Pig hunting on Dye Creek Preserve in Tehama County is limited this year. But manager Gordon Long (pictured) says good things await hunters who go there. Photo by John Higley

What is it about wild hogs that makes them the second most popular big game among California hunters? Could it be because the season on them never closes? Or is it because there's no limit on the number a hunter can kill each year? Maybe it's the unique character of the hogs themselves. After all, they generally have a poor disposition, they like to wallow in mud and sometimes smell to high heaven -- especially after feasting on carrion such as the occasional dead cow.

Well, we can overlook some of their less endearing traits.

The fact is, hunting wild pigs is just plain fun and ultimately, very rewarding. A mature boar makes a fine trophy, and most wild pigs yield delicious meat. "Most" is the key word there. Years ago, I killed an ugly, scar-faced boar with meat that was so rank I couldn't stand to cook it in the house -- and even after it was roasted underground for hours, you couldn't get it past your nose.

I've since learned that there's a major difference between prime meat animals and raunchy old sow-chasing boars that can't be ground into highly seasoned sausage. For the best fresh pork, give me a young boar or a plump, dry sow any day.

Wild pigs may be obnoxious at times, but they have a lot going for them as sport. For one thing, despite their poor eyesight, they fare quite well in predator-prey relationships. Pigs can readily detect hunters and other predators through their acute senses of hearing and smell. Make a noise at the wrong time, or allow your scent to announce your presence from a distance, and any hog worth its bacon will be long gone.

These animals are not dumb, nor are they sluggish. Startled, wild pigs can trot for miles. While fun to watch, such a spectacle can be a bit frustrating unless you know where they're headed and can cut them off. I've seen some energetic and physically fit hunters fail miserably in their attempts to catch a moving herd on foot.

True, pig hunting can be dirty and frustrating, but it's also a wonderful excuse to spend time outdoors. Depending on when and where you're hunting, you can spot-and-stalk your quarry (my favorite way), hunt from a stand when they're moving to -- or from -- water or a food source, or you can push them out of brushy hiding spots on foot. Some hunters still chase hogs with hounds, a game plan that works very well in areas with limited visibility.

That said, the element of danger in dealing with wild hogs adds a dash of spice to the undertaking. Most experienced hog hunters admire the animals for the fearlessness they sometimes display. Unfortunately, however, a few Nimrods have learned the hard way that an injured or cornered wild boar can inflict considerable damage with his sharp tusks.

Not that you're ever going to be hurt by a wild pig. Really, that's about as likely as winning the lottery, but this hunting has an edge because the slight possibility for mayhem always exists.

Many years ago, while guiding a few pig hunts in Northern California, I encountered a couple of inexperienced hunters who practically came unglued when pigs got close and the moment of truth was at hand. One of them was so nervous that in a single day he missed four hogs, one of which was standing only 20 yards away. It took another day for him to finally settle down and connect with -- of all things -- a hog on the run.