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So, as some of you might know, I had a pretty rough coupla weeks not long ago. I broke my foot chasing pigs, got the flu the next day, and then I got burglarized on my first day back at work and had my favorite pig gun stolen. After all this, my wife allowed me to buy this to help me feel better about life. http://www.coldsteel.com/Product/88VS/VIKING_SWORD.aspx (This image felt about as awesome as it looks)  I bought it from their secondary sword stock which means it was slightly blemished or defective in some way. Mine came in just fine with only a slight rattle on the cross guard, and I paid less than 1/4 of full price! I've already done the pig vs spear thing. It was a hoot, worked great, and scared the living poo poo out of me a few times. Little piggy bite marks up and down the shaft explain that pretty well.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJGd7G2wYuU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRk6zDqc0vY I think I've taken about a dozen or so pigs with the spear only, no firearms involved. A handful more either finished with the spear, or finished with firearms (one or two of those were especially scary). Given what I knew about killing a pig with a primitive hand weapon, I was pretty much expecting a sword to be a really really bad idea. However, all those totally awesome cold steel demo video's of the fat guy chopping pigs in half made me think it might be possible. Luckily I'm older and not so stupid these days and decided to try it out on a not so dangerous pig, ie one I just filled with buckshot. I killed this guy one afternoon just before dark. My foot was still broken and I wasn't supposed to be walking on it yet without some kind of stupid plastic boot, so it took me a really long time to drag it out of the rice field. I should be a spokesman for ace bandages, that bandage and the icey water made it almost kinda pleasant.   Once I had him on dry land, I positioned him in such a way as to represent (as best I could) a pig standing up while hiding his head in the rice and thinking he was safe from the boogy monster (me) like most of the pigs I've killed have done just before the boogy monster stabbed them. If you think I'm kidding, I'm not. Just like a little kid will hide his head under the sheets, pigs will stick their head in the rice and think they are safe. It is worthy to note that not all pigs go down this way. Some of them are down right belligerent about the whole thing and will actually try and eat your balls. More on this situation and what to do if you only have a sword later. Anyway, I positioned myself as to what I figured would be a reasonable best case scenario. Behind the pig, with him quartering away. The idea is that the first stroke would break his back and that would be that. A complete side view would be better, but they don't tend to afford you that. A stroke from directly behind would be useless because you just aren't going to split his spine long ways. Anyway, I'm not a big guy but I gave it my best and here's the result.   Results: That pig is going to die, but I didn't break through and through the spinal column, It was mangled all to heck and I may have paralyzed him, but I can't be sure. And this was about as good a stroke as I could ever hope for. I'd put this in the "Fail" column right next to "Don't try this at home kids". If his spine still works there is little other horrid damage that is going to make this pig die soon and if his little pea brain chooses fight over flight, you are screwed. After this I decided to do a few thrust tests. As I suspected, it was pretty darned easy. Anything other than the actual shoulder blade felt like stabbing butter. Most bones just diverted the path of the thrust, ribs would sometimes be cut. Here's one stopped by the shoulder blade.  I won't bother posting the others, pretty boring. These were mostly for academic purposes anyway. I'd never ever try this as the first resort. As you might imagine, pigs tend to go bat poo poo insane when you stab them. Keep in mind that I'm not talking about a pig that is bayed up or pinned down by dogs. I'm talking about a pig that is on his own hoofs, unconstrained, and completely capable of eating your balls. The cold steel boar spear has something like a 16inch long blade that is about 4 inches at its widest point. When you stab a pig with that, it generally goes through like butter and the pig will promptly turn a 4 inch wide hole into a messy field dressing job as he attempts to get away or in some cases, eat your balls. As you might imagine, an 8 foot long handle made of stout ash is pretty useful for dealing with this squealing disaster at the end of your blade. A 6 inch handle is not. Don't try it. If you do, stick and run. There is no shame in it (heck I've chosen that with the spear once when surrounded ). If you stick and hold, you are gonna get the sword ripped out of your hand, or if you are a big ole boy the sword will get bent, and more than likely you are going to get cut with your own blade when things get out of control. Don't try it. A worst case head on thrust down into the vitals was actually not so hard to do as long as it didn't get hung up on bones. This would be pretty deadly for the pig but TRUST ME, don't freeking try it. Let me give you a quick example of why: This fat sow was shot and wounded with a .223 round (or two). She ran about 100 yards and lay down to die, only she didn't die. I found her about an hour after the shooting (I was busy mopping up all her tasty children) and decided to finish her off with the spear because I could see her breathing. For some dumbass reason, I tapped her on the nose with the spear as I approached and she promptly got up and (you guessed it) tried to eat my balls. This is the result.  This pig had been shot, sat for an hour with the bullet wound, then took a 16x4 foot blade from the top of the neck down through her vitals and STILL managed to force me backwards and tried to eat my balls for at least 30 seconds before giving up. Basically we were in a shoving match and I got to hold onto a wooden pole while she got to hold onto the pointy bits and she was winning until she ran out of blood. (Her snotty little nose actually touched my kneecap at the start of things, gross!)  