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TexasBoars · Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 4:41 pm Post subject: THE GREAT RELEASE

The species advances ever-further northward.

Feral Swine were first introduced in North America by European and Spanish explorers some 400 to 500 years ago. The animals remained confined to the forest and swamps of the South Eastern US from Florida to Texas where they survived and flourished but remained in check.
In a time frame beginning around 1990 to the present year 2009, the swine broke-out and made a dramatic spread from their western boundary of South East TX where they existed for hundreds of years as mentioned in the journals of Daniel Boone, Davey Crockett and other legends and spread northward through the Panhandle and west all the way through Texas into New Mexico. I am now receiving first hand reports that the feral swines northward expansion has now established itself in irreversible numbers in parts of Southern COLORADO. The mountains will offer no resistance to their ability to survive and spread. Their ancestors were mountain animals.
The state governments as well as federal agencies have absolutely no handle on the situation and in my honest opinion is GROSSLY underestimating the numbers and the species itself. It is now a run-away train on a steep downhill grade. In my opinion the numbers have been vastly underestimated, by the millions, in Texas alone much less nationwide! What can account for this dramatic spread I have nicknamed the GREAT RELEASE? RELOCATION is the only plausible answer along with the fact that once released they have a near perfect survival record.
What explanation can be offered for the break away and now uncontrollable spread of this invasive species. The commercial value is the largest most predominant reason. The commercial value which was basically non-existent the early 1990's grew and peaked to 1.00 and 2.00 a pound on the hoof (alive) to slaughter facilities that distribute USDA grade game meat worldwide and as much as 4.00 or 5.00 and more a pound (conservative) as a challenging dangerous game animal inside a high fence leading up to the year 2000. The grossly misleading specials featured on NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC and DISCOVERY CHANNELS shrouding them in mystery and reporting them as MAN-EATING MONSTERS on the prowl only make it worse! In less than ten years they went from 500 year ZEROS to NATIONAL HEROES. Increasing their value in a variety of commercial markets and spreading the desire of landowners and hunters to relocate the species even more. The population in Texas went from an estimated 1 million to now as many as 4 million in just 10 years as landowners and hunters wishing to "CASH IN" relocated the species in areas they did not exist. As a result the species expanded their coverage area of about 10 to 15% to a coverage area of 70% or more that includes sewer systems and drainage canals of some cities. As I have said for the last 5 or 6 years. We will pay for this ignorance, and we will pay BIG TIME! The real mystery is being completely IGNORED!
I'm no doctor, I'm no scientist, what little I do know from doctors and science, is swine are the perfect carriers of disease that can be spread to humans. Disregard the ones we know about such as Pseudo Rabies and others. PANDEMIC from waterfowl maybe a big concern, but consider this. Forget about the the Ol-Wives-Tales and national attention of being man-eaters. Thats not reality, thats a fantasy. The reality is this. No 4-legged SPECIES is more pervasive and have the ability to survive and thrive from climates ranging from HOT DESERT to HIGH MOUNTAINS including the URBAN SPRAWL found in between! SWINE now exist on every continent with the exception of the North and South Poles.
It's not a matter of "IF" a new disease that threatens our native wildlife or Pandemic of some kind will be hosted by this animal. It's only a matter of time and when it does and it will spread like a wild fire as the animals traverse the country-side, through fences, over roads, swim rivers, and climb mountains in over-abundant numbers. As the species is relocated more and more for its commercial values and spread further and further into areas in which they never existed, the threat they pose only grows greater.

If you don't have feral swine where you live,, you should be GRATEFUL! Commercial value or not, the GREAT RELEASE needs to come to an end. The shame of it, our government seems to not even be aware of the problem worse yet, as history has proven time and time again, too many of us in our society just don't give a crap, disregard common sense, and relocate the animals so they can have a piece of the pie.

The question isn't if you have feral swine in your backyard now, its only a matter of when. MY THOUGHTS and OBSERVANCES based on years of first hand involvement and a nationwide network of people passing on first hand information of what is taking place.
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txbigbossman · Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 9:10 pm Post subject:

I agree with you totally on all you have stated Kevin. Some valid points for sure.
I apprecaite your thoughts and efforts on everything as to keeping us informed on past and current events as well.
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Randy Tausch · Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 4:36 pm Post subject:

I also agree. There are incredible numbers of hogs in more and more places. Our number of properties where we hunt has expanded form 1 to 11 in just 3 years because more and more land owners find themselves inundated with hogs and their destruction.
Gerald and I are trying to do our part. We have killed 204 in the last 15 months. And there appears to be no end in sight.
Randy
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Mike H · Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 12:42 am Post subject: Hog spread

When I was a boy in East Texas - Newton County - in the mid 1960's, there was no stock law for the county. Anyone could register an earmark with the county and release all the hogs they wanted on paper mill land - or anybody else's. It was not legal to hunt them if you didn't have your own mark (I did, however, shot as many as I could). The market value of the meat got so low "owners" quit fooling with them, and the average hunter had no interest. I stopped hunting and went fishing for 30 years or so, and suddenly was made aware that hogs were virtually everywhere in Texas just as Kevin has said - and also beyond. They are amazing animals, however you view them, and I think he is absolutely right about the danger thy pose.

