Wayne County Hog Jam 2022

Six tons of dead hogs make for a pretty impressive pile.

 Ugly, too.

Rex Johnson with a 266-lb. hog, the biggest killed Saturday night with a bow.

Wayne County’s 2022 Hog Jam saw them coming by the truckload, as over a hundred hunters, including 14 wounded warriors, took advantage of  perfect south Georgia weather to help make a dent in the feral hog population along the Altamaha River swamp. 

The Friday through Sunday event always draws crowds to the weigh-ins at the Jaycee Fairgrounds landing, where the animals are dressed out and the meat donated to those in need. 

In a new twist this year, 24 hearts were collected and turned over to the Medical College of Georgia for research in combating heart disease in humans.

The Hog Jam features cash payouts for each of the three days, including the biggest hogs taken by bow and gun, and there are also categories for WMA, women and children, plus the wounded warriors. Results are as follows:

Friday night the big hog winner in the bow class was Timothy Grajiola, of Hinesville, with a hog that went 155 pounds. In the gun class, Sherry Lester, of Ludowici, took the top spot with a 166-lb. hog.

Saturday night the bow winner was Rex Johnson, of Ludowici, with a 266-pounder, and the gun winner was Bruce Shaffer, of Dallas, at 267 pounds. Each of those four hogs brought in a $100 prize.

The heaviest hog taken by a youth came in at 231 pounds. The hunter was Kyler Gurr, of Cochran. The female winner was Lindsey Dinkins, of Ludowici, with a 236-pounder. Jesup’s Kelly Collins took the best WMA pig at 117 pounds. Those three brought in $250 apiece.

Lindsey Dinkins, of Ludowici, with a 236-lb. hog, the heaviest by a female.

The big checks—$1,000—were paid out for a three-hog aggregate after the final weigh-in Sunday. Those went to Colton Infinger, of Ludowici, with three topping the scales at 333, in the bow class, and Kasen Gurr, whose whopping 629-lb. total was best among the gunners. Steve Orsch, all the way from Cadoz, Ky.,  was the warrior winner with three totaling 529 pounds.

A couple of guys—Jesup’s Jeff Bennett and Glennville’s Preston Lowe—were wishing at least one of their three hogs had busted into one more feeder: they tied with identical weights of 535 pounds in the gun category. That was good for second place, and each garnered $500. Third, taking home $250, was Lindsey Dinkins, of Ludowici, whose aggregate total was only 9 pounds back at 526.

The second-place bow check of $500 went to Quinn Rastall, of Hinesville, with 324; and $250 went to third-place contestant Rex Johnson, whose sole 266-lb. hog was enough to get the job done.

Colton Infinger had three hogs that weighed a total of 333 pounds.

Kasen Gurr’s biggest three hogs weighed 629 pounds, and Kyler Gurr had the biggest hog taken by a youth.

Preston Lowe’s three gun-killed hogs weighed 535 pounds.

Sherry Lester, of Ludowici, with a 166-lb. hog from Friday night.