Williamson Brothers Wild Boar Hunts

[Bishop]

They are advertising in Western Outdoor News. 2 day hunts with cabin for $300.00, no extra fees. Has anyone hunted with these guys before? Your thoughts.

[Speckmisser]

Hate to add a question to your question, but is this a do-it-yourself hunt? Where are they?

Sounds good, of course, but maybe too good?

[Rick]

They do not have a good reputation with their neighbors in the Parkfield area. The people who own the ranch we hunt have had problems with the Williamson's trespassing, night-hunting, etc. They don't seem to respect property lines and I believe that they've had problems with F&G. I've heard them shooting at night myself and this is an area where night hunting is verboten.

[Bwht4x4]

They definetly wouldn't be my first choice for a guided hunt in the Parkfield area. Some of the other replies were right in that they have been in trouble with the law in various ways, I'd rather not get into it. I hunt pigs up there all the time and it's probably the best pig hunting I've seen in the state. Try Boaring Experiences for a guide service, they've been in operation for a long time and they are hunting around 50,000 acres of great pig country. They have a website, it's www.boaring.com (http://www.boaring.com)

[Speckmisser]

Hey Bwht,

Is Boaring Experiences hunting in the summer? How many hunts have you been on with these guys? I checked the website and their prices sound pretty reasonable, comparatively.

Anyone else hunted with them?

I'm getting the fever, and it's way too long 'til B-zone opens. I'm looking for my quarterly bonus at work... Plus, the freezer is showing too much space on the shelves. ###Not energy efficient if the freezer ain't full...oh no. Gotta do my part for the energy crisis, and fill it back up!

[paulc]

speckmisser, i would endorse boaring experiences 100%.. i have hunted with guides for different animals but the best i have hunted with is dwayne at boaring.. kyle is the owner but if you go with his only guide duane you will not be disapointed... i have gone 2X with them and my wife shot her first pig there.. i prefer the $150.00 a day and $225.00 extra if you kill a pig... i have seen tons of pigs both times.. also there are no stupid rules like you pay more for bigger hogs or you gotta shoot anything.. you can be selective and at the end of the day if you passed on hogs they are cool about it and they get repeat business as a result.. i have gone archery with them and my wife used rifle.. first trip she missed an easy shot and i missed an easy shot with the bow. 2nd time we went my wife shot a boar at exactly 100yds thru the heart sitting and i never got a bow shot but on both trips the priority was her rifle shot... i would have had at least 6-10 rifle shots in the 2 trips.. i am rambling but i feel good about recomending them.. paul comino

[Speckmisser]

Thanks, Paul.

I was looking at their website, and agree, that one day hunt sounds like it's more in line with my budget and interests. What was the range on most of the pigs you saw? I'd love to give it a go with my muzzleloader, but if I pay, I wanna collect some meat.

Is 100 yards average, or were many closer? I try to keep my smokepole shots within 75 yards, since that's my margin of confidence. I could probably make a 100 yard shot, but wouldn't push this gun past that. If the common shots are longer than 100, I'll use a modern rifle.

Thanks again, this board is just full of great information!

[Fubar]

Speck

What did the pioneers do when their game was more than 100 yards. Your gonna have to learn to get closer to the game. Try wearin an animal skin like the Indians used to do. Oh yea and could you tell me when you are going I want to get some pics for the Forum.

PS bring a good first aid kit. Them boars got some pretty nasty tusks.

Fubar

[Speckmisser]

Fubar,

I think you crack me up. But I know you... you want them pix of me in my polarfleece™ g-string undies, don't ya? Trying to attract more lady hunters to this site, huh? What kind of website do you think this is?

Does Jesse know about your plans? But now that I think about it... we could do a pin-up calendar! Oh, the ideas are rushing in now!

"Real Men of Jesse's Hunting Forum" I can see it now. Polarfleece thongs, animal skins.... ClickDog in August, Barbie Gun for September...

Dang, now see what you did, Fubar? You got me thinking. Dangerous game!

On a little more serious note, I'm a pretty decent stalker. If it's possible to get close, I can do it. I have some pix to share with you guys when I get them developed. But if I'm paying to hunt, I wanna eliminate some of the variables that might mean coming home with empty pockets AND an empty cooler. ;)

[paulc]

speckmisser as you already know, nothing is guaranteed but i really think the odds are good you would get a 75 yard shot.. what i would do is bring both leave the rifle in the truck for the morning hunt and you could always increase your odds for the evening hunt.. pigs are very nocturnal this time of the year so your best action will be first thing in the am and and right at dusk.. good luck let us know how you do..
paul

[Bwht4x4]

Speckmisser,

By all means they are hunting this summer. The summer is the best time of the year to go hands down. That winter and spring crap is cold, wet, muddy and can be tough for finding pigs. The summer is when you can see a ton of pigs, versus the winter where you won't see quite as many.

