Central Oregon hog hunting information wanted.

[corbinace]

I read on the Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildlife site that there are feral hogs around the Central Oregon area.

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/hot_topics/swine.asp

Is there anyone on the forum that lives in the area that has knowledge of these critters?

Texas is a bit far for me to go but Oregon is jut next door.

[Greg S]

I researched it pretty hard this past spring. Aparently... there is a ghost hog problem that the state is standing still on. They have not opened a season or discussed it yet, aparently sticking their heads under the table. As the lititure basically states if you see these signs, please report. I read a post on another forum where three guys went out hunting them and scored two.

Since they aren't classed as game or predator under the hunting rules and regs it's kinda a gray area. I kinda left it at that figurin a few more years in the shadows would do the flock/gaggle/herd good to help them get alittle more entrenched in the central Oregon area. If you read up on it, their reproductive growth and tenacity to survive is pretty amazing. From what I read, it now but a done deal as the stats that I saw with full on erradication efforts, hunters in other locals only reduced the population at best 30% which doesn't keep their population groath stagnate or in a decline so here in a few years there should be some pretty good hoggin in Oregon.

If I was still down there I would inquire with the areas fish and game and see what they8 say. That was basically my next step when I left outta there in mid May.

[elk hunter]

I've lived in Central Oregon all my life and I have yet to see a wild hog nor do I know anyone who has. That is not to say they don't exist as I'm sure they do but, I'm equally sure there aren't very many of them, compared to other states, and they are primarily on private ground.

[Don Fischer]

I live in Antelope, Ore, been here over 25yrs and have never seen a live one. It was flown about a year and a half ago and they killed a bunch, that from a local rancher that has them. I don't think they'll ever wipe them out but the problem come's in getting access. I know of a bunch of them been taken but they come off private land. This Wasco Co and supposed to be 95% private. If I were you I'd check Cal around the Redding area.

[taco650]

When I lived in Redmond, OR it was rumored that there were wild hogs in the Ochoco Mountains east of Prineville, OR. Never saw any when I was hunting deer but...

[dale2242]

I recently talked to our ODF&W biologist about the feral hog population in Oregon.
He says there is small populations in north east Oregon.
They have been killing them whenever they see them as they are doing aerial coyote management.
They are hard to get a shot at from the air because they stay under the timber and brush when the aircraft approach.
I have not talked to anyone personally that has seen or hunted them...dale

[theleo]

I'm from NE Oregon and I have never heard of any wild hogs in that corner of Oregon or seen photos of any killed. Southern Oregon is the place to supposedly go. There's talk about hogs there but I'm not sure the size of the problem. Most people are pretty tight lipped on where you can find them consistently. It seems like some folks want there to be a big enough population to get a lot of hunting in for them.

[taco650]

Feral hogs can destroy a lot of land. They are prolific breeders and have very few natural enemies & thats why states like Texas have tons of them.

[TXGunNut]

Feral hogs are, at best, a mixed blessing. A good one provides better meat than I can generally buy. Even a big stinky one provides an exciting hunt and sometimes a good excuse to employ a taxidermist. Downside is they destroy crops, they disturb the biological balance of hunting areas and their populations are next to impossible to control. They adapt very quickly to hunting pressure and some groups are nomadic and cover dozens of miles every day. They are also individuals in their thoughts and habits. Some seem to be much smarter than others but they are all much more observant and reactive than your average ungulate.
Awesome (non)game critter but very bad for agriculture and native game populations. If possible lobby your F&G folks to allow hunters to take them during any season by any means (short of land mines and hand grenades) possible. I love hunting (and eating) them but my state would be better off without them.

[corbinace]

If possible lobby your F&G folks to allow hunters to take them during any season by any means (short of land mines and hand grenades) possible. I love hunting (and eating) them but my state would be better off without them.

That was one of the things that got me thinking about Oregon.
This quote is from the ODFW website;

There are still relatively few in the state (between 2,000-5,000 pigs) and most observations have been on private land. If you do see a feral swine while out hunting for another animal and you have landowner’s permission, you can take the animal. You will be doing wildlife and habitat a favor.

Kind of like coyotes, smoke 'em if you got 'em. It is less than $150 for an out of state hunting license and I thought I may be able to "help out".

[slam45]

there may be some possible hog hunting on private ground in Oregon, but the state & federal land managers and private timber land owners do all that is necessary to insure there is never even close to any sustainable population. in 30 years of logging in southwest Oregon I've never seen any pigs in the woods... did hear of a few places where they were killed out when found, and foresters asking if we'd encountered any signs of hogs when cutting logs in remote areas... in Oregon's industrial forests hogs don't get even a small chance.

[theleo]

Just go with before the end of April. Take any sage rat exploders you might have, then when you get tired of shooting them go and see if you can stumble on to some pigs. Central and southern Oregon are great for depleting 22 LR supplies.

[Baja_Traveler]

Oregon is going to run into the same problems for hunters as California - 99% of all the pigs will be on private land which you either cant hunt on, or get charged a big "Trespass Fee" in order to get to them.
Basically greed will take over. I keep reading news articles down here about the pig problem and how bad they are for the ranchers and impacted wildlife, yet those same ranchers want to charge me $600 to shoot one, and the state charges me for pig tags on top of that. $600 buys alot of prime pork at Costco...

[376Steyr]

All they need to do is import some Canadian timber wolves to eat the feral pigs. What could possibly go wrong?

[quilbilly]

Oregon is going to run into the same problems for hunters as California - 99% of all the pigs will be on private land which you either cant hunt on, or get charged a big "Trespass Fee" in order to get to them.
Basically greed will take over. I keep reading news articles down here about the pig problem and how bad they are for the ranchers and impacted wildlife, yet those same ranchers want to charge me $600 to shoot one, and the state charges me for pig tags on top of that. $600 buys alot of prime pork at Costco...
Ain't that the truth!

