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Hogzilla lives
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Posted By:
Bryon
Jan 06, 2005
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Hogzilla of popular fame is real here is the
link: http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/bighog.asp
Big Hog
Claim: Photographs show a Florida man with an 1100-lb. hog he shot.
Status: True.
Example: [Collected on the Internet, 2004]
BIG HOG!
The fellow in the pictures is Larry Earley, He lives about 30 miles from
Orlando, in the very rural community of Okahumpka, just off the Florida
turnpike in Lake County, Florida. He has 20 acres of land and on it, a few
cows and horses. Mostly it's pasture land that is fenced with woods
surrounding him.
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 though 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 mamoth 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 may fireman and provided the homeless shelter in downtown
Orlando with a couple of meals.
Click to enlarge
(Click photos to enlarge)
Click to enlarge
Variations: This item also circulates with the name Bob Lancaster in place
of Larry Earley, and the geographical references changed to Houston and
Texas in place of Florida and Orlando.
Origins: The photographs displayed above are genuine, and they do show a
Florida man who and the very large hog he shot, even if some of the details
in the accompanying text were exaggerated or made up by someone else.
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.
I just found out about the story on the internet yesterday. I think that it
is hilarious that all of this has been going on. I'll be glad to talk to
anyone about my hog.
Last updated: 5 January 2005
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Comments
Myst
Member
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Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2005 | 04:45 PM
Different Hog than "Hogzilla". Did anyone see the National Geographic special that was supposed to shed light on Hogzilla? Or has it even aired yet? |
Stephen
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Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2005 | 11:46 AM
Where have you been...That story has been circulating for more then 2 months. |
The Curator
in San Diego
Member
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Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2005 | 11:50 AM
No, check the story again. Apparently this is a new Hogzilla. At least, it was new to me. But then, I'm not the one who posted this. |
Nick
in Merrie Olde Englande
Member
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2005 | 03:59 PM
still a pretty darn big hog |
jayson
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Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 | 05:54 PM
the hog was recorded at 12 feet long which is enough to pop a persons foot off if it just steps on you. i raise horses and this pig is big enought to scare away a full grown horse. |
jayson
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Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 | 05:55 PM
i dont know about yall but i have 12 foot celings and the pig is bigger than that |
Winona
in USA
Member
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Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2005 | 06:35 PM
The original Hogzilla, (Status: Real photo; inaccurate description.) is at snopes.
http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/hogzilla.asp |
TexasAndroid
Member
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Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2005 | 09:33 AM
Caught parts of the National Geographic special last night. Points from it:
1) Hogzilla turned out to be a bit over 8 feet, not 12 feet.
2) Over 800 pounds, not 1200 pounds.
So in general the thing was bigger than any wild hog ever seen before, but the original claims had been exaggerated a bit.
He was bigger than wild hogs should be, but had a very good set of tusks, which domestic pigs do not have.
They did DNA tests to see exactly what Hogzilla was. Turned out to be a crossbreed of wild and domestic hog. Domestic hogs do grow that big, so the crossbreed in part explains his size.
The other explanation they gave for his size had to do with an area fish farm. The fish farm raises fish 2-3 times the size that the fish breeds normally grow by using a special very very high proteen fish feed. The show speculated that hogzilla had been living for years off of that feed himself, helping him to reach his large size.
Final summary: Hogzilla was much bigger than wild hogs normally are, but not as big as the original claims. |
Myst
Member
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Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2005 | 12:18 PM
Thanks for the update, TexasAndroid. I don't get the National Geographic channel so I didn't get a chance to watch the show on Hogzilla. |
Katey
Member
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Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 | 07:34 AM
Here's a link to an article about the Nat Geo Hogzilla coverage:
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/politics/11194797.htm
When I saw this I dropped everything and went to this site! 😊 |
little-and-smart
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Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2005 | 09:47 PM
if you notice he guy is standing in a hole, not actually beside the pig. If you look closely you can try to imagine Chris beside the pig. He is far more than half the size of the pig. the pig is only 8 feet with 9 inch tusks |
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Note: This thread is located in the Old Forum of the Museum of Hoaxes.
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