DocHolladay · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 6:21 am Post subject:

I hear tell that they are in New York state now. I saw this on one of the forums I visit, but I dont remember which one.

Richard Bogan · Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 10:05 pm Post subject: Haskell County Texas

I know there is a lot here in Haskell County. I saw as many as 40 grazing in a winter wheat field. Only killed one and they scattered. The next pasture of mesquite and catus had some many pig trails it looked like hog highways. I will do my part and kill as many as I can. Can you sell those pig dead or alive?
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David Haehn · Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 3:03 am Post subject:

That is where Ray and I picked up the 27 hogs last month *Haskell County* they have killed hundreds there from helicopters and it is beginnning to pay off..
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Mark Y. · Member Joined: 03 Mar 2012 Posts: 52 LOCATION REQUIRED: NJ

New Jersey has a population of 100 plus in Gloucester County in South Jersey. They are tearing up a golf course and nurseries down there.

Justin Sain · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 2:33 pm Post subject:

Mark Y. · Member Joined: 03 Mar 2012 Posts: 52 LOCATION REQUIRED: NJ

Justin, N.J. was reluctant to allow hunting for them. They decided that they would live trap them in an area in White Oak Branch wildlife Management Area. I believe they were able to trap 2 or 3 in their endeavor. There is a Golf Course adjacent to the WMA where the hogs were wreaking havoc, in addition to several nurseries suffering damage. They finally decided to allow hunting in the WMA for them, with the following caveats: You must have a license, you must have a deer permit for that zone, you can only hunt them with weapons authorized for deer hunting may be used to take feral hogs, ie bows during bow season, shotguns during shotgun season, muzzleloaders during muzzleloading season, providing you haven't reached your bag limit of deer. Written permission must be obtained from the landowner to pursue feral hogs on private property. As a result, despite whatever they may say, the herd has grown. Their latest solution to the problem is to trap and radio collar pigs and use to collared pigs to lead them to the rest.

CyberSniper · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 3:48 pm Post subject:

What do they do when they find the rest ?
Air strike ? Try to trap them all ?
The regs for hunting them were too restrictive, obviously.
Oh well.
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Billy F Hillgartner · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 6:29 pm Post subject:

In our local paper yesterday, they ran a story from the state wildlife people advising the feral hog had moved into southern NM and were expanding north up the Rio Grande toward heavy agriculture country. (Hatch, prime green chili production area) The good news that the state made no bones about the distruction and diseases brought about with the hogs expansion throughout the state. And in essence said "kill 'em all!". Which, as far as I'm concerned, is a great position for the state to take. I love hog hunting, but I shudder to think about the devistation they would bring to my area where subsistance farming is so vital to a great number of Navajo farmers. C'ya Smile

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Justin Sain · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 7:43 pm Post subject: Re: NJ pigs

Mark Y. · Member Joined: 03 Mar 2012 Posts: 52 LOCATION REQUIRED: NJ

Justin, You by Pittsgrove? Yeah. Those pigs are less than 20 miles from Wharton State forest and the Pinelands. Once they get in there its all over. That's 1.1 million acres of wilderness to breed in. Once again, they think they know best and are out to make a buck on permits. Now that people are hunting them, its only a matter of time before they get pushed there. They should have let hunters go in there without a permit to eradicate them. Instead they d*cked around with them for years before letting people hunt. Fish and Wildlife are quite amused with their radio collar "Judas Pig" program. They think they are the first people to try such things.

Justin Sain · Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 1:02 pm Post subject:

Yeah unfortunately for now until I can enact my escape plan, but it's still in it's infancy.

Mark Y. · Member Joined: 03 Mar 2012 Posts: 52 LOCATION REQUIRED: NJ

I'm looking for land in Texas to buy now Justin. The sooner the better. NJ is horrible.

Justin Sain · Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 1:08 pm Post subject:

You're preaching to the choir brother!! I've been wanting to move back for a while, but now I've got a wife and 2 teens to sell it too also.

Mark Y. · Member Joined: 03 Mar 2012 Posts: 52 LOCATION REQUIRED: NJ

I'm fortunate. My son is on his own and my wife is amendable to a move. At least I think she is. Lol

Paul Burkett · Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 4:36 pm Post subject:

Mark, you had better move NOW, before you get grand kids. After the grand kids come, Mamma is anchored to where ever they want to live. My wife says that she'd like to move to Texas...for the winter months, but to miss out on the grands...I don't think she'll stay away for more than a month.
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2012- 11 pigs Down.
2 Deer Down.