[MikeInOr]

I live a couple miles west of Redmond, just outside the city limits. I have never seen or even heard anyone talking about wild hogs. I have seen a couple rock chucks this year that were large enough they mght be mistaken for a small ferral hog. :razz:

I have more darn deer on my property than I can shake a stick at... come take some of them!!!!

[dale2242]

376 Steyr

The wolves are already here....dale

[claude]

99% of all the pigs will be on private land

Probably not, 53% of the state of Oregon is owned by state or federal agencies. Additionally, feral hogs are considered a nuisance and on private property can be shot on sight without a hunting licence, or tags, by anyone acting as an agent for the property owner.

[corbinace]

Probably not, 53% of the state of Oregon is owned by state or federal agencies. Additionally, feral hogs are considered a nuisance and on private property can be shot on sight without a hunting licence, or tags, by anyone acting as an agent for the property owner.

Kind if like the Prairie Dogs in the Baker area. A friend of mine goes down for the Mothers day weekend every year to expend a few bricks of .22.

[Baja_Traveler]

53% may be owned by the State, but where is all the good chow going to be - if you were a piggy, would you rather live out in the scrub sage, or in Harry & Davids Pear orchards?...

[Don Fischer]

Oregon is going to run into the same problems for hunters as California - 99% of all the pigs will be on private land which you either cant hunt on, or get charged a big "Trespass Fee" in order to get to them.
Basically greed will take over. I keep reading news articles down here about the pig problem and how bad they are for the ranchers and impacted wildlife, yet those same ranchers want to charge me $600 to shoot one, and the state charges me for pig tags on top of that. $600 buys alot of prime pork at Costco...

You have that wrong. They don't charge for hunting them, that's illegal. They charge a trespass fee and if you shoot a hog, fine with them. Here in Central Ore there are few if any feral hog's. What they are is Russian Boar. Quite a number of years ago, fish and game was going to make a local hunting preserve get rid of them, so the owner at that time, turned them loose. New owner has that place now and has hog's on it again. I've been out there a few time's but never to hunt, not far from me. i don't know what they charge.

Other than private land, the problem you'll have is getting there before the places you hunt get flown to kill hog's. About two years ago was the last time I heard of them flying.

[borg]

You have that wrong. They don't charge for hunting them, that's illegal. They charge a trespass fee and if you shoot a hog, fine with them. Here in Central Ore there are few if any feral hog's. What they are is Russian Boar. Quite a number of years ago, fish and game was going to make a local hunting preserve get rid of them, so the owner at that time, turned them loose. New owner has that place now and has hog's on it again. I've been out there a few time's but never to hunt, not far from me. i don't know what they charge.

Other than private land, the problem you'll have is getting there before the places you hunt get flown to kill hog's. About two years ago was the last time I heard of them flying.
When pigs fly?

[Don Fischer]

Feral hogs are, at best, a mixed blessing. A good one provides better meat than I can generally buy. Even a big stinky one provides an exciting hunt and sometimes a good excuse to employ a taxidermist. Downside is they destroy crops, they disturb the biological balance of hunting areas and their populations are next to impossible to control. They adapt very quickly to hunting pressure and some groups are nomadic and cover dozens of miles every day. They are also individuals in their thoughts and habits. Some seem to be much smarter than others but they are all much more observant and reactive than your average ungulate.
Awesome (non)game critter but very bad for agriculture and native game populations. If possible lobby your F&G folks to allow hunters to take them during any season by any means (short of land mines and hand grenades) possible. I love hunting (and eating) them but my state would be better off without them.

In Oregon they can be shot anytime all you need is a hunting license. I've never herd of hogs in NE either. I suspect the one's in SW are ferals that came up from California. All of them in Central Ore are Russian boar that were released year's ago.

[TXGunNut]

There's considerable debate about feral hogs and Russian boars. Some believe feral hogs begin to resemble "Russians" after a generation or two in the wild. Some feel that the hogs they see today are descended from "Russians" released years ago for sport hunting. In some places, like the Nail Ranch near Albany, TX, (and probably much of TX) it's said to be a combination of the two species and sometimes the hogs resemble "Russians" due to dominant genetics. I've seen Russian characteristics in many of the hogs I've killed and have also observed characteristics of domestic swine. I've even heard some folks say the two species won't interbreed but I've kicked that theory to the curb long ago.

[Baja_Traveler]

How can I have it wrong when I said RIGHT THERE that they charge a trespass fee??
I don't care what you call it - they are charging us to hunt, bottom line...


You have that wrong. They don't charge for hunting them, that's illegal. They charge a trespass fee and if you shoot a hog, fine with them. Here in Central Ore there are few if any feral hog's. What they are is Russian Boar. Quite a number of years ago, fish and game was going to make a local hunting preserve get rid of them, so the owner at that time, turned them loose. New owner has that place now and has hog's on it again. I've been out there a few time's but never to hunt, not far from me. i don't know what they charge.

Other than private land, the problem you'll have is getting there before the places you hunt get flown to kill hog's. About two years ago was the last time I heard of them flying.

[ghh3rd]

If they don't let hunters start to control them early, there will be many more soon, and then they'll open them up for hunting. Hogs are bad for the environment, but good for hunters.

[GunnyJohn]

Feral hogs can destroy a lot of land. They are prolific breeders and have very few natural enemies & thats why states like Texas have tons of them.
We would be willing to send the Texans a bunch of wolves to help with their hog problem.