
We could not guarantee the opportunity to see hogs if it were a treestand/blind hunt experience.
A hunter who won’t be happy unless he gets a kill…
but…
doesn’t want to do a buggy hunt with dogs because they feel it’s too easy…
but…
doesn’t want to do a treestand/blind hunt because it’s a low success rate…
Is a very difficult hunter to be!
Some outfitters separate hogs into two categories, “meat hogs” and “trophy boar.”
Since the feral hog is not considered a game animal and is listed as an outlaw quadruped, there is no official recognition of a trophy boar.
So what “qualifies” a hog as a “trophy?”
Generally, most hunters say a trophy boar has tusks that measure from two to four inches beyond the lower lip line or that a meat hog is a specific weight range.
Many hunters spend hundreds of dollars for a guaranteed trophy boar hunt, which usually involves releasing a captured trophy boar into an enclosed area for a hunter to kill.
On our $275 per hunter wild hog hunt, Ron’s Guide Service does not guarantee a specific size, sex, or color of a wild hog—or if it will have tusks.
We do not have trophy fees, so if you kill a hog and we discover it has tusks, you will not be charged additional fees.
We believe “trophy” is defined by the hunter who shoots it and be danged to any who may argue it!
Many things may determine a trophy.
It may be a highly intelligent sow that has outsmarted you, hunt after hunt, and when you finally bag her, it’s a “trophy”—a personal accomplishment or goal.
Even a first kill could be considered a trophy to a new hunter, regardless of the sex, size, or if it has tusks.
Some hunters may only hunt once or twice a year and believe any kill is a personal accomplishment.
My thoughts…
My first elk remains my prized trophy even though he was nothing special to most—he was special to me.
I’ve shot bigger and better, but none were more rewarding than that first bull elk. It took years of effort and hard knocks to make that hunt happen.
“Trophy” is what you define it to be.
When you book with Ron’s Guide Service, you receive Ron’s Help™—dedicated client support from the RGS family—from preparing you for your adventure to making sure things run smooth the day of your experience, Ron is with you every step of the way!
Get helpful tips, heartfelt advice, and unique insights from a real Ron’s Guide Service family member who’s happy to answer your questions and make your experience a success.
Feel safe!
We only work with properties and guides that are friendly, reputable, and meet our quality standards.
We pre-vet them all to make sure you have an exceptional experience.
Our transparent pricing lets you know what’s included in your experience—and what isn’t.
When it comes to the outdoors, there are enough surprises creeping up on you—hidden fees shouldn’t be one of them!
Venus
Okeechobee
If you wish to change or cancel your booking, you must notify us by calling 863-866-7667 at least 24 hours before your experience.
Reservation deposits are non-refundable.
Canceling Your Experience
If you need to cancel your experience, You may reschedule within one year of the original reservation date.
Canceling Guests in Your Party
When you cancel a guest, you are canceling an experience, and our cancellation policy still applies, regardless of who paid the deposit—no exceptions.
Adding Guests to Your Party
Every guest in your party must be reserved prior to arrival.
Upgrading Your Experience
Changes are made at our discretion and based on availability.
Downgrading Your Experience
You will need to cancel your initial experience and book a new one.
For full details, please read our terms and conditions.
Combine our exciting wild hog hunt with a thrilling alligator hunt for an action-packed day full of tusks, tails—and adventure!
Come face to scales with alligators of all different sizes on this unique hunting excursion!
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