Boar Wars

[Mtneer]

Good article on the 10 million feral pigs in Europe. Obviously a big problem in Texas and much of the South too. Not so much Colorado? Apparently Japan has real problems as well and probably much of Asia.

I sure as hell would want more weapon than a blowdart! For all the antis who say "you don't need an AR for hunting," these pests are a perfect example.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...uropean-cities

[Irving]

I'll have to read it later, but pretty sure they are native to Europe, which means they aren't exactly feral. The best way states who don't currently have a problem with pigs, to keep it that way, is to ban pig hunting from the get go.

[Duman]

I'll have to read it later, but pretty sure they are native to Europe, which means they aren't exactly feral. The best way states who don't currently have a problem with pigs, to keep it that way, is to ban pig hunting from the get go.

Ban pig hunting in states that don't have pigs?

[Irving]

Yes, because while pigs are a problem in some areas, they become a problem in other areas at a much greater rate because people actually move pigs to places without pigs and let them go just to hunt them.

There were some pig populations in Missouri, and even Montana, and those states made it illegal to hunt pigs and those populations haven't really done anything (I think). Pigs didn't migrate up from Texas to Missouri and Montana and just skip all the other states.

Everyone assumes that it's only a matter of time before Colorado has a pig problem, and that might be true, but pigs have been in the US for over 500 years since they were released by the Spanish and they haven't made it up here yet in any large numbers. Riding in the back of a truck and pigs can get all over.

ETA: Texas now has pigs in every single county in the state.

[BladesNBarrels]

... Riding in the back of a truck and pigs can get all over...

Beware of the hitch-hiking pigs!

[Aloha_Shooter]

Yes, because while pigs are a problem in some areas, they become a problem in other areas at a much greater rate because people actually move pigs to places without pigs and let them go just to hunt them.

There were some pig populations in Missouri, and even Montana, and those states made it illegal to hunt pigs and those populations haven't really done anything (I think). Pigs didn't migrate up from Texas to Missouri and Montana and just skip all the other states.

Everyone assumes that it's only a matter of time before Colorado has a pig problem, and that might be true, but pigs have been in the US for over 500 years since they were released by the Spanish and they haven't made it up here yet in any large numbers. Riding in the back of a truck and pigs can get all over.

ETA: Texas now has pigs in every single county in the state.

Do you have some documentation on this? I can think of other reasons why feral pig populations wouldn't have exploded in Montana the way they have in Texas. I've never heard of anyone purposely importing feral pigs for hunting (but it's not something I've been looking for either). While some farms in Texas seem to be making bank by allowing pig hunting on their property, most people don't seem to want them anywhere near their property due to the damage they cause. The idea that allowing hunting would cause a population explosion certainly seems counter-intuitive, especially given centuries of human experience with hunting game.

[jreifsch80]

Do you have some documentation on this? I can think of other reasons why feral pig populations wouldn't have exploded in Montana the way they have in Texas. I've never heard of anyone purposely importing feral pigs for hunting (but it's not something I've been looking for either). While some farms in Texas seem to be making bank by allowing pig hunting on their property, most people don't seem to want them anywhere near their property due to the damage they cause. The idea that allowing hunting would cause a population explosion certainly seems counter-intuitive, especially given centuries of human experience with hunting game.

It seems counter intuitive but they call it the cobra effect

[Aloha_Shooter]

It seems counter intuitive but they call it the cobra effect

I understand that but I've seen no evidence that effect is in play. Then again, I haven't really looked for it so am just asking Irving if he has some documentation on this. Without documentation, it's an extrapolated effect that flies in the face of hundreds of years of human experience with hunting.

[Irving]

I understand that but I've seen no evidence that effect is in play. Then again, I haven't really looked for it so am just asking Irving if he has some documentation on this. Without documentation, it's an extrapolated effect that flies in the face of hundreds of years of human experience with hunting.

No it doesn't. It matches with hundreds of years of humans importing noon-native game for food and letting it loose. Trout, piegeons, goats, pigs, etc.

[FoxtArt]

In fairness, it's not what "every" property owner wants - the vast majority probably don't want pigs.

It's just what the single, asshole "YEEEHAW" neighbor wants that upsets that balance. "I'm gunna shoot off ma porch an get' me bacon every mornin' YEEHAW". I don't necessarily agree that Irving's suggestion is a / the solution, but it's not entirely incorrect or counter-intuitive either. Issue is, I'm not so sure Mr. YEEHAW is going to do anything differently. Is he turning in his magazines? Nope. So there's no guarantee the importation vector is mitigated; it does have a downside of mitigating control. (And once feral pigs are established, I don't think any YEEHAW types are really capturing and relocating them inside of established areas).