When is enough, enough?

[myfriendis410]

In some parts of the state and in some other parts of the country wild hogs are overabundant and a menace to: wildlife, people, livestock, farm products, automobiles, and the land itself. Okay, I get it. In OUR area, hogs are being more or less successfully controlled through hunting. A very few problem pigs are taken through trapping by the base fish and game people i.e. hogs on the golf course, in housing, etc. The rest of the time the hogs are dealt with very well by the hunters. They don't need to kill wet sows! Particularly when they KNOW it's a death sentence for the young. So, once again I reiterate my position that it's not something I want to do, nor appreciate in the local hunters doing either. AND I think the guy that caused me to start this thread is an idiot. I am looking forward to telling him just that when I meet him.

As to hogs being non-native; so is every last bit of the wild grasses on the hillside, the mustard, the people, as well as the hogs. However, hogs have been living wild in California since the Spaniards dropped them off all along the coast four hundred years ago. So, they've been here longer than most of OUR ancesters have. (Leaving out the native American population)

Managing the population, yes. Eradication, hell No! They are too much fun to hunt.

 

[Speckmisser]

Hatchet, between that little episode and the number of pigs I've missed with the bow, I thought seriously about changing my handle to Hogmisser. But I have a similar jinx with specklebellies... the miracle geese.

BGH, like I said, I take full credit for the miss. The meat pig in the upper right of the screen was my target. I hesitated, and when I chose to shoot the herd was already on the run. My heart was going pretty good, and I blew the shot.

All of the really big ones that were closest to me, as far as I could tell, were wet. At least there were a lot of babies around them, so I couldn't twll who was mama and who wasn't. I could have shot any one of those from the point where the video starts. Actually, before I pulled the pistol, I could have sat there with the rifle from 75 yards and had my pick... except I couldn't tell who was wet and who wasn't... plus, it didn't seem like as much fun as going in with the .44.

As far as selfishness... well, it's all about opinion. Personally, I'm not a depredation hunter, and I'm not out to kill everything that moves unless specifically requested by a landowner to try. I don't WANT to orphan the piglets, even though they are "just pigs." I understand that it may not be logical, but it hurts my feelings to leave the babies to die like that. Guess I'm not the cold-hearted killer the antis say I am.

I also happen to think the very idea of trying to eradicate pigs from California is a fool's errand. It can"t be done, especially under the auspices of sport hunting. It's time for this state to recognize that eradication efforts are a waste of money and resources, and look for a game management plan instead. Sure, depredation on farms is a valid purpose, just as it is with the eastern whitetails. But the very idea that hogs can be eliminated in this state, short of poison, traps, and aerial shooting is ludicrous.

Regardless, with respect to the video, Tejon Ranch specifically requests that no wet sows be taken on their property. While they're aware that accidents happen, that is their rule and as on any other ranch, it's right and ethical to respect the property owner's wishes.

 

[bayedsolid]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Thoose that are choosy about the pigs they kill are being selfish and not worried about the planet they leave for thier kids.[/b]

Godspeed BGH831.
With all the problems facing this world of ours from overpopulation to global warming etc... I can finally sleep well at night knowing that the biggest threat to our childrens future has been resolved. Thank you, for in your self-less and caring way, our planet will be saved for our children by hunting these savage hogs.

I'm just joking with ya, carry on.

 

[upper]

First thing,rules are good and should not be taken lightly.Second Wils Hogs are baddd for the landscape.Third,lots of people have never killed a hog and need to.Forth,wild hogs cannot be controlled by normal hunting.The more you hunt them,the less they let you get near them.Sooner more than later with a bow If you don't shoot a sow or piglet you are not going to shoot anything.There are some archery only ranches that now can only boast a small % sucess rate.I hope everybody on this and other boards get to shoot all the hogs they want untill they are all gone,that is right all gone.Won't happen but the mountains need us to get close...Upper

 

[bigworm]

I have heard the drug and alcohol problem has gotten out of hand here in California, but I had no idea it was this bad!

 

[upper]

Go ahead and have a half a beer WORM and read it again..Upper

 

[Flatbroke]

Deleted because of poor taste and too much alcohol after the NRA dinner carry on both riders, regular and short bus.

