primitives discuss pigs

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=268x4933

Oh my.

groovedaddy (1000+ posts)      Wed Aug-31-11 12:55 PM
Original message
 
High Above the Hog

“I HAVE feral pigs that overrun my farm and I’d like to shoot them out of a helicopter,” the comedian Roseanne Barr said on “The Tonight Show” earlier this month. She was announcing a tongue-in-cheek run for office and also joking about Sarah Palin’s infamous support for the aerial hunting of wolves. “That’s kind of what got me to thinking that I, too, should run for president,” she said.

On the shooting-pigs-from-helicopters issue, however, Ms. Barr’s real competition is Rick Perry. There are an estimated four million to five million feral hogs in the United States — mostly in California, Hawaii (where they threaten Ms. Barr’s macadamia trees) and the Gulf Coast, where Mr. Perry, the Texas governor and Republican presidential candidate, has signed legislation to allow any Texan with a hunting license to rent a seat on a helicopter and blast away at pigs, starting Thursday.

Biologists and wildlife officials hope to wipe out feral hogs — which are simply domestic stock turned wild — because they tear up wetlands, kill native vegetation and eat the eggs of turtles and ground-nesting birds. Farmers detest them because they destroy fences, root up crops and harbor livestock diseases.

The only people who admire wild pigs are hunters. Ancient Romans considered the wild boar noble quarry because it was elusive and fought fiercely when cornered, and today’s feral pigs have those same qualities.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/31/opinion/high-above-th...

provis99  (1000+ posts)      Wed Aug-31-11 01:13 PM
Response to Original message
 
1. wild pigs are a lot like humans.

They're violent, wind up wrecking the environment they live in, and destroy other species.

SteveM  (1000+ posts)      Wed Aug-31-11 02:09 PM
Response to Original message
 
2. Pigs know both sides...

In Granger Wildlife Management Area, 55 miles NE of Austin, TX Texas Parks & Wildlife officers had to clear hogs, using automatic rifles fired from helicopters. There is a 365 open season if you use archery equipment, but not for guns (except for occasional draws). I've seen them several times when hunting small game, yet cannot shoot them as it is not legal. A better way would be to allow a warden to issue on-the-spot permits for hunters (using proper arms) so that they may take a hog, even if hunting other species.

You left out Florida where feral hog outnumber deer, and probably come in No. 2 behind Texas in numbers.

[BlueStateSaint]

In NYS, the Department of Environmental Conservation wants all feral swine dead.  Plain and simple.

Makes it real easy to determine the "rules of engagement."

[BattleHymn]

the Texas governor and Republican presidential candidate, has signed legislation to allow any Texan with a hunting license to rent a seat on a helicopter and blast away at pigs, starting Thursday.

Reason enough to move to Texas, in my book. 

[Skul]

I shoot the damn things in my backyard, whenever they show up.
Don't need no stinking helichopper.

[FlippyDoo]

provis99  (1000+ posts)      Wed Aug-31-11 01:13 PM
Response to Original message
 
1. wild pigs are a lot like humans.

They're violent, wind up wrecking the environment they live in, and destroy other species.

I don't have a problem with hogs. They're pretty good when ground into sausage.

As for wild hogs and violence, thus far in my life I haven't had a problem with them. We have an agreement that if I don't bother them, they won't bother me. Thus far both sides have upheld the agreement. We've passed each other in the woods on several occasions. I'll give them a nod in recognition. They'll give me a nod back. Then we both go on our way. Of course, I'm always a bit leery of them so I stay cautious. If they decide to violate our agreement I'm ready to put them on a plate.

And comparing wild hogs to humans as a whole is really painting with an enormous brush. I wouldn't do something like that. I will make one comparison that I've made before on here. Liberals in general and members of DUnceland specifically are useless. Just like tits on a boar hog. DUmmies are boar hog tits.

[DumbAss Tanker]

In NYS, the Department of Environmental Conservation wants all feral swine dead.  Plain and simple.

Makes it real easy to determine the "rules of engagement."

Same here.  Missouri is a hog free fire zone, except in deer season, and that's only because it would make things too damned hard for the Conservation Officers to sort out deer poachers from hog hunters otherwise.  Our deer season isn't all that long, FWIW.

[franksolich]

Same here.  Missouri is a hog free fire zone, except in deer season, and that's only because it would make things too damned hard for the Conservation Officers to sort out deer poachers from hog hunters otherwise.  Our deer season isn't all that long, FWIW.

You know, I've never in my life seen a wild pig.

Nebraska has all sorts of wildlife, and if they're in Missouri, surely they're up over here too.

But I've never seen one.  In my whole life.

[FlippyDoo]

Same here.  Missouri is a hog free fire zone, except in deer season, and that's only because it would make things too damned hard for the Conservation Officers to sort out deer poachers from hog hunters otherwise.  Our deer season isn't all that long, FWIW.

