Eating wild pigs. Safe or not?

Depends. Dressing them is the real danger. You need to wear heavy enough rubber gloves so as not to nick yourself while cutting. As to eating ... if you cook it well enough that kills any pathogens. 165 degrees. Swine can carry several major human diseases. Personally I leave em for the buzzards.

I heard the same thing about Texas pigs, I talked about donating the meat to the needy ,
I was told Deer was ok, but not wild pigs, Never gave me a good answer, As to why?
Mike 

Wild pigs are safe to eat as long as proper handling is observer. Meat should be cooked to 165 degrees to kill trichinosis that may be present .Not too many years ago it was present in domestic pigs but has been eradicated in most domestic pork by modern hog farming . I have eaten both feral hogs and Russian boar .I would think that wild hogs are all the same across the country .Stan

Like any wild game you don't want their blood to infect you. If care is taken when dressing, butchering and proper cooking techniques are used than there is no issue at all. 165 may be sufficient to kill all the pathogens but cooking to 205 will break down the connective tissues and "greatly" improve the flavor and texture of the meat.

Thurmond

I ate many a wild pig growing up in Texas and I'm still around.

really it comes down to a few factors and how to recognize what's good and bad wild pig you can eat but its more along the line of where they are and what there eating like any wild animal there prone to diseases and parasites so after you take one down and start dressing them you need be wary A lot of this stuff comes from how they eat in the area your taking them like literally out in the woods where there is clean water and plenty of other healthy food sources or near the trash dump where its been scavaging and presky parisited and other diseases cultivate.. also if you plan on eating what you take down you need to make sure you can properly spot sick or parasite activity in the animal as you butcher them like liver spots.i know when I first started small game squirrels and rabbits some of it can be hard to tell and other you can see out right if your not sure don't eat as my father told me

Like everyone else said, be careful cleaning them. If they look like they've been enjoying toxic things, probably best to not eat. But the vast majority of them roam the woods eating bugs, nuts, and what not and are as good to eat as anything. Don't eat them raw obviously. 

+1 on T3PRanchs recommendation on long and slow cooking making it better. 205 is good but I usually smoke around 225.

As an Old Texas boy who been eating and cleaning pigs my whole life , I've never heard of anyone getting sick from cleaning, eating , or anything else bout pigs ...I mean cook it well and your good to go ..Sounds crazy but we run em to the car wash and spray em down with engine cleaner and wash em off ...Keeps the ticks and the smell off .. That way when u handle the meat it won't be tainted

Been eating feral pigs two or three times a week for over 40 years now.
No meat or food for that matter is safe if you don't prep, handle and store it
properly. Hogs are possibly the finest eating most versatile meats available
the old boss boars can get rather strong, but you can easily get around by marinating ,ageing then
using them for sausage. They also are one of the very few who benefit from
leaving the fat on the meat. This makes them much easier to prep for storage.
Pig is however the only wild meat that I cook all the pink out of. Have eaten
self prepared endless variety of wild game for all my life and never once gotten sick
from it. But have several times eating at restaurants. 
While we are on the subject have caught handled, mounted and yes eaten armadillo
which is delicious ,kinda like a honey glazed chicken even has white and dark meat. all
my life and don't have leprosy .

Are they known to carry any prion diseases? Cooking does not deactivate prions.

Hasenpfeffer Not a Doc just a hick from the sticks. Quarter, soak in saltwater 24 to 48 hrs
and freeze. Whole family and friends have been doing long enough that if you could someone would
by now. Trust me if you ever take a bite of barbecued armadillo you too will be saying kill me go ahead.
They eat black widow spiders and the bile from intestines can have poison in it. If you have cuts on hands
wear gloves and rinse meat before and after salt water.
After you gut and clean an armadillo or two. Not much else will scare you, they are mac nasty.
Very fat very greasy and very very very STINKEY!!!

I constantly find myself wanting to learn how to prep and cook various game, however all of these details regarding parasites,diseases,etc...makes me very leary. It must be the city boy in me. I hope when and if the time comes, I can find plenty of fresh water mountain trout.

Hawaii has armadillos ?
Lucky you! Pigs and armadillos too in your yard.

Eaten feral pig, just not too keen on eating em up north in Australia, seen what they eat....if it's an acquired taste, then it's a taste I have failed to Aquire..we usually just catch the weeners and feed them up till they're big enough to eat. Fantastic.

I was going to ask a similar question, so if you don't mind, let me "high-jack" your thread here for a second. : )

I have some rabbits where I life, and it makes me feel "better" if I eat what I kill. That said, do the same "rules" apply to rabbits?!

Thanks.

Same applies to rabbits and all rodents. I grew up in the UK and myxomatosis was used to kill them off... They can be rank looking and covered in boils and sores, around the face. In the early stages, they may have swollen eyes.. I shot them and left them right there. 
Someone on this forum posted pictures of squirrel guts showing signs of liver spots.... I'd avoid it.

"amoxom"Same applies to rabbits and all rodents. I grew up in the UK and myxomatosis was used to kill them off... They can be rank looking and covered in boils and sores, around the face. In the early stages, they may have swollen eyes.. I shot them and left them right there. 
Someone on this forum posted pictures of squirrel guts showing signs of liver spots.... I'd avoid it.

Click to expand...

Copy that... Thanks.