KJ,
If the kernel is well-filled, and they've been held under conditions suitable for survival of the embryo, they should germinate in percentages similar to pecan seednuts.
I've grown a number of seedlings of the 'Pleas' and Abbott bitcans (bitternutXpecan); haven't tried germinating any of the shelbarkXpecan hicans that have borne nuts here, but don't have any doubts that they were viable.

I have one 'pecan' selection grafted here that is a seedling of the 'Major' pecan, with 'Burton' hican suspected to be the pollen parent.

Thanks Lucky, I thought you would probably know. Hopefully I can also graft a few scions of this hican onto some of his native pecans? This hican tree is South Missouri at his Mother's home, and We are in more North Central. He has quite a number of young native pecans growing that I hope would be good pollinators for him.

KathyJo,
The grafted hicans here(on pecan understock) are very vigorous growers; but historically, they're noted for being 'shy bearers'.
Pollenation requirements are not all that well known, so far as I'm aware, though most require an early to very-early pollen source - like Major or Flack pecan.
Jim Wilson & Vernon hicans have been bearing here for a few years(trees & nuts look identical to me) several others I have - Bixby, Burton, Palmer, James - have been in place for over 15 years, and have yet to show any inclination to start producing nuts.

A couple of the tried and true pecan cultivars for my area are Pawnee and Kanza. I was hoping to get Mandan going, but no luck so far.. Mandan more to help pollinate than anything, and Goose Pond, cause I just like the name. In any case , I would hope the native pecans here would cover any missed pollination requirements.
I don't imagine I would live to see the nuts off of any of the hican seeds I would plant.. But hey, I like to try stuff.

I live in New Orleans, La. I have been trying to buy Hican nuts just to taste them. I do a lot of pecan grafting with wild pecan cultivars located south of New Orleans. I purchased some Hican scion wood a couple of years ago and grafted it on wild pecan. My grafts were not successful. I am 70 years old and I would just like taste a Hican nut, they must be delicious. Does anyone know of a source of Hican nuts? If anyone has any nuts I would be glad to purchase a few. Call me at 504-342-2909. Thanks, Ken

I had one hican graft that was successful .. But lost it a couple years later.. Not sure what happened.
So far, I haven't even gotten the hican nuts to try to germinate.

i got 6 hicans and want to plant them if i can but don't want to waste them.