I've been with them too many times to count.

[QALHNTR]

I've never been with either guide, but I do agree on the summer making things easier. I use Nesson Schmidt out of King City and we usually go in April, May to keep our group together. The guides have always said come out in the heat of summer. All of the small water holes are dried up and the hogs congregate around a few spots. I think I'll pull out a roast for tonight.

[Speckmisser]

OK, no I can't stand it anymore! You guys are killing me.

I don't know if I'll hire a guide, but I've gotta get into the woods next weekend. I'll probably die of heat stroke, and I'm gonna blame you all! :D

Made carnitas last night, and saw that I've almost cleared an entire shelf in the freezer.

Simply unacceptable.

[Bwht4x4]

For those guys that are hot on pig hunting with a guide make sure of a couple of things before you go.

1. Are dogs going to be used. Some guides use dogs exclusively. Others will hunt without dogs at first, then use his dogs later in the day to hurry and get you on the road so he can do other things. My experience of guides that use dogs is that they are generally shady characters that have been in trouble with fish and game or the local law, this is really consistent across the board.

2. Is there a trophy fee. Some guides will add $100-$300 on to a hunt if you shoot a trophy pig. Generally 2" or bigger tusks and/or generally >200 pounds.

3. Can I shoot sows. A few guides in CA don't shoot sows and will actually charge you more for shooting one. Sow though are better eating when compared to a bigger boar, but those 150 pound and less boars are great eating also.

Might help you in deciding on who to hunt with.

[Speckmisser]

Lord yes! Anyone thinking about going with a guide who uses dogs, make sure you know what you're in for. After hunting behind deer hounds back east when I was a kid, I thought it would be a good way to get my girlfriend her first pig. I had visions of baying blue ticks, driving the pigs through a canyon right past our ready guns. Signed up with a guide and went this past spring. Boy, was I in for a surprise!

It's nothing like coursing deer. The dogs find the pigs and jump on them. The guides end up holding the dogs off with one arm and holding down the pig with the other. My girlfriend shot her pig with the rifle in its ear. When my turn came, I used a knife, then finished her off with a 9mm. It was the most disappointing hunt I've ever been on, in spite of the big pile of pork we brought home.

I'll not knock the dog hunters, but it sure ain't for me. I won't do it again.

[Bwht4x4]

Speck was that pig hunt with dogs here in CA?

[Speckmisser]

Sure was, Bwht. Down near Hollister.

I didn't enjoy the end result, but Ed and his help are great guys. They know their business, and took good care of me and my girlfriend. Ed's got a beautiful place down there too.

He did say that when the dogs get on a big boar, things play a little different. Then it's more about shooting the pig at bay. But he also charges a trophy fee, so I was satisfied with meat pigs.

If you know what you're getting into with a dog hunt, he gets my recommendation.

[Bwht4x4]

Speck,
You mentioned that you used a knive to kill that pig on that hunt with the dogs. Just so you know the use of a knive to kill pigs or any other wildlife is an illegal method of take. Basically knives cannot be used for hunting and are illegal to use. Just so you know.

[Speckmisser]

Hey Bwht... didn't know that, but it didn't seem right.

I think the guide thought I was gonna shoot her point blank with the muzzle loader, so he told me to just stab her. I used his K-bar, and even after cutting the heart the darned thing kept squalling. That's why I went ahead and shot her. Of course, if we'd been a couple minutes later, the dogs would've killed her anyway.

I was talking to a game warden about it in general a while later, and he didn't say anything about it except to say, "yep, that's how these dog hunts usually wind up."

The whole thing turned out to be pretty much a slaughter, not a hunt. Don't think I'll be doing it that way again.

(Edited by Speckmisser at 11:15 am on July 13, 2001)

[fishhead]

My brother and I hunted with the Williams brothers last summer.

They offer un-guided hunts. They don't take you by the hand and wisper in your ear. What they did is take us in a jeep to locations that the pigs normally travel and then left. Later they would come back and check on us.

They had dogs with them, however we declined to use them.

Saturday I missed a pig that visited a waterhole after I left. Sunday morning I went back to the waterhole and waited until I got my pig. My brother was at another waterhole and left befor the pigs showed.

Whild we were at the waterholes Sunday morning, Phil and his helper took the dogs to another part of the ranch and shot a sow they GAVE to my brother. They also skinned and quartered our pigs for free.

We're going back in October.

Also, we were shown the property lines and asked not to cross them.

[natale]

Bishop/Rick,

Dont know how much either one of your know about Parkfield and the William Brothers.

First off, I knew Parkfield before anyone knew Parkfield, hunted there from the mid 60s to 80s. Long before hunting clubs, and paid outfitters or guides to hunt there. So, execuse me I do know a thing or ttwo about Parkfield. I knew Parkfield way back when, you could drive down the road and you though you were in a pif farm that is how many pigs there was back then. Most Ranchers use to trap the hogs there seprate the big Russian boars look a like and then charge outage amount for trophy hunts to Lawers, doctors and such.

