wild hogs/feral pigs ?

[BUFF]

Is it possible that the contiued hunting of predators like coyotes, bears and mountain lions has contributed to the increase of the hog population? Not too many bears or mountain lions in Texas, but coyotes seem to be a favorite target of ranchers. My dad has some guys from Arkansas to run them with dogs every so often, but the hogs always come back after a few weeks. Those seem to be more of the domestic bloodline. Haven't seen too many with the elongated noses. So maybe it depends on the region of the country if they interbreed with the Russians.

[hogdogs]

For the hogs, I'm not sure if it's a case of loosed domestic pigs interbreeding with wild hogs and the off spring increasingly become more like wild hogs or what.

it may also be a case that out of any given litter - the ones that end up looking like a farm pig don't survive like the ones who are genetically lean and lanky, fast on their feet and have the better tusks.

No out crossing required...
Lean is due to more exercise but the longer legs and snout are a trait that shows up in relatively few generations.

Just like the little toe and appendix of humans. They were very different before shoes and cooked meats.

The barn hog is a better feeder if he is closer to the trough (short legs). And he can more aggressively hoard the feed with a shorter snout and wider skull.

The opposite is true of feral... Longer snout roots deeper, narrow snout and skull is less difficult to shove in the soil and is better for escaping in heavy thick cover with more wedge and the longer legs aid in this as well as swimming and speed running. Fat is a detriment in all but the coldest climes so they are healthy when lean.

Brent

[tahunua001]

Is it possible that the contiued hunting of predators like coyotes, bears and mountain lions has contributed to the increase of the hog population? Not too many bears or mountain lions in Texas, but coyotes seem to be a favorite target of ranchers. My dad has some guys from Arkansas to run them with dogs every so often, but the hogs always come back after a few weeks. Those seem to be more of the domestic bloodline. Haven't seen too many with the elongated noses. So maybe it depends on the region of the country if they interbreed with the Russians.

not to act like a know it all and my last intention is to start flinging dung but from what I'm seeing it's a 200 pound hog with up to 4 inch tusks vs a 60 pound coyote with 1 inch teeth. coyotes are mostly scavengers by nature but love livestock just because they have lost most of their survival skills, after 3 or 4 generations I would suspect that any animal would start to revert back to it's natural survival instincts.

also they start breeding at 6 months and can have up to 4 litters a year that can have up to a dozen piglets per litter, they're worse than rabbits

[Doyle]

not to act like a know it all and my last intention is to start flinging dung but from what I'm seeing it's a 200 pound hog with up to 4 inch tusks vs a 60 pound coyote with 1 inch teeth.

Coyotes can and do prey on newborn piglets. Momma is very protective around her piglets but the coyotes will get them on occasion.

[tahunua001]

Coyotes can and do prey on newborn piglets. Momma is very protective around her piglets but the coyotes will get them on occasion.

that is a very good point. I will eat my words... they still breed worse than rabbits