Feral hogs
If you go down to the woods today

Dec 4th 2008 | ST LOUIS
From The Economist print edition




AP Millions more to go

AUTUMN is a time for country walks, and, if you are that way inclined, for a spot of bang-bang. But hunters and hikers alike are liable to come face to face with a nasty surprise: a growing number of feral hogs, the destructive descendants of domesticated animals, are stalking America.

During its short and brutal life, a feral hog may grow to become a monster of several hundred pounds, covered with bristly hair and fronted with a set of fierce, killing tusks. One hog shot in Georgia in 2004 lives on in legend as Hogzilla because of the claim, disputed by some, that it was 12 feet long (almost four metres) and weighed 1,000lb (about 450kg).

There are thought to be between 4m and 5m feral hogs at large in America, spread across 38 states. The biggest population is in Texas, but states from Florida to Oregon are infested and worried. Feral hogs destroy the habitats of plants and animals, spread diseases, damage crops, kill and eat the eggs and young of wildlife and sometimes menace people with their aggressive behaviour.

The problem originated with the Spanish conquistadors, who took herds of pigs with them as they marched across the American continent. Stragglers reverted to their wild state. Much later “sportsmen” began releasing hogs into reserves for commercial hunting. More recently still declining pork prices have induced farmers to turn some of their stock loose rather than continue feeding them. Pigs produce so many piglets that a feral herd can double or even triple within as little as a year.

Governments and individuals across the country are getting involved. In 2000 Missouri adopted a shoot-on-sight policy with no restrictions on time or place. Other states are encouraging the trapping, poisoning and snaring of the beasts. “Hog dogs” have been trained to track down the herd for hunters. In many states aerial hunting from helicopters has been employed as a pricey but effective solution. But the creatures are intelligent and adaptable, so these efforts are not keeping pace with the exploding feral hog population. Missouri recently made it a crime to knowingly release pigs from confinement. However, the herds continue to grow and spread. Take care.

the cop out way .. so they just shoot them.. ...

Flowers2 said:

What are they going to do? catch and domesticate them?

NoChances said:

catch them, ship them somewhere else .. they don't have to shoot them.. this is what they do to all animals they feel are over populating, they shoot them.... and technically it's not the animals over populating, it's the 'humans' taking over the animal's homes and they won't stop building over animal's territory ..

Flowers2 said:

If I see one of those things I'm going to shoot it.





I wouldn't want it attacking me.

I've encountered a few of these in Hawaii in the places I work there. I'm by no means in favor of wanton killing of animals, but these things need to be eradicated.

They sound so...







so...















YUMMY!!! BBQ anyone?

RenHoek said:

you'll be called a heartless carnivore.....


however.....I agree...

reneGade20 said:

I like thoughtful omnivore but... whatever!


my backyard, wife's b-day '08...

I've eaten them. They're not very good.

This is what we deal with here in Southern Arizona.....we know them as Havalinas, thought wikipedia refers to them as Collared Peccarys....pain in the ass, especially when they dump your garbage....

RenHoek said:

The ever-dangerous ninja vegetarian does not deal in semantics....be sure to hire extra security the next time you put one of them things on a spit...

I know someone who hunts them with a bow and arrows.
Then he eats them.

SUPRMAN said:

now THAT'S the way it should be done...

link it up people, link it up.
http://prince.org/msg/7/290910

xX13Xx said:

what are you implying? lol what does this have to do with feral hogs? lol

SUPRMAN said:

Charlotte's Web: Part II - Wilbur Cuts Loose!