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Bad news for New England... Feral Hogs in NH

7.5K views 28 replies 23 participants last post by  kaintucklongknife  
#1 ·
I got this in an email today...

News from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department

CONCORD, N.H. -- They're big, hairy, hungry and hopefully not coming to a neighborhood near you. Free-ranging feral swine have become one of the more serious wildlife problems in the United States, and New Hampshire has a confirmed, though small, population. Any presence is a concern, because razorbacks, as they are sometimes called, are extremely adaptable and can triple their population in a single year. Read the cover story in the new November/December 2011 issue of New Hampshire Wildlife Journal to find out more about these invaders and what's being done to prevent this destructive species from becoming established in New Hampshire.
 
#8 ·
They've wiped out the Arizona Turkey population in a couple areas of AZ and game and fish say they'll stalk a pregnant doe until she drops a fawn and eat it immediately.
This seems to me a bit far fetched but who am I to argue. A friend of mine dropped 6 in Pioche NV a few seeks ago too. no one I know knew any ferals were even in the area.
 
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#9 ·
hogs are bad news, if you think it is a great hunting opportunity, oh yea, great, but if you own a farm, have a nice lawn, grow crops, say goodbye to that and don't complain when they cost you a lot of money....we have a big population here in NM now, but they can cause a lot of damage, look at Colby's hay field in his thread 'payback', that was a short time they totally turned the ground upsidedown...and doesn't take many
 
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#10 ·
Sounds like pig slaying time in NH. Good luck with that problem...

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#15 · (Edited)
Yep, given the N-TX Red River/Palo Duro Canyon drainage and W-OK are now overrun it's only a matter of time for them to hit Rocky Ford and what ever little productivity is left in E-CO... Won't be pretty and will shut the libtards up about Lysteria or whatever the problem was from one isolated bunch of cantaloupe this year. (Well, honestly that was pretty sad/unheard of w/ CO produce.)

FWIW, I hear there's already several sounders running the Arkansas riverbanks that got dumped in an accident a few years ago; regardless, the "invasion" is headed this way for sure. I've also hear there's a few in the far SW riverbanks near Mesa Verde as well... FWIW, I think even our inept DIV of Wildlife has instituted a no-limit/shoot on sight policy.

Honestly, I hope we can keep MOST of 'em out of CO/WY/MT! Still strange that NM has escaped but it's likely the river drainage's as far as I understand?

B2

ETA: Whoops, didn't read/realize that NM now had an issue... These feral pig/hogs are smart survivalists right up there w/ cockroaches, smell worse, yet depending on forage, usually taste better. Wow, I remember when the only pigs you saw in TX were way south. Sadly, guess "PIG BOMB" isn't an exaggeration.
 
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#13 ·
Currently NH has said the only feral hogs are escapes from a local game farm, they are considered personal property and are not allowed to kill them unless you contact the owner (game farm)
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Wildlife/hogs_feral.htm
Feral swine have no legal game status in New Hampshire, but are considered escaped private property and may only be hunted with permission of the property owner. Click here for more information. Since 1949, feral swine have been defined in the state as animals "Running at Large" under RSA 467:3. In most states, they are considered an invasive or exotic species.
Now if I see them on my property its going to be the SSS method.
 
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#14 ·
Obviously the Russian halfbreeds have it in their blood to adapt to the cold. They're smarter than hell and twice as destructive. I could see them thriving assuming enough water is accessable during the winter (not snow). They'd better get a handle on it quick while they have a chance.
 
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#17 ·
Now if I see them on my property its going to be the SSS method.
Sounds reasonable...Just protecting your interests.

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#19 ·
Heard that too...I've yet to see any.
A friends father allegedly has pics of two hogs in a field somewhere near Ellicottville. I need to get the pics from him, they are on his phone.

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#20 ·
Virginia DGIF has now classified them as a nuisance species that can be hunted 24/7 except on Sunday. Their most recent study suggests that 70% of the population must be killed yearly to remain stable. They're great hunting, but I'd rather go somewhere that already has them.
 
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#21 ·
Sounds like good news for hunters (more game to put in freezer), bad news for the local farmers. I kind of wish we had them here in Northern MN, would love to have fresh wild pork in the freezer again (like when I was back in CA & TN), with out traveling far out of state for it.
 
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#22 ·
Its NOT good news for hunters, unless you don't want to hunt ANYTHING, but hogs, pigs eat EVERYTHING, I've watched sounders of hogs go through the woods in fall and its like a mob of industrial vacuum cleaners, they even chew up the hickory nuts that nothing else, but a squirrel can eat. If you are in a place where the deer, turkeys, bears etc. count on mast crops like acorns etc. forget about it, they will have no chance against the hogs. I belonged to a private club here in GA and it had no shortage of feed and VERY little hunting pressure, we had very few turkeys, quail, DEER etc., but we had lots of hogs and once you got the hogs, you will NEVER get rid of them. I have a friend that raises free range chickens, the hogs catch and EAT his chickens! They are know to kill and eat, young livestock of all kinds and they can wipe out a cropfield overnight. Anybody that relocates and releases hogs for hunting is an idiot.
 
#23 ·
Kentucky appears to be getting in on the action. Feral pigs have been sighted in about a quarter of the state. The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife has declared it open season with no bag limit. Just no hunting at night. Dang it. Part of the problem stems from a few idiots who decided to truck in some wild hogs and release for hunting on their game farm. They got a little slap on the wrist. The biggest hog populations are in the southeast and southwest. Some immigrants from Tennessee no doubt. We still have a small problem but they did capture a 400 lb'er not far from Ft. Campbell. The state and feds are trying to trap them out of the area but if our luck is anything like the rest of the country things are only going to get worse.
 
#25 ·
Haven't seen them yet but know it is only a matter of time. Just now starting to get a good population of bucks and plenty of turkeys on the farm and these sob's start showing up. As for a "hand slap", they should make them financially responsible for the damage. Hey - your cow gets out and I hit it, you have to fix the truck. Problem, naturally, would be proving what DA let them loose.

What part of the state are you in?
 
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#28 ·
BG area. I have a good friend that I hunt on over in Christian Co. Lots of Coyotes and some good bucks as well.
 
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