Shooting hogs from a helicopter: now legal. (Hey, if there are 2 million feral pigs in the Lone Star State, you have to do something.) Now, we’re not saying you should do this, we’re just saying you can. So here, two of your best options close to home. The state is counting on you.

The Training
Vertex Helicopters: One day of classes, with four hours in a classroom and four in the chopper.
Cedar Ridge Aviation: A 10-minute conversation.
Edge: Vertex. The military-trained pilots should get you plenty ready to battle Miss Piggy.

The Experience
Vertex: You’ll fly all over the state with a former military pilot.
Cedar Ridge: Two days of hog hunting at a West Texas lodge.
Edge: Cedar Ridge. A weekend of shooting and post-hunt bourbons with a man who once gunned down 500 hogs in a day. It’s like rolling sushi with Nobu.

The Legal Connections
(just in case something goes haywire)
Vertex: Strong ties to the US military.
Cedar Ridge: They lobbied for this bill in Austin.
Edge: Cedar Ridge. Dustin, the owner, monitored the Pork Chopper Bill through the entire process. We hear he has Mr. Perry on speed dial.

The Conversation
Vertex: War stories from overseas.
Cedar Ridge: Tales of pig hunting in Knox City.
Edge: Draw. On the one hand, the Vertex guys served in Germany and in Desert Storm. On the other, Dustin’s been hunting hogs since he was 6. It’s a win-win...