Texas Hog Hunting - Rambo Style

Be a high-tech boar hunter for one night.

There is a new twist to old- fashioned wild pig hunting. No more sitting and anticipating endlessly, no more strenuous stalking, no more baiting and waiting.

Now you can be your own army of one by booking a hunt with Tactical Hog Control in Texas. This is boar hunting Rambo-style.

For a moderate price, as fees for guided wild pig hunts go, you can now take your share of the two to three million wild pigs in Texas. In one night, using high-tech equipment and all the fancy toy things you ever wanted to use. You ride out to the battlefield in your own tank, outwit the enemy with night vision and heat seeking gear and finish it off with some of the latest military style semi -automatic rifles that are equipped with special night vision scopes.

Slipping into something camouflage and donning your fancy gear, you just might get the highest adrenalin rush of power and greatest feeling of invincibility you have ever experienced. This Army of One will also get its boar. Success is almost guaranteed.

But is this really fair hunting? Or have we finally managed to shift the advantage completely to our side leaving the hunted hardly any chance to escape? Some might call it animal extermination. The outfitter calls it wild hog control.

The organizer of the night hunts, Tactical Hog Control, started out as a wild pig eradication service using traps and hunters to rid ranches of wild hogs.

About ten years ago, they introduced night vision equipment to improve their success rate. Ever since they have steadily updated and upgraded their equipment. Now they only use “the absolute latest in night vision technology”. It is virtually identical with the equipment used by the American military in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“The goggles we use are helmet-mounted Gen-III ANVIS-9's (Aviator's Night Vision Imaging System). These are the same goggles that are currently being used by many of our jet fighter and attack helicopter pilots. There are no finer night vision goggles available in the world today. . .”.

These goggles make navigating terrain and avoiding obstacles quite easy. Once the boar are located and approached unnoticed, the other high-tech equipment comes into play. Says THC (Tactical Hog Control) on their website:

“Most of our weapons are fitted with Gen-III, 6x Raptor night Vision weapon sights. These night scopes are the same models that are currently being used by our advanced ground troops and snipers.”

In addition to the goggles and the night vision scopes, hunters and hog control personnel use Forward Looking Infrared devices (FLIR). These (hand held) heat sensing gadgets reveal hidden wild pigs even in their best retreats. Some rifles are even fitted with thermal weapons sights.

Enough high- tech? No, we are not quite done yet.

THC would not be THC did they not also use some very advanced technology on their rifles. Their standard rifles are the AR-15 and the AR-10. All either have night vision scopes or thermal vision sights. The rifles come in caliber .223, .243 WSSM or .308.

These rifle types are almost identical with the military M16, except that they are not fully automatic.

With the exception of the .308, the calibers could be considered on the light side. But hunters and control personnel can get quite close to the game because of the advantages afforded by the advanced technology. Shots are generally way below 100 yards. Judging by the pictures shown on the web site, many of the wild pigs are also in the category of 'meat pig', that is around 100 pounds, plus or minus a few. Over short distance and on light boar, the two smaller calibers are sufficient. And then there is always the .308 to take care of longer distance shots and heavier hogs.

By now you should feel yourself like the proverbial Army of One. But wait, there is more! You ride out to the fields in style. Either in a military 4WD Land Rover RSOV (Ranger Special Ops Vehicle) or in a 4WD Polaris-Ranger (for larger hunting parties of up to six). Environmentally conscious hunters with a desire to give their high-tech hunt a 'green' touch for balance, can jump into one of the all electric 4WD Bad Boy Buggies – as long as they stay close to base. There are no battery charging station in the brush.

An estimated 2 to three million wild pigs roam Texan ranches and towns. They cause millions of dollars in damage to crops and fields every year. Despite intensive hunting, their numbers are increasing.

Wild pigs in Texas are not considered game animals but rather livestock. Therefore, protections afforded game animals are not extended to the boar. Texan hogs have no hunting season, no bag limits , no limits on shooting hours and no weapons restrictions. Landowners and hunters can shoot them at sight any time of the day or the night. Lights, night vision equipment of any kind and night vision scopes are legal. And so is baiting and shooting hogs over bait.

Do these liberal hunting policies make a dent into the wild pig population? Not really.