I'm beginning to think that what we need to open up on here in Georgia is turkeys. I've never hunted turkeys so I have no idea what the length of the season is, but it's apparently not long enough. I've been seeing turkeys all over the place lately. And I'm talking about the wild fowl variety. Not the foul unicorn keeper voters.

[Skul]

You know, I've never in my life seen a wild pig.

Nebraska has all sorts of wildlife, and if they're in Missouri, surely they're up over here too.

But I've never seen one.  In my whole life.

Check out some of DU's "show us your picture" threads.

I'll go dig up a real one in my archives.

[BattleHymn]

Same here.  Missouri is a hog free fire zone, except in deer season, and that's only because it would make things too damned hard for the Conservation Officers to sort out deer poachers from hog hunters otherwise.  Our deer season isn't all that long, FWIW.

DAT, what are the restrictions during deer season?  I'm ashamed to admit I wasn't aware of any restrictions.  I always carry my sidearm on me when hiking on public lands, as I have heard they can be very aggressive towards people. 

[Skul]

Crap, the pig pix are on the HD in my dead desktop.
How about a nice coon?

[BattleHymn]

Did you pet that creature?  Was it wild?  You must not value your right hand or forearm much.    

I have a video of me feeding the resident wild female raccoon a piece of bread with grape jelly on it.  In hindsight, it wasn't very smart.   

[tanstaafl]

the Texas governor and Republican presidential candidate, has signed legislation to allow any Texan with a hunting license to rent a seat on a helicopter and blast away at pigs, starting Thursday.

I checked into this several months ago. Going rate around Nueces TX is 2 bills an hour. No bag limit.

[Skul]

I checked into this several months ago. Going rate around Nueces TX is 2 bills an hour. No bag limit.

Sit in my backyard.
No charge.
BYOB
I get some of of it.

[Tucker]

If obama and the first wookie would serve some baby back ribs at their many fetes, there wouldn't be so much wild pork running wild.






Oh that's right. it's against their religion.

[Skul]

If obama and the first wookie would serve some baby back ribs at their many fetes, there wouldn't be so much wild pork running wild.


Oh that's right. it's against their religion.

It's Kosher, man, be cool.

[DumbAss Tanker]

DAT, what are the restrictions during deer season?  I'm ashamed to admit I wasn't aware of any restrictions.  I always carry my sidearm on me when hiking on public lands, as I have heard they can be very aggressive towards people. 

I'd have to look it up to be honest, and it may be specific to the conservation areas or Federal lands around here.  I just vaguely remember seeing some notice about it around here.  I haven't seen a feral hog around here for several years, once in a great while they catch one on the Fort or in the National Forest lands, and I hear about them from friends who work there.

Frank, hogs need cover and generally like to hang out where they can get into some wetland, rooting being their natural forage method though they're highly omnivorous.  The Sandhills aren't all that long on trees or bogs are they?  Also I expect it would get too damned cold for them in Wintertime there, the hand of Winter lays much lighter on the land down here in the southern Misssouri Ozarks. 

[AprilRazz]

“I HAVE feral pigs that overrun my farm and I’d like to shoot them out of a helicopter,” the comedian Roseanne Barr said

Oh the irony! It hurts! It hurts!!

[whiffleball]

Crap, the pig pix are on the HD in my dead desktop.
How about a nice coon?

We've had a lot of trouble with sick coons here in NEGA.  The ones that have had to be put down near us have been extremely thin and wobbly on their feet.  They're coming right up to where dogs live.  Wildlife Resources is telling us to trap (right! and release them where?) or shoot them.  We don't know if it's rabies because Wildlife isn't interested in coming out to retrieve the bodies.  We're just putting them down and very carefully burying them.

[DumbAss Tanker]

We've had a lot of trouble with sick coons here in NEGA.  The ones that have had to be put down near us have been extremely thin and wobbly on their feet.  They're coming right up to where dogs live.  Wildlife Resources is telling us to trap (right! and release them where?) or shoot them.  We don't know if it's rabies because Wildlife isn't interested in coming out to retrieve the bodies.  We're just putting them down and very carefully burying them.

Does sounds a lot like rabies, and 'coons and skunks are a very common vector for it.

[BlueStateSaint]

We've had a lot of trouble with sick coons here in NEGA.  The ones that have had to be put down near us have been extremely thin and wobbly on their feet.  They're coming right up to where dogs live.  Wildlife Resources is telling us to trap (right! and release them where?) or shoot them.  We don't know if it's rabies because Wildlife isn't interested in coming out to retrieve the bodies.  We're just putting them down and very carefully burying them.

About 20 years ago, the Capitol District of NY had a wave of raccoon rabies.  I knew a fair amount of Saratoga Springs cops (one was a good friend of mine).  One of those cops I knew had to shoot a rabid raccoon with his duty weapon.  A .45 ACP, with department-issue 230-grain Federal Hydra-Shoks.  He said it absoultely tore them apart.  He was lucky to be able to preserve the head for the rabies tests (he blew the head off, with a lucky shot in the chest).