Public Pig Problem + Paid Professionals

[R Kiveme]

County will pay professionals to hunt feral hogs on public lands:

http://m.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/29/pigs-sandiegocounty-eradiction-carcasses/

It seems like it would be more cost-effective to allow licensed volunteers to hunt them first; allow nighttime hunting, electronic assistance, etc. The usual restrictions are relaxed for problem predator hunting, so if hogs really are a nuisance species it should make sense give licensed hunters those same advantages in places where the public wants to remove the hogs. Either way, it's hunting: even those who are opposed to hunting should still prefer a plan that raises public revenue rather then spends it.

I know this is not a new debate. I'd like to hear any better rationales for the plan.

 

[slanttop357]

There is none, you said it best.

 

[signguy]

There are going to be a lot of pigs in San Diego County- this may slow the expansion some but there is nothing they can do to stop it.
Frankly, I think this is more of an effort to be able to say we tried to stop it when the porkers move into the more urban areas of the county.
The only thing that will cap their expansion is when they run out of food, water and cover.

Discussed this with a DFG rep in Palm Springs a year ago and he said then that San Diego had no idea what was coming!

I can't wait to hunt them in San Diego County!

 

[Cal Sniper]

I hear too often pigs are a nuisance(in many ways) and is a big problem in many places. I also hear too often hunters who want to hunt pigs but can't find any on public land. If pigs are really a problem in some areas all they have do is allow hunters to hunt it! If firearm is prohibited due to safety reasons then allow bow/cross bow. If that's unsafe too then box trap. Pig can be easily control with hunters. I'm starting to question if it's even true that pigs really are a nuisance and problem or just an excuse for other reasons? If so, where is the open invitation for us hunters.

 

[CottonwoodHunting]

...If pigs are really a problem in some areas all they have do is allow hunters to hunt it!...

Allowing people to hunt will not solve the wild pig problem.

An ethical hunter does not exterminate--they hunt. It is not unusual for a hunter to see a group of pigs, yet only harvest one animal. Hunters are ethical, and will not shoot 3+ pigs at a time, only to leave the carcasses to rot.

If someone gives you a pass to go hunt a property in San Diego, will you harvest 20 pigs per week, every week, for months, years on end? No, you would not. You would fill your freezer, maybe buy an extra freezer, fill that, and call it quits for the year. On the other hand, what if the pig population falls to almost zero. Would you keep patrolling the property, every weekend, month after month, year after year, with zero harvests? No, you would not. For a hunter, either there are too many pigs, or too few pigs.

If you allow too many people access to hunt the property, you run into other problems. It starts to become a confusing mess trying to figure out who has access and who doesn't. People start bringing friends, and friends of friends, and so on. Pretty soon its a free-for-all and there are new problems such as litter, trespassing, cut fences, alcohol, etc.

Personally, I work on a ranch, and I run a guide service where I am trying to maintain a healthy pig population. If for some reason I had to eliminate the pigs altogether, it would be a lot easier to hire someone than to run a free hunting service. Free hunting service = more expensive, tons of work, confusion, long hours, possible property damage, and ultimately the problem might not even be solved. Paying a professional = less expensive, easy, slam dunk.

 

[signguy]

According to the person I spoke with at the DFG (an avid hunter I might add) there was no way the pig population in San Diego County was solvable- it was a forgone conclusion they were coming and coming big time. This person indicated the climate, water, food sources and cover was as ideal as you could get and that within a decade Eastern San Diego would have the highest concentration of pigs in the state. I am just passing what I was told by this person- and it was someone who would know.

I have no idea how many pigs are in the Campo area but you can bet they are well on their way to establishing a presence in Riverside and Imperial too.

 

[Cal Sniper]

Erik,

I can't agree more. Don't get me started on how humans are the biggest nuisance n most dangerous creature on the planet...lol. Extermination is one thing and hiring people will be the best bet. But if control only, then hunting is the benefited way. And you're right, I wont kill 5 pigs at one time but if I take 2, you take 2, n they take 2, the population should be under control. I can't agree more that the reason we hunters don't get invited to these so call pig problem areas is because we become more of a nuisance then pigs. Nothing is an easy answer. Pig problem areas will stay a problem and hunters who really want a good pig hunting ground will just have 2 live with the few or less noctornal pigs per few square miles.
If no hunters and no predators = pig problems. And alowing hunters = pig pop control + other problems then we are back to square one. However, there are nonprofit groups out there who can and are willing to volunteer to operate and control hunter numbers and or semi guide in these areas to reduce litter and other problems but thats another topic.

 

[huntingbret]

Eric, I couldn't agree more. If your property gets too much for you to handle and you need to thin out the population...you can always count on me LOL. I'll shoot 10 and take all 10 and be back out next weekend for 10 more. LOL

 

[CottonwoodHunting]

Eric, I couldn't agree more. If your property gets too much for you to handle and you need to thin out the population...you can always count on me LOL. I'll shoot 10 and take all 10 and be back out next weekend for 10 more. LOL

Haha thanks, I know you would!

