The piggies are coming, The piggies are coming

[Olevern]

For our friends in Texas, this article predicts a five-fold increase in the population of feral hogs in Texas over the next five years. Better stock up on reloading components, the piggies are coming!

http://www.outdoorhub.com/news/u-s-feral-pig-problem-increasing-texas-hog-population-to-triple-in-five-years/?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=April%2022%202013%20Daily%20Newswire% 20(1)&utm_content=

[garym1a2]

They are a problem in Florida also. they can make a mess of a pasture overnight. One day I spoted over 22 of them on a neighbors pasture. He had hunters out the next day.

[Down South]

The way things are going, they will be food before long. We have had Hog problems around where I live for years. I'm talking wild hogs that go better than 300 lbs, some get bigger. Killing one around the 60 lb mark is no problem.

[lksmith]

I've scared them off of my lease, no sign or pics in 6wks :( I'm down to 2 quartered up piggies in my freezer I need to finish processing.
Had a tough one bout 125#. Had to shoot her 9 times (8 in the head) to kill her. 4 of them were from a 300whisper with a 200gr spitzer (1 behind the shoulder, 3 between the eyes) and the last 5 from my 1911 using penta HP"s from a Mihec 452-200 since she played possum while I got the wheeler

[x101airborne]

If the pigs are a comin, I have only one word.....

RUN!!!!!!

Sorry fricken field rootin pasture destroy fence tearin deer chasin turkey killin squirrel starving nasty ole dog gone sons of so and so's.

[texassako]

A population boom and the couple of free places I had close access to now figure they can charge or lease (or sold to developers), but wonder why their pastures are so torn up. Duh, less hunting pressure. I guess I will just be taking the time to drive out to my place more often and try to keep them from rooting up my pond shore so much.

[wallenba]

Well, you boys down there gotta get the big meat packing companies on board. They can sell these piggies as healthy 'free range' porcine delicacies. Just need the right marketing gimmick and the public will eat it up...literally. Market hunting should make a comeback.

[lksmith]

Well, you boys down there gotta get the big meat packing companies on board. They can sell these piggies as healthy 'free range' porcine delicacies. Just need the right marketing gimmick and the public will eat it up...literally. Market hunting should make a comeback.

I've always referred to them as "Free Range,Organic Bacon"or "Free Range, Organic Pork"

[TXGunNut]

Well, you boys down there gotta get the big meat packing companies on board. They can sell these piggies as healthy 'free range' porcine delicacies. Just need the right marketing gimmick and the public will eat it up...literally. Market hunting should make a comeback.


Already happening, some folks are trapping them and select pigs are bringing unbelievable prices on the hoof. When I serve wild pork to guests I always tell them what some restaurants are charging for "free range" pork dishes. I'm hardly objective but I prefer a 60-120 lb wild pig over venison or even domestic pork for table fare. Rumors about parasites and blood-borne diseases keep many folks from pursuing some of the best meat on the hoof. My brother reviewed his game cam pix and it seems his "deer" lease has three times as many hogs as deer. I have difficulty killing more feral pigs than I can eat or care to process and give away buy I may give in and harvest a few for loins and hams, some just to drag off and feed the coyotes.
Best answer, as the article suggests, is more hunters chasing piggies.

[TXGunNut]

Well, you boys down there gotta get the big meat packing companies on board. They can sell these piggies as healthy 'free range' porcine delicacies. Just need the right marketing gimmick and the public will eat it up...literally. Market hunting should make a comeback.


Already happening, some folks are trapping them and select pigs are bringing unbelievable prices on the hoof. When I serve wild pork to guests I always tell them what some restaurants are charging for "free range" pork dishes. I'm hardly objective but I prefer a 60-120 lb wild pig over venison or even domestic pork for table fare. Rumors about parasites and blood-borne diseases keep many folks from pursuing some of the best meat on the hoof. My brother reviewed his game cam pix and it seems his "deer" lease has three times as many hogs as deer. I have difficulty killing more feral pigs than I can eat or care to process and give away buy I may give in and harvest a few for loins and hams, some just to drag off and feed the coyotes.
Best answer, as the article suggests, is more hunters chasing piggies.

[kmag]

I lived in Alabama for seven years and kept hearing tales of how hogs were tearing up the crop fields along the southern coast. I tried to find a place to hunt by asking every one I came in contact with, church, gun shops, gun shows and meetings I attended with no luck. Got on the Internet looking and found some places I could hunt for only 200.00 to 400.00 a day. I didn't take advantage of the hunts at that price. So, I never went hog hunting.

If I was a farmer in Alabama I would plant fields in the hope that I could get enough hunters to pay for hunting and make more off the crop than I would by harvesting and selling it.

