Feral pigs on the AZ strip?

[spectr17]

Posted by Don Martin from AWO on the Bowsite

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

While doing some pre-season scouting this year on the AZ Strip (unit 13B) a few days before the season opened Las Vegas resident Hans Frahm, the guy I was up there with, spotted what he said was a black pig.

Upon closer examination we found not one, but four solid black pigs, rooting in a small drainage about a half mile away.

One was an extremely large pig--I'd estimate at least 200 lbs, two were in the 125 lb category and one looked to weighed about 30-40 pounds.

Since these are true feral animals and not subject to hunting regs (other than having a license)and with the approval of Hans, who I was then working for, I went back to the truck to get my AR-15 with the intention of trying to whack the largest in the group. (Hans said it was a sow)

Unfortunately--and as usually happens to me, they took off and headed into the cover before I could get close to them.

The reason? A white truck pulled up and the guy glassed the area for about two minutes then left.

We had not seen another truck or human for two days until this guy showed up.

We didn't see anyone else after he left either.

I did get video of them as they were running off as I was sure many would question the validity of this sighting.

After I got back from the hunt, I got an e-mail from one of the ranchers up there who mentioned that he was seeing more and more pig sign, but that he hadn't actually seen one yet.

Where are they at? Well since we were in one of my "honey holes" for deer, I can't in good faith put out that info. But I'll tell you this.

If you can't see the Nevada border from where you are standing, then you aren't in the right place.

G&F told me that I should have shot them all if had got the chance, but I wasn't going to do that. That big one would have satisfied my desire to take a feral pig (never have done it yet, going to CA next spring!)

Anyway, just goes to show you that you never know what you'll glass up out in those areas.

A few years ago, a friend of mine from Flagstaff (Bowsite faithful know him well) found and photographed a Rocky Mtn goat up there while scouting/hunting for deer( I saw the photos too!).

He didn't know that he could have whacked this guy at the time and that AZ G&F would have loved him to do it.

Something happened to the goat and he hasn't been seen in quite a while.

Now back to the pig story.

These pigs are remnants from the old Nezona game ranch at Mesquite, NV. A few years back I interviewed a guy who claimed to be the one who organized and brought the pigs to that area (cool story but highly illegal I bet!) in the middle of the night from California.

Course he had been drinking a little and you know how that goes. But those in Mesquite who I spoke who would know of such matters seem to verify the story, so who knows?

I've seen tracks of pigs on the Strip on three different occassions and G&F knows they are there and encourages anyone who sees them to shoot 'em on sight.

Anyway, if you get "bored" and have nothing to do, you might wanna head to the west side of the unit and spend a few days glassing those sunny east facing slopes of hills and mesas....

Don Martin[/b]

 

[larrysogla]

I would leave the hog herd alone for 2-3 yrs. and then those prolific hogs should number in the hundreds. Then it is a viable population for sustained hunting. As of now that is a very small family of hogs and they could be decimated by the harvesting at this very early stage. That is very good pig habitat as the Colorado River provides year round, clean, abundant water supply and the riparian wetlands provide lush, succulent shrubs and grasses. Those pigs should multiply fast with the abundant water and food supply IF nobody starts pumping high powered shells for the first 2-3 yrs. from now. God Bless.

 

[Speckmisser]

I'm gonna go counter to ya, there, Larry.

As much as I love hog hunting, I definitely wouldn't be encouraging their expansion into new areas... especially areas where they will be competing for limited resources with native species.

Nope, I'm with the AZ G&F on this one... shoot 'em on site and hope to eradicate them. If folks wanna hog hunt, they can come to CA or TX and get it done there.

 

[Coues]

We don't need hogs on the strip. We need more Mule Deer. I would have loved to whack that Mountain Goat though. He was probably retarded anyway. A mountain goat in the Desert?

 

[SDHNTR]

Competition from pigs is the last thing mule deer need. They have it hard enough already. Especially on the Strip.

 

[RIFLEMAN]

Feral hogs should be managed in California the same way--with regulations intended to maximize hunter opportunity and minimize stewardship of hog populations.

 

[7mm RM]

Interesting stuff.

 

[betelgeuse]

I have heard of another way hogs impact deer. When a lion makes a kill, has it's fill and leaves. The hogs come and eat the rest. When the lion returns the next day, no deer. Instead of a deer lasting a lion a few days it only lasts one meal. The lion then has to kill again sooner than it normally would.

The way hogs tear up things I am sure they damage the browse that deer prefer. They also compete for the valuable acorn crop that deer need in the fall. If the bucks don't have enough fat going into the rut they really get run down and that too probably helps the lions get em, especially the dominant bucks that work the hardest.

Go to Tejon and look for an oak seedling. You won't find many.

I for one definitely don't want hogs anywhere I like to hunt deer. Just my pref. I can't control it, but if I could have it my way, hogs could be shot on sight, no tags required.

I still can't figure out how the DFG can regulate the killing of hogs, drives me crazy. They should be classified as non-game, IMHO.

I know a lot of people like to hunt hogs, and that's ok with me. I just believe it doesn't help your deer numbers.

OK I'm done !!

 

[dw33]

I am not a hog hunter, yet, but I don't want them competing with deer either. They probably started issuing tags as a money making enterprise, which is ok, but $16 seems a little steep. According to the news accounts wild pigs are causing plenty of damage, so maybe they will go back to no tags, but I wouldn't count on it.

 

[larrysogla]

Speckmisser,
I totally agree with you. I was being totally selfish when I brought up my reply. However, hogs are hogs and if F&G doesn't institute an aggressive trapping program, that pig herd will populate the Colorado river greenery in a very few years. Right now it is still possible to eradicate the herd by bringing the likes of Mr. Rifleman or Mr. Bayedsolid with their superb hounds to track, corner and eradicate the pig herd. But you and I know that time is running out and in a few years the hog herd will number in the hundreds, then a few more years, in the thousands and then it is Colorado River hog hunting time. I never in my imagination thought that the prolific wild boar will be roaming the Colorado River. But here it is and I will be ready with my hog rifles when the proper time comes. 'Nuff said.

 

[boarrunner]

A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE WHO GUIDES THE NORTH RIM TOLD ME, HE HAS SEEN A LOT OF HOGS THERE LATELY. JUST THINK ! THE LIONS NOW HAVE SOMETHING MORE PROLIFIC THAN SHEEP AND DEER TO EAT.
AND THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE YOU HAVE A OPPERTUNITY TO KILL IF YOU ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO DRAW A TAG FOR THAT UNIT.