There are obvious reasons why not. Wild hogs cannot be hunted and shot in cities, towns and other communities, State Parks, National Parks and Wildlife Refuges, to name a few. Furthermore, most wild pigs occur on private land. Landowners strictly control access to their land for various good reasons. One of which are the access fees they can demand for hunting wild hogs on their land. For some ranches these fees represent a significant part of the total annual income. While wild pigs are overrunning ranches, access fees can range as high as $ 800 to $ 900.00 for a one day hunt.

Ranchers take with one hand and spend with the other on hog control, wild pigs on their land happily make more wild hogs, and more and more . . .

The principals of THC had a better idea. Clark Osborne, one of the founders of THC, told us:

“In an effort to control the hog population on our own land, we began hunting the hogs at night, using night vision and thermal imaging, about 10 years ago. This started out as an complement to our trapping efforts. Once we got the hogs under control on our own land, we started helping the neighbors....and it grew from there. I can't begin to tell you how many hunts we've conducted or how many hogs we've eliminated, but it would be in the thousands. We recently began offering guided hunts as a method to help pay the increasing costs associated with our gear. State-of-the-Art gear comes with a hefty price tag....and since we don't charge landowners for our services, this seemed like the best solution.”

Free wild pig control services for landowners? Wouldn't it make sense to ask the ranchers to contribute to the cost and maintenance of the equipment as well?

After all, as Clark Osborne puts it: “As you well know, the damage done by feral hogs is increasing every day. With the tight profit margins that exist is agriculture today, many producers are turning to us to minimize the impact of these hogs on their operations. Fewer hogs means 1) less crop loss, 2) less damage to the terrain and 3) less damage to the associated farming/ranching equipment. All of these factors directly affect a producer's bottom line.”

Well said. This is the best argument to induce ranch owners to contribute their share to the operating costs of THC and not to leave it up to hunters alone, isn't it.

Clark Osborne sums it up for THC: “We're offering a valuable service to the landowner while offering a unique experience to the hunter.....a Win - Win combination.”

Now, what do you say?

You can find more details here before you speak.

PJJ

Addendum

I contacted THC one more time to ask why they do not charge landowners for their services. Here is the reply:

"We've never charged a landowner for our services. When I first purchased my equipment, I used it primarily on my land. Obviously, if you don't want hogs on your property, you also have to control the population on adjoining tracts as well.....something I didn't feel comfortable charging for. It just seemed like the "neighborly" thing to do.

Once the "word got out", we had several other family friends inquire about our services and things just grew from there. The more we hunted, the more gear we bought. I guess we considered it as a hobby for many years, so we didn't charge for it. Finally we started getting calls from hunters, interested in guided trips. That's when we decided, much to our wives' joy, to start charging for hunts. That way, we still provide a valuable service to landowners for free and "Momma stays happy" at the same time."

This makes sense. If you control wild pigs on your property but your neighbor does not, you will get wild pigs back in no time. Effective wild pig control by any method requires that the pig populations on neighboring ranches are controlled as well or that you install good fences all around your property. Fences are expensive to install and to repair. Eventually the boar will breach them.

By the same token, wild hog control the THC way also requires continued watchfulness and control efforts.

Research has shown that intensive hunting is by far the best practical pig control method known to us at this time. Only the statewide application of birth control pills for hogs would do better in the long run. Yet, there are disadvantages to this method that have so far precluded authorities from implementing it.

PJJ

2009 Hunt Schedule for Chimineas Ecological Reserve, North Unit

The California Department of Fish and Game just released the official 2009/2010 hunt schedule for the Carizzo Plains Ecological Reserve, Chimineas Unit.

The North Chimineas Unit is closed to all walk-on hunting.

Drive on hunting is scheduled for September 12 and 13, 2009 for dove, wild pig and rabbit. Only 25 permits will be awarded by drawing for this hunt. The deadline for the drawing is August 13, 2009.

Successful hunters need a free access permit in addition to the hunting permit. Access permits are available at the Feed Lot and the Caliente Trail head parking lots.

Chimineas South Unit has walk-on access for dove, quail, rabbit and wild pig every Wednesday and Saturday between September 1 and September 15, 2009. Walk on hunting is allowed for all of December, January and February 2009, subject to appropriate seasons for the game hunted. Walk on access is from Highway 166 only.

Two special hunts with drive on access are scheduled for December and January, South Chimineas only. Details are published in a press release here. Click on '1009 Hunt Schedule'.

