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Effective depredatory feral hog controll.... Do you want it bad enough?Written on: 03/24/2010 15:44 by: hog maulers
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There is a universal truth that every wise man knows, some learn it sooner than others..... eventually we all become aware of it. Some carry this information and take it to heart, quickly teaching others, and some acknowledge it and continue to do things the old comfortable way. As you ask yourself how am I expressing this truth in my life some of you may pause to reflect on the topic. And reflection is always good, except traveling east at 6:45 in the morning...... The truth as I know it is Your results are directly connected to the amount of effort you put forth to accomplish your goal. Stated another way........ Piss Poor Planning = Poor Performance. Follow along now as we take this universal truth and apply it to the bane of Texas Lands and Wildlife The CRITICAL explosion of the population of depredatory feral hogs in the State of Texas. Our results are directly linked to our efforts. While there are pockets of like minded people coming together to eradicate feral hogs thought the state the other 90% are doing almost nothing and contributing to the hog explosion, and thus the resultant destruction of the beautiful flora and fauna of my great state. after reading this far you may be saying to yourself that the writer is good on observing the problem, but poor on a solution to it. Continue reading..... Solutions are as simple as "Like minded people banding together are a more effective unit than individuals" Where hogs are concerned there should be no fences separating individual land owners, they should all manage their lands as a unit deciding as a group how the collective unit is managed. There is nothing more frustrating than plotting where a sounder of hogs is and trying to place traps for their capture only to find they have ghosted onto the next land owners property, a place where you have not been and won't be given access to. All state controlled and federal controlled lands should be opened to hog removal including military bases, so as to remove any safe zones for hogs to reside. Units of like minded groups pooling their rescores are more effective than individual groups. Now at this level synchronicity begins to concentrate itself and good old human pride and competition starts to manifest. If you were to divide the county that you live in into 16 separate units, 4 quadrants, one county and manage all the lands in those divisions the same, well you can quickly see how effective that county could be in controlling feral hogs. Then multiply that design structure to all the 250 some odd county’s in the state, and you will have an effective state depredatory feral hog control plan. As it stands now the state has no statewide comprehensive control plan, telling us the willing how we will not act in controlling depredatory feral hogs, and no strong support for us in the attempt to control them. The states effort only concentrates in areas where the tax dollar is the most effective, or where the elected state officials (or friends) have land holdings. Yes Texas is a Good Old Boy State. Waiting on the state for leadership on this issue is backing up to the electric fence, pretty soon we are going to be both shocked and burned by it. The hog problem has been a long time in the making and the state has had plenty of time to be proactive instead of reactive. Surely the state personnel can see a great resource in the landowners and enthusiasts, and yet they have found no reason to marshal our forces to this battle for the state of Texas. If it were a human foreign invader destroying the state with 2 million combat troops in their ranks, the call for Texas minuet men would sound long loud and often. And then willingly we as Texans would heed the call to arms. The solution A bounty for hogs at the local level paid for by tax dollars collected at a local level(county) administered at a local (county) level paid out to enthusiasts hunting on local lands. It is only fitting since the state can’t seem to get its act in gear concerning depredatory feral hog population control. See- the state legislative inaction on a proposal for helicopter hunting brought before them in 09. As you imagine the nearly exact parallel to volunteer fire /ems groups who petition the county for tax monies usually added to the citizens water bill. That money is distributed to the group for operating expenses and performance efforts in protecting their area of responsibility. Shouldn’t we be able to use the same type of organizational structure and funding for depredatory feral hog population control? What say you?
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I think having a good healthy hog population is a great way to provide a qaulity sporting opportuity for hunters who enjoy shooting non-native species. I am a strong believer that more research should be done to help find a solution to benefit economically from the "hog problem" we have here in Texas. I personally enjoying hunting hogs very much and share the bounty of the harvest with family / friends. We have hogs at several of our hunting properties, but not to the point where they are "damaging" or destroying the land, what they are providing is an opportunity to harvest wildlife away from deer season or even during deer season when other animals are not coming to the feeders.
Gustavo,
thanks for your comment,
Could you operate on your hunting properties as you do now, and still work within the framework of a system as described above? Would you enjoy a bounty per hog killed?
I believe TPWD is beginning to address the hog problem and trying to get out to counties where there is a problem and educate land owners about hog control. I would like to see local / state agentcies provide finacial incintive to landowners who want to utilize land management for wildlife and help stimulate the economy through hunting.
