Wild hogs -- actually a combination of feral hogs and Russian boar -- have flourished in this country since the coming of the early settlers. They are fast-becoming California's No. 1 big game animal and tracking these potentially dangerous critters is a real rush. Wild hogs are extremely challenging to hunt because they possess a keen sense of smell and hearing in combination with speed and brute force. At Red Bank hunters get an opportunity at a clean shot, at good range, or they only pay the guide fee. That's how confident we are that our population of free-ranging wild hogs is strong and sustainable. In 2007 we project taking 100 hogs under our progressive wildlife management program led by our chief hog guide, Bobby Hassel.