SUPER HOGS MAY INVADE THE US FROM CANADA

[M1A1ABRAMS]

Free ranging of hogs as a way to raise them has been common since the first settlements. Jamestown was so overrun with feral hogs that they had to build a stockade. Wall Street and the construction of the wall were threatened by freeranged hogs https://untappedcities.com/2013/07/...ts-wall-street-wall-almost-destroyed-by-pigs/

My father grew up in east Texas, and part of his chores were to turn the hogs out in the morning (to forage the bottoms) and he would be responsible for whistling up the hogs in the evenings. He didn't always return with the same number he let loose. Sometimes there were more and sometimes less. Every so often, neighbors would return errant hogs. Some were gone forever.

So it wasn't so much that hogs escaped as much as they just failed to come back home. With that said, I don't doubt some hogs actually did escape from confined pens and such, but a tremendous number of ranchers historically just free ranged their hogs. HOWEVER, the biggest problem since the 80s has been the intentional trapping and relocating of hogs to new areas. Laws have had to be passed to help slow this activity. After all, after hundreds of years of ranching and free ranging of hogs across the country, it is interesting that they have only very recently (last 40 years) become a true problem with hogs appearing in areas where they apparently weren't previously.

Possibly to the lack of hunters and a place to hunt. Just my guess

 

[billflangjr813]

Got a rare pic of one. Sometimes too fast for shutter speed.

View attachment 441087

Now, That's a Big Hog !!!

 

[scpaul]

Don't forget that they have big boar in Europe and Asia (Rushun bore).

 

[trubkir17]

I saw this on the news...crazy...first we get the Canadian Grey Wolf that kills 80 percent of our elk heards and now this ....

The Grey wolf didn't just wander down there. Somebody wanted wolves and decided to transplant some.
I went to a talk by a guy who studies wolves in Northern Alberta. He said then when the bison calve the wolves are focused solely on eating the newborn calves. I imagine it is the same with all other prey species for that oversized dog.

 

[memtb]

Now, That's a Big Hog !!!

A big hog…..but, I've got just the right rifle and bullet to take it out! memtb

 

[scpaul]

The Grey wolf didn't just wander down there. Somebody wanted wolves and decided to transplant some.
I went to a talk by a guy who studies wolves in Northern Alberta. He said then when the bison calve the wolves are focused solely on eating the newborn calves. I imagine it is the same with all other prey species for that oversized dog.

We have some that I don't think that wolves can deal with. Hogs can have 3 litters a year and they run in bigger packs than wolves. Their cutters can open up a dog like a machete. I've killed a very big one that I think was actually following me. If I tell you how big HE was you would think I'm either crazy or a liar.

 

[scpaul]

Now, That's a Big Hog !!!

Is that a Boss Hog with twin blowers? If so, small or big block?

 

[scpaul]

Possibly to the lack of hunters and a place to hunt. Just my guess

They have been a problem for years. Now it's really snowballing. They used to pretty much stay in the swamp but now are having to expand their area. They are omnivores, they will eat ANYTHING.

 

[crazymonkey]

Feed them a bullet and watch them drop. If they are super hogs I guess I'll need to use the 375 on them just to make sure there dead.

 

[kgarrett]

View attachment 430779

I've been following the Canadian Hog Problem pretty closely for the last few years... and the problem is growing.

Provinces have taken different approaches so far;

In Alberta, they'll pay you for a pair of ears

Saskatchewan says, shoot 'em if you got em

Manitoba is still trying to figure out what to do

But Ontario says DONT shoot them. Trust the government to trap and euthanize. According to some study they did, hunting of hogs only fractures the pods and creates stress, which causes them to breed more rapidly...

Yep although the Alberta government has eliminated the bounty as no one was successfully collecting them. They become nocturnal with hunting pressure and need to be eradicated by trapping and other methods as hunting doesn't control them effectively. They reproduce too fast and too often.

They are still classified as an invasive species though so you can shoot them year round here in AB.

 

[Hand Skills]

Looks like they actually raised the bounty for trappers. Administered by County, of course. $75 for a set of ears is not bad!

It's good to see some thought going into the program.

Wild Boar Control Program

The Alberta government has developed this program as part of the effort to mitigate the spread of wild boar at large.

www.alberta.ca

 

[kgarrett]

Looks like they actually raised the bounty for trappers. Administered by County, of course. $75 for a set of ears is not bad!

It's good to see some thought going into the program.

Wild Boar Control Program

The Alberta government has developed this program as part of the effort to mitigate the spread of wild boar at large.

www.alberta.ca

Huh, not what I heard was going to happen. Always pays to actually check the reg's. From what I've read, these hybrid hogs are more resilient to the cold weather than expected. And, as others have said, they are extremely destructive to crops, ecosystems, and native wildlife. As omnivores, they'll eat anything including deer fawns, nesting birds, etc. They root in the ground for food and make a hell of a mess. Because they breed year round and have large broods they outcompete native game. Shooting them will make them nocturnal, but won't eliminate them anymore than it will coyotes.

Between CWD, hogs, increased predator numbers and increased human activity and loss of native habitat our big game opportunities here in western Alberta are really dropping off IMO. I'd like to see a dedicated culling program for wild pigs in Alberta including trapping, the use of night hunting. Unfortunately, due to firearms/hunting/silencer regulations would have to be done by professionals.

 

[scpaul]

Huh, not what I heard was going to happen. Always pays to actually check the reg's. From what I've read, these hybrid hogs are more resilient to the cold weather than expected. And, as others have said, they are extremely destructive to crops, ecosystems, and native wildlife. As omnivores, they'll eat anything including deer fawns, nesting birds, etc. They root in the ground for food and make a hell of a mess. Because they breed year round and have large broods they outcompete native game. Shooting them will make them nocturnal, but won't eliminate them anymore than it will coyotes.

Between CWD, hogs, increased predator numbers and increased human activity and loss of native habitat our big game opportunities here in western Alberta are really dropping off IMO. I'd like to see a dedicated culling program for wild pigs in Alberta including trapping, the use of night hunting. Unfortunately, due to firearms/hunting/silencer regulations would have to be done by professionals.

You don't need to cull, you need to eradicate. Some of your officials need to come down here during p nut season so that they can get a good look at the damage that is in the future for whatever they find to be their favorite food.
Don't forget how aggressive they get. I've been put in a tree 3x. You are stalking around and get between a sow and her piglets and the next thing, you have 1 ticked off mommy.

 

[crazymonkey]

You'll never get rid of them when people can make big $$$ on them . Texas has some of the largest numbers of pigs and the state has done some to help . But if 97% of the state is private and they can charge to hunt there is a problem. You hear that they charge so they can recoupe losses but if they wanted them gone it would be free to remove them . California is just now going to start by changing the pigs from a game species to evasive and charge a 1 time tag for the year starting next year. But it's still big$$$ as a guided pig hunt is 1200 bucks or more.