 

[Huntr Pat]

{quote}
Managing the population, yes. Eradication, hell No! They are too much fun to hunt.

NO matter how much huntig take place you will never eradicate them. Hogs are prolific breeders.
Just as bad as humans but who can control the human populations. Thank god no one is hunting us.
Ehtics is in the eye of the beholder. So is a Trophy boar or a deer. But its hunting and we enjoy it.

 

[hoofhearted]

Pat don't be so sure of that I heard that when the Marshins come they'll go after us fat ones first!

I have hunted VAFB 6 times myself and I only got to shoot at a lone bore once. one of these days I'll hit the hog I'm shooting at, and it won't be a wet sow!

 

[BGH831]

Computers dead haven't been able to respond. Preserve hunting yes! Preserve pigs no. We should be hunting hogs to get rid of them so hopefully we can all be hunting blacktail and tule elk and turkeys and all the creatures god put in your local area not what the spaniards dropped off. Yes it is fun as hell can't think of anything ealse I would want to do with my spare time but think there is plenty of oppertunity for high fence places for exotics and non native hunting. And not like any of us or our kids and grandkids won't have the opertunity. Pigs have been here for 400 years and guessing it would take another 400 to get rid of them.

 

[myfriendis410]

We have gone a bit off the track and I think it's naive to think that-

A: we CAN eliminate non-native animals and plants, and

B: as long as there is economic value to the land we are hunting i.e. cattle ranching and farming, you won't EVER go back to "the way it was". Dream on. In the meantime, I don't appreciate IDIOTS acting like SLOBS (was going to say pigs) and deny other people the opportunity to kill a nice hog. And by killing three wet sows with piglets, he is doing just exactly that! There are a lot of people who hunt Vandenberg that have never even SEEN a pig, and with bozo's like the one that sparked this thread around, I can see why.

Further-almost all of the pigs on the base are looking pretty sleek and healthy. That tells me that they are NOT over-populating the property and that is the result of sound management (hunting).

You want to bring back Tule elk and Blacktail deer, fine. I don't even know if there is a food overlap between hogs and deer/elk. Hogs are omnivores and the native deer are browsers--they like sage, manzanita, as well as whatever else is out there as well as the grasses hogs like. In fact, I see deer eating forbs and native perennials while ignoring wild oats.

You want to improve the deer/elk herd, start by controlling the human population (yeah, right). A couple of years ago, VAFB recorded something like 140 deer/car strikes in one year! (uniformly fatal to the deer)

It is because of their year 'round breeding habits that we can enjoy a "big game" animal like hogs all year long. There is no way on Earth you could justify hunting elk and deer all year long. So, again, dream on. Hog hunting is a resource that all of us hunters can enjoy as long as we tread a little lightly, thinking of the next hunter to come along, or yourself next year or the next. Come on, it ain't rocket science.

 

[BGH831]

Sux but money drives the destruction of the land. From cattle ranchers over grazing and planting non native and cutting trees and not replanting to the hunting operations that breed pigs and set no wet sow rules and manage thier numbers to make sure they have buisness all year long no matter how many hogs bred on thier property leave for the neighbors. But I think I'm going to stop on this one. Going to go drink a keg and do a few pounds of drugs!(that one's for bigworm!)

 

[ltdann]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (myfriendis410 @ May 18 2008, 04:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

There are a lot of people who hunt Vandenberg that have never even SEEN a pig, and with bozo's like the one that sparked this thread around, I can see why.[/b]

I've hunted Vandenburg, oh... about 17 years. I've seen 2 and shot 0. Not much of a hog hunter myself but I keep trying. Gonna try again this weekend. Anybody got any advice?

 

[pbrdog]

I'll be up there with a couple buddies thursday through sunday. Camping out at the area 4 campground. If ya see a dark green Titan, stop and say hi. I'll be the one with the weimaraner.

 

[ltdann]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pbrdog @ May 19 2008, 08:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I'll be up there with a couple buddies thursday through sunday. Camping out at the area 4 campground. If ya see a dark green Titan, stop and say hi. I'll be the one with the weimaraner.[/b]

I'll do that. I'll be driving with a green F-150 with a hula girl on the dash and a buck decal on the rear window. I'll be at the main campground. It promises to be a zoo, I'm sure.

