alafarmnews

Raising Domesticated Wild Hogs
is Only One of Poss’s Ventures

Grace Smith

Alvin Poss has gone hog wild for wild hogs – domesticated wild hogs, that is. Poss, a native of Rogersville, has been busy raising and selling these hogs for game reserves for the last few years; but he hasn’t always been in the hog business, at least not the domesticated wild hog business.

"I’ve been universal my whole life," Poss said. "You’ve got to do more than one thing to make it in this day and time."

So that is exactly what he’s done. Having only raised domesticated wild hogs for eight years, Poss has explored many other business ventures.

Alvin Poss has been raising domesticated wild hogs for game reserves for a few years. He states that “you don’t want a fat pretty one. The hairier and the uglier, the better.”

His primary business is his automobile rebuilding company. He has been purchasing wrecked automobiles and then repairing and rebuilding them for over 30 years. Poss has also been involved in livestock production. Currently he has about 200 brood cows and, before the swine market bottomed out in the 1980s, he raised and sold over 5,000 hogs each year.

Poss is shown here with a monstrous buck that has been tranquilized. It’s no surprise that his animals have been pictured in hunting and wildlife magazines.

As time progressed, he more or less stumbled upon another business enterprise. This new undertaking began as a strategy to sell more cars, but it escalated into something much more than he bargained for. About 15 years ago, Poss purchased deer as a gimmick to get people to stop by his car lot in an attempt to sell more automobiles. But this gimmick grew into a lucrative business for him.

"In the beginning, I got two deer because I knew people liked to see them," Poss said. "So when they would stop to see the deer, they would see my car lot too. But, it wound up being a business for me because I got lucky and raised a good one."

The "good one" he referred to is a deer he calls Buck Alvin, has a score of 225 and adorns the ads of many hunting and wildlife magazines. After his luck with that monstrous buck, he began building a herd from Buck Alvin’s sire and dam. Now he has approximately 50 deer including one buck he calls Southern Pride, who Poss said has out scored his first prize buck. Each year, he will sell several deer to other breeders and for game reserves. In fact, last year Poss sold a total of 9 deer.

After the success Poss experienced with his deer production, he decided to get back into the hog business. But this time he wasn’t raising the eye appealing production oriented hogs he’d raised before. These new hogs were domesticated wild hogs with wiry hair, long snouts and razor sharp tusks.

"You don’t want a fat pretty one," Poss said. "The hairier and the uglier, the better."

Poss has almost 200 of these "ugly" hogs and he said that this type of production seems to be growing. He said owners of hunting camps should consider purchasing domesticated wild hogs because it would allow them to make money beyond deer and turkey seasons.

"We think hog hunting is going to get big," Poss said. "When deer season ends, [camp owners] can utilize their lodges and high fences to make money all year-round."

He said he currently has several of these animals for sale. Stock for sale includes both bred and open gilts, sows and boars. He said he has several deer for sale this year as well. Those interested can contact Alvin Poss at (256) 247-0474 or at
(256) 710-2429.

Buyers can be assured of the quality of Poss’s stock because both his deer and hogs have been fed Quality Co-op Feed. He supplements his Co-op feed with alfalfa hay and shelled corn to ensure a well balanced diet.

Alvin Poss purchased his first deer as a gimmick to get people to stop by his car lot. He started his deer business when he raised a “good one.”

Poss said he has been doing business with the Lauderdale Farmers Co-op at the Elgin Crossroads for almost 40 years.

Larry Murphy, store manager, said Poss purchases other Co-op products like posts, wire, gates, ear tags and gardening supplies in addition to his feed. Poss said he enjoys shopping at the Co-op because he has developed a lifelong friendship with Murphy and he appreciates the quality and affordability of Co-op products.

Grace Smith is with AFC’s Management Services.