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View Full Version : Scientific breeding of Wild Pigs



ggonzales
02-25-2010, 02:36 AM
I like to start a discussion about how everyone feels about importing or breeding superior wild pigs and releasing onto your private hunting grounds similiar to how the deer breeding industry in Texas has exploded. Economically, the scientific breeding businnes in Texas isincreasing and producing some impressive animals, I would like to see that expanded to wild pigs. I have seen some websites on the internet that already do this where you can purchase wild pigs with excellent quality genetics and there are some hunting opperations that offer sporting opportunities for wild pigs that have "European" bloodline. I just feel that economically hog hunting is growing and has the potential to make a nice impact on the outdoor economy. Would or could expanding breeding capabilities for wild pigs have a positive impact on the economy and sport. I would like be able to breed and release wild pigs on several of our hunting properties just to improve the chances of shooting quality animals. I have seen this done before on ranches and the results are pretty amazing. Most commonly here in Texas I have know some ranchers who trap unwanted pigs and move them to other areas where hunters can benefit from the pigs. It would make sense to me for TPWD to develop or promote these programs and have public lands available to hunters who can come in and hunt areas that have good populations of quality genetic wildlife. Just something to think about!!!

Gigem
02-25-2010, 03:12 AM
I doubt that there will be much support for that. One of the many problems is that the hogs wouldn't stay on your "private hunting ground" or "public lands"....they would wind up in Farmer Brown's corn field or Rancher Bob's hay meadow.....doing what hogs do.....rooting. Most landowners have the same opinions about hogs that Ted Nugent does about criminals. He doesn't want "repeat" offenders....he wants "dead" offenders. Likewise most landowners that I know don't want better hogs, just dead ones.



Another aspect would be"public safety". What's going to happen when you start seeing headlines like "Young Girl Attacked by Russian Boar While Waiting for Schoolbus"



Something like that might work if it was done behind a game fence, like most deer breeding operations are, but not on free-range land, IMHO

ggonzales
02-25-2010, 03:59 AM
What if TPWD would or anyone interested in developing these breeding programs were required to contruct high game feneces for the purpose of releasing wild pigs for hunitng? I am striclty looking at this on how in can be a positive impact on the economy and business opportunites. It seems to be working well for deer breeders who are selling good quality bucks for thousands of dollars. I agree releasing 350lb russian boars into public or private lands can definitely be seen as a liability, but I would love to have those suckers running around my ranch, especially 10 to 15 years down the line so my son can have the opportunity to shoot some pigs.

txbhunter1
02-25-2010, 08:09 AM
Iagree, that's how alot of the multiples of hogs have gotten started in tis country. From pens and ranches. Isay no way.........JMO

riverhog
02-25-2010, 09:27 AM
can you even keep such hogs in a high fence- they are havin problems here with hog comin through the high fence- they are trying to keep them out of the high fence areas here

ggonzales
02-26-2010, 05:06 AM
I have seen this done before where an outfitter wanting to attract hog hunter's to his hunting operation bring in Russian boars for release and I have never heard about people having trouble with hogs attacking kids or hogs causing problems off the ranch. What has happened is that there is now a nice population of hogs that now have some European bloodline and they are some impressive beast running around the march areas near Nueces Bay. Economically, it had a positive impact for that rancher who was bringing in hunters willing to pay for an exciting hunting opportunities. I could see where neighbors would be concerned with the release of wild pigs, but it sure does provide some good sporting opportunity.

mrbigtex
03-01-2010, 04:25 AM
The whole nuisance hog population explosion starting from mostly well meaning hunters and outfitters expanding hunting opportunities. It is next to impossible to contain hog populations 100% and when they are loose there is no turning back. Even with us boar hunters now, we cannot even put a dent in their population and it is rapidly increasing. There are plenty of excellent hunting opportunities without further perpetuation from good intentions. IMOA.

Gigem
03-01-2010, 05:12 PM
Amen......

Hogdude1234
03-02-2010, 12:37 AM
Well said Tex!!!

riverhog
03-02-2010, 03:24 AM
agree

ggonzales
03-02-2010, 03:33 AM
I guess alot depends on where you hunt, I know on our hunting property in Duval County, we don't see hogs as a nuisance, but more of an economic opportunity and another quality animal to harvest year round on a lease that might not other wise produce much animals!!!

Gigem
03-02-2010, 12:13 PM
I think it has more to do with your point of view....whether you're looking at it as a hunter or a landowner. It might seem like a good idea from a pure "hunting" standpoint, but a lousy one from an agricultural point of view. Landowners that make most of their income from a hunting operation might be in favor of it but a lot of folks will be against it, because of the potential damage to row crops, pastures, hay meadows, etc.



