Feral Hog Info
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Bob Wright
Well-Known Member
I know I'll get "pushback" on my comments, so here it is.
If ranchers and landowners and guides are "charging fees" to allow a person(s) to take care of a problem animal population, then there isn't a problem. Because more hogs means more money, there is no desire to burn down the money tree that hogs appear to be.
So, whether my state has feral hogs is debatable, it apparently is bringing money into businesses across the US whom generally manage to make money off of a purported disaster in the making. Why would these feral hogs go the way of the carrier pigeon?
Plus, even if there was a workable strategy to eradicate feral hogs, it would be a range war between the feds and private landowners simply unwilling to allow eradication efforts and masses of outsiders to descend on those properties.
If ranchers and landowners and guides are "charging fees" to allow a person(s) to take care of a problem animal population, then there isn't a problem. Because more hogs means more money, there is no desire to burn down the money tree that hogs appear to be.
So, whether my state has feral hogs is debatable, it apparently is bringing money into businesses across the US whom generally manage to make money off of a purported disaster in the making. Why would these feral hogs go the way of the carrier pigeon?
Plus, even if there was a workable strategy to eradicate feral hogs, it would be a range war between the feds and private landowners simply unwilling to allow eradication efforts and masses of outsiders to descend on those properties.
It's not just about money, it's about controlling free access.
Think of it like this, would you want any bozo out there shooting in, around or near your cattle or your neighbor's cattle?
If you have never had a hog problem, count your blessings, but don't blame the farmer or rancher for charging/leasing the land to try to somewhat control who comes and goes. The liability alone in an accident would exceed any revenue.
You may not like it or understand it, but if you have hunted public access, then you see where the potential problem is, now make it a 1000 fold worse because 90% of pig hunting is done in the dark.
Think of it like this, would you want any bozo out there shooting in, around or near your cattle or your neighbor's cattle?
If you have never had a hog problem, count your blessings, but don't blame the farmer or rancher for charging/leasing the land to try to somewhat control who comes and goes. The liability alone in an accident would exceed any revenue.
You may not like it or understand it, but if you have hunted public access, then you see where the potential problem is, now make it a 1000 fold worse because 90% of pig hunting is done in the dark.
I can sure see both sides of this one. I used to feel the same as Bob about the access to get rid of, or thin out problem animals. A rancher that I know looses a lot of hay to elk during the winter. I asked why he does not let more hunters on his place to thin them out. One of his wife's horses was shot by a hunter several years earlier. He will only let one or two hunters at a time on his place now, and only with him or one of his hands. Of course a hired hand escorting a hunter costs money and the loss of a good horse would cost a lot more. We don't have feral hogs here in Wyoming, and I hope we don't get any.
The quiet part out loud...
If you want to get rid of an invasive species make it illegal to charge to hunt them. Landowners will want them gunned down as quick as possible and none will survive on public lands.
Where has making it illegal to hunt or charge to hunt any invasive species worked for controlling the invasive species?
You are suggesting that the government will tell me that I cannot earn a profit off hunting an invasive species that is consuming the resources that I own???? And that the aforementioned "government" is going to handle the problem for me.....in a timely fashion.....at no charge without any damage to my property?
They can't control the border....what makes you think they could control feral hogs?
Private land owners and basically no limit on who, what, when and how you can kill feral hogs is one if not the only solution that has put a dent in their numbers.
Public land in the great state of TEXAS makes up less than 5% of our land mass. So go ahead and kill 100% of the hogs that cross onto or live on public land here.
Heres the loud part you kept quiet.....
"I'm from the government and I'm here to help you" gtfoh with that nonsense! More government involvement is rarely if ever the answer to ANY problem!
Buffalobwana
Well-Known Member
How would this eradicate pigs?
If you think Hogs are an expensive problem, wait until you let people in that want to hunt for free.
I used to be acquainted with a farmer who was complaining about the hog damage to their crops. I offered to kill them and they refused - not sure why. They knew me well and knew I was adept at hunting.
I do think many people would rather make money of it than open it up for free. I can understand vetting people but hunting will most likely not stop the problem and they are only making it worse.
I do think many people would rather make money of it than open it up for free. I can understand vetting people but hunting will most likely not stop the problem and they are only making it worse.
