The growing threat from wild pigs

[Carolinian]

A wild beast invasion more deadly than sharks is tearing up the US

An invasion of wild beasts is wreaking havoc across America - and shocking figures reveal they are killing more people than sharks.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[geist1223]

This has been a problem from Texas to Florida for several Decades. Wild Hogs can weaken Levees by their rooting. It is estimated that Texas alone has 1.5 to 4 million feral pigs. The males can weigh 200 to 220 pounds. Both males and females can have tusks that grow between 5 and 18 inches.

 

[DrQ]

In Texas, they are classified as vermin and can be hunted all year long. You only need a hunting license if you are hunting on public land.

 

[ScoopKona]

I have a large feral pig problem.

This is my solution. My favorite part about this solution is that it sports an interchangeable barrel (turkey choke) so I can switch to bird shot for the pheasants and turkeys which live here. Best of all, my farm. So I decide when season starts, ends -- and the bag limit. If I wasn't growing coffee, this place would make a dandy game reserve.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Do you like the meat? Different than farm raised?

 

[SmithOp]

There's a guy on YT, David Ellis, that captures and thins the herd. His channel is called Yawt Yawt. He donates the meat to food banks.

 

[ScoopKona]

Do you like the meat? Different than farm raised?

Depends on the age and sex of the hog. The males have perineal glands which if not removed correctly (and immediately), absolutely taints the meat with a "gag-reflex kicks in" odor. There are more glands along the spine and around the neck which have to go.

Mostly we shoot them because they're so destructive. A pork shoulder which doesn't stink like [disgusting metaphor which would get this post deleted] costs a couple bucks a pound. If shot clean and quiet (so the animal isn't panicked), and then processed correctly, most of the meat is OK.

This is one of the few invasives we can't blame on the British, cargo ships or tourists. The original Polynesian settlers brought wild pigs as a food source. We'll never eradicate them. But we can get their numbers down to the point locally where they aren't a destructive porcine army.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

I did not realize they were so problematic. I have not seen any in my neighborhood, but do occasionally read about people in the more rural areas complaining about them along with other wildlife on NextDoor. I know my old neighbor used go hunting for Boar on a local ranch. Now I know why the rancher was so happy to have him and friends hunt them.

There are a few local places that serve "wild boar" not sure if that local or they just buy the meat from their normal meat supplier, and its actually a farm raised wild boar....

 

[DrQ]

I have had wild boar in a restaurant, I suspect that it was harvested from some type of "farm". This restaurant also had red elk and venison as well as other "wild" meat.

I prefer New Zealand raised lamb as opposed to domestic as New Zealand lamb is grass fed and has the "gamey" lamb flavor as opposed to domestic grain fed lamb.

 

[easyrider]

Do you like the meat? Different than farm raised?

The bacon is better. It's not as fatty and maybe a bit chewier. Other than bacon I've not had the other bits of a wild pig because I'm not really into pork.

Bill