powell&hyde
Member
Excellent thread Flintknapper, keep it coming.
Not again.......! Feral Hog Control in East Texas
- Thread starter Flintknapper
- Start date
Batty67
Member
Curious: given how filthy and pathogen-laden those beast can be, what do you do with the carcasses? Burn, bury, or what?
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Flintknapper
Member
Hi Batty,
The answer is: "It depends".
In the cooler months...I try to utilize the meat resource by contacting friends to come and retrieve the animal. (I do not eat them myself).
When hot weather (most of the time in Texas), it is nearly impossible to have someone come and get the carcass before it starts to bloat and spoil.
I am happy if someone wants the meat, but I am not going to field dress and cut up every pig I kill....just to accommodate them.
I do not burn or bury the carcasses, but drag them to an area on the ranch where scavengers quickly devour them. I believe I've made reference to that somewhere in this thread before.
Your question alludes to an important point however: Always take precautions to protect yourself when handling Feral Hogs, whether that be moving the carcass, field dressing, skinning or processing.
Wear latex gloves, wash your hands, arms, knives/utensils frequently and be aware of any scratches, cuts or open wounds you may have.
Also, be sure to cook any Pork product thoroughly and to the recommended minimum internal temperature.
Flint.
The answer is: "It depends".
In the cooler months...I try to utilize the meat resource by contacting friends to come and retrieve the animal. (I do not eat them myself).
When hot weather (most of the time in Texas), it is nearly impossible to have someone come and get the carcass before it starts to bloat and spoil.
I am happy if someone wants the meat, but I am not going to field dress and cut up every pig I kill....just to accommodate them.
I do not burn or bury the carcasses, but drag them to an area on the ranch where scavengers quickly devour them. I believe I've made reference to that somewhere in this thread before.
Your question alludes to an important point however: Always take precautions to protect yourself when handling Feral Hogs, whether that be moving the carcass, field dressing, skinning or processing.
Wear latex gloves, wash your hands, arms, knives/utensils frequently and be aware of any scratches, cuts or open wounds you may have.
Also, be sure to cook any Pork product thoroughly and to the recommended minimum internal temperature.
Flint.
Batty67
Member
Thanks for the detailed response Flintknapper. Being a quasi-microbiologist, and firearms enthusiast of course, I was wondering. I would not eat that meat either (but I'd be happy to help get them to that state). Forgot about the scavenger approach. With a lot of land, and scavengers, that route makes complete sense.
halogrinder
Member
i eat the hell out of it. as long as you do it in a clean way, its just like a deer in my opinion. summer time is hard to drop them on ice quickly, but in my case i have a deep freeze and coolers.
some people say that they have to freeze it for 6 months to kill the bacteria and junk, i say cook it to 170 internal and call it a day. i use rubber gloves, and use 2 skinning knifes and one to hack out the meat and joints.
we recently brought back a 125lber that we just field gutted. the guy wanted the whole thing on the hoof minus guts. we took a bag and put it in the cavity, and drove to the nearest gas station.... dropped 3 bags of ice on it twice in a 3 1/2 drive and threw it on his drive way. it was still pretty cool, i woulda ate it if he didnt.
some people say that they have to freeze it for 6 months to kill the bacteria and junk, i say cook it to 170 internal and call it a day. i use rubber gloves, and use 2 skinning knifes and one to hack out the meat and joints.
we recently brought back a 125lber that we just field gutted. the guy wanted the whole thing on the hoof minus guts. we took a bag and put it in the cavity, and drove to the nearest gas station.... dropped 3 bags of ice on it twice in a 3 1/2 drive and threw it on his drive way. it was still pretty cool, i woulda ate it if he didnt.
Yeah the smaller hogs are good eating! I always do up the meat in a slow cooker or in a chili or something like that. Long slow heat, get the meat well above 170 for a long time. Also all my cutting tools and the counter get a strong bleach water bath when I am done. I may be a bit over cautious but catching something nasty from them would really suck.
+1 Flint for using gloves and such. One I shot in the middle of last summer was crawling with ticks when I walked up to him. I didn't even bother to drag him out, the vultures and coyotes found him where he was, and he was completely gone in 24 hours.
