(about 30 inches) tall at the shoulder and probably weighed around 50 kg (110 pounds)
Posted on 04/01/2016 11:58:18 AM PDT by dennisw
Hunters say feral hogs are taking a toll on the whitetail deer population In Louisiana there are estimated 700,000 'highly destructive' wild hogs Feral hogs carry diseases and parasites that can cause abortion in deer They are 'opportunistic' eaters and feed on deer fawn and other piglets
Deer hunters are facing unwanted competition as feral hogs in Louisiana threaten whitetail deer population. Wild hogs are known for spreading disease and killing and eating deer fawns.
Population boom of feral hogs across the US is threatening the deer population as hunters face unwanted competition with the wild beasts that spread disease and kill and eat deer fawns.
Particularly in Louisiana, where there are nearly 700,000 feral hogs, hunters and wildlife officials say they are taking a toll on the whitetail deer herd, according to FoxNews.com.
Deer hunter Justin Lanclos, 33, told Fox that if there are hogs in 'your hunting area, you are absolutely not going to see deer'.
He said that since deer are 'extremely smart and elusive' and they don't 'like to occupy the same area as hogs'.
Jim LaCour, the state wildlife veterinarian for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, told FoxNews.com that the hogs are in 'every habitat in the state'.
'They're very adaptable and also highly destructive,' LaCour said.
The pigs can weigh up to 500 pounds and according to LaCour, they are 'opportunistic' eaters.
They feast on anything crossing their path, including deer fawn, other piglets and dead animals.
LaCour told Fox that the hogs carry several diseases, such as leptospirosis, which can infect or kill other animals like deer.
He said that hogs move diseases and parasites 'across the landscape' and the leptospirosis bacteria can 'cause abortion in the deer'.
LaCour added that the bacteria can also kill an adult deer or 'people'.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
I remember the 1950s when raising nutria for fur was the rage. Then the market collapsed and people let them go in the wild.
Much like the Emus.
(about 30 inches) tall at the shoulder and probably weighed around 50 kg (110 pounds)
Are there so many wolves that your state has put a yearly season on them? If there are too many of any species, that puts everything out of balance and messes with the food supply for everyone-in places like Alaska they have a season on wolves, lynxes, and other animals they have a surplus of and it appears to work-it certainly makes sense. It might be mean, but it is only realistic to have a season on what is overpopulating.
The aggressive nature and lack of fear of humans that has been exhibited by some wolves and coyotes in recent decades has been traced to a really high percentage of domestic dog DNA-they are hybrids-smart, aggressive and not afraid of people.
Anyone who allows their dogs to roam freely, with access to wildlife is in part to blame for these hybrid predators that attack livestock and humans just as a feral dog pack does.
Most dogs out here are both pets and guards, so most are big and can be dangerous to strange animals and people-Great Danes and Pyrenees, Mastiffs, Bullmastiffs, German Shepherds, etc. This county got so sick of packs of feral dogs and coyote hybrids running amok that there is now an astronomical fine for an unleashed dog-no exceptions-not a perfect solution, but so far it has worked.
Everyone I know is more careful when hiking, because of the coyotes and the feral hogs-which are also smart, aggressive hybrids-and they are not afraid-those hogs do seriously injure and kill people.
I will-I just need the opportunity and a hunting partner...
Wolves are an endangered species in Wyoming. They are especially endangered on this ranch.
If the ones you are seeing are “real” wolves and not hybrids, they would likely withdraw into cover when they saw humans moving-how close are they, and do they back into cover when they see the kids-have there been any attacks on humans in your area?
Considering these pests share a feeder with my deer, I am not surprised of the disease transmission. Deer population seems to be holding up decently here. At least for now.
It'll have to be a SHTF scenario before I ever eat a Nutria Rat. Ughhh
No, no attacks. Just a few of the critters coming in too close is all. Maybe they’re hybrids like you’re saying here.
About 5-10 years ago a ragged tusked 200 lb. boar charged me at full gait before I nailed him between the eyes at 15 yards. I was shaking afterwards
Not too bad, and almost like regular pork as long as you harvest before completion of suckling stage.
Past then? I've tried it once, and it tastes like spoiled meat.
The fish and game people should know if any of those are around-those re-introduction programs are not supposed to be anything but the pure wild species-otherwise it is just a wilderness kennel of feral wolf/dogs.
They might just be curious wolves who haven’t seen humans before too, and are naturally cautious of them, not wanting to interact just as they should be in the wild.
If that had happened to me, I’d probably have expired from fright-but my 1st husband would have been almost orgasmic and on an adrenalin rush for days. He is no longer among the living, but that was the result of a different risk/thrill...
“Like spoiled meat.”
Try a marinade that is especially for gamey meat-there are a lot of recipes-most of the ones for bear work on hog, too.
Here in MI, we had a bad bout of escapees from supposedly secure hunting ranches.
Didn’t take long and they were EVERYWHERE.
Most sensible thing the DNR ever did was issue a shoot on sight and haven’t seen or heard of any around here for over a year.
I do know that this ol’ gal severely curtailed her woods crusin’ during that time. I wasn’t sure the trusty 44 mag would stop a p.o.ed momma hog.
I do have a soft spot for anything moon god worshippers hate, but I like bacon too :-)
we brought Nutria here to eat the water lillies that were clogging up everything and taking over and those critters LOVED the hyacinths and Louisiana now we have to find a critter that likes to eat nuttria!
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Back in the 1950-60s, the power plant on a small lake in West Oak Cliff (Dallas) and Grand Prairie TX had intake and discharge channels being clogged with water plants. Some nutria were introduced to eat the plants and they multiplied quickly. In nice weather, the workers at the power plant would take their lunches and rifles out onto the grassy slope overlooking the channels and shoot the nutria.
Feral hogs and nutria should both be legal to shoot anywhere, but especially in States with heavy populations of either.
This looks like a good place to use drones to hunt and track them.
There is a program that is used to reduce raccoon populations. Something put in food and dropped in areas with high concentrations of raccoons that sterilizes them so they can’t reproduce. Sounds like a job for Monsanto!
This looks like a good place to use drones to hunt and track them.
There is a program that is used to reduce raccoon populations. Something put in food and dropped in areas with high concentrations of raccoons that sterilizes them so they can’t reproduce. Sounds like a job for Monsanto!
oh no... they are there too! (are you missing some point or another?????)
Squirrels are also in the rat family and people have no problem eating them. Nutria are easier to butcher due to being large. Squirrels are a pain to deal with.
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