 

[sportyg]

Depending on the size of the area they could regulate the numbers of hunters permitted to hunt the area each day seven days a week with a pig limit of say 5 per day per hunter. They could bring the population under control and still be able to control the hunters. I'm sure there are enough hunters in Cali to bring a known pig area population under control.

They say there where no objection form the public, but as far as I know the public had no say.

 

[jrod]

What is the name of the outfit doing the pig removal company? I can change careers

 

[THE ROMAN ARCHER]

Well if being a regular hunter in Ca. won't ever get u the opportunity to be involved with these problem solving eradication resolutions that they only consider Professionals to do so then I guess u got to work on being a pro trapper or depravation hunter and then get involved with all the DFG meetings bring a lot of Krispy Cream Donuts also donate a lot money to them and become buddy buddy with them and then when they have another problem with wild pigs to resolve maybe then they will think of u and invite u to the big dance.

I got a better idea they should just trap and tranquilize all those wild pigs down there transport them all to Lake Sonoma and then all my nor cal buddies will have a shot at taking out a pig with a bow professional or not they do not discriminate or pre select to get to hunt them just register and pay your $30. and u are good to go, Just hope that White Mamba doesn't whack them all before u do....lol.....tra

 

[glockman19]

Time for a trip to the Cleveland National Forrest.

 

[R Kiveme]

That's a good point -- hunters hunt, they don't eradicate. It wouldn't work to rely solely on hunters if that's what's needed.

To pick up on what signguy and sportyg said, if the best the county can hope to accomplish is to pressure the hogs off of sensitive lands rather than wipe them out entirely, then there would still be a logical role for hunters in the solution. Carefully regulated hunting can do that.

I've always been impressed with how committed outdoorspeople, like hunters and backpackers, are to protecting public lands rather than wrecking them. I'm not so sure that inviting hunters to assist in the process would really lead to anarchy. It's usually a win-win to find new ways to keep the hunting community invested in natural resource protection.

 

[glockman19]

I called and spoke with the guy in charge at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services. I educated about Cal Guns hunting forum and Jesse's Hunting site.

He will attempt greater outreach to hunters.

I suggested that Officials could make money charging hunters as little as $100 a head a day, with semi guided hunts provided by the DFG on COUNTY land. The issue at hand is they are on COUNTY land not National Forrest. I would be happy to pay $100 a day to hunt County and private land with a Wildlife Services Rep guiding the way.

Apparently there are 16 members of a group of Indian tribes, Police, County State and Municipal groups crafting this program in addition to the DGF and Agricultural Wildlife.

There was also talk of removing the feral pig as a game animal, eliminating the need to buy tags. Shoot them like coyote or rabbit...all year long, no limit no tags. A step in the right direction.

Call Sacramento, Call Dep. of Agriculture., call San Diego Supervisor Dianne Jacob.

 

[signguy]

I called and spoke with the guy in charge at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services. I educated about Cal Guns hunting forum and Jesse's Hunting site.

He will attempt greater outreach to hunters.

I suggested that Officials could make money charging hunters as little as $100 a head a day, with semi guided hunts provided by the DFG on COUNTY land. The issue at hand is they are on COUNTY land not National Forrest. I would be happy to pay $100 a day to hunt County and private land with a Wildlife Services Rep guiding the way.

Apparently there are 16 members of a group of Indian tribes, Police, County State and Municipal groups crafting this program in addition to the DGF and Agricultural Wildlife.

There was also talk of removing the feral pig as a game animal, eliminating the need to buy tags. Shoot them like coyote or rabbit...all year long, no limit no tags. A step in the right direction.

Call Sacramento, Call Dep. of Agriculture., call San Diego Supervisor Dianne Jacob.

Good on you- Love the idea!

 

[thewolfman]

I am so tired of this issue.... I spent over $200 on License and tags already... I ve gone to San Diego multiple times and hunt these pigs...we all know where they are at....its frustrating the heck out of me....those of u that hunt San Diego know what i mean....can't gain any access....there are a lot of tree huggers there...and those same huggers are probably the same ppl crying about the pigs damaging their property.... I say let them pay for the out of State Pro hunters...otherwise.... F that and let them pigs run and multiply....why say pigs are pest and yet we gotta buy a pig tag...Some other States don't even require a Hunting License or Tag...its shoot on sight....so this is my 2 cents.....let them breed and multiply

 

[7Mag_PigHunter]

I am so tired of this issue.... I spent over $200 on License and tags already... I ve gone to San Diego multiple times and hunt these pigs...we all know where they are at....its frustrating the heck out of me....those of u that hunt San Diego know what i mean....can't gain any access....there are a lot of tree huggers there...and those same huggers are probably the same ppl crying about the pigs damaging their property.... I say let them pay for the out of State Pro hunters...otherwise.... F that and let them pigs run and multiply....why say pigs are pest and yet we gotta buy a pig tag...Some other States don't even require a Hunting License or Tag...its shoot on sight....so this is my 2 cents.....let them breed and multiply

Amen brotha you said it best