Remember why the are such a successful animal, they can eat everything, trash, roots, bugs, long dead carcases, dirty water....... And as such they collect every parasite (internal and external) in the area.
ID
+1 Flint for using gloves and such. One I shot in the middle of last summer was crawling with ticks when I walked up to him. I didn't even bother to drag him out, the vultures and coyotes found him where he was, and he was completely gone in 24 hours.
Remember why the are such a successful animal, they can eat everything, trash, roots, bugs, long dead carcases, dirty water....... And as such they collect every parasite (internal and external) in the area.
ID
Heard rumors about this, but IDNR (Illinois Department of Natural Resources) released a statement last month. They're here... Central Illinois.
Illinois Feral Hogs
They mention the Texas problem in the article so I thought of you Flint.
Illinois is doing it wisely, it appears - unrestricted hunting on them (just have to have landowner's permission).
I heard squealing out back at my house last night. Time for a game camera.
Illinois Feral Hogs
They mention the Texas problem in the article so I thought of you Flint.
Illinois is doing it wisely, it appears - unrestricted hunting on them (just have to have landowner's permission).
I heard squealing out back at my house last night. Time for a game camera.
allaroundhunter
Member
Heard rumors about this, but IDNR (Illinois Department of Natural Resources) released a statement last month. They're here... Central Illinois.
Illinois Feral Hogs
They mention the Texas problem in the article so I thought of you Flint.
Illinois is doing it wisely, it appears - unrestricted hunting on them (just have to have landowner's permission).
I heard squealing out back at my house last night. Time for a game camera.
Get that game camera set up, and get that SCAR locked and loaded, and those piggies won't know what hit them
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Flintknapper
Member
Just to illustrate the opportunistic feeding habits of Feral Hogs…the pictures below will confirm they readily devour carrion when found.
In this case it wasn’t even a fresh carcass. The Donkey in the picture was dispatched and placed where you see it on Dec 2nd.
I have been checking it every few days… because normally the Coyotes and Buzzards would make short work of it. For some reason…neither would touch this animal.
A couple of nights ago…the carcass was discovered by at least two hogs (see tracks in photo #2).
They ripped the body cavity open and pulled/pushed at the carcass with enough force to separate the spine from the hips.
The flesh on this animal had to be really rancid by the time they found it.
NASTY ANIMALS!
In this case it wasn’t even a fresh carcass. The Donkey in the picture was dispatched and placed where you see it on Dec 2nd.
I have been checking it every few days… because normally the Coyotes and Buzzards would make short work of it. For some reason…neither would touch this animal.
A couple of nights ago…the carcass was discovered by at least two hogs (see tracks in photo #2).
They ripped the body cavity open and pulled/pushed at the carcass with enough force to separate the spine from the hips.
The flesh on this animal had to be really rancid by the time they found it.
NASTY ANIMALS!
Buzzards passed it up but the hogs dug right into it?
That's a huge understatement, Flintknapper.
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Flintknapper
Member
Hogs had no problem with it apparently.
I don’t know why the other scavengers wouldn’t touch it. It wasn’t diseased (that I know of)…which will often turn Coyotes and Buzzards away.
The animal had been hit by a truck, I had to put it out of its misery and drag it off.
I fully expected it to be gone in a couple of days …but nothing (and I mean NOTHING) except flies touched it until just a couple of nights ago when the hogs found it.
It was a fairly good sized animal too, perhaps 350-400 lbs.
I don’t know why the other scavengers wouldn’t touch it. It wasn’t diseased (that I know of)…which will often turn Coyotes and Buzzards away.
The animal had been hit by a truck, I had to put it out of its misery and drag it off.
I fully expected it to be gone in a couple of days …but nothing (and I mean NOTHING) except flies touched it until just a couple of nights ago when the hogs found it.
It was a fairly good sized animal too, perhaps 350-400 lbs.
