Test Your True Texas Skills at the Wild Hog Catch in Bandera

Go hog wild this weekend at Bandera’s 15th annual Wild Hog Explosion event. The main attraction is the wild hog catch, where teams of two enter a ring, catch a hog, and race to the finish line. This is a lot easier said than done, the website says. Winners receive commemorative belt buckles. “It’s truly a Texas thing,” Event Coordinator Genie Strickland said. The event is Saturday, March 18, 2017, at Mansfield Park, 2886 Hwy 16 N, Bandera, Texas.

Photo: Courtesy of Wild Hog Explosion

There are lightweight, medium weight and heavyweight divisions available with an entry fee of $30 per team. There’s even a runt and shoat piglet scramble for kids ages 3 to 9 with a $5 entry fee. If cheering on the hog wranglers is your preferred level of participation, admission tickets cost $8 for adults and $4 for kids ages 6 to 12. Children age 5 and younger get in for free. All proceeds benefit the Kronkosky Library of Bandera County.

“The teams of two have only one minute to catch the hog and get them across the finish line,” Strickland said. “Hogs are not allowed to be used more than twice for the event.” A BBQ and Pork Rib cook-off will also be held at the event. Competitions include best pork chops as well as best chicken, best pork ribs, best brisket, best pork butt, best margarita, best bloody mary and more. Cash prizes and trophies will be awarded to the winners. Register for the cook-off or the wild hog catch online.

Photo: Courtesy of Wild Hog Explosion

Other highlights of the day will include Bacon Bingo, arts and crafts booths, food vendors and live music. Strickland said Wild Hog Explosion is unique because it truly is an event having to do with Wild Hogs. “According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife, there are over 1.5 million wild hogs in Texas,” she said. “Many are hunted for their meat, but they are also very destructive to ranches and crops.  We are very careful not to hurt an animal, and the catch is actually nothing more than what one must do with domestic hogs when they are in a pen and need to be treated with medicine or shots.”