Notice, that the ENTIRE flipping crossguard is inside of her body and the blade has exited down underneath her belly. Don't try this with a 6 inch sword handle.  Here are a few other results of various cuts, none of which would be practical in real life. I found I could lop off a leg. A slash to the ribs did pretty horrid damge. It isn't visible but it cut into the organs under the ribs. A cut to the butt went down to the bone with no problem and a follow up taken after this photo broke through.  I spent about an hour hacking on the pig and didn't exactly have the same results as the cold steel fat guy. He's probably much stronger than me and also knows what he's doing. He also had soft hairless pink farm pigs with no guts, and we all know that feral pigs have hair made of Kevlar and muscle fiber made of high density plastic. The biggest thing was that I was hacking on a target that was down on the ground and not on a table or hanging from a rope. It was somewhat difficult getting good free swings that didn't stick in the dirt as well as the pig. I won't post the final result of all that hacking because it doesn't have much educational value and we all know that gratuitous violence is just plain wrong. I hope you enjoyed my post.
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:06 |
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| # ? May 21, 2013 20:10 |
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Looks like I'm going to be getting a viking sword from cold steel now :P Pretty badass
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:10 |
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I really should have heeded the title more literally.
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:11 |
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fairly freakin' sick op
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:13 |
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Have you ever practiced swordfighting before? A two-hander with a longer blade would allow you to hunt more... efficiently. Unless you're carrying a shield/fencing there is no reason you should ever use a single-handed sword, because you gain so much in terms of dexterity and strength from having both hands in control.
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:14 |
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This thread would be much better suited for Pet Island.
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:15 |
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Never ever change amigo. 
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:19 |
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Steak Flavored Gum posted:Have you ever practiced swordfighting before? A two-hander with a longer blade would allow you to hunt more... efficiently. Unless you're carrying a shield/fencing there is no reason you should ever use a single-handed sword, because you gain so much in terms of dexterity and strength from having both hands in control. What's there to practice, you hit them with the pointy end or the sharp edge right? All kidding aside, results should take into consideration that I totally don't know what I'm doing. Swords are a great weapon for hacking people and orcs and elves and other stuff that go on two feet but it just doesn't work that well when the thing you are trying to wack is down at your knees and has no concept of the pointy thing you are holding. Meaning that you have one good whack or thrust before it is eating your balls, then you'd be better served with a dagger. Maybe that big giant great sword would be a better deal, the fore grip would be useful in making it more like a spear. But then why not just get a spear? 
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:21 |
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Anyone who reads a bushman thread and is surprised by ultraviolence against pigs must be new
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:22 |
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I like that you post in TFR now.
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:23 |
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I hope PETA flips their poo poo over this one like they did you other one Bushman.
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:25 |
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I hope your foot gets better.
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:29 |
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BarkingSquirrel posted:I hope PETA flips their poo poo over this one like they did you other one Bushman. *shrug* I guess they can go hog wild. This time I wasn't breaking any laws!
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:30 |
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This is hilariously bad rear end. Viking bacon!
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:33 |
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You are some kind of lunatic, Bushman. Don't ever change. You should see if Cold Steel will hire you to sell their swords. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hfLZozBVpM
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:34 |
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drat, I'm glad to see you decided not to try a live hog with that sword. My last bad experience with hogs involved being chased up an atv drilling rig's derrick in the middle of a swamp in Florida, and it is why I always carry a 10mm now when I hike. I still don't understand the spear's appeal though. I watched the two that came after me rip gouges out of the sidewall of a giant tractor tire that the rig ran on, tearing down through 4 or 5 layers of the reinforcing plies. I wouldn't want to ler those things get much closer to me than I had to. You should really offer guide services for pig hunts. If I could pay to spend an afternoon blasting feral hogs I would put up with the hour to drive over to you. As long as I didn't have to use a spear.
