Feral varmint no myth

GLK · May 4, 2007, 10:28 AM

In regards to another post questioning the fact or fiction of feral hogs causing environmental destruction and or ruining hunting, I have two views based on experience. If in the deep woods or swamps with a proper apex predator to prey ratio feral hogs are just another part of the dynamic and seem to be kept in check. If allowed to go unchecked they will cause a total break down in every aspect of environment. additionally on cultivated fields or in a newly landscaped development they can make it look like a lunar landscape in a matter of minutes and cause thousands of dollars in damage just as quickly.

I walked out to the truck to get something a last night and found this feral varmints eating the bird and deer feed. If I can get a hoist set up today and he comes back tonight, hopefully I will have some close ups to share

. Sorry for the photo quality but had to use the nightshot feature. Hopefully I will be using a different "night shot" feature tonight

. I was approx 30 yards away for these photos, what do you figure he weighs? I am thinking a good 125 pounds.

Another larger one of the female persuasion was making the rounds two nights back, I am considering getting a hog trap and penning her.
I thought about putting the dogs on her and just capturing her alive myself but then I realized that I am simply too fond of what is left of my wonderful life and pretty much a coward

. I guess I could call some of the local crackers to catch her while video taping it from the back of my pickup truck

. If you have never watched a live catch with dogs, it is exciting to say the least.

kingudaroad · May 4, 2007, 10:54 AM

I've found that boars are usually by themselves and sows roam in groups. Hard to tell but it may very well be bigger than 125 lbs. They have a tendency to get heavier than they look. Smellier too!

piercfh · May 4, 2007, 11:02 AM

Make a cage out of whatever you have laying around. Then get some hinges from a hardware store and screw on a hinging plywood door. They push it open and go in and then they cant push it the other way to go out. We make these using scrap lumper and fencing. They def. work as we have caught up to 7 pigs in one trap before. If you have some trees close together that is ideal because you can attach the fencing around them and wont need any posts. Make sure its sturdy because when you go to check it and they are in there they'll run all into the sides of it trying to get away.

Use cheap corn as bait, or go to the feed store and ask for horse or cattle feed that they are going to throw out. Tell htem you are catching pigs and they will usually give you some left over feed for free.

castnblast · May 10, 2007, 09:57 PM

Looks mighty tasty to me...

hogs are almost always bigger than they appear. I nailed one 2 years ago that my buddy thought was about 150...till we got up to it, and tried to move it. We field dressed it and weighed it. 263 lbs. field dressed. My guess was 200...

May 4, 2007, 10:28 AM	#1
GLK Senior Member Join Date: June 22, 2000 Location: Brandon FL USA Posts: 527	Feral varmint no myth In regards to another post questioning the fact or fiction of feral hogs causing environmental destruction and or ruining hunting, I have two views based on experience. If in the deep woods or swamps with a proper apex predator to prey ratio feral hogs are just another part of the dynamic and seem to be kept in check. If allowed to go unchecked they will cause a total break down in every aspect of environment. additionally on cultivated fields or in a newly landscaped development they can make it look like a lunar landscape in a matter of minutes and cause thousands of dollars in damage just as quickly. I walked out to the truck to get something a last night and found this feral varmints eating the bird and deer feed. If I can get a hoist set up today and he comes back tonight, hopefully I will have some close ups to share . Sorry for the photo quality but had to use the nightshot feature. Hopefully I will be using a different "night shot" feature tonight . I was approx 30 yards away for these photos, what do you figure he weighs? I am thinking a good 125 pounds. Another larger one of the female persuasion was making the rounds two nights back, I am considering getting a hog trap and penning her. I thought about putting the dogs on her and just capturing her alive myself but then I realized that I am simply too fond of what is left of my wonderful life and pretty much a coward . I guess I could call some of the local crackers to catch her while video taping it from the back of my pickup truck . If you have never watched a live catch with dogs, it is exciting to say the least. Last edited by GLK; May 7, 2007 at 07:05 AM. Reason: missing link

May 10, 2007, 09:57 PM	#4
castnblast Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 2006 Location: Corpus Christi TX Posts: 1,148	Looks mighty tasty to me... hogs are almost always bigger than they appear. I nailed one 2 years ago that my buddy thought was about 150...till we got up to it, and tried to move it. We field dressed it and weighed it. 263 lbs. field dressed. My guess was 200... __________________ VEGETARIAN...old indian word for bad hunter

May 4, 2007, 10:54 AM	#2
kingudaroad Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2005 Location: austin Posts: 735	I've found that boars are usually by themselves and sows roam in groups. Hard to tell but it may very well be bigger than 125 lbs. They have a tendency to get heavier than they look. Smellier too!

May 4, 2007, 11:02 AM	#3
piercfh Senior Member Join Date: July 27, 2006 Location: Central Alabama Posts: 183	Make a cage out of whatever you have laying around. Then get some hinges from a hardware store and screw on a hinging plywood door. They push it open and go in and then they cant push it the other way to go out. We make these using scrap lumper and fencing. They def. work as we have caught up to 7 pigs in one trap before. If you have some trees close together that is ideal because you can attach the fencing around them and wont need any posts. Make sure its sturdy because when you go to check it and they are in there they'll run all into the sides of it trying to get away. Use cheap corn as bait, or go to the feed store and ask for horse or cattle feed that they are going to throw out. Tell htem you are catching pigs and they will usually give you some left over feed for free.