Texas Losing The Feral Hog Fight

[rhino]

They had a tool to combat this called Warfarin but public opinion made them choose to not use it. Hunting isn't the cure because as a population thins in an area there is more food for the rest and reproduction rates increase. Kansas and Nebraska have programs that are somewhat effective as they do not allow hunting of the hogs. Government contractors/hunters go in and trap/kill them. Since there isn't an incentive to have them around, hog hunters have no incentive to bring in more. Trapping is far more effective than hunting. In Texas, the hog lifestyle is so much a part of their culture now they will never allow getting rid of all of them. There is a good series on YouTube about this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTIxox-46Aw

Can the pigs with atrial fibrillation or blood clotting issues like DVT still use it?

 

[AGarbers]

Can the pigs with atrial fibrillation or blood clotting issues like DVT still use it?

As long as their veterinarian authorizes it.

 

[Leadeye]

I would bet that with an aggressive campaign of traps, poison, habitat eradication and hunting you could wipe out any species in an area.

 

[ghitch75]

this.....

[video=youtube;y0ss6gCPNs4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0ss6gCPNs4&list=PLehA_SjZ6sIzqYz8XaAdgUkT ZNet_dlzF[/video]

 

[Cameramonkey]

this.....

[video=youtube;y0ss6gCPNs4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0ss6gCPNs4&list=PLehA_SjZ6sIzqYz8XaAdgUkT ZNet_dlzF[/video]

Sounded cool at first but not a fan after watching it. Not exactly humane. Kudos for the follow up mercy shots, though. (but you wont see me butthurt about it protesting or anything)

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

If bountys or dollars per animal are enough money, some will turn it into a full-time job. When enough do it as a full-time job that species will be controlled or eliminated. History proves it.

I would bet that with an aggressive campaign of traps, poison, habitat eradication and hunting you could wipe out any species in an area.

In theory, maybe, but history hasn't really proved that it would work for either Coyotes or feral hogs. With every species that I can think of that has been driven to extinction in N. America, hunting was only a partial factor, with habitat destruction being a bigger factor, along with the species not being especially prolific.

With Coyotes and feral hogs being as prolific as they are, and with the great habitats that they occupy, it would really take some doing to eradicate them.

I've shot Coyotes, but I've never shot a hog. The way I look at it, they both give great opportunities for sport, but I'm just not sure that hunters limit their numbers to any great effect.

 

[Blakec221]

I’ve never hog hunted in Texas but I assume what used to be a easy task of asking a farmer to hunt hogs on his land and him being greatful for every one taken has turned into “outfitters” leasing the farmers land which would be a win win for the farmer so that the outfitter can sell hunts. Now you have less people going out killing hogs at their free will.

Greed is killing the sport of hunting for most people unless you have deep pockets for a lease these days.

 

[ru44mag]

This one is better. When pigs fly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbUxPFcaTu4

 

[ru44mag]

Seems like with so many hogs running around, they could figure out a way to get the price of bacon to come down.

 

[two70]

First, there are plenty of low cost, high value hunting options to be found in Texas, one just has to invest more time and effort than a 5 minute google search.

Second, I'm not sure why so many expect to be provided with something of value for free or nearly so but for those that do, $100 gets you a 5 day non-resident hunting license and access to tens of thousands of acres of public land with hogs via an public land hunting permit. Of course, this requires one to do the work of researching opportunities, invest the effort in finding the hogs, and put in the effort to retrieve and process kills. Most insist on having nice accommodations, a guide and someone to process the kill for them and wonder why it costs so much.

Third, those serious about reducing hogs on their property employ trappers instead of entertaining hunters. Those that seek to entertain hunters have made the decision that living with hogs and charging fees to hunt them is more advantageous than trying to eliminate them. Having made the decision to live with the hogs, they charge accordingly and find plenty of people who have money but lack time or the willingness to put in the effort.

Like most things in life, you can have cheap, easy or plentiful, pick two of the three.

