vandenberg

[CaliJeephuntr]

You're right Luredriver. There are no laws saying don't shoot wet sows. And people do consider them pests. But where they're considered pests are in farming land where they come in and tear up the fields. In the middle of Vandenburg I wouldn't think they are considered pests.

There just has to be some moral judgement on when to shoot an animal and when to not shoot one. If someone had a doe tag and saw a doe with a fawn that still had spots(or even not) is it still Ok to shoot the doe because you have a tag? Some people consider them pests to.

I remember the thread last year where someone got the right to hunt some peoples land and they wanted all pigs removed because they were being a problem. The guy had a ethical problem on whether or not to shoot the piglets that were running around. Depredation is one thing. But just shooting one just so you can is wrong in my book.

I'm not condoning the guy for shooting the Sow. It's his right to. But people have to draw a line somewhere right? In this case he didn't and now leaves those piglets to chance. If they survive then that's pigs for people to shoot next year... if not well few less piggies and few more happy coyotes.

 

[pbrdog]

There is farm land on Vandenberg. All the crops and cattle raised there are for the prison. There is also a golf course. They have live traps stationed all around the golf course too. I, personally, would not shoot a wet sow. But I can honestly say that some guys I hunt with there wouldn't think twice about it. Too bad, but it's gonna happen.

 

[Outaline1]

Your right. After watching these animals it really set me off. I've been worried that someone would do just what they did today. They have the right to do it and only the guy who shot is really the only one who knows for sure what he saw when he pulled the trigger.
I think a law against it would be a bit extreme and what I said was really out of frustration. I know there are plenty of folks that think nothing of it. We all can come up with pros and cons and wrong or right.
One thing though..wild pigs are now game animals! At least to me and most of the people who read and post to this site. I enjoy hunting them and I apply everything I know about hunting game to them. Which includes not shooting mothers with young.
Yes, they are distructive creatures to farmers, business's like the base golf course. That is nothing new and will always be a fact. Its the nature of the beast we hunt. As for being a native species or not has nothing to do with anything for me. They were here before I was and I'm darn glad they were. They provide thousands of people excitement and purpose and are great game! This is just my opinion though.

 

[larrysogla]

As big as VAFB is, and as lush as the coastal greenery is, and with military/retired military hunters ONLY, the piggies in Vandenberg will certainly outreproduce the hunter harvest. Only if an eradication program is instituted will the piggie's reproduction rate fall behind the kill/harvest rate. With 6-8 piglets per sow pregnancy, there will always be puh'lenty of piggies for "military/retired mil. only" hunters in VAFB. Of course, the hunters will not always have a 100% success rate, but coming from active and retired military who post in here at JHO, the piggie hunting in VAFB is the best among the military bases. There is no risk of running low on piggies in VAFB. I am very much in favor of this Mil./Ret. Mil. only as the military deserves every inch of this blessing. Just keep posting your stories and pictures here at JHO, so we civilians can keep drooling. God Bless the U.S. Military.

 

[manteca3]

Outaline1,

I am right there with you on this, but only as who I am today. Having successfully stalked and taken the wily porkers has calmed me down some. I'm tempted to stalk up and just take her photo.

Before I ever got a pig is a different story. I'm sorry to say that I would have shot just about any pig, just to have caught up with one. And would have dragged her miles uphill through manzanita, just to show everyone my first pig. (....but then thought of pork tacos makes me crazy, and well, you know the rest.)

Glad to see you posting on the forum.

I've been reading your son's posts about you all. Love the photos. I haven't been out to Vberg since last May when my buddy shot two 120 lb sows. Wish I could find a job in the area, too. Enjoy it while you can.

Manteca3

 

[Surfswest]

Yes it is legal game in this state and all and yes he does have the right to shoot a wet sow. But the problem I want to bring up is just the lack of respect to all the other hunters out there. If we all start taking sows leaving piggies to fend for themselves, maybe the population will start to dip. Who knows what how big the pig population out there on the base is.

Yes the piggies can take to another sow, but who's to say somebody didn't already shoot her and the next one.

All I'm saying is just think twice before we go shooting off all the wet sows and be sure she doesn't have a bunch of little ones hiding behind her or in the brush.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[beastslayer]

Congrats on the fat pig. Must be good eating.

Shooting a wet sow is just plain selfish in my books.

 

[larrysogla]

It all depends on the density of the hog population. In Texas, the hogs are so thick that popping momma and the piglets does not rate a 2nd thought. At least in that area where my friend has his ranch they are so thick he was trapping multiple pigs in the live trap everynight. They multiply so quickly and there are year round creeks with flowing water and water holes everywhere and lush year round grasses and shrubs that the hogs proliferate and become a big nuisance. The locals just pop and or trap the hogs come what may. I guess in California where we have less rain and the grasses dry up in the hot summer, the hogs are less dense than in Texas or Florida or Hawaii. In California, I would save momma and the piglets. But in Texas, momma would make a nice roast and the piglets would be perfect oven size with crunchy, crispy, cracklin' golden browned skin. Yup, save momma and the babies and have more hogs to hunt next year. Makes good sense.............in California. 'Nuff said.