Pigs and Park land

[Coondog]

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Look at the shining example of Texas. Rules and regs for hunting pigs are virtually nil, and the place is over run with the critters, and the population is showing no signs of decline[/b]

Rancho.. You can bet that we put a big dent in the pig population in certain areas by hunting them.. The problem is that you cannot hunt them like you do out at Tejon.. The visibility here is usually less than 100yds. in very thick brush.. Sure you can sit over a stand and wait for them, but that is also not as easy or as sure as most think.. They run around mostly at night which makes it that much harder... If we hunt them really hard for a couple of months, you will not see a pig for a good while.. Some are killed but I figure most head out of the area for safer grounds. Either way, they are not tearing up our planted fields at that point...

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The only proven way to control their numbers and the damage they do is to trap them hard.[/b]

I disagree with this statement.. When we put our traps out we will get more hogs at one time, but they will hardly EVER COME BACK TO THAT SPOT AGAIN!! We have to constantly be moving those big a$$ traps around.. After a while we will get absolutely no hogs because they are too smart for it.. I think actively hunting them is the only real way to rid them. Whether it be by dogs, stalk, or whatever...

I also dont mind farmers trying to make a little bit of money off the hogs. Lord knows they are lucky to turn a profit by farming. Luckily the cattle market has been up to help out a little, but still not enough...

 

[easymoney]

The problem I have is not with the landowners charging to hunt, it's their property and their pigs. I have a problem with the DFG gouging us to make money off of a feral/non native pest and then putting it in the general fund. ALL of the migratory and resident game bird fees, as well as portions of the pig and deer tags were supposed to go back into habitat and wildlife enhancement. But, having hunted in this state and others for over 30 years, I just don't see that happening. I tend to agree with barrel74, that there might be a rise in poaching because of the HUGH increase in pig tag costs. I am going to continue to buy them and play by the rules, but I don't have to like it...

And, brknarrow, the reason the bow hunting was stopped in that town, was the NIMBY tree huggers saw a deer that had been shot with an arrow through the neck (probably by a poacher or a kid, out of season) and they were just more vocal in front of the city council and the press.
Yes, it is who you know...

 

[brknarrow]

i heard that about the arrow in the neck. but i always thought it was illegal to discharge a firearm in city limits and a bow is concidered a firearm. at least it is in kalifornia

 

[easymoney]

brknarrow,
It is illegal for "fire arms" but not all weapons...
The law varies from city to city and county to county. I don't know where you are from, but even here in Kalifornia, it's still possible to bow hunt inside some city limits, even in Los Angeles County... No rifle hunting though.
Up here on the Central Coast, it used to be possible. But, now with the property values rising, the exodus from the "big city", and influx of new NIMBY residents, that is changing for the worse for us long time resident/hunters. Where once were , lots of open space and unconcerned friendly landowners, now there are huge homes and tracts bringing the masses and sometimes the rude or unlawfull poachers. We who do play by the rules, just take it in stride and seek out those rare unspoiled pockets and do what we can...

 

[brknarrow]

for us long time residents on the central coast it has become very sad...remember the large herds of deer!! been in somoco all my life

 

[hdsts]

I think the specific wording for this in Kalifornia is not discharge of a firearm
anymore, at least where I live in LA County. A bow is not considered a firearm
here, that is why they have add to the books "Discharge of a deadly weapon".
I back up to the local mountains and we have deer behind all the homes that
are illegally feed by the residents along with city parks and the streets at nite.
I have a friend on the local PD that stops me just to show me his latest digital
pics from around the neighborhood, (4 x 5 on the front lawn munchin with his
harum).