OK Houston Guys, Time to do some Pig Hunting

[glenncal1]

Texas woman killed by feral hogs outside home she worked as caretaker

I think these hogs have proved they cant play nice. You Texas guys need to make some pork chops.

 

[peyton]

The problem remains that the land owners want you to pay out the wahzoo for the privilege to shoot these animals.
Also most of Texas has a 10 acre or more limitation for hunting and my county just added BB and pellet guns to the land requirement!!

 

[Jinglebob]

When I lived on the farm in east Texas we had hogs destroy pastures and crops but never had them attack a human. Even moving in packs, they would run from a human.

 

[glenwolde]

SOP in the area is you shoot every hog you see. Buzzards gotta eat too. But to really be effective you have to trap them. Too many, too wary, to shoot.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

You ought to see what they can do to a sugar cane field. The way sugar cane works is on a 4 year rotation.You plant using seed cane in August of year one.In October of years 2, 3 & 4 you harvest (the cane will grow back enough to make it viable to harvest two and sometimes three times off the same stubble). The next year you let the fields rest ot planr beans.Thus a planting locks the farmer in for two and sometimes three harvests.When the pigs get into a field they will root up the cane thus destroying the current year crop but also the next two or three subsequent year crops.It is a pisser for sure. Where I walk in the morning is full of BIG pigs with fresh tracks on the headlands every morning. I've never seen one however. The farmer has someone who sets out snares and traps but you can only catch so many that way.
I'm now wondering if I need to start packing when I walk.I never knew pigs to do anything but run at the first scent/sight of humans.

 

[vonn]

Seen some pretty large groups roaming around East Texas that I wouldn’t want to be in the middle of. Had a few run my direction when busting them handgun hunting but don’t think they were aware of it until the gun went off again. I do as much as I can to eliminate them but some areas are overrun with them.

 

[The Last Standing Knight]

Texas has a big problem with feral hogs.

We didn't used to, but we do now.
To me, hogs...even domesticated ones, are highly dangerous animals and unpredictable.
As far as feral hogs go, I have talked to more than one farmer charged without provocation by one. Some of the state guys around here advise use of an AR-15 or AK-47 as you can see herds of them and "ole grandad's 3-30 ain't going to do it.
They are tough, smart and resilient animals that can grow to the size of a sofa...sadly around these parts the meat is rancid due to all the garbage and other stuff they eat.
The area where the attack occurred was Chambers County. For those that don't know, east of Houston and between it and Beaumont. Lots of swamps and bottom land...a thriving enviroment for them (and gators, too).
Animals are always a risk. But as we all know, ferall ones are the riskiest...that in and of itself often makes a good hunt.

 

[rwsmith]

I don't hunt.....

...but I would have no problem shooting these vermin deader than a mackerel.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

You ought to see what they can do to a sugar cane field. The way sugar cane works is on a 4 year rotation.You plant using seed cane in August of year one.In October of years 2, 3 & 4 you harvest (the cane will grow back enough to make it viable to harvest two and sometimes three times off the same stubble). The next year you let the fields rest ot planr beans.Thus a planting locks the farmer in for two and sometimes three harvests.When the pigs get into a field they will root up the cane thus destroying the current year crop but also the next two or three subsequent year crops.It is a pisser for sure. Where I walk in the morning is full of BIG pigs with fresh tracks on the headlands every morning. I've never seen one however. The farmer has someone who sets out snares and traps but you can only catch so many that way.
I'm now wondering if I need to start packing when I walk.I never knew pigs to do anything but run at the first scent/sight of humans.

To the packing question: The answer is yes.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[Stevens]

Caje is right, these hogs do lots of damage to the sugar cane crops, eating the cane and the stubble (roots) for future harvests. They are smart though and very careful when they come out of the woods to eat, but, whenever possible on the farm they are shot on sight. Sometimes trapped in pens to be shot there. Sadly only the young ones are very good to eat so not many folks hunt them.
Steve W

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

Rural farmers will usually let you take all the pigs you want if you know them. I can see where they don't want just anyone blasting on their home. Even in Texas, many Texas suburanites believe the police have a duty and the ability to protect them individually at all times. I doubt her last thoughts were about voting for Bloomberg.

 

[Golddollar]

To the packing question: The answer is yes.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

The next question is what do you pack? A 10mm?

 

[usmc2427765]

I have family living in Goliad County Texas and if and when they encounter feral hogs on their land, they kill them and contact food shelters or leave them lay. Coyotes need to eat too! If you could see the damage these pigs do, you would have no sympathy for them. In Chambers County, we now have a homicide committed by these pigs. It's time to do some serious hunting and eradication of these varmints.

 

[leswad]

Currently Texas kills 20% of the hog population each year. Unfortunately, to keep the population at it’s current numbers, you need to shoot 70% per year.

You can shoot them: at night, with a machine gun, from helicopter, blow them up with tannerite, and you are not even required to get a hunting license.

True zombies.

 

[bearman49709]

The problem remains that the land owners want you to pay out the wahzoo for the privilege to shoot these animals.
Also most of Texas has a 10 acre or more limitation for hunting and my county just added BB and pellet guns to the land requirement!!

The problem is people will pay to hunt them. If no one paid land owners wouldn't charge people to hunt them.

 

[Xfuzz]

I help magage a medium size East Texas deer lease...7 sections.
We have trapped 91 pigs since spring in 3 traps and hardly made a dent.
We have a contest begining of the season in three catagories.
Biggest boar
Biggest sow
Smallest piglet
15 hunters $20 entry for each catagory.

Current leaders
Boar 294 lbs
Sow 205 lbs
Piglet 34 lbs

The contest makes a good incentive for making a kill.
21 kills since Nov.2...

 

[vonn]

I help magage a medium size East Texas deer lease...7 sections.
We have trapped 91 pigs since spring in 3 traps and hardly made a dent.
We have a contest begining of the season in three catagories.
Biggest boar
Biggest sow
Smallest piglet
15 hunters $20 entry for each catagory.

Current leaders
Boar 294 lbs
Sow 205 lbs
Piglet 34 lbs

The contest makes a good incentive for making a kill.
21 kills since Nov.2...

Sows should get the top prize money! A mature sow is a pig factory!

 

[Stevens]

Sows can breed at 6 months old, and have 2 litters per year. Each litter can be up to 12 young but usually 5-6.
You do the math!
Steve W

 

[johnbeaver]

Way back, hunting property guy asked the biologist where to get some pigs to put on their property to hunt. Biologist said, you really don't want to do that. Oh. yeah. They will be fun to hunt. So they found some. Few years later, hunting guy asked the biologist, "How do you get rid of them pigs."
As posted above, they are smart, learn quick and are prolific breeders.
I remember reading a story of a gov't hunter taking pigs out of, I think the Adarondiks?
Said if you have 100 pigs, you need to kill 75 a year to have 100 pigs.
Pretty daunting task.
We do the best we can. A few to eat. Lots left in the field.