Have you never hunted, but want to zap some feral pigs?

Not much interest in going after deer, elk, etc... but I'd love to go hunting for what are essentially vermin species - coyotes, pigs/hogs, prairie dogs. One outfit in Florida will kit you out for pig hunts with a gun, sword, spear, etc.

pigs are never funny, but if i saw someone speared by a cutter while trying to sword a pig... i dont think i would ever stop laughing!!

on a semi related note i always have wanted to hunt a blackbear with a knife, now that would be a challange!

Mr. Pig is smart as heck. Mean to boot!
You either have one just walk up (see lucky)
Or do as most and bait them.

Here in Kansas, we are just starting to see pigs coming into our State from Missouri and Oklahoma. So what did our wonderful Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism do?

They made it illegal to hunt them.

The Fish and Game people in this State are seriously stupid. They are pretty out of touch with every one in the State when it comes to policy. They treat the Land owners like dirt, and have allowed the deer population to explode to unsustainable numbers. Now that we are being invaded by pigs, they ban hunting them while they try to figure up some way to make money off it.

Making wild hogs illegal to hunt is absolutely the stupidest thing an agency can do, regardless of location.

They will take over in no time at all.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

Being smart is also a hogs weakness that is why bait works. If you can get them accustomed to a routine you can controll their arrival time to the bait station. They start milling arround the feeders about 15 minutes before they go off on my place in North Fla. It makes killing hogs a bit boring but if they arent kept under some controll nothing else gets to eat. It can also be dangerous since a big boar will stake out a feeder as his own and run off all other critters including you. I have had this happen several times and even been challenged when coming to refill the feeder. In some places they run away at the sight of a human but dont count on it in remote areas where they dont even know what you are.
Good Hunting
Troy

Here in TX, we can kill them anytime and anyhow. We use thermal, NV, full auto and suppressors. We usually stalk after them and set up for ambushes. Great eating too. Even the big boars. And even a non-resident can hunt them without a license.

My buddy that I hunt with is so knowledgeble about them, he can pick up their poo, rub it between his fingers for a few seconds, sniff it and can then tell you what it had for dinner and the boars PSA level. He's quite the talent.

Here's a small sow and boar we shot a few months back. M16 with a 10mm upper on top, M16 with a 9mm suppressed upper on the bottom.



Here are the boar's ribs the next day.

The first thing I'd suggest is reading this thread.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=449721

Otherwise, yes I've walked up on them before, but it's unlikely as they are pretty wary around here. It's much more effective to bait them with corn, trap 'em, or set up along a hog trail and ambush them there.

The only way to zap some feral pigs.

HELI-HOG'N
http://vimeo.com/21181307

If I can get a cross hair on them I shoot them.
I have killed so many feral hogs for the sake of the state of Texas I have simply lost count.
But so far this year six have been sent to the swine promised land.

TXSWFAN wrote:

And even a non-resident can hunt them without a license

Click to expand...

No. A hunting license is required of both residents and non-residents UNLESS you are hunting depredating hogs by permission of the Land Owner or his/her agent.

UNLESS you are hunting depredating hogs by permission of the Land Owner or his/her agent.

Click to expand...

Exactly. All hogs are depredating hogs.

we are not amused - your state officials are really going to regret that in about 5 years. Many DNRs have ended up trying to find ways to eradicate them...

No other animal, with the possible exception of Homo boobiencies, is as damaging to the natural environment as feral hogs. Kill or wound every one that you possibly can. Feral hogs deserve the same humane treatment that a radical terrorists deserves. Before you criticize me as "unethical" for saying "wound", do your homework and learn what this animal is capable of doing to the natural environment. Ask any wildlife biologist experienced with them.

T Bran makes an excellent observation with his comment about timed feeders. Every animal and bird that makes its living in the woods will quickly learn the timing sequence of these feeders, and will bunch up around them about 15 minutes before feed is automatically scattered. In the last minute or so before the feeder goes off you will see a "pecking order" shape up between species and within species with the biggest and strongest moving up front ready to hard charge for the feed. Don't ever doubt that wildlife can't tell time to within 30 or so seconds!

TXSWFAN wrote:

Exactly. All hogs are depredating hogs.

Click to expand...

That might be your opinion (to which you are entitled) but the TP&WD wisely makes a distinction.

