Feral Hogs

[rockbilly]

:eek: I read in the Abilene Reporter News today that the State of Texas is about to spend $500,000 over the next two years to find the best ways to control the exploding population of feral hogs, which they consider to be a menace to Texas agriculture.

They estimate the wild hogs caused an estimated $50 million a year in economic damage in Texas.  The average landowners loss amounts to approximately $7,515 a year.  In addition they spend about $2,631 each year in feraal hogcontrol measures  and repairing damages.

To date, feral hog control has been largely in the hands of landowners, with hunting and trapping and fencing the most popular control methods.

I have a few wild hogs that wander across my place from time to time, to date, I have not suffered any major damage, but I have talked to landowners north of me that have major problems.  I think the key to finding a good cheap place to hunt, is to try and locate the areas that are experiencing the most damage from hogs.  I would bet these ranchers/farmers would let you kill as many as you want.

Just some food for thought. :roll:

[markc]

you would think that ranchers would pay you to come and thin out their hog herd.  Unfortunately many ranchers (most ranchers?) are seeing it as an opportunity to charge fairly large dollars for hunters to come and hunt hogs.  I've read of guys from states that currently do not have feral hogs trying to buy trapped hogs to release on their properties.  

BIG mistake in my opinion.  Feral hogs can begin breeding as early as 6 months of age.  In good years they can have two litters of piglets with anywhere from 4 to 10 piglets.  With just one boar and one sow, it doesn't take long for the population to explode.  

I read on the TPWD site a couple years back where they recommend taking 80% of a feral hog population on a property to just keep them in check.  From experience I can tell you that it isn't happening and soon the problem with feral hogs will be a desperate situation.  

A large round trap is the best remedy as far as I am concerned.  I can catch as many (so far) 20 hogs in a single catch on one of my leases.  In 04 my wife and I trapped over 60 hogs before giving the trap a rest.  If the other hunters on that lease would kill a few hogs, we might make a temporary dent in the hog population.  

On our other lease in Coleman county, all the talk in town (Bangs, Brownwood) is please shoot any and every hog you see!   The ranchers out there hate them with a purple passion!