The Hog Blog

Just read this in my feeds today. A Texas man has been charged with intentionally releasing feral hogs in Wisconsin. The charges stem from a 2002 incident, in which the accused, Robert Scott Johnson, allegedly brought a trailer load of feral hogs from Texas to Wisconsin, and released them into the wild.

Here’s the article from the Houston Chronicle.

Much of the blame for the massive expansion of feral hogs throughout the U.S. has been placed on the doorstep of people importing and releasing the animals in order to create a huntable population in their area.  Hogs are prolific breeders and can survive a wide variety of environmental conditions, so once established, they’re hard to control and almost impossible to eradicate.

While I’ve expressed my own doubts about the actual negative impact of feral hogs on habitat and native wildlife, there’s no question that wild swine can do a lot of damage to agricultural interests.  Texas, the state with the largest population of feral hogs, estimates annual crop loss and damage at around $52 million, and spends millions of dollars per year on control and eradication efforts… not counting the amount spent by ranchers and farmers out of their own pockets.  (There is a flip side in Texas, however, as hog hunters from around the country flock to TX for a taste of wild pork.  While hog hunts in TX are relatively inexpensive, the volume of hunters is likely to continue to increase, creating a pretty lucrative industry for the ranchers, outfitters, and property-owners interested in capitalizing on the boom.)

The point is, importing these animals and releasing them uncontrolled into the wild is both environmentally irresponsible and detrimental to our sport.  I’ve heard an awful lot of people argue that hunters aren’t to blame for the spread of feral hogs, but cases like this one make it awful hard to defend the ethical majority in our community.  The fact is, the practice is a lot more prevalent than many people would like to admit or believe. 

Look, I love hog hunting.  It’s something of a minor obsession for me, and I think every hunter should have the opportunity to go after these wonderful game animals.  But honestly, spreading them across the country, releasing them into wild places where they simply don’t belong… that’s a bad practice.  Not only is there potential to damage habitat and native species, there’s also the likelihood that continuing the practice will bring down more draconian laws that make it hard on legal, ethical hunters.  You’re going to see more states taking the approach of Kansas and prohibiting the recreational take of feral hogs.  You’re also going to see more and more tax money diverted from necessary wildlife management and habitat programs in order to address this newly created problem. 

It’s not that expensive to take a long weekend trip to Texas or Florida and hunt the large population of feral hogs (I do not include CA in this list, although we have the second-largest herd of feral hogs in the country, because it’s become ridiculously expensive for a non-resident to hunt hogs here).  Head on down and see what it’s all about in a state that already has a “problem” and welcomes the assistance in controlling it.  Don’t be part of creating a new problem, both for the State and for hunters.

I’ve mentioned before that Missouri is taking an aggressive stance against the spread of wild and feral hogs.  Considered to be more than simply a pest, but a threat to agriculture and the environment, these hogs have definitely made the most-wanted list in several states, including Missouri.

As part of their efforts to eradicate, or at least control, the porcine invaders, the Missouri DNC has issued a “shoot on sight” order to hunters throughout the state. 

The Conservation Department asks that all hunters who encounter a feral hog shoot it on sight. Doing so will reduce the feral hog population and keep the spread of this destructive pest in check.

They’ve even created a section on the MO DNC website specifically about hogs, with information about their spread, tips for hunting them, and other news and updates.  If you live or hunt in Missouri, it’s definitely worth taking a look.

Elsewhere on the same site, I saw this interesting article:  Do Pigs Have Wings?

The article is loaded with information about why the State doesn’t want the pigs to spread.  And this leads me, once again, to the question that is blossoming in my mind…  are feral pigs really that big of a threat to the environment? 

I don’t know the answer, but I’m really finding myself questioning the standard arguments.  I’ll have to keep exploring this, but short of being a scientist who is paid to do this kind of research, most of my findings will remain anecdotal and based solely on my experience and information collected from other folks who, like me, are fascinated with the wild pig… both as quarry in the field, and as a strong, and adaptable creature. 

There’s a lot of great stuff out there that I’m dying to write about, but I’ve been a little too occupied of late.  Two big, and related topics, are the National Conference on Feral Swine (I may have the conference name screwed up… correction later) and a recent article about the phenomenal spread of feral hogs in the past few years.  It’s great stuff, and I think you folks will find it pretty interesting. 

What it all means though, is that the government has started paying closer attention to the growing pig population acoss the country, and they’re researching solutions to what is perceived as a major problem, both for agriculture and for the environment.  On of the newest tools is the National Feral Swine Mapping System (Firefox browser is recommended, but I saw it OK with IE).  This is a map showing the areas where feral pigs and wild hogs have been found across the continent.  With experts saying we’ll see feral hogs in all 50 states within a decade, this should be an interesting map to watch.

Stay tuned for more!

