Feral Wild Boar.....................

[English]

In the UK the government are getting excited about Feral Wild boar.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4208160.stm

http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/latest/2005/wildlife-0905.htm

For the concern that someone has developed for these few little piggies they have commissioned a 4 year study into what to do with them.

Which ranges from Do nothing to have a cull and exterminate every single one?

In the middle there is the prospect of new law to cover hunting them and having a .270 calibre with a 130gn bullet specified as a minimum requirement for hunting them with (there is no such requirement at the moment)

Your 2 cents on this please

English.

 

[BirdDawg]

I used to talk to a guy via internet from the Uk and he said guns were almost impossible to get.......if this is true what good is hunting?

 

[bubba]

I thouhgt everyone had to turn in their guns over there??

Maybe it was just handguns...

Anyways. That caliber and bullet would work fine. But so do many others. I don't know why a 25 caliber would not be able to make it on the list.

 

[257 wby]

I use a 25 cal for all my pig hunting and have never had a problem. As long as you make the first shot in the right spot no problem. I do believe a 243 or 6mm might be a little light for a pig especially a boar over 150 lbs.

My brother in law shot a big boar with a 300 win. mag 180 gr. corelokt right out of the box and at about 40 to 50yds the protective shield on the boars shoulder area kept the bullet from passing through. Perfect mushroom but the bullet fell out when we were skinning the beast.

England should go forward with pig hunting.

England has such a great history of hunting in the past. So many of the best professional hunters in Africa have bloodlines from England

257 wby

 

[English]

Thanks for the replies gentlemen.

Well, as time goes by they do continue to make it more and more difficult for people both obtain and keep firearms.

Self Loading or Semi Auto Rifles were prohibited in 1988.

Pistols were all prohibited in 1997 Its a very sad day to have to had them over for distruction.

What we are left with are shotguns, rimfires of more or less any kind and rifles so long as they are not pump action.

 

[Speckmisser]

English,

The fecundity of the feral hogs is amazing. With an average of three litters per year, and as many as 6 to 12 piglets per litter, they can turn a small group into a large herd pretty quick. Add to that the fact that they are ready to breed in under a year, and you can see the potential.

Destructive? Indeed. They can lay waste to crops and watersheds in a short time. But they also offer a great opportunity for sport, something I'd think is in short supply in your neck of the woods. While I admit a particular prejudice, I'd think it would be ideal if the government could manage them as a sporting resource.

As far as .270 as a minimum caliber, that's fine. There are smaller bore diameters that work as well, but I see no reason not to draw a line and hold the hunters to it.