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:35 |
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I look forward to seeing your foot healed, and the next iteration of this thread - with you running after a pig with a sword. That'll be a day. Constructing constructive conversations.
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:36 |
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Sten Freak posted:Never ever change amigo. I'm getting older fellas. It's hard to be awesome when you aren't as stupid. 10 years ago I would have skipped work and womanly comfort when that sword came in until I managed to sneak up on a pig and shove it up his rear end no matter what kinda of ruin he might drop on me afterward. Getting old 
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:37 |
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Bushman posted:What's there to practice, you hit them with the pointy end or the sharp edge right? Well you want both arms because it will allow you to reach full extension (maximum lever arm = more hacky goodness) while maintaining the needed dexterity for hitting what you are aiming at. Straight swords like the one you have are great for hacking at a person and then drawing the sword out of your opponent, but their weight (and ideal striking point) is much closer to the hilt than on a two-handed sword, which I can't imagine is good for getting through tough hide. A claymore or other forward weighted sword would work better for the purpose and allow you to kill more cleanly if you insisted on using swords in the future.
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:38 |
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Bummey posted:You should see if Cold Steel will hire you to sell their swords. Probably not after I called the owner fat. Cold steel is pretty awesome though. They once sent me free lollipops with a replacement sheath for my spear! How sweet is that? I had always intended to take a picture with a dead pig, bloody spear, and a lollipop in my mouth. I ate them all to fast for it to happen.
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:42 |
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I know it's stereotypical, and they smell like shiiiiiit when you soak them (ask me how I know), but it'd be worthwhile to buy tatami rolls to practice on. Keep slicing until you can hit your target and cut through. It's pretty easy to do one but not the other.
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 21:49 |
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Went hog wild, then remembered what thread I was reading and feared for my life momentarily. Awesome thread, man.
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 22:04 |
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Bushman posted:I'm getting older fellas. It's hard to be awesome when you aren't as stupid. I used to do a lot of physical stuff balls to the walls, skiing, mountain biking and the like when I was young, and broke a lot of bones. I just grandpa mode those sports now if I do them at all. With shooting, I avoid loud guns like short barreled full powered cartridge guns and always double up on plugs and muffs (hearing sucks). Speaking of I play in a band always with earpro, and we are playing in the St. Patty's day parade. Our biggest concern is how to make sure we don't fall off the flatbed truck. Long ago I'd probably be concerned about how I was going to get high while riding around in a parade.Anyway I'm sure attacking a feral pig with a sword is a hell of an adrenaline rush but would come with consequences.
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 22:11 |
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This thread is awesome. SteakFlavoredGum, wouldn't a large curved blade like a two-handed scimitar be more effective?
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 22:13 |
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Every Bushman thread is a great thread. I feel like less of a man for culling coyotes from a raised platform with a rifle.
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 22:15 |
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Awesome, I love some gory violent science. Have you considered an axe? It might be superior against the thickness of the piggies than the sword.
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 22:39 |
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Bushman posted:*shrug* I guess they can go hog wild. This time I wasn't breaking any laws!
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 23:07 |
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kwantam posted:SteakFlavoredGum, wouldn't a large curved blade like a two-handed scimitar be more effective? Scimitars were heavily curved to assist in pulling the blade out of opponents while moving on horseback, but the curve otherwise hinders the power of the slash. Also I'm pretty sure the two-handed scimitar is a modern invention of the media, because a two-handed weapon on horseback would be silly. Curves in general are for ease of pulling a sword through a slash as well as easing the draw of a longer sword (like on a katana). He probably wants something more akin to a bastard sword. A proper two-handed strike would have the swordsman's left hand down near the pommel of the sword and the right hand near the hilt. The left arm essentially pulls the sword down while the right arm extends and aims the blade to accelerate the cutting point toward the target. Where on the blade you want to strike with is somewhat dependent on the blade profile, but essentially you want to strike where the blade is moving the fastest, with sufficient mass behind this point that the sword won't explode apart (don't laugh, it can happen, although most legitimate swords are flexible enough that you probably don't need to worry about this as much).
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 23:20 |
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Steak Flavored Gum posted:Swordchat I believe we all know how this is going to end up. 
