Hey Mr. Chris, you want fries with that? Can I super size you? Oh, wait . . . holy **it, the INS, er Homeland Security guys are coming! Run fellas . . .

as the que-tips (old folks) do.

No kidding. For a while, it looked like last night's electrical storm was going to burn it down.

It's the rooting that's destructive. Some of my pastures look like I ran a disk through them...not a good thing for bermudagrass.

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Damnit, R Leo, everytime your pig problem gets mentioned here, I begin thinking I can offer a solution. I have had great success in the varmint eliminating category with muskrats (chlorine pucks and brake fluid), feral dogs (electrocution), raccoons (traps), beavers (reel traps, rifles, and er, explosives) and other vermin, but have never had (what I formerly thought) was the pleasure to eliminate wild hogs.

Apparently the experts agree, it's a *****:
http://wildlifedamage.unl.edu/handbook/handbook/allPDF/mam_d65.pdf

If nothing else, there seem to be some helpful trapping hints in this handbook. I felt sure a search would turn up some type of homegrown solution, but I haven't found anything. Twer it me, I would shoot every one I could and hopefully they will develop some sort of pavlovian avoidance. I don't know if they are capable of that, but whitetails, coons, ect... certainly are.

Texas needs to do what Louisiana has done with Nutria and put a bounty on the filthy animals.

OR....here's my brainstorm solution that I didn't see in the handbook: Why not call A&M or Miss. State, Clemson, NC State, ect... and ask about birth control in bait? They have been doing this to control whitetail populations on East Coast islands for years (with no shortage of controversy).

Oh well, back to reviewing contracts for a business i don't understand

Good call... that's the one. I went to HS in Tampa many moons ago, and forgot its exact name. That place was a pit (or so I heard)!

__________________
1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

I haven't done a lot of research but, AFIK, large-scale trapping is the most effective means of control so far. FWIW, we're building a trap this weekend. It's a huge SOB made from heavy welded cattle panel and closely spaced t-posts...should be able to nab 20-30 oinkers at a snap according to the TPWD Game Wardens.

Like you, I thought that a bit of hunting pressure (or simply our being out there) would make them choose a less inhabited location. Apparently not...

Thank Gawd, wild pigs don't look like Bambi and don't frequently show up in urban yards (although, I did see two nosing around in downtown Rockdale one night about 9:00) so the uninformed human populace is less smitten with protecting their gnarly hides. BTW, a $5/head bounty would probably break the bank...

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Apparently Hawaii and Qld., Australia are the leading govt entities dealing with the problem from my brief search. They are on the verge of creating some effective poisons that are phosphorous based and can be put into fermented grain bait that you bury, so that non-target animals don't get harmed.

Good luck with the trappin' The only drawback I read about trappinig, is that some pigs are simply 'trap shy.'

When X amount of $ have been paid out on the nutria , no mas bounty.

Oh yeah, I'm positive that you only catch the stupid pigs after that trap door slams a couple of times.

I know this may sound like a double standard but, I'm not for poisoning. To me, that is an inhumane process and I prefer not having anything to do with it. I won't trap unless I have I have a plan for their humane disposal.

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Yeah, the phosphorous poison they are developing was in response to a more 'humane' poisoning programme in Queensland. Seems like there alot of helicopter guns for hire there too.

I learned my lesson on poisoning with some possums that crawled up into a wall to die. You may create a coyote problem if you poisoned them, which I didn't think about before.

I'd of thought you'd be trying your hand at some of that super-special Timothy grass I keep hearing about. I might know where you could get some seed .

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

What is it about poisoning that initiates revulsion? I don't even care for rat poison and rats are extremely dangerous to health and destructive of property.

My solution a couple of years ago to neighborhood rats was a catch and release plan on Texas rat snakes. Brought 3 females and a male, all over 4 ft, from Kisatchie and turned them loose in my backyard. The rat population has never recovered, but I haven't told my neighbors why.

I guess for swine control you'd need really large reticulated pythons? That might be a bit more solution than folks could stand.

Or you could import a couple of famblies of cajuns. Tell them the rice and cayenne will be supplied. Also better not look when they put kidney beans in their pork chili.

B

Yeah, Moody has evaporated - no pun- ...haven't heard from him in a while. IF (really big IF) it rains, I'll go get some of his cuttin's and see if I can get it to grow at BHF.

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

ROFLMAO! I'm in tears!

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.