So, it no wonder that they did not like or want anyone else hunting there. Even the Gov land was land lock so we the people could not have access to hunting there. Yes, there is many stories I could share with all of you but, there is not enough space, I would have to write a book in order to be able to tell the entire story.

One of the reason the William Brother neighbors do not like them is because they are outsiders, if you didnt grow up there and were rasied there you were an outsider. To this day, this is still the case deep down but, getting any one to admit it. well that isnt going to happen. I know of the Williams brothers, know then very well, though its been some years since I have seen or talked to them. I remember when they bought the ranch, I use to go on weekend and help them along with a few other friends. I have stayed at their cabins, rode horses there, and yes even hunted there. I had a lot of good times there, which were a lot of fun and I am sure you will too.

The price they charge is cheap for hog hunting icompare to or place to in Parkfield. Dont believe everything the neighors tell you, after all these years I am not surprise they are still saying the same thing about them. They were not the only friends I had in Parkfield that were not born and rasied there, and they said the same thing about them.

I would recommend you call them, talk to them, go and experience it for yourself, and don't worry about what the neighbors say!

By the way, I have killed some big huge trophy Russian boars in Parkfield.

Happy Hunting.

[ouch1]

WOW NECROTHREAD!!!!! The previous posts are over 11 years old!!!!! And the previous post almost sounds like an advertisement.

-ouch1

[baco]

My brother and I hunted with the Williams brothers last summer.
They offer un-guided hunts. ###They don't take you by the hand and wisper in your ear. ###What they did is take us in a jeep to locations that the pigs normally travel and then left. ###Later they would come back and check on us. ###
They had dogs with them, however we declined to use them. ###
Saturday I missed a pig that visited a waterhole after I left. ###Sunday morning I went back to the waterhole and waited until I got my pig. ###My brother was at another waterhole and left befor the pigs showed.

Whild we were at the waterholes Sunday morning, Phil and his helper took the dogs to another part of the ranch and shot a sow they GAVE to my brother. ###They also skinned and quartered our pigs for free.

We're going back in October.

Also, we were shown the property lines and asked not to cross them. ###

Dude this post was from 11 years ago, little late

[mmclean]

I Hunted with these guys in November 2011. Saw over forty pigs. Shot a nice young boar, still $300.00 Including use of cabins. The hunt is self guided and we were shown the property lines and also asked not to cross them.71095

[socalgobblerhunter]

Anyone have contact info for them?

[mmclean]

Phil Williamson's cell # 831-320-5155
Good Luck!

[mmclean]

Williamson Brothers Wild Hog Hunts, 288 Echo Valley Road, Salinas, CA 93907. Contact: Phillip Williamson. Telephone: 831-663-4980

[COWBOY50]

the one post talks about a person being at one pond and the other guy at another pond the williamson brothers only own one of the ponds doesn't sound like they respect those property lines

[hoghunter401]

I have hunted the williamson brothers property and didn't see any pigs or fresh sign. I wasn't real pleased with the service and it seems like that has been the story for guided hunts in California. I did recently find a new guide that I was really pleased with and was able to get my first pig with a bow. It was sad at first because I missed my first two shots which were only 30 yards. The third shot was a money 15 yarder though. All around a great experience and the price was more than reasonable. I would recommend First Choice Outfitters to anyone and they have a web page at www.1stchoiceoutfitters.com

Happy hunting

[lepcur]

My experience of guides that use dogs is that they are generally shady characters that have been in trouble with fish and game or the local law, this is really consistent across the board.

I think this is a totally ridiculus statement. I've hunted with dogs for 30 years and know alot of other dog hunters that have never broken the law and not had any problems with F&G. Mike

[nickstone530]

What else is funny is 3 of the negative posts have signed up the same day they made their post.....and they only have a post or 2

[KTKT70]

yea.. seems you always get mixed storys and dont even know were som of them come from.

[00Marlin]

Went out last weekend with Jim Smith of FirstChoiceoutfitters as recommended by Hoghunter401. Guide seems very knowlegable and has great property to hunt. We saw fresh sign everywhere, but had some trouble with the wind on the first day, and on the second day we sat on a bed that we thought had pigs in them, but they never came out. It was a bit frustrating not getting a single shot after 18 hours in the field. . . but that's why they call it "hunting".

Good news is that Jim said he will provide another hunt soon (at only $75.00) so I can get my pigs. I'll keep you posted.

[Krosys1]

My first boar hunting experience was on williamsons rang. Owner was real nice. He told us all the rules, boundries, etc. we shot pigs the first 6hours there, this was in mid march last year. We didn't see anything the rest of the time be size it was raining hard and snowed a little. Owner and his helper was nice. No complaints here and will go again this year hopefully.