Former UGA football player builds business bagging feral pigs
A scale shows the final weight of the hog that the Boars N' Broads team took down on Sept. 1.
Ryne Rankin said he knew the hunt that day was going to be one for the books, and he was right. He and his team took down a 391.6-pound hog between Lexington and Rayle on Sept. 1.
Business partner Carter Shultz said the size of the hog was impressive, but catching any size feral pig is just as riveting.
“It is always awesome to catch a hog like that,” he said. “Everybody talks about catching the true giant, and it's nice to have something to show for it. But honestly, I’m just as happy when our dogs do the hard work to find even a 100-pounder.”
This wasn’t a one-time event for Rankin. He’s made a business hunting feral pigs.
Rankin, who lives in Smithonia, started his hog-hunting business, Boars N’ Broads, during the pandemic.
In 2020, Rankin built a team of hunters who specialize in hunting and capturing wild hogs. Along with Rankin, the Boar’s N’ Broads team includes Dave Williams, Daniel Bradberry, Trae Lovin, Hunter Haynes and Hunter Bright.
He has also crafted a social media presence that highlights Boars N’ Broads online. The platform has grown exponentially across social media channels, including TikTok and Instagram.
“At first, it started as a joke,” Rankin said. “We were just posting videos to make people laugh. Then it took off.”
Boars N’ Broads has amassed more than 150,000 followers on Facebook, 55,000 followers on Instagram and 10,000 followers on TikTok. The team has even built a merchandise line, operated hunts with brand sponsorships and travels all over the country, all for the thrill of the hunt.
Rankin said the hunting strategy relies on two types of hunting dogs.
“You hear what we call the bay dogs light up first,” Rankin said. “Then you send in the catch dogs, usually pit bulls or mixes, and that’s when you know that it is time.”
In the case of the 391-pound hog, Rankin said it was one of the largest that they have caught.
Rankin was a linebacker at the University of Georgia from 2014-16 and contributed to the Bulldogs’ special teams. He had 26 career tackles.
“The adrenaline is just like football,” he said. “When I walked up and saw those dogs holding that hog, it felt just like running on the field at Sanford Stadium.
“Football taught me discipline, it taught me to work hard. Now, I just put that into something different.”
Feral hogs have become an increasing issue for agricultural producers in Georgia and across the U.S. According to The American Farm Bureau Federation, feral hog damage tops $1.6 billion annually.
Feral hogs are an adaptable species, and controlling their population can be challenging.
“They’re smart animals,” Rankin said. “They’ll learn to avoid traps. They adapt fast. Hunting is one of the only ways to keep these numbers under control.”
Rankin also said the meat from the hogs never goes to waste.
“We eat what we kill. If it is healthy, we will harvest the meat; we don’t just kill to kill,” he said.