It doesn’t take long for Farmer Joe’s prize hog Betsy to go wild if she was to get loose. My guess is most of the “wild hogs” in this country are all domestic feral hogs. If a couple hogs got loose from a farm, I would think in a couple years time, there would be an established pack in the area or wherever they ventured to.
I had a friend years ago that lived in Morgan County way out in the country by Arenzville. On the way there was a hog farmer and it was no confinement at all or that I could see. All fenced in and this went on for several miles and in some cases on both sides of the road, and I’me talking hilly, rolling ground, full of draws and who knows how many hogs he had. Now I haven’t been over there for years or even know if the hogs are still there, but it would not suprise me at all if there are not some running wild over in that area now because I don’t see anyway this guy could have kept them all fenced in 100% of the time. But there are quite a few hunters in that area and maybe they were shot when seen. If the truth be told I am really surprised that they are not a problem here already, not from them traveling here, but from them getting away from farms over the years.
The email I sent to Dr. George A. Feldhamer got a pretty quick reply. He said they haven’t researched the wild hog population since they did the study in ‘04. He recommended contacting the DNR.
There must be quite a few around in Fulton and Mcdonough counties… it seems like that is all the highschool kids do around there, is drive around on the back roads and look for them.
When I was in H.S. I drove a lot of township roads and field lanes. Wasn’t looking for wild piggies but it sure could sound a lot like that though and it did start with a P!
A lot of question for sure when it comes to hogs, and I know the DNR feels this is a big problem right now. To tell the truth the big question is are these domestic farm hogs getting lose, or are these wild type European strains of hogs that are being let lose for hunting, or are they both???? The domestic hog I feel would have a real hard time with coyote predation in the wild, and anyone that has raised hogs outside knows this first hand. Those that may be of European strains is a whole other story they already have the wild traits installed into them to deal with predators and would fair far better than domestic breeds. The wild card is if the two have cross breed already and you have a strain of pig that stronger bigger and can deal with predators as well. This will be a battle like never seen before , because there are so many folks that love to hunt hogs and would love to have them, but then there is the other side of all the damage they cause. You think seeing someone hit a deer with a car is bad,well wait tell you see a car that has hit a hog !!!!! I hunt Clay county a lot, but I have not seen any running the banks of the little Wabash yet,but if I do you bet your bottom dollar I will jump on them like Jimmy Dean
Guys I tell you one thing, if you know where they are, you best try to get rid of them quick. They can have 2-3 litters a year with the litters being 10-16, so you can see if you have 6 sows, plenty hogs. They start breeding less than a year. Here in Louisiana, we are overrun with them, migrated in from Texas. I run a 6500 acre lease by Toledo Bend Lake, you plant a food plot, they will come, and they will tear it up in one day. Kill deer, oh yes, I haven’t seen it happen by eye on our lease, but I hunted Texas and saw them kill fawns and eat the whole thing. Your DNR better take it serious. Our DNR now allows us to night hunt them except during deer season. We can hunt them year round, by dog, or gun, or bow. We even trap them to get rid of them. And they are very smart in avoiding a human. But I can say this, if your DNR doesn’t take quick action, they will start also destroying the corn crops, and when that happens, from what I read on this web site, the farmers will be able to get something done.
Also, supposedly they are feral hogs we have, or at one time back they came from farm hogs. But through the years of breeding, these dudes look a lot like the Russian Boars, and they are mean. they will try to avoid you, but, you accidently walk up on a sow with younguns, they coming after you. Our DNR biologist have also told us that most of these hogs carry a bacteria that could transmit to you if you are cleaning one that you have killed. They are ok to eat, you just have to make sure it is cooked properly. But, we on our lease, and others I know, take precaution and wear gloves to protect from any blood contamination getting to a cut, scratch, or rash. I will try to post some pics that I have from my cameras.
Now, you will see that in Louisiana we are allowed to use feeders. While I personally don’t care to use them, when on a lease here, it’s almost a must. We don’t allow anyone to walk around, go to stand, hunt, come out. Most of La is leased, unless you hunt WMA, which I do also. I took more deer before land was all leased up than now, because I “hunted”, found where they were, setup and took my shots. Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way on leases here, Thats why you have it so good up there, even if as I understand, most of you guys not happy with your DNR. All I can say, if I didn’t have a camp on Toledo Bend Lake by my lease, wouldn’t hunt there at all. Off the subject of hogs, but we got em, infested with them.
there are some wild hogs in Saline county. I hunt just south of Carrier Mills and have seen them in the Shawnee Forest and have talked to some of the farmers about them. they travel a lot of the creeks and drainage ditches in the fields
Here in Crawford County, a wild boar washed up on the Palestine Boat Ramp today. The DNR is investigating it’s origin. Other than this occurance I don’t believe theres any feral hogs in Crawford County…..............yet….
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