Hog Boomers

[Stonepointer]

Could someone please help me understand why some experts are saying about the booming wild hog population threats in North America, as not being able to be reduced to safer numbers by hunting?

I do not believe too many things I hear or see from television, but I feel certain issues are very important to pay attention and this might be one of them, as it is being pushed more into popular attitudes and thought.

In the last week I have watched several shows from television stations from what in my opinion are opposite quarters of thought, saying the same thing.

From a popular satellite TV station that showcases hunting, to an environmentalist nature station, both suprisingly pushing the same idea that hunting wild pigs will not be enough to stem dangerous population growth within the U.S.

I have heard Texas is most affected with this increase in population, followed by a few other states. There was some hog hunter in Florida on a very popular hunting show that was stating the opinion that hunting was not enough and could not take care of the problem.

I am not sure what they are trying to suggest, but I am thinking that those from the environmentalist viewpoint are pushing for sterilization by means of feed or some similar technique, and seem to want no European pigs here at all, because it is not an indigenous species; akin to how environmentalists think in New Zealand.

But neither is the javelina, or a few various other animals here that migrated or were recently imported from South America, but they will not complain about those not being indigenous.

I just do not understand how they say hunting can not stem a dangerous growth in wild animal populations, at the same time occasionally harp on historical data that large buffalo populations were nearly wiped out by mostly single shot rifles in the mid to late 19th century.

The idea of sterilization by feed is an even far more dangerous road to embark upon and could dangerously effect other species of animals and human beings. I cannot think of any other means they are considering to stem problematic population growths.

Also, just because an animal or plant is not indigenous to an area, does not always mean it is always bad.

If I have misunderstood anything about this issue, please clear it up for me.

 

[weekender21]

Although they are common in South America today, peccaries did not reach that continent until about three million years ago during the Great American Interchange, when the Isthmus of Panama formed, connecting North America and South America. At that time, many North American animals—including peccaries, llamas and tapirs—entered South America, while some South American species, such as the ground sloths, migrated north.

I think three million years means Javelina can stay!

I agree, I think European swine get a bad wrap by a lot of people, including hunters. Of coarse I don't own a ranch in Texas! Hunting alone has not been able to fix the massive hog infestation in Texas and several other states.

It's a little different story in CA. Because of our climate, hogs are confined certain parts of the state where they can find food and water. I know they are in almost every county but drought years certainly help keep them in check. When farmers in central CA grew Barley (1970's and 80's), they tried very hard to get rid of the hogs without much luck.

I certainly enjoy hunting hogs but I can understand why so many want to eradicate them. They are messy and can be destructive. I haven't heard any mention of poisoning feral hogs like you mentioned but have heard of other, non hunting, methods.

Ranchers in Texas have developed some interesting trapping methods. One of their circular cages is designed to trap an entire herd. They destroy all but one sow, put a radio collar on her, and turn her loose. As soon as she finds a new group of hogs, they target that group until they have eliminated as many as possible. From what I've heard, thats one of the most successful methods to date. The old style traps just educate the rest of the hogs, second hand knowledge of course.

I'm sure you've seen the Helicopter sniping too. That appears to be very effective from the videos I've seen.

 

[spectr17]

In MO where I grew up I never heard of wild hogs back then. Now they are pushing all the way up north right up to Clark County at the Iowa border. They're coming from Arkansas where I did see a few razorbacks as a kid but now AR is covered up too.

Out here in CA I think they are spreading out more. The rainy years seem to really make their populations take off.

 

[DFG_Bear]

Could someone please help me understand why some experts are saying about the booming wild hog population threats in North America, as not being able to be reduced to safer numbers by hunting?

Because nobody can agree on what would be a "safe number" of wild pigs.

I just do not understand how they say hunting can not stem a dangerous growth in wild animal populations, at the same time occasionally harp on historical data that large buffalo populations were nearly wiped out by mostly single shot rifles in the mid to late 19th century.

Bison were market hunted. There's not much of a market for wild pig meat or hides these days. Although really organic, they're not considered safe for human consumption by some. Also, the number of hunters across the US is declining annually. Hard to see how declining effort can keep up with a species that will pump out 4-6 young/sow in one really good year.

Also, just because an animal or plant is not indigenous to an area, does not always mean it is always bad.

True. However, in the case of wild pig, numerous studies have shown the irreversible ecological damage they can cause. I'm not saying that's always the case, but it does hold true in the majority of situations. For example: pigs will eat almost every acorn they come across. They will root up nearly the remainder. We've documented a decline in recruitment of young oak seedlings. As the older oaks die off, there is the potential that no oaks will be left to replace them. That means fewer and fewer acorns. Did you know that acorns are a main staple of blacktailed deer (and bear) in California?

 

[iroc6976]

thats how i got my big bear he was eatin accorns

 

[Stonepointer]

Thank you everyone for all the answers.