Well, you guys are probably getting tired of hunting videos where I don’t kill anything except time… but here’s another one anyway.  Sorry, the money shot is coming, but if I killed something every time I went out, I’d start looking like some of those pro hunters on TV and stuff.  Next thing you know, I’ll have to start hawking products and wearing logo hats instead of my old Stetson. 

Enough foolishness… on with the show!

Well, it’s been a while since the last edition of the Porcine Press, but that doesn’t mean our little piggy friends haven’t been making the news. 

First of all, we’ll visit our neighbors to the north, in the Canadian province of Alberta.  According to this article in the Edmonton Journal, it appears that the bristly beggars have settled right into the Great White North and are making a nuisance of themselves… so much so that the folks at the Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development agency have officially classified wild boar as pests, opening the door for unregulated killing to protect crops and property.  Of course, if you’ll read the whole article, you’ll find that the pest status may be a bit over-stated.  I won’t be packing my hog rifle for a drive to Alberta just yet. 

Speaking of travel…

This is the time of year when my heart and eyes start to wander in search of new places and experience.  OK, actually, my thoughts are usually of warm, tropical beaches, clear water, and big, pelagic fish… but I’m open to other things.   Now it’s been a long time since my honeymoon, but I’d be willing to pretend to be a newlywed if it meant I could sign up for this honeymoon package I just read about on PressReleases.com! 

The 14-day package highlights the adventurous side of Fiji, and takes guests to five different islands throughout the 300+ island archipelago. “I’d categorize some of the activities as ‘extreme’,” explains Marketing Director Susan de Geus, who lives on Fiji’s main island full time to facilitate the tours. “Skydiving and hunting for wild boars in the Fiji bush are definitely not what most honeymooners come to Fiji to experience,” she says. “But while the entire itinerary is adventure oriented, we give couples a break with soft activities like kayaking and snorkeling over the world’s fourth largest reef,” she explains.

Yeah, I could do that!

And moving right along, I’ll close with this great little piece from columnist Bob Terrell at the Asheville, NC Citizen-Times.  This one reminds me of the tales I’d get from my dad and uncles.  It also brings to mind the great stories I read over at the Animal Stories blog.

I don’t know any hog hunter who doesn’t remember the “Monster Pig”, formerly known as “Fred”… the huge domestic hog taken by 12 year-old Jamison Stone with the Smith and Wesson 500.  My last write-up on the topic that won’t go away referenced Rhonda Shearer’s reports on her Stinky Journalism website. 

Anyway, the whole thing hasn’t died down yet, and I received an email from Ms Shearer this morning (apologies for the posting issues… we were undergoing technical difficulties this morning).  I decided to post her comment here as a blog post, rather than relegating it to an old thread.  Here’s what she had to say:

Read the rest of this entry »

Apologies to Nash Buckingham, but I couldn’t think of a better title for this one. 

To set the stage, my friend Matt, from the Jesse’s Hunting and Outdoors forum, has been on a tear lately with what he calls his “Man Thursdays”.  Most weeks, by agreement with his wife, this is his day without the kids to get out and do some hunting, and he’s been making the most of it.  You may remember his photo posted back in January, with the nice boar he took in the snow.  Well he’s turned up almost every Thursday since then with another kill.  That right there is some serious hunting, and some great success! 

Anyway, he’s done it again… and this time, he’s really outdone himself with one monster of a hog.  Keep in mind now, that in CA, our feral hogs are many, many generations away from domestic.  There’s also a strong likelihood that some populations have interbred with the descendants of eurasian wild boar.  Point being, you’re not gonna see any of these second-generation, feral pigs like you do in some states that top the scales in the 700-800 pound range.   CA wild pigs have been wild for a very long time.

No, out here, a 200 -250 pounder is, honestly, a really good pig.  Most CA hunters take pigs in the 100-150 lb. range.  It’s very rare to see one go to the 300-pound class, and anything over that is a monster by local standards… which makes Matt’s “Man Thursday” story for last week even more impressive.  This animal never saw a scale, but Matt’s pretty experienced as a hunter and guide, and he knows what pigs weigh.  His conservative estimate put this monster between 300-350 lbs. 

Last week he didn’t make the regular Thursday trip, but he got out… better late than never.  I’ll let him tell the tale in his own words.  

Read the rest of this entry »

This just in!

Department of Fish and Games

News Release for Immediate Release 08:30 April 1, 2008

DFG Warns: Hog Outbreak Puts Hunters at Risk

Due to an outbreak of a virulent strain of porcine asymptomatic hypochondriasis in the Central Coast Region of the state, State Biologists and the California Fish and Games Department will institute an immediate halt on all hunting of wild hogs or feral pigs in the state until further research can determine the extent of the outbreak.

“We’ve never seen any thing like this in California, or any other state,” said biologist, Dr. E.R. Satz.  “It’s totally unprecedented.  In fact, all scientific and medical sources tell us such an outbreak is impossible.  The biological sciences community is astounded, but at the same time, we’re quite excited at this opportunity to study a disease they told us didn’t exist!”

