This page has been moved to http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/field-notes
If your browser doesn’t redirect you to the new location, please visit The Field Notes at its new location: www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/field-notes.
Discussion Topic: Are Wild Boars, Er, Wild?
Seems like a stupid question. But it’s important, because any animal deemed truly wild—whether it lives in a private preserve or not--becomes the property of The People, regulated by state officials, with potentially threatening implications for commercial hunting operations. Recently the Pennsylvania Game Commission and a group called the Pennsylvania Legislative Animal Network (PLAN) went all the way to the state Supreme Court to answer this quandry. Now the judges have made their ruling:
From The Morning Call:
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled that captive boars at fenced hunting preserves are wildlife, a decision that could force the state Game Commission to regulate pay-to-hunt operations.
Although the court did not say exactly how pay-to-hunt operations should be regulated, the decision could have a significant impact. . . . A decision about how to handle the hunting of wild board inside fenced preserves is on hold pending further court action.
And from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
The majority opinion also said it expected the commission to consider whether any of the other species hunted at Tioga [Boar Hunting Preserve] also are subject to game regulations [including elk, sheep, buffalo, deer, and turkeys]. . . .
"I think that the Game Commission will hopefully phase out wild boars in Pennsylvania," said [PLAN’s Johnna] Seeton. "They're not indigenous to the state, and I don't think they'll consider them fair chase if they're in an enclosed area."
Your reaction?
It sounds to me like there's a different question here...
Who regulates high-fence operations? Apparently the Game Commission is not chartered to manage them, but it looks like no one else is either. That's a big hole, and while I don't know much about the Tioga Preserve, there's a lot of room for somebody to do some pretty shady and abusive stuff.
Posted by: Phillip | January 08, 2008 at 12:35 PM
This is a castrophe for pay to hunt places. Even if they work out some sort of License situation that suits them, there is still a regulatory nightmare ahead. I don't know what the profit margins are on a bussiness like that, but it might fold them or make them alot less profitable. There best course of action that I can see is to fight it out in the courts till the very bitter end.
Posted by: Jason | January 08, 2008 at 12:42 PM
Wild boars in NC are only considered "wild" in a few counties; like 6 out of nearly 100. They were released several years ago along the blue ridge parkway for hunting.
What a mistake.
However, the rest of the counties say they are feral hogs and there are no regs - just like coyotes.
So come on down to NC and pop a few if you will.
Just watch out.
There are guys that sell *wild boar* hunts for anywhere between $150 to $300 and they are certainly feral hogs! Not the wild russian boar!
And most terrible is the fact that the majority of the landowners hunting operations lease from would PAY YOU to come get them the hell out of their food plots, much less charge you to come do it, but these so called professional hunting operations will charge you heavily to kill a nuisance.
What a croc of shxt!!!!!!
Posted by: Tommy S. | January 08, 2008 at 12:51 PM
Plenty of public land borders alot of land, particulalry in the north and northwestern parts of the state, that is being overrun by feral hogs.
Go get one. I am trying to find the right spot as we speak to do so, probably in person county near Roxboro.
Posted by: Tommy S. | January 08, 2008 at 12:53 PM
Where to start!
Feral hogs! Only recently deemed "undesirable" in my state! Seems the regulations state that "feral" means the "owner" must be notified of the pig's location. If the hog is still at large three(3) days later, it can be killed as feral, "UNLESS", the owner contacts you within that three day period and continues to claim the hog. The "owner" can continue to "claim" the pig as being "domestic" at three day intervals. I have seen feral hog herds of as many as 40-60 animals!
Bubba
Posted by: Bubba | January 08, 2008 at 01:08 PM
Direct answer is...NO!!
Hogs are FERAL....invasive species....NOT wild....PERIOD!!
Posted by: Mike | January 08, 2008 at 01:47 PM
In Michigan, fenced off game farms are regulated by the Michigan Department of Agriculture. I don't patronize them so I'm not sure, but I believe that the owners set their own rules. No license is required.
Feral hogs are going to be a problem, as are most invasive species. We even have some populations up here in the U.P.
YooperJack
Posted by: YooperJack | January 08, 2008 at 02:00 PM
No land owner should be allowed to import non native species, even if a game fence is in place. In Texas, invasive species like Axis and Fallow deer are on the lose. Non native species should be hunted to get rid of them. If you want to hunt an exotic, buy a plan ticket and fly elsewhere.
Posted by: Matt Mallery | January 08, 2008 at 03:34 PM
Feral hogs, regardless of fences are...... FERAL HOGS!!!!!
A feral hog by any other name is a...... FERAL HOG!!!!!
They have now infiltrated every state except Hawaii, they just can't swim that far! Unless, some ignoramus imported some! LOL!!!
If it looks like a feral hog, smells like a feral hog, feels like a feral hog, and sounds like a feral hog, by golly, it MUST be a FERAL HOG!!!!!
Bubba
Posted by: Bubba | January 08, 2008 at 07:43 PM
Bacon is bacon in my book.
Posted by: Blue Ox | January 08, 2008 at 10:21 PM
Hey Ox
Unfortunately, you can't make bacon with a feral hog. NO FAT!
Ain't that weird!?
Bubba
Posted by: Bubba | January 09, 2008 at 06:22 AM
We have that same three day strange law here in AR. If I see one around my place hes hangin in the barn three days or not. The farmer can actually sue you for killin one even if it has damaged your property. Dont ask me outdated laws I guess. My fav is one about 30 lbs stuffed with herbs and sewn shut and hung on the smoker for 5 or 6 hours! Damn just drooled on my key board!!LOL
Posted by: GREG | January 09, 2008 at 07:53 AM
Oh yeah FERAL is FERAL is FERAL. Is there any where in the U.S. that has pure bred russian boars any more?