Double Naught Spy
Sus Venator
I am not sure of the veternary diagnostic skills of coyotes and vultures. Coyotes contract a variety of zoonotic diseases by eating infected animals with diseases such as bovine tuberculosis and anthrax.
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/v...ontent.cgi?article=1018&context=michbovinetb"
http://www.usask.ca/wcvm/herdmed/specialstock/bison/Anthrax causal web.html
Buzzards will readily eat diseased animals, digest the flesh, and actually help prevent the spread of disease by keeping other animals from it.
http://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/vultures-food-poisoning/
http://www.nwf.org/Kids/Ranger-Rick/Animals/Birds/Vultures.aspx
Chances are that if scavengers are avoiding a carcass that is diseased, it probably isn't because of the disease.
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Flintknapper
Member
DNS wrote:
Well...I am, and its NONE since they don't go to Veterinary School.
They DO however exhibit instincts and preferences with regard to what they eat. Vultures/Buzzards simply will not eat a carcass once it has reached a certain degree of decay. Coyotes are even more "picky"...of the flesh, but will consume the bones many days after the death of the animal.
While somewhat anecdotal...I have observed Buzzards "refuse" a calf/cow that actually died of a disease. I would estimate that roughly half of the animals are not eaten by either Coyotes or Vultures...but end up being consumed by maggots....though there is evidence of being "visited" by the Birds and Carnivores.
If domestic dogs can be trained to detect (by smell) certain diseases in humans, it is not unreasonable to think that animals who "make a living" eating carrion could do the same. Does that necessarily mean they would avoid it? I don't know, I only have my own non-scientific observations to go by and that of other ranchers (laymen).
Yes, Coyotes (where plentiful) contract and spread diseases among themselves and other animals in a number of ways. Part of the reason we try to keep their numbers fairly low around here.
No question that Buzzards are beneficial in the whole scheme of things. Doubtless, they are "ABLE" to consume diseased carcasses with little effect to themselves (depending upon the disease). I would not argue that by eating the flesh... they lessen the chances of disease being spread by less hardy animals, but they can also spread disease themselves.
If you've watched them feed...it becomes readily apparent that not ALL of that carcass is going into their stomachs. They "wear" a good bit of it until they have time to roost and preen or it simply wears off. They fly many miles in the course of a normal day and are often on the ground investigating something. Good way to transport certain diseases.
Quite possible, lots of reasons for scavengers to refuse a carcass and no real way to document what they are. So until...one comes up to me and tells me...I guess I am left to ponder it.
But back to the subject of the thread (Feral Hogs), they seem to eat whatever they want, whenever they want.
Whether it ultimately affects them or not...I can not say, but there isn't much they will turn down if something "better" isn't nearby.
NASTY ANIMALS!
Well...I am, and its NONE since they don't go to Veterinary School.
They DO however exhibit instincts and preferences with regard to what they eat. Vultures/Buzzards simply will not eat a carcass once it has reached a certain degree of decay. Coyotes are even more "picky"...of the flesh, but will consume the bones many days after the death of the animal.
While somewhat anecdotal...I have observed Buzzards "refuse" a calf/cow that actually died of a disease. I would estimate that roughly half of the animals are not eaten by either Coyotes or Vultures...but end up being consumed by maggots....though there is evidence of being "visited" by the Birds and Carnivores.
If domestic dogs can be trained to detect (by smell) certain diseases in humans, it is not unreasonable to think that animals who "make a living" eating carrion could do the same. Does that necessarily mean they would avoid it? I don't know, I only have my own non-scientific observations to go by and that of other ranchers (laymen).
Yes, Coyotes (where plentiful) contract and spread diseases among themselves and other animals in a number of ways. Part of the reason we try to keep their numbers fairly low around here.
No question that Buzzards are beneficial in the whole scheme of things. Doubtless, they are "ABLE" to consume diseased carcasses with little effect to themselves (depending upon the disease). I would not argue that by eating the flesh... they lessen the chances of disease being spread by less hardy animals, but they can also spread disease themselves.
If you've watched them feed...it becomes readily apparent that not ALL of that carcass is going into their stomachs. They "wear" a good bit of it until they have time to roost and preen or it simply wears off. They fly many miles in the course of a normal day and are often on the ground investigating something. Good way to transport certain diseases.