Gonna hunt 4? Haven't made up my mind totally. There's a few spots in 4 I like and I'd like to look on the low side of three, maybe. As I understand it, the pigs are pretty much in every area now.

 

[DanV]

Sounds like you mid-coast guys should count your blessings , Hogs galore ! Maybe since they are so easy to catch down there ( run em down and ear them ) F&G or landowners that have a issue with them could trap a bunch and ship them to be released into the Payne's Ranch area west of Sacramento . Hell , I'd even come down and pick a trailer load or two up and transport them up here , imagine there is something illegal about that though ?

Way too many immigrants in this state to eradicate , if we did there would be no more , wild oats , stripers , catfish and most of our trout except for steelhead . Let see birds to mention just two. would have a lot of hunters crying , pheasants and chukars . All us gringos would be gone too, as stated above !

As a natural control for the hogs :
We could reintroduce grizzleys into our foothills , they were native to the Central Valley and the lower elevation hills . They have a liken for pork and we could hunt something that might hunt us back !

 

[ltdann]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DanV @ May 19 2008, 01:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Sounds like you mid-coast guys should count your blessings , Hogs galore ! Maybe since they are so easy to catch down there ( run em down and ear them ) F&G or landowners that have a issue with them could trap a bunch and ship them to be released into the Payne's Ranch area west of Sacramento . Hell , I'd even come down and pick a trailer load or two up and transport them up here , imagine there is something illegal about that though ?

Way too many immigrants in this state to eradicate , if we did there would be no more , wild oats , stripers , catfish and most of our trout except for steelhead . Let see birds to mention just two. would have a lot of hunters crying , pheasants and chukars . All us gringos would be gone too, as stated above !

As a natural control for the hogs :
We could reintroduce grizzleys into our foothills , they were native to the Central Valley and the lower elevation hills . They have a liken for pork and we could hunt something that might hunt us back ![/b]

Not as easy as these folks make it sound. Still tough hunting and some rugged terrain.

I like being near the top of the food chain, not part of it. Introducing grizzly's would lend a whole dimension to the hunting experience.

 

[richracer1]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ltdann @ May 19 2008, 09:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pbrdog @ May 19 2008, 08:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'll be up there with a couple buddies thursday through sunday. Camping out at the area 4 campground. If ya see a dark green Titan, stop and say hi. I'll be the one with the weimaraner.[/b]

I'll do that. I'll be driving with a green F-150 with a hula girl on the dash and a buck decal on the rear window. I'll be at the main campground. It promises to be a zoo, I'm sure.

Gonna hunt 4? Haven't made up my mind totally. There's a few spots in 4 I like and I'd like to look on the low side of three, maybe. As I understand it, the pigs are pretty much in every area now.
[/b][/quote]

Don't shoot a wet sow or you'll be blasted on here too.

 

[BUTCHER]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Huntr Pat @ May 5 2008, 07:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

But if it were my choice it which I have past on wet sows. I would let them walk and have before. If you spent $700 on a hunt and its the last day with no refunds if no kill. What would you do?[/b]

Well I have been in the position where I have gone out-of state (Oklahoma)and payed money to hunt hogs, and passed on a close shot at a large sow with 5 footballs running around her. I knew good and well I may not get another chance (I did get another chance but was still not succesfull) but i passed on her anyways. I'd rather eat a sow that wasn't all drawn-out from piglets, and didn't want to spend my money to be the killer of a mother of 5.

This was in Oklahoma where the population is hopelessly out of control. If I were hunting them in my home state of Oregon I would most certainly shoot a wet sow in a heartbeat. I'd try to take the piglets as well, but if they got away I wouldn't feel so bad.

They are not well established in Oregon, and there may still be hope at getting rid of them before the point of no return. They are very destructive and Oregon doesn't want them here. No season, no bag limit, no weapons restrictions.

 

[upper]

Where do you draw the Pig line? P.S. Pregnant and lactating sows are the best! Even in Oregon.........Upper