Now…don’t get me wrong….Feral Hogs ARE absolutely destructive creatures…BUT they are NOT causing depredation at ALL times everywhere.

You use the term as if to identify a “species” rather than describing an “act” (they are sometimes guilty of).

The danger of incorrectly stating you “don’t need a license to hunt them”…is that someone who doesn’t know any better will end up in trouble.

“Trouble”, in this case …..will be a Class A Parks & Wildlife Code misdemeanor ($500.00-$4,000.00 fine and/or up to one year in jail).

Here is what you need to know about hunting/taking/controlling Feral Hogs in Texas:

Feral Hogs (and Russian Boar) are considered EXOTICS in Texas.

In Texas it is against the law to:

1. Hunt an exotic without a valid hunting license.
2. Hunt an exotic on a public road right-of-way.
3. Hunt an exotic without the landowner’s permission.
4. Possess an exotic or the carcass of an exotic without the landowner’s consent.

There IS an exception to the need for a license, it reads as follows:

"Coyotes, if the coyotes are attacking, about to attack, or have recently attacked livestock, domestic animals, or fowl.

Depredating feral hogs, if a landowner (resident or non-resident) or landowner’s agent or lessee is taking feral hogs causing depredation on the landowner’s land.

Fur-bearing animals, if the hunter possesses a trapper’s license or if the fur-bearing animals are causing depredation."

Again, the TP&WD recognizes that hogs (and other animals) are NOT in a constant state of “depredation” and it is TPWD’s position that counts.

In the same way coyotes are not always attacking something….or fur-bearers causing depredation, neither are Feral Hogs, hence the distinction.

IF you choose to hunt them without a license….make sure you are adhering to the restrictions OR be ready to articulate before a judge/justice of the peace why you thought it was O.K.

we are not amused said:

The Fish and Game people in this State are seriously stupid. They are pretty out of touch with every one in the State when it comes to policy. They treat the Land owners like dirt, and have allowed the deer population to explode to unsustainable numbers. Now that we are being invaded by pigs, they ban hunting them while they try to figure up some way to make money off it.

Click to expand...

OTOH, the pigs may soon take care of the deer problem...

While feral hogs are a negative in Whitetail Deer management by direct competition for mast and by the spread of various diseases, the turkey population will usually suffer more. The disease factor is usually overlooked by most, and it can be very deadly.

I agree, but I am not the idiot that makes the rules.

Supposedly, Land owners can shoot them IF they are a nuisance, but you better be prepared to defend that position, and it seems that not all game and wildlife officials are on the same page, as some landowners are being told otherwise.
Game officials in the State claim they are trying to eradicate them, even claim to have shot them from helicopters in south west Kansas, but knowing the cost of helicopters, I doubt it was a large scale effort.

Kansas State Wildlife officials have a habit of lying to the Public. For years they denied Mountain lions existed in the state, but prosecuted anyone who shot one, (it happened from time to time) then rumors, (more than rumors) that the State was trying to relocate mountain lions to Kansas. Surprise, surprise, now we have Mountain Lions in Kansas.

While I believe the feral hogs are infiltrating naturally, I wouldn't be surprised if some in the State Wildlife department aren't trying to figure how to license and make money off of them. A lot of Landowners in this State don't trust the State wildlife people, and with good reason.

we are not amused - Who do we need to talk to in the State office to get this fixed before Kansas has the same problem as the other states with Hogs. My boys would love to hunt them but don't have the time to head to OK or TX to hunt them.

Texas Hunting Licenses

FlintKnapper is spot on! Pick up a copy of the TPW Outdoor Annual for 2011-2012 and then start reading page 73, regarding exotic animals and fowl. Spells it out just like Flint said. A hunting license (page 25 of the above referenced TPW Annual) for residents ($25.00 or non-residents ($132.00) is a lot cheaper in time and money than discussing the issue with a judge after the fact.

HH

Non-residents can get a special 5 day license (type 157) good to hunt non-game animals, exotics, all legal game birds (except turkey), squirrel, javelina and alligator for $48.00 Pretty good deal.

Started seriously trapping and killing wild hogs on our Garvin county place about one year ago. By May we had trapped and shot over 40 hogs. Except for a solitary boar now and then; the game cameras showed no hogs there until September, when they came back with a vengeance. We will put a permanent corral trap there.

In OK no one needs a license to hunt hogs outside deer/elk season. Problem is finding a place to hunt.