Hogs and Snakes

[rockbilly]

A friend who usually participates in the “Sweetwater Rattlesnake Round-up” told me today that snakes are getting harder to find since the hogs have taken up residency in the area.  He said he recently checked two dens where there are normally an abundance of snakes to find none in either place. 

I haven’t given it much consideration until he brought it up, but I have not seen a rattlesnake or copperhead on my place for the past two years,  I think I would welcome the snakes back if we could rid  of the hogs.

[Land_Owner]

Rarely, a hog will show its face, flank, foot, etc., grotesquely twisted, pock marked, oozing, etc.  It has been rattlesnake bitten...and deeply - but survived and the poison is literally rotting the hide off of the animal.  

Ordinarily, a 40+pound hog can take a snake bite and its blubbery hide is tough enough to either deflect the bite or the poison remains in the fat and does no harmful effect.

As omnivores, hogs will eat just about EVERYTHING they can get into their mouths.  They will root out a den of snakes using their higher sence of smell to find them.  Hogs have no compunction in eating a snake on the prowl either.  The musky smell of the snake is a give-away to the hogs.

I used to have more snakes.  Garter, King, Coachwhip, Green, Cottonmouth Moccosin, Timber rattlers, Pigmy rattlers, Eastern Diamondback rattlers, Coral Snakes, Indigo and others.  In twenty years of land ownership and countless MONTHS of DAYS afield, I have only seen three Diamondbacks of appreciable size (>5-feet).  Dave shot two of those and one of them (~6-feet) attempted to mount the running lawn tractor with me sitting in the seat.  I "discouraged" him with my 1911 Auto-Ordnance in 45 ACP.

I suspect the hogs keep the snakes well thinned in my location.

[guzzijohn]

It is my understanding that pigs don't care much for snakes. My only direct experience came as a kid when I had some pigs for 4-H. Observed a bull snake getting into the pig pen. It was not a pretty site, as the pigs made quick work of the poor thing.
GuzziJohn

[rickt300]

I used to hunt a lot in east Texas. The water moccasin's were so thick and aggressive there that you spent way more time looking for them than you did deer.  Now that the hogs have taken over I may go back and check into that area again. Possible upside?

[bobg]

  My grandfather use to raise two or three hogs a year. He had a stone foundation around his house that was loaded with snakes. My brother and i would grab them and throw them in the hog pen. The hogs would kill and eat them in a heart beat. Sure did upset the ole boy when he caught us.
             bobg

[gstewart44]

Our hunt club has a large lease that has a good bit of swamp borders.   There are water moccasins and hogs all over the place.  Three years ago when the wildfires destroyed about 1200 acres the wildlife got concentrated into a smaller area.    One afternoon I was out riding my atv and looked ahead about 100 yds and saw a 200+ lb boar shaking a large moccasin in his mouth like a terrier would.    I watched him thrash the snake for about 5-6 seconds then he dropped it,  picked up again and the snake was limp,  then the hog trotted off with the snake to the thick woods.    I guess it was dinner time.   

[mullet_key]

Something like this? John Steuart Curry; American Artist "Hogs Killing a Snake" c. 1930 Probably good entertainment in 1930. Still would be today!

[docmagnum357]

in lake lure, in rutherford county, NC. there is an island called hog island.  seems the developer had picked out an island to build his own house on.  as the water rose over the course of more than a year, all kinds of rats and other vermin gathered on the island, nd also rattlesnakes.  ther were so many no one wanted to work there on the house.  hje offeredd some kind of prize for anyone who could kill the snakes.  an old farmer set loose about twenty hogs on the acrte oer so island.  they ate the rats, snakes, and wer well on the way to kiling all th underbrush when he rounded them up and took them to market, considerably fatter than they were to vbegin with.  And he got the cash reard, i think about a thousand dollars

[Land_Owner]

The State has trapped and run off the hogs in my neighborhood.  the snakes are returning in abundance.  Garter and black racers mostly so far.  A couple of Pigmy rattlers too.  Probably will have to keep a keen eye out for diamondbacks as summer advances.  It seems to be cyclical.  Hogs for a while, snakes for a while and that pendulum continues.

[HL]

I'll take the hogs over the snakes any day. Since the hogs moved in, I have yet to see a rattler in over 10 years. We used to kill at least one every time we went to  the ranch to work cattle. My brother did see a racer for the first time in over 20 years a few weeks back. I guess he's avoided the pigs, thus far.

[swordfish]

Hey Richard, Still no hogs eah. No tracks or root sign?
I'll bet this Whitetail season will be good for you with the hogs run off.

[Land_Owner]

Track and sign on the ground says NO HOGS.  Trail Cameras say NO HOGS.  Evidence of snakes (many-many) says NO HOGS.  WATCH YOUR FEET.

John wants to fish the Keys (Bud & Mary's Marina on Kalex) in June.  Maybe..Maybe not...this Land Lubber likes his two feet on TERRA FIRMA.  Hope you are doing well.  I miss that Scotch.