You wouldn't know they were losing by what they charge for licenses and access for out of state hunters. I won't feel too much sympathy until they make it a bit easier for me to go down there and help out.

A whole whopping $48 bucks for a out of state license is really that much of an impediment to hunting hogs in Texas?

 

[JettaKnight]

Straight from the Texan's mouth...

I was googling before I replied and didn't see his post, but here's a good example. https://www.independenceranch.com/h...7tV3GnKOLB2XWrIJ2nACaxnQyvEjfY_hoCSMEQAvD_BwE
$399 for three nights seems reasonable until you get to the fine print. $100 per hunter for a guide fee isn't bad, I'd pay that without being required to. Cleaning fees at $1 per pound and only the staff can clean, that's where it gets into ridiculous.

Plus $48 to the state...


For being a problem, there's a big economic benefit to it.

 

[ATOMonkey]

Hoosiers are the most prolific hunters on the planet. In less than 100 years of setting foot in this territory, we killed off everything bigger than a rabbit, with muzzle loading rifles.

The Indiana State Seal depicts a hunter killing the last Bison with an axe for goodness sake!!

 

[NKBJ]

Northeast of Houston our backyard looked like it was roto-tilled.
A neighbors son brought in his traps and hauled out ten in no time.
Up by Mexia my brothers dog runs the thundering herd out of his driveway.
Something to understand about Texas game laws; regs are written to enrich the land owners and keep control of the peasantry. If you want to charge thousands to shoot specially bred and nourished tame muy grandes then regs are your friend. If you want a plate of squirrel and dumplings then you're the problem.

 

[rhino]

I think you missed the point. The issue isn't what you mention below, but rather those land owners who clutch their pearls and whine about their hog problem and THEN try to charge people for the privilege of helping them solve the problem. Either it's a problem and you will deal with (or ask for help), or it's a resource and you capitalize on it with a business. To beg for help and then ask to be paid . . . that's bad form.

First, there are plenty of low cost, high value hunting options to be found in Texas, one just has to invest more time and effort than a 5 minute google search.

Second, I'm not sure why so many expect to be provided with something of value for free or nearly so but for those that do, $100 gets you a 5 day non-resident hunting license and access to tens of thousands of acres of public land with hogs via an public land hunting permit. Of course, this requires one to do the work of researching opportunities, invest the effort in finding the hogs, and put in the effort to retrieve and process kills. Most insist on having nice accommodations, a guide and someone to process the kill for them and wonder why it costs so much.

Third, those serious about reducing hogs on their property employ trappers instead of entertaining hunters. Those that seek to entertain hunters have made the decision that living with hogs and charging fees to hunt them is more advantageous than trying to eliminate them. Having made the decision to live with the hogs, they charge accordingly and find plenty of people who have money but lack time or the willingness to put in the effort.

Like most things in life, you can have cheap, easy or plentiful, pick two of the three.



A whole whopping $48 bucks for a out of state license is really that much of an impediment to hunting hogs in Texas?

 

[Thor]

this.....

[video=youtube;y0ss6gCPNs4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0ss6gCPNs4&list=PLehA_SjZ6sIzqYz8XaAdgUkT ZNet_dlzF[/video]

They apparently needed some expanding ring shrapnel. No follow up shots needed.

 

[ru44mag]

These guys seem to be having fun.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl4hCsYWHTo

 

[JettaKnight]

These guys seem to be having fun.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl4hCsYWHTo

Yeah, that looks fun!
[video=youtube;hl4hCsYWHTo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl4hCsYWHTo[/video]


Remember to remove the 's' when embedding videos.

 

[dung]

That tannerite didnt exactly look humane.

 

[fullmetaljesus]

Hoosiers are the most prolific hunters on the planet. In less than 100 years of setting foot in this territory, we killed off everything bigger than a rabbit, with muzzle loading rifles.

The Indiana State Seal depicts a hunter killing the last Bison with an axe for goodness sake!!

 

[Leadeye]

Those guys need something like an MG-42 with a thermal sight on it while the animals are bunched up.