posted 03-04-2005 01:40 PM         

He is neighbored by a larger cattle ranch.

His neighbor has complained for several years that wild hogs had been raiding his cattle feeders and salt licks.

Last month he saw what he thought was a cow in his pond and went to see if it was stuck in the mud and would have to be pulled out. When he got close enough to realize it was hog, the thing made a charge at him. He had driven his truck down to the pond and carries a pistol in it (as any Florida redneck would, and I say that with genuine
affection). He got his handgun and when it came at him again, he shot it twice and killed it.

Wild hogs in Florida usually run from 100-400 pounds with a 400 pounder being a monster. Because this one had been feasting on grain for several years it had grown to mammoth size. When Larry took it to the processor it weighed in at over 1100 pounds! The meat has no wild taste, as it was grain feed and the Larry is quite the hero. He has
fed many fireman and provided the homeless shelter in downtown Orlando with a couple of meals.

posted 03-04-2005 07:56 PM         

We verified the details with Larry Earley himself, who told us:

I shot a log boar hog on August 27, 2004. The pictures you have were taken on my property close to where the hog was shot. I have many more photos. I do not know the origin of the story on the Internet. It did not come from me. Half of the details are accurate. I shot the hog once with a .44 magnum (the one in the photo). The hog charged towards me after he was shot but he only covered about 20 feet of ground. I was 10 yards away when I shot, and I was backing up while keeping the crosshairs on the hog as he was moving towards me. That is typical with wild hogs, that is what makes them fun to hunt.

The hog was too big for scales that were available to me on a Friday evening (500 lb. scales), so we decided to let the processor estimate the weight for us. Smokin' Oak Sausage Co. in Branford, F,L did the processing for me and he put the weight between 1100 and 1200 lbs. The tusk on the right side was 8-1/4" above the gum line and the right tusk was broken and measured 5" above the gum. The hide with the head was weighed at 284 lbs. The taxidermist I am using measured the neck at 42" around and the length from his eye socket to the tip of his nose at 11-3/4".

posted 03-05-2005 11:48 AM         

quote:

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Originally posted by Bob Miller:
Remember that show where Eddy Arnold and Zha Zha (?) had pet pig (Green Acres?)? Can you image if their "pet" was this size?!?!?

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