North America Facing ‘Time-Bomb’ Explosion of Massive Feral Hogs Population – IOTW Report

North America Facing ‘Time-Bomb’ Explosion of Massive Feral Hogs Population

Wednesday, 23 September 2020, 12:30 MJA Uncategorized 45

Outsider:

The United States is on the brink of a major large pig ‘time bomb’ with the number of the feral hogs increasing in huge numbers.

Dr. Jack Mayer, a research scientist and zoologist who has been researching wild pigs for 40 years, warns that the hogs’ numbers will continue to increase until something catastrophic like a swine flu epidemic slows their numbers.

“It’s a crazy situation with everything that’s happened in what I call the Pig Bomb, which has exploded in North America,” said Mayer.

Out of Control Numbers

The population of wild hogs in Texas alone is between two to six million. States like Florida, California, and Georgia also have significant populations of the feral pigs. There are thought to be around nine million of the feral swine in 39 states across the country. They are also expanding at a rate of 35,000 square miles a year. more

h/t systemically confused

45 Comments on North America Facing ‘Time-Bomb’ Explosion of Massive Feral Hogs Population

  4. Russia, Russia, Russian, yaddah, yaddah, yaddah, murder hornets, murder hornets, murder hornets… …. … Release the Pig Bomb!

    Actually this is good. When society collapses those of us with guns will have an easer time collecting ‘wild game’. It sounds like I need to add Famous Dave’s BBQ sauce to my list of preps.

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  5. I live outside of Houston, and this is something we’ve been dealing with for a while. What the article doesn’t mention is that the twice a year litters are usually 7-10 piglets, and those female piglets start reproducing in 12-18 months!

    Last year a woman in the area was killed by a boar in her driveway. 130 lb woman vs 200 lb boar—

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  10. Nothing new here. These feral hogs have been living in the District of Corruption and in Northern Virginia for decades, and nobody seems to be able to stop them from feeding at the public trough.

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  21. I’m with Bob.
    I’m reading this as a primer for this Nov. Basically it’s an argument for going to the range and working on your medium size game skills. You know, shot placement, range and windage, etc.
    Because come November, feral “hogs” will be a problem all over the US

    10

  22. FWIW, the MT Department of Fish Wildlife and Parks so far has forbidden citizens to shoot the damned things. They claimed last year that permitting hunting would only encourage we the stupid to import or breed more for fun and profit. I hope the Legislature takes some positive action to force that department to act reasonably during the next session, early next year. There were reports some months ago that they soon may be seen up on the MT Highline, crossing over from Canada.

    Conservative Cowgirl: If the State acts rationally and opens a season on these damned things, I’ll buy you lunch at a great place here in Nolackaloonies, the state capital. I probably could line you up with a hunting site up on the MT Highline too. Have to wait and see what happens with the pols and the bureaucrats…

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  23. When it gets bad enough and the affected states open up all
    areas including private farmland to pig hunters with no fees to hunt them, the porkers will magically turn into sausage. They’ll disappear like the Passenger Pigeon.
    Texas brags when it opened up less than 7% of its land to unlimited feral pig hunting. That’s a joke if it wants the problem controlled.

    6

  26. If Texas (state government) and private citizens want to support me (in the lifestyle to which I would like to live) + guns + ammo, I would move down to Texas in a heartbeat just to take up the occupation of Feral Hog Hunter.

    6

  34. The guy I went with had seven German shorthairs. The pig they chased down ended up in about two feet of water. Too deep for the dogs, they had to swim, but the pig could stand up. Porky took it between the eyes. But they’re not really dumb.

    3

  35. “Places like Montana have been successful at eliminating the beast with a campaign called ‘Squeal on Pigs’. The campaign encourages residents to call a 24-hour hotline to report the pigs, which officials will trap and kill.”

    Hell, THAT’S no fun. Should be, “you see’em, you shoot’em. We’ll issue you the free license when you come back with the carcass”.

    3

  36. This kind of sounds like a business opportunity. Wild Boar (and these feral pigs could easily be described as wild boar) is a delicacy in higher end restaurants. If a portable dressing station could be created that would skin, clean and butcher these animals and if you could create a transport system that could deliver fresh meat to larger cities there may be some pretty good money to be made. Use experienced hunters to move from site to site culling the herds and issue unlimited hunting licenses. Hell, you could likely open up overseas markets as well. It would be worth a look anyway.

    3

  38. In Texas, there is no hunting license required, as long as you have landowner consent. Otherwise on public land, I suppose, one is required.

    An Army buddy of mine runs a cattle ranch, down by Abilene, and they are so overrun with the things they started guided hunts. Get both game control and extra income. They’ve even done helicopter hunts! Every chance I get, I run down to test out new builds and loads at their range, and in the field. Good prep.

    IATS
    TWD

    7

  40. Having shot and trapped numerous hogs on my lease in south Texas I can testify that the last place you want to be is on the ground when a big bad ass boar hog gets after you. There plenty scary and down right dangerous. They will get your respect even when trapped. Sows are just as dangerous when they have a litter and they always have a litter. Shoot em on sight and test for that brucilis or whatever that disease is call before processing. Makes a fairly cheap BBQ for large parties.

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