[DLCTEX]

Our neighbor has been selling helicopter hunts on his ranch (11 sections). They have killed over 3500 hogs since Texas passed the law ok'ing helicopter hunting last year. I has put a real dent in our hog population. The wild hogs are trapped live by many and bring a premium for export to France. They have to be judged by an inspector as feral with the typical head and straight tails. His place is along the North Fork of the RED and has been a hog breeding haven.My son was almost killed when he hit a 300 pounder coming off the river which flipped his car.

[Bad Water Bill]

When my orders came in transferring me from N A S Norman Okla to N A S JAX I drove thru Mississippi and had to dodge one skinny one as long as my car was wide. Yes free ranging hogs have been a problem since at least May 1957.

[ncbearman]

I accidentally contributed to this problem here in NC. I raised a piglet and the slaughter house/butcher was "backed up" for 3 weeks and that I needed an appointment. So I turned the truck around and came back home. Well I tell you, I have never seen a critter grow as much as this guy did. He got so big he would ram his head against the fence til a hole opened up. he did it 3 times. The first 2 he came back. After the 3rd time he decided he liked the 65 acres behind my home better. That was last Nov. My son was setting some rabbit traps last week and "saw him". At least he thinks it was him. Probably about 300 pounds by now. next time, I'm gonna put one in his head and hang him from the tree and butcher him myself. Thats one way to learn how to do it.

btw Bill, do you still have your military issue musket? I bet it worth somethin if you do :o lol jk

[Bad Water Bill]

btw Bill, do you still have your military issue musket? I bet it worth somethin if you do :o lol jk

How young do you think I am?:evil:

First they gave us lances and later a real BLUNDERBUSS.[smilie=s:

[pdawg_shooter]

I had a nephew working in the Texas panhandle tell me about all the farmers ******** about hog damage. Told him to tell them he knew someone who would be glad to help them out with that problem. He got back to me an said they all want to charge a $100.00 per man per day. Excuse me? It is their problem and that want me to pay them to help? I dont think so. Hope the hogs do multiply by a factor of five. Maybe they will pay ME to help.

[x101airborne]

Ah, the same ole argument.... Hog problem, private property, free versus paid hunts, etc.
People pay to hunt prarie dogs. People pay to hunt deer and migratory fowl. People pay to fish, so why not?
If the fee is reasonable, what is the big deal? You get an opportunity that you normally would not, the farmer gets some help. If it is not worth the 100 or 200 dollars to you, then that is ok. But lots of people say it is worth it and it helps the farmer buy diesel, recover crop loss money, etc.
I understand both sides of the argument, but this is really making a mountain out of a mole hill.

[pdawg_shooter]

Not to me. If the landowner is having losses due to hogs, I would think he would welcome hunters instead of charging them. BTW, he doesn't own the hogs. They are wild game. Except for a license I will not pay to hunt.

[smokemjoe]

Do these pig tast good or do they tast like a old boar hog.

[km101]

Do these pig tast good or do they tast like a old boar hog.


Joe, they taste REAL good! Take 1/2 of a 75-100 lb. porker and put it on the smoker for 6-8 hrs. It will make you some good eatin'. But they are NOT much fun to butcher. That's one reason I like the smaller ones!

As far as population growth goes, a game biologist that I know says that there are two kinds of areas in Texas.......those that have hogs, and those that are going to! He says that any location that has water will eventually have hogs. And not just Texas, this will be true for the whole country. The only thing that will stop their growth and spread is climate. They cant handle arid climate or really cold climate. Everything else is good hog territory.

[Thumbcocker]

Wild boars hang out in some chilly parts of Europe. Russian boars after all.

[Bad Water Bill]

i do not think the cold will stop them either.

Wild pigs are in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania as has been mentioned on our site.

[x101airborne]

Do these pig tast good or do they tast like a old boar hog.

Man, they are GREAT!!!!!!!!! I mean real good eatin, lean meat, tasty, delicious, and free for the taking!!!!!
I prefer BBQ hog over beef, chicken, alligator, or most any other meat other than dove or duck breast wrapped in bacon.

[GabbyM]

We've just started to get good populations of turkey around here. Believe I'd prefer to stay with turkeys.
I can see where hogs could overrun the Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois.

[Bad Water Bill]

We've just started to get good populations of turkey around here. Believe I'd prefer to stay with turkeys.
I can see where hogs could overrun the Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois.

We already have more than our allowed limit of PIGS and HOGS in Chicagoland. :bigsmyl2:

Unfortunately there is no season on them.:evil:

[reloaderman1]

It can't be too big a problem here in Texas.............. they still want $100+ for the privilege of shooting them!!