Hunters going airborne in war against hogs (in Texas. Ashley Judd will be devastated! Buy more ammo)

KLTV ^ | 2/20/09 | Bob Hallmark

[Libloather]

Hunters going airborne in war against hogs
Posted: Feb 20, 2009 05:43 PM EST
By Bob Hallmark - bio - email

EAST TEXAS (KLTV) - The proposed bill that would let hunters bag feral hogs from helicopters is good news for ranchers like Bob Griffin. He said he has had massive destruction of his hay and grazing fields by the massive pests.

"I think its a good idea its probably a much more efficient way of thinning them out that other ways," said Griffin. "They have to do whatever they can do to get the numbers down."

Hunters will have the advantage of speed and maneuverability, something the state is already using.

"Hunting is already done by helicopter by one of the state agencies they do hunt hogs in West Texas," said Dennis Smith, a Gregg County Agricultural Agent. "It's very effective in areas where they can see."

But most hunters worry about all of the things that could go wrong in an airborne hunt.

"[I] don't agree with it at all," said Tracy Vincent, a hunter. "From a safety standpoint, simply that you're taking someone's accuracy of shooting a high powered rifle and hoping that you don't hit something you shouldn't hit."

"[A] stray bullet, especially in a populated area like East Texas [with] too many houses, too many pipelines, oil and gas pipelines all over the ground," said Wade Johnson, a hunter.

Experts estimate there are over 2-million feral hogs in Texas, but aerial hunts may not be effective in East Texas.

"But in East Texas it wouldn't work," said Dennis Smith. "We've got way too much cover."

The proposed bill has not yet reached a state legislative committee. To do this, hunters would have to spend around 200 to 300 dollars to charter a helicopter for hunting. Many hunters had an alternative - put a cash bounty on feral hogs.

[Libloather]

Can the news helicopter be used?

Defenders' Campaign Takes Next Step In Exposing Palin's Extreme Anti-Conservation Agenda
Aerial wolf killing TV ad featuring Ashley Judd will air to coincide with National Governors Association conference

It was with shocking disbelief I just watched this commercial air in the Washington metro area. The feelings I had when I first watched the video of the aerial killings of wolves in Alaska resurfaced immediately -- feelings of shock, dismay and despair -- as if I were seeing these scenes for the first time.

I had read these commercials were going to start to air, but seeing it unexpectedly caught me off guard. I simply wanted to sit down and wail at the sight of the wolf being shot from the air, and desperately biting his wounds the bullets left on his hind quarters. The absolute cruelty of the slaying of these animals is beyond comprehension -- what kind of human being does this, or condones it?

OH, MY GOD, HOW CAN PEOPLE BE SO BARBARIC?

The advertisement is a vivid recapture of all the gruesome facts we learned during the election. Kudos, Ashley Judd, for standing up and speaking out.

I hope I captured the name of the website correctly in the title of this thread. I will check it out in the next few minutes.

And yes, we certainly do need to keep an eye on Sarah Palin -- as ill as it makes us feel -- and we need to announce to the Country we intend to do so.

Thank you, Ashley Judd.

http://www.eyeonpalin.org/

[redstateconfidential]

Wow Ashley Judd,shes a real POS!

[hadaclueonce]

The clowns are back in Austin.

The problem with Texas meeting every two years is that the clowns thing they have to propose a law change.

Once elected, the clowns need their names in the news for something.

I am a founding member of the “leave me the hell alone” party.

[wolfcreek]

Last weekend in a wildlife management area in my county...110 pigs shot from helicopter by TPW. There are still plenty out there.

[sinanju]

Culling is not to be confused with sport hunting.

It’s dirty job but someone’s got to do it.

One problem as I read from Alaska sourdough accounts of aerial wolf killing, is the danger. Especially considering the low altitude and most especially when it’s the same person doing the flying AND shooting.

[mnehring]

woo hoo, this is right around here. I need to see if I can catch a ride.

[AnAmericanMother]

Trying to shoot a rifle while flying is even dumber than trying to shoot a camera while flying.

Take a buddy along, and DON'T try to see what he's doing. Fly the *)&^(&*^ chopper!

I worked on a cattle ranch that used a Hughes 301B (remember THOSE) to round up cattle in the outlying pastures. The pilot piloted and the spotter told him where to go. Otherwise we would have been picking up the pieces.

Me, I rode fence on a good old fashioned Quarter Horse. He looked where he was going when I forgot.

[Farmer Dean]

Are these critters suitable for BBQ?Getting them on the menu is a surefire way of reducing their population.

[AnAmericanMother]

My folks live in S. GA and there are feral hogs on the island. They are a nuisance and a menace. They dig up people's yards like a ditch witch gone mad, and they disembowel dogs (no people yet).

One of the scariest things I ever did was walk in from the causeway gate late one night because we didn't have the gate access code and my parents didn't answer the phone (they were sound asleep). I was tiptoeing along the sand road and listening attentively for any sound of roaming hogs. Fortunately I had a 1911A1 and a couple of extra magazines in my pocket to keep me company.

[mnehring]

the full grown wild ones are hit and miss, not the same as you would think of wild boar, the wild hogs here are a hybred that can taste nasty (or great depending on what it eats)

[Richard Kimball]

I am a founding member of the “leave me the hell alone” party

So am I, but it's hard to get everybody together. Every time I send out an invitation that says, "leave me the hell alone, Tuesday, 7 PM" nobody shows up.

[wolfcreek]

The small ones under 20 lbs. or so. People I know soak them in ice water fro 3 or 4 days to get the gaminess out of them.

Cleaning one is a different story. They have so much what we call tallow or fat, you can't hardly keep a grip on you knife. http://www.texasboars.com/

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

**Are these critters suitable for BBQ?Getting them on the menu is a surefire way of reducing their population.***

Pseudorabies on the hoof! Yummy!

[GVnana]

"Ashley Judd will be devastated."

Send photo.

[tubebender]

Don’t show this to your grandson...

[SouthTexas]

We may have to go in search of old anti-aircraft guns!

[Libloather]

Send photo.

Alright, she isn't EXACTLY breaking down in tears here but I SWEAR she's gonna be pissed! (And has ANYONE ever mentioned the carbon footprint left by her husband?)

[greatdefender]

This sounds like the job for.........Uncle Ted!!!!!

[SouthTexas]

LOL, could very well be.

[GVnana]

Thanks, but I really want the “devastated” photo.