At the Fish and Game Department, tensions are running high as officials and officers try to figure out the best way to quickly get the word out, and protect the public.  Department Spokesperson, Sgt. Veral Fulavit says that the outbreak presents a very definite threat to hunters. 

“At this point,” says Fulavit, “we’re unsure of the long-term effects of the disease.  We do know that actual, physical contact is not required for transmission.  Simply being in close proximity to the infected animals is enough to cause symptoms including significant oral dissembly in most hunters.  More extreme cases have resulted in hyperbolic ejecta, and even prevarication.  We cannot stress how serious this may be.”

There is, at this time, no cure for the infection.  Hunters who feel they may already be infected should contact Dr. Satz immediately at the E.R.Satz Disease Laboratory. 

At this time, there is no known threat to domestic livestock or pets.  Dr. Satz urges ranchers and pet owners not to be overly complacent, though.  “We don’t know what we don’t know,” says Satz.  “While all the indications suggest that the infection only transmits from hogs to humans, it’s very difficult to identify the symptoms in non-human animals.”

Until further notice, all hog hunters are urged to cancel all planned hunts.  Department of Fish and Games officers will be in the field to enforce the closure, and anyone caught hunting hogs may be cited with a congratulatory letter for seeing through this silly message for the April Fool’s Joke it really is.

Happy April 1, everybody! 

So my friend, Joe Patton moved back from CA to FL a couple years ago.  Joe’s a pretty hard-core hunter, and it was a shame to see him leave the state, but Florida has a lot to offer the hunting addict as well.  Even so, I don’t think either of us expected the turn of events he just experienced…

I’ll put it here in his own words.

I opened up our garage door here in our master planned Orlando community to get a phone number out of my truck. The first thing I notice as the door was rising, was two wild pigs rooting up my front flower bed, approx 25 feet away. Our six-month old dog was tailing me out to go to the bathroom. The pigs look up, and come toward us in the garage! I quickly kick the dog back in to the house.

For whatever reason, the pigs went back to rooting. My Mathews was on the top shelf in the hardcase, so that wasnt an option. BUT, thanks to Arrowhead (beloved JHO Member), there was a brand new Fred Bear bow that he had given to Lil Buck-eye within arm’s length. I grabbed it, and slid an arrow in to it. The boar is at about 6 yards. I let loose with the arrow and it sticks right in to the shoulder. The pigs take off in to the neighborhood. They seemed inseparable. The one is running with an arrow poking through its side, while the other one is still feeding in people’s yards. It was the oddest thing. They stayed together the entire time. I called our Game Agency to make sure I was within the law. They confirmed that I was okay, but I could not finish off the pig unless I had permission from the owner of the yard they were in, or unless they were in mine.

By this time, the pigs had crossed the street, and gone behind other houses. They were about 150 yards from our home and out of sight. By this time, neighbors had called the police, and they were all standing outside wondering what was up.
Here is where it gets crazy….

I figure the only way to finish this hunt is to attempt to get them back in to our yard. I found them behind a house down the street, and I began to chase them, all the while clapping my hands. It was unreal. They did what I wanted. The sow (uninjured) went wherever the boar went. I stayed right on his tail. I even got close enough to pull the arrow out of his side. He didnt like that too much at all.

Unbelievably, I get them to cross the street and they get in to my yard. The boar flops down in to my bed that he rooted up. I run in to the garage to get the Mathews. No time to get the release. I grab one arrow, and head out the garage. The boar is looking at me and bedded low. I release another arrow and all hell breaks loose. The boar jumps up squealing bloody murder. The arrow didnt completely pass through as it hit the ground behind it. But, upon jumping up, it snapped the arrow in half. Both pigs bolt across the street and at that point I see the sheriffs pulling in.

I put the bow away, stood outside and let them know that I am who they need to talk to. They head over to the pigs (who are still together). The one is dead (or appears to be), and the sow is still feeding in the yard. Both sheriffs go over to the boar with guns drawn and one of them pops 3 shots in its head. Hit the jaw 3 times. Goofball.

The second sheriff grabs a rope, and hog ties the sow. They load that one in the truck alive. I asked if they needed anything from me, they said “Nope! You want the pig?”

I said - “HECK YA!”

So, in my little gated community, good old neighbor Joe…drags the dead pig across the road to my yard.  My peaceful community is now tainted with a blood trail in the street and pooling blood on the sidewalk. This was all so bizarre. I had multiple neighbors I had never met coming up to take pictures.

This is by far the craziest bow kill I have ever been a part of. Here are some pictures of the event. There is no fabrication in this tale. It was so whacky, I have trouble even typing it without pausing to say ” I cannot believe this all went down”

Gotta love it!

As promised, here’s video from day one of this past weekend’s Tejon hog hunt.  I’m no C.B. Demille, but hey…whatta you want for nothing?  The second part should be up tomorrow, if I have time to do the edits.