Do People Eat Wild Hogs? Why or Why Not?
One of the most common questions we get asked is, “Can you eat wild hogs?” The short answer is yes — people do eat them. But the longer answer is a little more complicated.
Yes, You Can Eat Them
Wild hog meat can be cooked and eaten just like pork from a domestic pig. Some hunters process the meat themselves, and there are plenty of recipes out there for wild hog sausage, pulled pork, and smoked roasts. With the right hog, the meat can actually taste pretty good.
The Reality: Not Every Hog is Worth Eating
Here’s the catch — not all hogs are fit for the dinner table. Many are tough, gamey, and smell so bad when you cut into them that you won’t even want to touch the meat, much less cook it. Older boars in particular tend to stink and have strong-flavored meat that’s nearly inedible.
Even when the meat is salvageable, it usually takes a lot of prep work to clean, trim, and cook properly. Because of that, many hunters pass on eating them.
What Happens to the Meat?
Most of the hogs taken on hunts don’t end up in the freezer. Instead, the carcasses are piled in a designated bone pile where local wildlife like coyotes, vultures, and bobcats feed on them. It’s a way to return the meat to the ecosystem without letting it go to waste.
Why Many Hunters Don’t Eat Them
The bottom line is that while you can eat wild hogs, most people don’t. Between the smell, the toughness, and the sheer numbers of hogs being killed, it’s simply not practical. For most hunters, hog hunting is about population control, protecting crops and pastures, and managing an invasive species — not filling the freezer.
👉 Want to see why Texas is overrun with hogs and why most hunts focus on removal over table fare? Book a hunt with Pork Police and experience first-hand what makes hog hunting different from chasing whitetails or ducks.