Like anything, there are always two sides. Kinda like the new "Insurance" plan.....a lot of folks like it.....but those that would have to PAY for it don't!.

riverhog
03-02-2010, 12:56 PM
well said Gigem

mrbigtex
03-02-2010, 04:42 PM
There are always other view points to consider, and as ethical hunters we must consider the best interest of the environment around us. It is tough enough with the likes of PETA and other anti-hunting groups, for us to preserve our right to hunt we must protect the environment in which we live. It is fortunate for us hunters that the hogs are as adaptable and prolific as they already are, but we should not help them to become more of a threat to the environment.

ggonzales
03-03-2010, 03:06 AM
I grew up in a small town that had nothing but corn, grain, and cotton fields, and I know that there have been some hard years where the farmers who had land near brush benefitted from hunters willing to pay good money to hunt hogs feeding on their crops. There is no doubt that hogs can be an environmental threat and destroy land, but is it possible that landowners who may have lost money due to bad crops or drought could supplement or even make more money by switching over their land to hunting operations? If hog breeding just like deer breeding has the potential to be a good money maker then why not support it if regulations could be put in place to ensure that those breeders maintained well kept fences or pen enclosures to keep the animals from escaping into other ranches. I know that there are already some states that do this and charge good money to purchase these high quality boars and charge good money to hunt Russin or European bloodline hogs on enclosed private land. My argument is, yes there is definitely a hog problem going on in many parts of the US, why not take advantage of it economically, though hunting and wildlife managment.

aggiebowhunter
03-05-2010, 05:30 AM
I have heard about places releasing pure russian boars as somewhat a form of birth control.



Feral hogs will produce a litter of hogs averaging 8-12 pigs per littler



Pure russians will only have 3-4 per litter. So they have been releasing pure stock to slow down the birth rate.

ggonzales
03-05-2010, 06:07 AM
Thank you Aggiebowhunter, now that's what I'm talking about, looking for useful scientific benefits of releasing Russina or European bloodline hogs in a controlled manner. It makes sense to utilize the reproduction rate of Russian hogs to help slow the population explosion of pigs and their ability to cause damage. Does anyone else out there know or have heard of hunting operations that mix in Russian boar bloodline into their ranches or have seen similiar release of pigs for hunting purposes?

hognut
03-07-2010, 03:04 PM
ggonzales if your up at 1:00 am tomorrow, try to catch a documentary on the Discovery Channel called "Pig Bomb". This might change your mind.



I live in the Dallas/Ft worth area, in a city called Arlington. I think everyone is familiar with it. Home to the Dallas Cowboys. Any way five minutes from that high tech stadium they play in, I believe they call it JERRY'S WORLD, a jogger was attacked by a ferral hog in river Legacy Park. I don't live in the country, on a farm or a lease. I live in a heavily populated city. That means they are getting pretty ballsy.



These creatures are way to smart and horny to be regulated behind a fence.



I'm just sayin

ggonzales
03-07-2010, 03:14 PM
I watched the show before and they got a good point, the fast reproduction of pigs and the bad tempers of Russian boars can potentially be a problem to urban areas. My Argument is more research should be done to find out if in fact the introduction of European bloodline with feral hogs is truly a danger to the public. I grew up in a town where Russian Boars were released just a few miles outside of town on a ranch and there have never been documented instances of attacks or many outraged farmers complaining about damaged crops, in fact that ranch did very well for many years offering top quality hog hunts.

hognut
03-07-2010, 03:32 PM
I understand you are looking at it from a way to generate revenue to an area. Trust me I am all about new avenues of generating revenue. Don't worry if you don't think you have enough hogs around you now, just give it time.



Let me put it the the way I see it. It's already a problem. The more you have of one species of animal or whatever the more competition you have. Which eventualy causes aggressive behavior. Kind of like when I had hamsters as a child and they kept having babies and we couldn't give them away fast enough. So what happened? There was competition for the space in the cage and food, so they began to get agressive and started eat each other, found ways to escape and eventually turned on me.

lawki
03-08-2010, 11:58 AM
Trying to contain a hog population is just bad for everyone involved. Hogs will overrun your area even with an attempt to control the population with hunting. You will end up having to kill and burn or dispose of so many hogs that the initial investment will not be worth it any more and then what do you do with all the hogs you have left. Turn them free?? Kill them all (almost impossible)?? I agree with Hognut - eventually you will not even be able to give away the meat even if you kill and clean them.

ggonzales
03-09-2010, 02:24 AM
I did a little research last night about wild boar breeders and ranches offering Russian Boar hunts, turns out Michigan has several places and Vietnam is making alot of money breeding wild boar. They have pretty good facilities as far as containing the pigs in concrete enclosure and such, the results are outstanding, even the local community supports this in Vietnam to help create jobs and the families are doing very well with the bredding operations. It's very interesting becuase the business is very similiar to the deer breeding business where you can purchase breeding boars, sows, pigletts, but the main goal is to do this in a controlled way if that is possible.

Gigem
03-09-2010, 11:07 AM
If they were turned out into "concrete enclosures", I don't think anybody would have a problem with it.

ggonzales
03-11-2010, 02:35 AM
The breeders have a good sytem of enclosure where the hogs are moved from one pen to another depending on what stage of development they are in, pregnant sows about to give birth to piglets are moved into indoor areas and the breeding boars are housed in large pens that are covered to avoid outside wildlife from distracting the animals. The bottum line is anyone interested in running a quality breeding facility can easily make an investment and run an operation on a ranch under 100 acres, from what I have seen from deer breeders there is some good money to be made, the bonus is the increase in quality animals available to produce and sell to others for release onto private ranches.

Hogdude1234
03-11-2010, 06:32 AM
I am all about science, but I am all about "WILD" hogs at the same time. Wouldn't these hogs be a little less than wild??? Just thinking out loud here!!!

ggonzales
03-11-2010, 08:14 AM
Good point Hogdude1234 and according to the Breeder's website the hogs are guarantee to be aggressive due to the "Russian Boar" bloodline. The way that these hogs have to be pen raised and inside larger (30 acres) confined sections there is always the possibility that the natural insticts or "Wild" qualitites of any animal could be reduced, those would make for some good scientific research for Breeding Deer and Hogs.