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Post by calsibley on Jan 4, 2006 18:45:39 GMT -5
I read an interesting article in the Canada National Post the other day. About 60 big tuskers got loose on a farm, have been on the prowl for several days without being caught, as they spread through the countryside. The locals seem terrified of them and are taking action to protect themselves especially children. At the moment the biggest sign of their presence is the damage they are doing to the fields. Apparently they're really doing a number at rooting up the turf. Some people don't think they'll all be caught and constitute a real danger in the area. What a way to get a breeding stock of animals to hunt. In about ten years the number could be sizable. I suspect shortly a civic group will arise to help save the wild pigs. PETA would have a field day with this one. Best wishes.
Cal - Montreal
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bounce
Royal Member
Posts: 5,727
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Post by bounce on Jan 4, 2006 19:55:02 GMT -5
Three boxes of shells would do the trick right now!! Then have a big barbuque for all, farmer that let them go buys the beer!! Don't think the farmer would want to make it an annual event after that but who knows?
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donnie
Grand Member
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Post by donnie on Jan 4, 2006 22:23:07 GMT -5
OH the poor lost pigs! I hope they're not too cold! Bounce you should be ashamed of yourself, wanting to go hurt those poor critters with 3 boxes of shells. Clearly this situation calls for a muzzleloader hunt! After all they aren't ferral cats!
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Post by stumpjumper on Jan 4, 2006 23:43:04 GMT -5
Donnie. The muzzy is for the hog hunt. The three boxes of shells is for self protection when them PETA self rightous s**theads attack a human for protectin' his self, family, or property . That does sound like a fair deal though. The farmer buyin the beer. Cal, did the paper give ya any idea of how big these hogs are that are raisin havic over there? That is alot of hogs gettin loose in one area at a single time.
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Post by calsibley on Jan 5, 2006 19:21:00 GMT -5
Hello Stumper,
No, the newspaper was sparse on details. It did say that the hogs are usually harmless to humans unless provoked or in a threatened situation. They did say it was next to impossible to capture them all. Maybe that'll become their breeding stock. Best wishes.
Cal - Montreal
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Post by jimiowa on Jan 5, 2006 22:54:47 GMT -5
Hello Stumper, No, the newspaper was sparse on details. It did say that the hogs are usually harmless to humans unless provoked or in a threatened situation. They did say it was next to impossible to capture them all. Maybe that'll become their breeding stock. Best wishes. Cal - Montreal Very likely your right Cal!! Iowa DNR, is pondering a simular problem in SW Iowa. Seem there are around 60 wild hogs, running the ridges along the Missouri River and they are not sure what to do. 60 hogs could be 300 in 5-6 years? With a sow dropping 8-12 pigs per litter and 2 litters per year or better 3 is possible, it don`t take long.
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Post by stumpjumper on Jan 5, 2006 23:53:34 GMT -5
Thats around the numbers I was coming up with if those English hogs like to breed anything like our yank hogs. I know when I used to keep Russian wild boars, they showed the sowes know respect. . But then again, they didn't seem to ask for it. There numbers multiplyed fast & was well armed with tusks first season out. never corner even the calm one.
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Post by Bill on Jan 6, 2006 0:02:44 GMT -5
Sounds to me like a new game animal in the making. Come on Hogs.
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bounce
Royal Member
Posts: 5,727
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Post by bounce on Jan 6, 2006 0:46:50 GMT -5
A while back I saw a TV show of profesanole Hog chactures in Florida I think that used dogs & horses to chase them down the the men that were left and not impailed on tree limbs from rideing the horses would take over and hog tie it to be moved several miles away!! They do this to keep the wild heard healthy breeding wise. Now thats a mean tough job But they did it for fun and keeping the heard & Hunting good.
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Post by calsibley on Jan 6, 2006 16:51:03 GMT -5
I saw a TV program that dealt with this dilemma in Australia a few years ago. Some had got loose and it seems in no time took over the area from competing animals. Park rangers were constantly having to reduce their numbers. They were using trail bikes to round them up in order to shoot so it must not take long for them to dominate an area. Other game just couldn't compete with them. Anyone else see this show? Best wishes.
Cal - Montreal
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Post by stumpjumper on Jan 7, 2006 5:55:01 GMT -5
Naw, never seen the show Cal, but can only quess what it was/is that they have to deal with. They are no joke to be sure.
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Post by deputydon on Jan 7, 2006 23:40:01 GMT -5
Hey Bounce if they spread to Ireland you could vist Carmen and hunt hogs in one trip.
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Post by bullseye on Jan 8, 2006 11:44:22 GMT -5
Jim we have a small batch (at least at present) of wild hogs running in the western part of WI. As of yet the DNR hasn't decided we are going to have a hog hunting season so they can collect another hunting fee. Their position, at least today, is that if you see one you can shoot it. They want them exterminated and ask if anyone sees any to shoot them. I did not see any numbers from last fall's gun hunting season but the year before the number of kills was low. As you note it does not take long for a sow to drop a bunch of piglets to make the population grow. I don't know how long it takes for a young pig to get to breeding age but at least by the next year.
The thought why they are here is similar to Cal's story in England; they were on a game farm and got loose. England doesn't really have any predators left to handle a pig so they may be in for a lot of porkers running around soon. I don't think however that they would swim over to Ireland.
I had asked Don Goins why Indiana didn't have wild hogs like Kentucky and Tennessee did. He told me that they wouldn't swim the Ohio River to get to Indiana, so the water between England and Ireland would probably be a pretty good barrier. That does leave the ability for them to go into Scotland though.
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bounce
Royal Member
Posts: 5,727
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Post by bounce on Jan 8, 2006 13:19:17 GMT -5
Carmen is now in the USA to hatch me a new grandkid in march!! That will make 3 for tear my house further down. Good thing it is built like a Irish castle
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Post by jimiowa on Jan 8, 2006 16:06:11 GMT -5
Jim we have a small batch (at least at present) of wild hogs running in the western part of WI. As of yet the DNR hasn't decided we are going to have a hog hunting season so they can collect another hunting fee. Their position, at least today, is that if you see one you can shoot it. They want them exterminated and ask if anyone sees any to shoot them. I did not see any numbers from last fall's gun hunting season but the year before the number of kills was low. As you note it does not take long for a sow to drop a bunch of piglets to make the population grow. I don't know how long it takes for a young pig to get to breeding age but at least by the next year. The thought why they are here is similar to Cal's story in England; they were on a game farm and got loose. England doesn't really have any predators left to handle a pig so they may be in for a lot of porkers running around soon. I don't think however that they would swim over to Ireland. I had asked Don Goins why Indiana didn't have wild hogs like Kentucky and Tennessee did. He told me that they wouldn't swim the Ohio River to get to Indiana, so the water between England and Ireland would probably be a pretty good barrier. That does leave the ability for them to go into Scotland though. Bullseye, Good to see you on!! Since it has been nearly 40 yrs since I was involved in farrowing gilts, I did some checking to get my facts straight. Gilts reach breeding age between 5 & 9 months. and gestation is 114 days. Like you say the european hogs are believed to have been escapees from game farms here too.
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