The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Pig bomb

simonkenton · September 18, 2009, 05:01 AM

I watched the show last night.
It was a poorly done show, lots of hyperbole.
They said that the whole US wild pig population came from 8 hogs Columbus turned loose in Florida in 1493.
Sure, that was the start, but it was augmented hundreds of times, as farmers turned hogs loose to eat wild acorns and chestnuts etc.

When they got going on the "Wild Eurasian Hog" angle, the show just fell apart.
They spent ten minutes showing some Russians driving a rutted dirt road to a pig "hot spot," including several minutes of the jeep getting stuck in the mud.
That was fascinating, watching Russkies put logs in a mud hole, and crank on a come-a-long.
They got to a wilderness cabin, and they hung a camera on a pole, then they left.
They came back at night, and they had one pic, of some eyes in the darkness.
Then they showed the artist's interpretation that the hog might have weighed 350 pounds. Big deal.

That Russian adventure took up 1/4 of the show, and it was a waste of air time.

They went on and on about how it was possible that the American wild hog was a cross with the "Eurasian wild hog."
No kidding.
All of the American wild hogs are descended from Eurasian hogs, with the exception of the javelina.

I was really disappointed with the show.

ps--Edit: I will say, there were two wildlife biologists who were interviewed at length. This was a good part of the show. These guys were will informed and spoke rationally.

September 18, 2009, 05:01 AM	#4
simonkenton Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2008 Posts: 891	I watched the show last night. It was a poorly done show, lots of hyperbole. They said that the whole US wild pig population came from 8 hogs Columbus turned loose in Florida in 1493. Sure, that was the start, but it was augmented hundreds of times, as farmers turned hogs loose to eat wild acorns and chestnuts etc. When they got going on the "Wild Eurasian Hog" angle, the show just fell apart. They spent ten minutes showing some Russians driving a rutted dirt road to a pig "hot spot," including several minutes of the jeep getting stuck in the mud. That was fascinating, watching Russkies put logs in a mud hole, and crank on a come-a-long. They got to a wilderness cabin, and they hung a camera on a pole, then they left. They came back at night, and they had one pic, of some eyes in the darkness. Then they showed the artist's interpretation that the hog might have weighed 350 pounds. Big deal. That Russian adventure took up 1/4 of the show, and it was a waste of air time. They went on and on about how it was possible that the American wild hog was a cross with the "Eurasian wild hog." No kidding. All of the American wild hogs are descended from Eurasian hogs, with the exception of the javelina. I was really disappointed with the show. ps--Edit: I will say, there were two wildlife biologists who were interviewed at length. This was a good part of the show. These guys were will informed and spoke rationally. Last edited by simonkenton; September 18, 2009 at 08:19 AM.