DFG Bear, yes I did know that acorns were the main diet of many deer, but I did not know that it was a staple to bears. I figured bears diets were mainly based on the broad opportunities that presents themselves to omnivores, just like pigs, certain birds and animals, and of course, we as humans.

I have not really seen any what would be considered 'wild' pigs except in film and video, but I am not too far from the private land at Tejon ranch, which I guess has plenty of wild pigs and I think they are active in the daytime there.

As far as public land or open farm land, I have not seen any and figure they must be mostly nocturnal and causing their trouble then.

If I were a crop farmer and these wild pigs were destroying my livelihood I would feel the same about them. The idea of using a radioed sow to track other pigs is a good one.

Most of the limited exposure I have had to pigs other than the breakfast table and smoked babyback ribs (I really, really like these), have been domestic pig units at a couple of Ag oriented colleges. Many years ago, I did have a friend that fed a pig pumpkins in his back yard at his home, where it got so big (probably close to 800 pounds), it was actually scary and unsettling on my heartbeat to be near it, because I knew meat could be on it's menu. It looked like a half size hippo.

Someone told me it takes 2 generations of wild birth before they actually go fully to their former feral state.

With some pigs it looks as though their physical features change over the time this happens. It looks like the head gets bigger and slopes into the neck and back more, the razor hair line at the back ridge stands taller, as well as the tusks becoming more prominent because the pig has more of a chance to grow them.

As far as those cute little musk pigs, as I have heard them called, I wish we had them here in California, but it seems just the other Southwestern states were lucky enough to get them. I live in a place where much of the plant and desert animal life for food is suited to them, but it would probably get too cold in the winter here for javelina in higher elevation deserts and it is unknown how they might affect other desert life here.

I suppose we could have some javelina in Southeastern corner of our state; but if we did have them would we be allowed to hunt them?

Would this come under a pig tag?

Or would it be considered a protected animal here in California because of limited habitat for them?

Once again, thanks for all the answers, and please do not think my new questions in this post are too dumb. I thought someone should ask them, so why not me?

 

[larrysogla]

Pig populations are expanding in their territory in the U.S.A..........................well let me hazard several guesses......
The hogs breed several times a year and the brood can be as many as 10 piglets....Uh..Oh!!!
The hogs are omnivorous...........they can eat garbage, rotting animal carcass, roots, nuts, fruits, grasses, herbs...........EVEN POISON IVY!!!!
The hogs travel as much as 5 miles in one night in search of food.
The hunting population of the U.S.A. is less and less in numbers every year.
The areas allowed for hunting are getting smaller and smaller.
Last but not least..........the hogs are one of the smartest animals around..........sometimes people say the hogs are smarter than dogs.
Lots more reasons why hogs are expanding their territory..........but those are the only ones that people mention a lot and that I can recollect right now.
'Nuff said
larrysogla

 

[sancho]

pig hunting is big business in texas. everyone says they are a huge problem down there. but this one ranch i visited. they have them trapped and shipped in! i got the ranch foreman talking, and he couldnt stop. this ranch has a great population of exotics and some fantastic whitetails...the ranch guy said, a pig is like bonus money for him. get a big rich hunter, and post him up in a tree stand over looking a corn flinger. he is paid up, and waiting for some tall/wide axis deer to show up..during the wait, the hogs visit the feeder. according to the foreman, there are very few hunters that will not draw back a bow on a feeding hog. once shot, the hunter is satiated, an axis buck is paid for but safe.

good business. this foreman asked if i wanted to help unload a truck of hogs. 250 of them. i would have, but i had to spend my time looking for my lost and wounded 8pt buck. never did find him, but i let the visiting hogs go by undisturbed.

my point to all of this. this ranch is high fenced, but it was something like 15000 acres. HUGE! hunters decimate the hogs to the point where they have to be trucked in. i truly believe hunting can beat them back.

 

[portegee]

I don't know about where everyone else is from but when I was younger it was 7.00 for five pig tags today's single tag is something like 30.00 now that can't help when it costs about 30x the amount to kill one now

 

[DFG_Bear]

I suppose we could have some javelina in Southeastern corner of our state; but if we did have them would we be allowed to hunt them?

Would this come under a pig tag?

Or would it be considered a protected animal here in California because of limited habitat for them?

Once again, thanks for all the answers, and please do not think my new questions in this post are too dumb. I thought someone should ask them, so why not me?

I'm unsure if Javelina (aka Peccaries) occur in California. Regardless, they are not defined as a game mammal in our regulations (See Title 14, Section 350). They are in the same taxonomic order as wild pig, but not the same genus (wild pig are genus Sus whereas javelina have three distinct genus: Tayassu, Catagonus and Pecari). As such, javelina are not able to be legally harvested in California.

Marc