Feral Hogs

[Ron Scott]

Michigan Wildlife Conservancy goes Whole Hog.

The Michigan Wildlife Conservancy (MWC) has teamed up with the USDA
Wildlife Services branch in an effort to control the spread of wild and feral hogs in Michigan. Trapping the hogs in cage-like pens seems to be the most productive way to catch them. A goal of 90 traps (approximately one per county) has been set;
construction of a trap costs about $450. Funds and volunteers are being sought to help with this program. MFA has donated $450 for construction of a trap. Contact the MWC at 517-641-7677.

[beenthere]

Sounds like a good project.

MFA is ??


We can't bait deer in WI, so I assume we'd not be able to bait hog traps either.  : :

[Texas Ranger]

Ron, we red necks in Texas build our own for less than that, and use several on a ranch, much more than one per county.  That is a waste of effort, they reproduce faster than they will catch them.

[Magicman]

A sow born this Spring will have piglets this Fall.  They reproduce like mice.

[Ron Scott]

MFA is the Michigan Forest Association.

Will have to see how this program goes. Will pass on some of your expert advice.

[Texas Ranger]

Of course, you can catch some other stuff down here.

[Norm]

The only way to hunt them!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiHmYsyVniE

[Dave Shepard]

TR, it doesn't look like he's going to be caught much longer, maybe until he's done testing the tensile strength of that stock panel. :D

[ARKANSAWYER]

  We build our hog traps for less then $100 bucks and bait them with sour corn.  They work really good and like Texas Ranger we catch more then hogs..

[SwampDonkey]

Are wild hogs that prevalent is Michigan? I wouldn't think they would survive the winter. Had some that got away from a farmer in Maine. The farmer didn't seem to be too concerned to remedy the problem. Hence, a few never made it back to the pen by the end of the summer after helping themselves to grain and potatoes. :D

[Woodwalker]

Trashy things can do more damage to a hay field in one night than you can fix in a day. We can legally kill the things any way but with poison here in Texas. This link http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_w7000_0195.pdf will give you some ideas. Bottom of page thirteen sums it up, once you get em, you got em for good.
Been my experience that the bigger the trap the better the chances of trapping more and bigger hogs.  $450.00 will build a great big old trap down here.
More info here http://feralhogs.tamu.edu/trap.cfm

[chevytaHOE5674]

They are problems in certain parts of Mi. Areas downstate they are becoming a real nuisance for farmers/hunters/ and just about everybody. I have yet to see one UP this way, but I have heard reports of them in the area.

[Texas Ranger]

The DanG things are smart and learn fast.  You ketch some in a small trap, and it will not catch another one, WoodWalkers "big ol' trap" works better, they are less aware of it, and can be used longer.  But, still got to move them sooner or later.

[beenthere]

Caught a guy in SW Wisconsin who was bringing them into his farm for the sport of shooting them. I think he wiggled out of the charges somehow, but certainly introduced them to that area.

They move fast, are spooked easily, but apparently don't see well. Their nose is very keen.  (and like TR says, they are smart).

[stonebroke]

Game farms in NYS are resisting any and all regulations.

Stonebroke

[Tom]

If you like to take leisurely walks in the woods, don't do it unarmed when there are hogs around.  They will charge and attack, unprovoked, and won't stop as long as they sense that you are there.  Their teeth will open you up like a can opener and their weight will knock you to the ground.  You can't outrun one.   Even a large caliber pistol round must be well placed.

[Ianab]

We have wild pigs here in NZ, and they can be dangerous, but they are heavily hunted here, and being smart they run at the first sound or scent of people.

Traditional method here is to run them down with a pack of dogs and finish them off with a hunting knife  But stalking and taking them out from a safe distance with a .308 is more my style.

Ian

[thecfarm]

A good old fashioned Maine winter will slow those gators and pigs down.  ;D  Those pigs are just about the only animal in the states that is not afraid of man,from what you guys are saying.

[ellmoe]

   In my youth (never thought I'd live long enough to write that!) I spent all my free time hog hunting. We used dogs to trail and bay the hogs and would then go in with pit bulldogs to catch. We'd "Bring 'em home alive", or , sometimes, castrate the males and turn them back loose. In the late 70's we'd get $60 for a nice boar hog with good teeth. They we sold to a broker who supplied "wild boar" to small "hunting" preserves in the NE. I really enjoyed the excitement and working with my dogs. I never got hurt and never lost a dog, but a few did get cut. As I look back, I think that I maybe enjoyed it a little too much as I remember many times turning down a date with a "sweet young thin to chase nasty, smelly hogs!... Never said that I was a bright youth! :D


Mark

[pineywoods]

Yep, they are smart, but that can be used against them. If you string an electric fence around your pea patch, that will stop them. A hog that's been into a hot wire, once, won't go anywhere near a wire again. In the thickets and briar patches of La, dogs are the best way, traps work on the stupid ones. They are easy to take down with firearms if you hit the brain. Otherwise, you can blow off a leg and they will still come at you. We used to use a single shot 22, just don't miss  :

[ARKANSAWYER]

  Game and Fish here in Arkansas has declared war on them.  You can shoot them any time any how and even spotlight them.  We offten do drives on them and the action can be pretty swift. 
  You can wire up hog panels and with a few "T" post put up a trap pretty fast.  Make a "V" opening and they will come in to feed.  Then can not get back out the opening.  They do not jump very high but and bull doze pretty good.  Small cages like the one the deer got in we slide up on a trailer and take the hog home.  Most of them we just put in little white packeges as it is easier to keep them when not in the smoke house.
  A guy down by Big Flat took one that went almost 700 lbs.
  I need a squilling pigglet call.  Then I can get up in my tree stand and make the squilling pigglet call and all sows will be headed my way.

[Texas Ranger]

 

[ErikC]

  I am assuming Porky was in there. Actually I guess he still is, you just can't see him stuffed in that gator suitcase :-\  Short straw has to cut him loose  :D

[WH_Conley]

Not a big deal after you shoot him with the hog gun. :D

[CLL]

Any of you boys need hogs shot just yell, give me something to do while I get going again. ;D