Posted on 01/28/2024 11:54:55 AM PST by nickcarraway
Texas Agriculture suffers millions of dollars in damages from the invasion of feral hogs. So, Texas wants to know, what’s causing this feral hog invasion, and how do we deal with it?
Texas has the biggest feral hog population in the United States. It started as another grazing mouth on our landscape, but now it’s overpopulated and causing a problem for agricultural life.
“Pigs compete with native wildlife for forage,” Mike Bodenchuk, former state director of the Texas Wildlife Services Program, said. “They alter habitats, they foul the water sources. They predate on a lot of wildlife as well. Reptiles, ground-nesting birds, even fawns from deer can fall victim to feral hogs.”
And it’s not just agriculture and the ecosystem that the wild pigs impact. It’s causing issues for our farmers as well.
“I travel around the state to district meetings, county meetings… to discuss the issues that our members are facing,” President of the Texas Farmers Bureau, Russell Boening, said. “And there is one topic that is pretty much universal when you talk about issues facing farmers and ranchers and that's feral hogs.”
How has Texas tried to solve this dilemma? Governmental programs are trying to control the population. There are also business owners like Edward Dickey who own services to capture the feral hogs.
“The way the traps work is that they’re larger,” said Dickey. “They're made up of 12, eight-foot wide metal panels. But at the bottom of them, the holes are smaller so that the piglets can slip through.”
I read an article published by a F&G biologist in Oregon that stated you have to reduce the population of wild pigs by 70% annually to maintain a level population. That’s how fast they breed.
I have watched videos of guys in helicopters shooting them from the air.
I would NOT want to tangle with one of those hogs!
For a moment I thought I was reading a modest proposal.
Herd them towards the nearest mosque.
Open season, no limit.
How does feral hog taste compared to domestic hog?
We can’t even control the flood of illegal aliens and we’re supposed to do something about wild pigs now?
Send the Border Patrol to deal with it. They’ve got some free time right now.
Move them down to the border.
“..I read an article published by a F&G biologist in Oregon that stated you have to reduce the population of wild pigs by 70% annually to maintain a level population. That’s how fast they breed...”
Yep....they average three litters per year with anywhere from 8 to 12 offspring per litter. It doesn’t take em long to overrun an area. We shoot em all the time, but it’s not enough to even begin putting a dent in the population.
FWIW, the smaller (200-300lb) sows make for some good eating.
You’re BACK! Yahoooo!
I knew things were sluggish around here...just couldn’t pinpoint why.
Depends on what they’re foraging on. If it’s primarily acorns, just drag them into a hole and walk away.
I think I know what you were thinking...
One of my best friends owns a ranch in Texas. He has two Irish Wolf Hounds. They tear wild boars apart. He also goes out several times a month and is a crack shot. Lot of dead hogs on his land. Well not so much anymore — they’re smart enough to stay away.
Texas also has some good laws on the books about hunting feral hogs.
You mean the border between New Jersey and New York, right?
Hog: We got cheated. The New York City hog troughs they promised are only for welfare loafers and illegal aliens. Just tax money in those things.
Was he harvesting the meat?
My understanding is that's the law in Texas. Also, if you have the landowner's permission to enter his property, you don't even need a hunting license. (I'm not a Texas lawyer -- that's what my Texas friend ranch owner told me.)
It’s great.
Pit it,BBQ it and don’t be shy on the vinegar mustard sauce.
Mmmmm mmmmm mmmmm!
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