Lot of interesting angles here. Not a new issue, that's for sure.
I think it was 2005 or maybe 06 it was decided that something needed to be done on then Fort Benning (now Fort Moore). Hogs were eating up everything and ruining any small stream bed they moved into.
So, they implemented a $25 per bounty on them. I remember buying a new rem 700 in 308 with only part of the money that I collected that first year.
My point is, if it was causing a monetary damage to any great degree, perhaps the money would be on the other side of the equation. There are numerous other examples of this.
Just my 2 cents. Either way I like to hunt hogs and I think they make a good meal not sure I'd pay a lot to do it though.
I think it was 2005 or maybe 06 it was decided that something needed to be done on then Fort Benning (now Fort Moore). Hogs were eating up everything and ruining any small stream bed they moved into.
So, they implemented a $25 per bounty on them. I remember buying a new rem 700 in 308 with only part of the money that I collected that first year.
My point is, if it was causing a monetary damage to any great degree, perhaps the money would be on the other side of the equation. There are numerous other examples of this.
Just my 2 cents. Either way I like to hunt hogs and I think they make a good meal not sure I'd pay a lot to do it though.
Buffalobwana
Well-Known Member
The idea that ranchers want them as an income stream is preposterous.
Ranchers will let people trap them for free but most will not let just anyone hunt for a fee.
Plus, every bit of ground in most states that have deer is leased and the pigs usually go with the lease.
If it's not leased, a lot of these bigger ranches bear the hefty cost of helicopter eradication.
So that argument that ranchers want them around for income holds no water with me.
Ranchers will let people trap them for free but most will not let just anyone hunt for a fee.
Plus, every bit of ground in most states that have deer is leased and the pigs usually go with the lease.
If it's not leased, a lot of these bigger ranches bear the hefty cost of helicopter eradication.
So that argument that ranchers want them around for income holds no water with me.
Machado5150
New Member
We have been very effective at "thinning" out the hog population through a combination of trapping and hunting, with of course the cooperation of the land owners in the area. Not only did they not charge anything, they gave us corn and even paid for some of our fuel and time. But, we were effective with visible results, eliminating over 1,000 hogs from the area had a tremendous positive impact for the farmers, and they were definitely appreciative. But, like what has been mentioned on this thread above, I would not pay anyone to kill a pest, it takes a lot of work and there are a lot of sleepless night to be effective at nuisance animal removal, it's like having a second full time job and most aren't willing to put that much into it.
If they are paying for them to be shot from helicopters, I'd say the money is on the other side in that particular instance.
I also agree, there are a lot of irresponsible people who probably should not be turned loose on someone's place.
It's an interesting problem. Not one I'm familiar with on a grander scale like out west. It's a whole different game out in the open country. I went from El Paso all the way to Alaska and I don't think there was but about 6 trees from El Paso to Canada
I also agree, there are a lot of irresponsible people who probably should not be turned loose on someone's place.
It's an interesting problem. Not one I'm familiar with on a grander scale like out west. It's a whole different game out in the open country. I went from El Paso all the way to Alaska and I don't think there was but about 6 trees from El Paso to Canada
westexhunt
Well-Known Member
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I'm a rancher first and hunter second. Didn't take time to read all the comments in this thread but I'm dropping my two cents. Helicopter hunting aside, where I ranch it doesn't matter how many hunters you let in or how good they are they will not kill more than a single digit percentage of the hogs in the area. It's too thick and the hogs are smart. We let the helicopter guys in a couple times, I watched the first guys shoot a small percentage and leaving the rest for the next bunch of paying hunters and that same group let hogs out of my trap to shoot. They were asked to leave and not return. The last bunch of helicopter hunters was better and they did fair job of thinning the herd but they didn't stay around long enough to get them all as they needed to move to keep the next bunch of customers shooting. I've got three traps, one being a Pig Brig, that is the most effective method I've found for deleting them in 35 yrs of dealing with hogs.
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I've never hunted pigs at night but from what I've seen on public land during the day with some of the idiots (not people on here) as a landowner I would be very very scared to let people hunt on my place. A few bad experiences have made me pretty cautious when around people I don't assume they have common sense any more.
