I've been researching places to take the horses this year and also places to hunt. I came across this section about Feral Pigs on the USFS website for Wayne National Forest:
"Wild Boar - Wild hogs have been expanding into parts of the Wayne and are even occasionally sited by hikers and OHV users.
In support of effective control efforts to remove feral hogs, the Wayne does not provide range maps or local distribution information for feral hogs. Throughout the country, research and management efforts have shown that hunting does not control feral hog numbers. Specifically, hunting pressure causes hogs to go nocturnal and actually promotes their spread as they seek areas with less human disturbance. Successful control and removal efforts have very limited success when competing with concurrent pressure from recreational pig hunting. Instead, we are pursuing a cooperative strategy for intensive trapping and removal efforts on affected properties in and around the area to effectively remove the hogs.
The Ohio DNR has a map of known occurrences on their ODNR wildlife website. Click on the ODNR hunting regulation website for the rules on hunting wild boar.
Whether it's a 400-pound boar with five-inch tusks or an enraged sow defending her litter, feral hogs are formidable and have been known to attack human beings. Feral hogs have excellent senses of smell and hearing and normally avoid contact with humans. There are occasions of hogs chasing hunters up trees, but these are rare, isolated instances. The vast majority of hogs flee from humans. However, should you find yourself nose-to-snout with an angry hog, the best defense is to climb the nearest tree. If the swine charges, sidestep quickly, taking care to avoid the swing of its tusks and promptly find a tree to scamper up.
Fact Sheet on Feral Swine in Ohio
If you see any feral swine, or evidence of their "rooting around" contact the Forest Service or the Division of Wildlife. The Division is working on a proactive strategy for dealing with this animal since it now appears that populations are growing and expanding, and it can do a great deal of damage to the Forest."
(link : http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/wayne/landmanagement/resourcemanagement/?cid=fsm9_006087 )
That is in complete contrast to ODNR. Everything I have found from Ohio DNR regarding feral pigs is they want to get rid of them by any means necessary. There is no closed season, and no bag limit. Trapping is allowed as long as they are killed immediately. You can even hunt them at night using night vision etc. as long as it isn't during deer gun or muzzle loader season.
http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/hunting...g-regulations/feral-swine-hunting-regulations
I guess I'm not surprised but I am not happy that they seem to think hunters should stay out of it and let them pay trappers. From what I read here and elsewhere online, there hasn't been any method that controls the hog population and keeps it from spreading, so why discourage sportsmen who provide all the money for conservation?
I also think the paragraph about 400 lb boars chasing people up trees is way over the top and completely ridiculous.
"Wild Boar - Wild hogs have been expanding into parts of the Wayne and are even occasionally sited by hikers and OHV users.
In support of effective control efforts to remove feral hogs, the Wayne does not provide range maps or local distribution information for feral hogs. Throughout the country, research and management efforts have shown that hunting does not control feral hog numbers. Specifically, hunting pressure causes hogs to go nocturnal and actually promotes their spread as they seek areas with less human disturbance. Successful control and removal efforts have very limited success when competing with concurrent pressure from recreational pig hunting. Instead, we are pursuing a cooperative strategy for intensive trapping and removal efforts on affected properties in and around the area to effectively remove the hogs.
The Ohio DNR has a map of known occurrences on their ODNR wildlife website. Click on the ODNR hunting regulation website for the rules on hunting wild boar.
Whether it's a 400-pound boar with five-inch tusks or an enraged sow defending her litter, feral hogs are formidable and have been known to attack human beings. Feral hogs have excellent senses of smell and hearing and normally avoid contact with humans. There are occasions of hogs chasing hunters up trees, but these are rare, isolated instances. The vast majority of hogs flee from humans. However, should you find yourself nose-to-snout with an angry hog, the best defense is to climb the nearest tree. If the swine charges, sidestep quickly, taking care to avoid the swing of its tusks and promptly find a tree to scamper up.
Fact Sheet on Feral Swine in Ohio
If you see any feral swine, or evidence of their "rooting around" contact the Forest Service or the Division of Wildlife. The Division is working on a proactive strategy for dealing with this animal since it now appears that populations are growing and expanding, and it can do a great deal of damage to the Forest."
(link : http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/wayne/landmanagement/resourcemanagement/?cid=fsm9_006087 )
That is in complete contrast to ODNR. Everything I have found from Ohio DNR regarding feral pigs is they want to get rid of them by any means necessary. There is no closed season, and no bag limit. Trapping is allowed as long as they are killed immediately. You can even hunt them at night using night vision etc. as long as it isn't during deer gun or muzzle loader season.
http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/hunting...g-regulations/feral-swine-hunting-regulations
I guess I'm not surprised but I am not happy that they seem to think hunters should stay out of it and let them pay trappers. From what I read here and elsewhere online, there hasn't been any method that controls the hog population and keeps it from spreading, so why discourage sportsmen who provide all the money for conservation?
I also think the paragraph about 400 lb boars chasing people up trees is way over the top and completely ridiculous.