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| # ? Jan 12, 2013 00:05 |
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So how do they taste?
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| # ? Jan 12, 2013 00:32 |
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Steak Flavored Gum posted:Have you ever practiced swordfighting before? A two-hander with a longer blade would allow you to hunt more... efficiently. Unless you're carrying a shield/fencing there is no reason you should ever use a single-handed sword, because you gain so much in terms of dexterity and strength from having both hands in control. Pretty sure he's just not spoiling the part where he rides them down on horseback.
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| # ? Jan 12, 2013 00:34 |
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I'm definitely glad I waited until I was home from work to click on the link that OldSchoolDOS sent me. Thank you, Bushman, for your devotion to science and pigslaughter. bigpolar posted:I still don't understand the spear's appeal though. I watched the two that came after me rip gouges out of the sidewall of a giant tractor tire that the rig ran on, tearing down through 4 or 5 layers of the reinforcing plies. I wouldn't want to ler those things get much closer to me than I had to. Check through Bushman's stellar posting history for the definitive answer, but I recall the spear being about stealth. You find a group of pigs, shoot a couple, and the rest vanish into the rice. You find a group of pigs, imitate their grunts, sneak up on them wearing nothing but a pair of cargo shorts stretching across your massive stones, and start stabbing them with a giant spear, you get to kill a lot more before they figure out what the gently caress and decide it's time to run away.
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| # ? Jan 12, 2013 01:07 |
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You crazy, wonderful son of a bitch. I was wondering when we'd see Bushman vs Boar, Vol. 2 and you certainly didn't disappoint. Perhaps you should go full retard and get the Cold Steel Two Handed Great Sword. That'll show them piggies who's boss 
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| # ? Jan 12, 2013 01:12 |
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When I was home in NY over Christmas there was a fair bit of gun talk. Thanks to your thread I was able to adequately explain just how tough these fuckers are and how dangerous they can be. I'm jealous,all the kendo I took I never cut a damned thing with a real sword, you always wonder what a hit for a point would do versus hits that don't count.
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| # ? Jan 12, 2013 02:48 |
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From my limited experience of one semester of sword class, I learned that the sword is most effective if you cut, i.e. not only are you bringing the blade down against the surface but pulling the weapon as well. A sharp edge cuts better by pulling though. You can easily see this in the kitchen when you cut meat with a kitchen knife. Bushman it seems all you are doing is chopping, like an axe. If you adding some pulling motion I'll bet you get more penetration.
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| # ? Jan 12, 2013 04:44 |
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Bushman posted:*shrug* I guess they can go hog wild. This time I wasn't breaking any laws! Did you break any laws last time?
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| # ? Jan 12, 2013 04:47 |
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PanzerOfJustice posted:From my limited experience of one semester of sword class, I learned that the sword is most effective if you cut, i.e. not only are you bringing the blade down against the surface but pulling the weapon as well. A sharp edge cuts better by pulling though. You can easily see this in the kitchen when you cut meat with a kitchen knife. Bushman it seems all you are doing is chopping, like an axe. If you adding some pulling motion I'll bet you get more penetration. A straight sword is meant for shearing rather than draw cutting.
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| # ? Jan 12, 2013 05:23 |
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Atticus_1354 posted:Did you break any laws last time? Yeah, and some goon apparently likely filed the complaint no less. It got me a visit from the LDWF at my house. I was under the impression at the time that you could kill pigs at night (like most other states). This wasn't the case without some kind of special permit. LA has since wised up and changed the law. The LDWF guys were cool as heck and basically told me "This is awesome, sorry we have to ticket you. Next time don't put it on youtube. Can we pose with the spear and a picture?" In the end I got out of it because it was stupid, but technically I was on some kind of wildlife probation for a year where if I broke any other rules I'd be in actual trouble.
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| # ? Jan 12, 2013 05:24 |
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You go barefoot and own a showfar  can I road-trip down and stab piggies with you?
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| # ? Jan 12, 2013 05:52 |
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| # ? May 21, 2013 20:10 |
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Bushman posted:Yeah, and some goon apparently likely filed the complaint no less. It got me a visit from the LDWF at my house. I was under the impression at the time that you could kill pigs at night (like most other states). This wasn't the case without some kind of special permit. LA has since wised up and changed the law. goons are the worst
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| # ? Jan 12, 2013 05:56 |
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