Smoking/Cooking a hog for the first time

My dad's friend gave me half a 25-40lb hog and I wanted to try smoking the whole thing for a change. So it will be just half a hog on its side. I need suggestions on how I should season it, should I wrap it in foil? What temp and how long per pound should I cook it. Like I said this is a first for me and all I know if the meat should fall off the bone, so any and all suggestions would help. Thanks

I tried cooking one whole one time and will never do it again!
It is lots easier to cook if you cut it up. There is no advantages to cooking whole only disadvantages.

how would you suggest doing it when you cut it up and what about cooking it

I disagree that there are no advantages. I feel that the flavors tend to merry together better. I've never done it in a smoker we would do one a couple times a year in an emu (pit). make a basket out of chicken wire, like a fish basket. Line it with banana and ti leaves (can buy them at florist) toss it in the ground for a couple hours and enjoy the best pig ever

This is how I do mine and I have never had any complaints, Even had people say they would never eat wild hog eat it and like it.
I have a big smoker that will fit a couple whole hogs.
But I start with rubbing the whole hog with some Tony's italian seasoning, salt, pepper, Lemon pepper, Garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and a ranch dressing packet(the one used to make ranch dressing). Lay it on some foil in the smoker and throw in a few cut up apples. Smoke it open for 6-8 hours. This next step is a pain but is a must do, wrap the whole thing in foil air tight as possible and continue to smoke it until the meat is done. It should just fall off the bones!

Wrap it in bacon. When it's done, throw the pig out, then eat the bacon. Never had much luck with wild pigs. Lord knows I've tried.

I would separate into hind leg, front leg and ribs(loin on) the ribs will have a completely different cook time than the whole hog. Im with Mr. Redneck, cooking whole = PITA!

I would brine the front and back legs cook low and slow say 225-250 till tender rub in your choice of seasonings, I like salt blck and red pepper, cumin some paprika lots of garlic powder and some brown sugar.

Texas is the only place folks will smoke a hog, once you leave Texas hogs are cooked not smoked, cooked over coals. Normally the hog is left whole but flattened out and put in between wire fencing or expanded metal so that it can be flipped. Hogs are cooked with the skin left on to retain moisture. The hair is actually scraped off. Folks in the carolinas have large cookers maked to cook their hogs. Notice I said cookers, they are not smokers or bbq pits, cookers because they cook the hog, pork must come up to 160 degrees before its eaten, the flavor comes from the hot coals with as little smoke as possiable, wood is burned down to coals on the side in a burn pile or barrel and fed into the cooker inorder to control flames and temptures. The cooking process is far from smoking it nothing like cooking texas bbq that we're known for.

If you do you are gonna need to wrap it at some point. There is very little fat or marbling in a wild pig. The meat is a very different flavor. I did one, it was ok, but it got a little dry. It would have been much better if we had foiled it.

I'm not sure it really compares to a domestic pig, the flavors are that much different. Like a completely different animal.

You cannot over season it..whole or portioned...rub it with onion
and use extreme amts of garlic...I also like the Greek Salad Dressing for a rub...Use a hot fire to start and cook until it
falls off the bone...You can do the same with a young Javaline
if cleaned properly....Don't forget the BEER...most important
for you and the Pig..DD