Not speaking for myself. But I have seen the hog problem exsplode in the last few years on my parents farm in Shelby county. It is unreal what these things can do in just a few short months! The land is almost unworkable. I try to do my part with the population but to no availe. There is no cooperation with the other land owners who either deny the problem or just simply say no to anyone coming on there property and dealing with them. I am at a loss as to what to do! I do not live there so it is hard for me to control them on any type of pattern so when I'm gone they just come back. It is a problem that needs to be addressed soon!
I think that this hog problem is issue is begining to open the eyes of key people here in Texas and finally there is a small movement to do something about it, there are some great reseources out there to look into, I know TPWD has been holding meetings in certain counties to get that "land owner" cooperation to help combat the hog problem, they are also trying to educate as many people that are willing to listen on what they can do to contribute to controling hogs. My advice would be profit off your hog problem, advertise to responsible hunters willing to pay money to help control that hog problem on your land and kill two birds with one stone. You can put a little change in your pocket and remove some of those problem hogs off your land!!!
I like the idea. I agree that groups of landowners need to work together to allow access to thier land for eradication. I manage 2000 acres and hogs have refuge in places all around this ranch . We try to eradicate them, but a fresh new batch comes in with every new litter .
The first year we began a hog trapping operation in 2003 on our land, we trapped over 300 hogs in Garza/Kent County. Also, surrounding landowners began trapping. There was a central holding facility were the hogs were collected from all around the area, then sold. Abount two years ago, the markey apparently fell out for hogs, the holding facility was dismantled, and now trapping efforts are on an individual landowner basis. Obviously, this has resulted in an increase in hog populations. Also during this time, we offered our land for recreational shooting for hogs. In spite of the number of shooters, they rarely take more than 10-12 hogs in a calendar year, while trapping will take at least 30-100 each year. The problem is that the hogs become trap-wise. However, there is some value in the trapping operation that seems to keep hogs on the move, somewhat decreasing the damage they do. I totally support the idea of a hog bounty.
To me a hog bounty makes sense. If the hog problem in this state is truly as bad as we're being told (and it sure appears that way in the areas of Texas we've lived, or worse) then we need to light a fire under the legislature's seat and get 'er done. It should be rather easy to justify when you consider the loss in agricultural income hog infestations cause.
I would love to see a bounty put on these animals so that maybe more people would get out and them down...we have had 6 feedrs out of 8 knocked down and tore up by these animals since deer season ended and countless deer hunts screwed up by them showing up to the feeders. We probablly shot 25 over the deer season and we didnt even make a dent in the herd....I think I hear the the helicopters coming!
W.O. ,
The problem in all honesty is working at the state level for a county problem. It is hard to get a representative from an urban and suburban citys like dallas or houston to even care much less vote for helping the rural people out with the hog problem. Then the liberals and animal rights lobbys will kick in and in the end your lucky if you get a weak watered down nod to all the pain people all over the state are enduring.
When you are active in the county government most if not all county personel are impacted or directly affected in the same way as the other county residents. If more counties would start a program and show how quickly the demand for bounty monies runs out, then approach the legislature en block for funding there would be more leverage for the problems solutions........
That is a step in the right direction by people who are being proactive and responsive to the rural peoples plight.
I talked to a game warden yesterday that said in Van Zant county they had a hog bounty and the monies were all paid out within 2 weeks. Sadly they have not been able to continue funding the bounty program.
Work close to home with some one who will remember your name, and watch the STREAM TRICKLE UP AS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE GET INVOLVED AT THE AFFECTED COUNTYS LEVEL. When a county commisioner see lots of people coming together for a common cause they either run away(lynch mob) or join the movement(me and my voting constituents)Fight or flight......
You will see it when you believe it to be true.
It all starts at home. All of you, become active and do a great deal more than complain, as it is a waste of breath and energy if nothing good comes of it.
just my 2
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Choose Hog Maulers rugged hog traps today!
While I believe you are mostly correct here is my take on the situation.
I agree there is a hog problem in Texas and surrounding states however I enjoy the fact that there is no season on the animals. See I get an itchy trigger finger once in awhile. Also I try to only shoot the female of the species when possible. See I am a meat hunter not a trophy hunter, as I am sure you would be to if you have 4 kids at home. When it come to destroying crop land or personal property I say kill them all but also use the meat or donate it. In closing I believe we are arguing the say point but from different perspectives let’s keep the government agencies away from our hog problem and let the common hunter/land owner take care of the problem.