Posted by: GREG | January 09, 2008 at 07:54 AM
I agree with Matt M. Keep non-native species out of the landscape.
Posted by: WA Mtnhunter | January 09, 2008 at 10:24 AM
The International Assn of Fish and Wildlife Managers determined many years ago that they and only they should make any money off of any and all fishing and hunting. Called it the " North American Model" and called for the non-commercialization of wildlife.
But it seems that with the down turn in hunter numbers there is not enought power and money in wildlife so they are now going after private owned animals and calling for the democrization of wildlife so that all citizens pay for and have an equal voice in wildlife.
The proposed animal welfare state is being promoted by telling hunters that all fences that impeed the natural flow of wildlife or access to wildlife by hunters should be outlawed. Banning hunting leases is also in the works.
The concept sounds great to those that only focus on the open access to wildlife and assume that after the nonconsumptive user groups start paying their share they will forget to voice their opinions and excercise their vote.
The only sure winners are the buracrats we hired to manage our bought and paid for and now restored herds without having to pay attention to the noisey little consumptive user group we call hunters.
Folks need to realize that "Fair chase" is an abitrary term, many non hunting and currently non vested interests consider it unfair unless the game has guns too!
Posted by: mike | January 09, 2008 at 12:14 PM
About the only pure eurasian boars you'll find anywhere in the US are on game farms/preserves, or in the local area after they've escaped. The boars in the NC Mountains, planted there by Mr Moore almost 90 years ago may still be producing offspring, but odds are they've crossbred. The California hogs in the Carmel area are a mix of these NC hogs and the ferals released by the Spanish many years previous.
Bubba, news for ya... even Hawaii has a huge feral hog problem. It's gotten worse since the young folks haven't taken up the traditional hunting values, opting instead for easy money off of the tourist trade...or worse. If you're interested in a cool hunt for exotic species, including hogs, the Hawaii is the place!
Wildlife management experts predict that there will be viable populations of wild hogs in every state, including Alaska, within the next 10 years.
Posted by: Phillip | January 09, 2008 at 12:49 PM
Captain Cook and other south Pacific explorers dropped of domestic pigs at various south Pacific islands back in the day. The idea was that the pigs would survive, breed, and provide a food source should the ship come that way again and need food. Hence, Hawaii has feral hogs that are very destructive. The Nature Consvervancy proposed to trap the animals to oblivion back in the 90s, but Native Hawaiins protested saying that pig hunting had become a tradition.
Mike,
I think comparing leases to game farms in not fair. There are land owners who do not put up game proof fences but do charge a fee to hunt. That is fair chase. Hunting behind a game fence is not fair chase. Game fences do impede the flow of wildlife and are harmful.
Posted by: Matt Mallery | January 09, 2008 at 03:06 PM
Leave it to the Good Old PA game Commission Remember People this is the same Commission Who will swear up and down that there are no Longer Mountian Lions in PA Whn there are those of us who have seen them with Our own eyes.. I have personally seen them on my grabdparents land whn i was younger and very recently on their but PLAN and Game commission Treat it like Area 51 Aliens...
Sorry very off topic but i just wntd people to realize how Scrued up the PA game Commission is.
Posted by: Sexy Man | January 09, 2008 at 05:09 PM
Please Excuse my Spelling im posting while at work so ihave to be Quick...
SHHHHHHHH,........
Posted by: Sexy Man | January 09, 2008 at 05:14 PM
Matt
I kinda thought they even had 'em in Hawaii but wasn't sure, ergo my statement.
I have smoked lot's of meat in my time and Greg's right. About 20-30 lbs on the hoof is best. Don't know what it is, but it's got to be the best BBQ I've ever eaten. Something about the meat really holds the smoke and spices, passing it along with each and every lucious bite!!!!!
Bubba
P.S. I'm slobbering too, now!!! Shut up GERG!!!!
Posted by: Bubba | January 09, 2008 at 07:24 PM
A friend of mine was a preserve steward for the Nature Conservancy on one of the Hawaiian Islands for a short time. She proposed a plan to allow the Hawaiians to hunt the feral hogs because they were destroying the preserve. Everybody agreed it was a win, win situation until PETA brought suit to syop the feral hog hunt even though PETA knew that the pigs were not indigenous and were destroying other rare and unique species. My friend told me that situation was a nightmare.
Regarding the article, I must have missed something. I am not a big fan of shooting preserves, but if I own 800 acres, fence it in, and buy breed stock from a legal reputable wildlife supplier (only native species), how is it "the peoples" deer, when its my land and my invested funds?
Posted by: John R | January 09, 2008 at 08:18 PM
John R:
In Michigan, when you fence it off like that, you can apply to be a game farm. You have to "buy" the deer that remain in the enclosure. Several have. Some do it for their own enjoyment, some do it for profit. You have the option of bringing in better breeding stock. I think that's why the ones who don't do it for profit, do it at all.
YooperJack
Posted by: YooperJack | January 09, 2008 at 08:33 PM
Once again, there's no explaining anything to PETA. Hopefully, they were the one's that got sick from eating the pig sh** contaminated spinach!
Bubba
Posted by: Bubba | January 09, 2008 at 09:48 PM
I can't think of a group more harmful to America than Peta. There's got to be some way that we can negate their publicity. There isn't one aspect of our lives that doesn't involve animals.
YooperJack
Posted by: YooperJack | January 09, 2008 at 09:57 PM
Sorry I screwed up the acronym.
Its PETA
Posted by: YooperJack | January 09, 2008 at 09:58 PM