Quite possible, lots of reasons for scavengers to refuse a carcass and no real way to document what they are. So until...one comes up to me and tells me...I guess I am left to ponder it.
But back to the subject of the thread (Feral Hogs), they seem to eat whatever they want, whenever they want.
Whether it ultimately affects them or not...I can not say, but there isn't much they will turn down if something "better" isn't nearby.
NASTY ANIMALS!
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308win
Member
My grandfather and I raised feeder pigs and breeding hogs. When one would get out we would usually find them either (a) at the coal pile eating coal or (b) grazing at the cleanout pile from the chicken coop! They seemed to prefer the coal first - go figure.
Build one hog tight fence across one property line. When the hogs get used to it, build one at right angles to it and start feeding in the corner every now and then. Once they're used to that, build another fence parallel to the first. Keep feeding. Once they're used to that, build a fence and a gate across the end and leave the gate open. Keep feeding. When they're used to that, just wait until they're inside and close the gate. Hold a pig sale to recoup costs.
castingdonkey
Member
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2011
- Messages
- 194
I figure coyotes would be scared of a donkey if they ever approached one that was alive. Some folks in colorado use them to guard livestock.
halogrinder
Member
hiker- if only it was that easy
and donkey, where i hunt there are a few hanging out with the horses and cows.
and donkey, where i hunt there are a few hanging out with the horses and cows.
TexasPatriot.308
Member
I have killed at least 10 hogs in the last few days, all went to the gut pile, drag em with my 4 wheeler, they are mostly gone in 3 days, just a red spot on the ground. last weekend I let a herd of em get within 20 yards or so and emptiedd a 10 round magazine out of a M1A, dead and dying hogs everywhere. flea, tick infested vermin. wouldnt eat one. maybe now and then a ham off a small one.
Freedom_fighter_in_IL
Member
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2010
- Messages
- 2,097
Boars 150 pounds and under I call them Dinner. Sows 200 and under I call them Lunch. Either over the weight limit, I call them BAIT!
TexasPatriot.308
Member
wish I knew how to post pics, we have killed a couple of boars in Karnes county Texas last few days well over 400#. every pig lately is covered with fleas. I aint taking the risk and trouble of eating em.
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Flintknapper
Member
TP308,
Here is a short tutorial on how to post pics, there are a number of ways to do it.
It isn't difficult and we'd love to see your contributions.
http://www.alumbankweb.com/img_matters/basefile/attach_img.htm
You can upload pictures directly from your computer...or from one of the "free" image hosting sites such as Photobucket.
There is a "testing" area here on the forum to try out your new found skills, don't be afraid to use it. There are plenty of folks here willing to help you.
Give it a try. All you need is a digital camera, upload pics to your computer and you're half way there.
Flint.
Here is a short tutorial on how to post pics, there are a number of ways to do it.
It isn't difficult and we'd love to see your contributions.
http://www.alumbankweb.com/img_matters/basefile/attach_img.htm
You can upload pictures directly from your computer...or from one of the "free" image hosting sites such as Photobucket.
There is a "testing" area here on the forum to try out your new found skills, don't be afraid to use it. There are plenty of folks here willing to help you.
Give it a try. All you need is a digital camera, upload pics to your computer and you're half way there.
Flint.
Don't have many pigs here but intrested in hunting them. Heard they taste really good. Some farms here will let you hunt them but haven't had the money to pay because wife figures i spend enough. Heard of times when they get loose and people shoot them but i never had the opportunity. When they get loose it's kind of like open season.
NelsErik
Member
Damn... I don't know if this is good or bad, but I saw it on another forum...
Helicopter Hog Hunting I'm not sure I would call it hunting though...
Helicopter Hog Hunting I'm not sure I would call it hunting though...
gathert
Member
Posted a video a page or two back of that heli hog hunting. I would take a seat in a heartbeat.
Twmaster
Member
I want the door gunner spot....
(Mike cues some Wagner....)
(Mike cues some Wagner....)
