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Wild Pigs Destroying Parks in South Monterey County
KSBW ^ | Oct 19, 2022 | Felix Cortez

Posted on 10/19/2022 6:32:47 PM PDT by nickcarraway

Wild pigs on the Central Coast continue to be a growing problem as they extend their range of damage and county park leaders now looking at hiring a private hunter to help eradicate the problem.

“It gets very very frustrating. Our parks are the jewels of our community,” said Mike LeBarre, mayor of King City.

LeBarre is referring to San Lorenzo Park in King City which was the latest target of the wild hogs. They ripped up the grass this week in search of grubs, insect larvae hidden beneath the grass. The damage is estimated to be thousands of dollars in manpower and materials.

“What the pigs do when they come in the damage they cause it's more than just today it will take weeks, and weeks and weeks just to get that grass back in place where it's starting to grow again,” said LeBarre.

The wild pigs have also ripped into the playing fields at Toro Park and earlier this year one pig destroyed a restroom at Lake San Antonio when it got trapped inside.

“They do cause so much damage that, you know, they need there needs to be a solution to it. And we're doing the best we can,” said Bryan Flores, chief of Monterey County Parks.

Flores said park rangers have set up traps to capture the pigs and “humanely dispatch” them as rangers describe it. In a two-week span, rangers captured 30 pigs but the growing pig population is outpacing any effort to eradicate the problem.

Recommended PG&E outage on Monterey Peninsula, oct 19Power restored to PG&E customers on Monterey Peninsula “It seems like a lot but when you're talking about a pig population down there, hundreds of pigs, and within a year, a sow can have three to four litters of, you know, 8 to 10 pigs… it's exponential growth and you can't even stay ahead of it,” said Flores.

That's why Monterey County will soon bring in a private trapper to help get rid of the wild pigs.

“A vendor that we're going to contract with that will come out, set up traps and then dispatch the pig when they catch one, and you know, we have a couple of traps at each park, but, you know, they have 30, 40, 50 traps that they can set up,” Flores said.

And just last month, the governor signed legislation that will make it easier and cheaper for hunters to kill wild pigs. The annual damage to public parks and private property including agriculture fields is estimated to be in the billions of dollars. And drought conditions are forcing the pigs out of the wild in search of food and water.

“They're going further and further into places they normally wouldn't go which is closer to people,” said mayor LeBarre.


TOPICS: Local News; Outdoors; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: pigs; wildlife
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To: Disambiguator

That is because out of two litters of 6 each per year 14 survive.


21 posted on 10/19/2022 7:57:33 PM PDT by Cold Heart (Everybody vaxxed was injured, your degree of damage and timing may differ)
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To: old curmudgeon

There used to be a small population of them here in Nevada.
Private ranch land so you had to get permission.
I wonder if they were eradicated or the population grew?
I should look into it again, I never seem to draw a deer tag.


22 posted on 10/19/2022 7:59:03 PM PDT by Ex gun maker. (Free thinking is now a radical concept, I will not be assimilated by PC or EV groupthink!)
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To: nickcarraway

I knew a guy when I lived in LA close top 40 years ago who used to go up to the central coast to hunt feral pigs which caused agricultural destruction even then. This is not something entirely new.


23 posted on 10/19/2022 8:01:23 PM PDT by Flash Bazbeaux
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To: oldasrocks

Population density issue.
But Shotgun only zones should be possible.


24 posted on 10/19/2022 8:05:32 PM PDT by Ex gun maker. (Free thinking is now a radical concept, I will not be assimilated by PC or EV groupthink!)
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To: nickcarraway
The Vietnamese emigres love to hunt boar either with guns or bows.

Let 'em loose.

25 posted on 10/19/2022 8:09:35 PM PDT by who_would_fardels_bear (This is not a tagline.)
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To: nickcarraway

WHO LET THE TRANSGENERS OUT!!??


26 posted on 10/19/2022 8:19:10 PM PDT by griffin (When you have to shoot, SHOOT; don't talk. -Tuco)
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To: old curmudgeon

When I had a nursing contract is Maine, a patient’s family had taped a collage of photos on the closet door to cheer him on, for his illness was serious. The room was crowded with family of all ages.
Right in the middle was the patient kneeling with his gun in front an enormous hog.
He had come down to Texas on a hunt at one of the big camps and bagged a big one.
With my best Texan drawl and in my eye, I said,” You know those are endangered!!!”
The gap that came from the group was priceless. The brave hunter and I laughed until tears.


27 posted on 10/19/2022 8:29:22 PM PDT by myprecious ( Beginning to emerge from lurking)
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To: myprecious

Twinkle in my eye
Gasp from crowd.

Tiny buttons on phone.


28 posted on 10/19/2022 8:33:47 PM PDT by myprecious ( Beginning to emerge from lurking)
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To: nickcarraway

Exactly and then have a nice roasting on the beach


29 posted on 10/19/2022 10:00:54 PM PDT by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds )
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To: crusty old prospector

Wild boar have very heavy hides

Cross bow May not be enough. 30.06 is about right. Clean shot doesn’t produce any noise but a thud


30 posted on 10/19/2022 10:03:14 PM PDT by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds )
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To: D Rider

“The original pigs (boars) were brought in to be hunted also.”

Right, Russian boars if I’m not mistaken. I remember reading archery mags with stories of California boar hunts. Some if the boar trophy photos were impressive.


31 posted on 10/20/2022 2:59:06 AM PDT by Clutch Martin ("The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right." )
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To: nickcarraway

The solution is Barbecue. and Bacon. and Pork chops. and Ham.

Pig tastes delicious. Allow hunters to come collect the free groceries and the problem will go away fast.


32 posted on 10/20/2022 3:35:20 AM PDT by FLT-bird
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To: hinckley buzzard
"I’m sure more than a few experienced Texans would be glad to deal with this problem fairly swiftly."

Get a few wild-eyed Cajuns. If you want them to be extra discreet, tell them boars are out of season.

33 posted on 10/20/2022 3:41:57 AM PDT by Joe 6-pack
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To: sasquatch

PIG PING.


34 posted on 10/20/2022 3:43:11 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$ (Don't rush to your death.)
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To: chrisinoc

You need a hunting license to hunt anything with fur or feather in Kalifornia.


35 posted on 10/20/2022 3:45:19 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$ (Don't rush to your death.)
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To: Flag_This

Splitting hairs no doubt, but the GIF actually portrays the UH 34 Crew chief behind an M-60, not a “door gunner.” The “gunner” was actually on the left side of the chopper.

Like I say, splitting hairs.


36 posted on 10/20/2022 5:43:47 AM PDT by ragamuffin (Fed up)
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To: ragamuffin
”Like I say, splitting hairs.”

Thank you for the information. I don’t have any problems with learning from those who know.

37 posted on 10/20/2022 6:12:18 AM PDT by Flag_This
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To: gundog

Good one!


38 posted on 10/20/2022 7:28:09 AM PDT by sasquatch
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To: sasquatch

He actually used to hunt the hogs when he lived in Big Sur.


39 posted on 10/20/2022 7:43:47 AM PDT by gundog ( It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. )
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