All applications for a special hunt permit must be addresses to Department of Fish and Game, 20 Lower Ragsdale Drive, Unit 100, Monterey, CA 93940. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on the due date shown in the press release for each of the individual hunts. Only 25 permits per hunt will be issued. Each permit is good for two hunters. Only one application per hunter and hunt is permitted.

Applicants must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with name, address, phone and hunting license numbers. Successful hunters will be notified by mail, which also includes additional, detailed information and maps.

For complete information and details consult the press release at the above link.

PJJ

Carizzo Plains, North Unit – Tentative Drive-on Hunt Dates Set

Every year the California Department of Fish and Game organizes a special drive-on wild pig hunt on the Carizzo Plains, Northern Unit. This special hunt is usually held in September of the year.

This year the hunt is tentatively scheduled for September 12 and September 13, 2009. The number of hunters is limited. Participants will be selected in a drawing. Applications must be received by DFG by August 12, 2009.

This tentative schedule is still awaiting final approval. But an official announcement with the exact and binding dates should be available soon. Watch for the official announcement and details, if you are interested in participating in this special boar hunt.

PJJ

Do Boar Really Dig Up Cemeteries To Consume The Dead?

My most recent article drew a quick comment that raises an interesting question:

“I had read reports and essays, that back during the times of the great battles and where corpses were left out in the open, that Wild Boar would come in and feed upon the deceased individuals.

This in turn, would cause a craving for human flesh within the Wild Boar which had done the feasting, and they would then turn their attentions upon "live" subjects.

Is their any real truth to these claims about Wild Boar Predators? “

(“Native” in a comment on 'Wild Pig Commandos Attack . . .”)

Let's see:

Boar are omnivorous. They will eat anything including carrion. Boar will also kill and consume small, weak animals. Furthermore, wild pigs are opportunistic feeders. A big old, smelly carcass certainly would attract hungry boar.

In fact, I have seen with my own eyes two animal carcasses on two different private ranches that showed clear signs of scavenger action. One of them was left by the ranch owner in order to attract and keep wild pigs on the property.

In both instances tracks of wild pigs were clearly visible all around the rotting carcass and right up to it.

The boar were doubtlessly feeding on the rotting flesh.

Many European hunters leave boar that have been shot and fatally wounded in the course of a drive or suffered severe damage to the meat in thickets for other boar to find and to feed on. Domestic pigs will happily tear to pieces and consume any carcass of animals thrown into their pen.

It is common knowledge that boar can and do attack humans under certain circumstances. An attacking boar can very well kill even an adult human. Their tusks do most of the damage, but they have enough power in their jaw muscles to inflict severe bite wounds, even break bones. So, the tools are there.

Yet, while it is reasonably well established that wild pigs will eat the remains of dead animals, definite proof of boar scavenging human corpses is harder to come by. There are reports from antiquity of boar feeding on the flesh of human corpses (Philo of Alexandria, a Jewish writer, between 20 B.C. And 50 A.D). Wild pigs reportedly have dug up and eaten corpses of soldiers fallen in the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War. Contemporary news claim that wild pigs are digging up the dead in German cemeteries.

Though boar have an acute sense of smell and therefore can easily locate a corpse and though their snouts are designed as digging tools, wild pigs are not known to dig deep holes in order to excavate something. Therefore, I do not believe that boar will dig up the dead from a grave dug to standard depth used in a cemetery. They might venture on a very shallow temporary grave on a battlefield and do some digging there. That's possible. And if they get to the corpse, they will most likely feed on it.

Now to the question of whether the consumption of flesh from a human corpse “ in turn, would cause a craving for human flesh within the Wild Boar which had done the feasting, and they would then turn their attentions upon "live" subjects.”

I do not know the answer since I am neither a boar nor a cannibal. Therefore I have no idea what would make rotting human flesh so desirable to a wild pig to make the animal crave it.

Furthermore, even the wildest wild boar is smart enough to avoid encounters with humans whenever possible. Attacks of wild pigs on humans generally occur only when the animal is cornered, wounded, attacked, panicking when encountering humans out of its familiar territory or in defense of its young. Boar are smart enough to realize that running away from danger is the better part of valor.

I do not believe that any self-respecting boar would attack and attempt to kill a human only to eat human flesh.

What about the fierce boar that knocked down a poor old lady swineherd on a country road in Slovakia and brought out an army of courageous policemen in the process?

Did he crave human flesh?

I don't think so. Chances are that he happened to travel the same dirt road the poor old woman ('old' being the operative word here) was using at the time. Startled and frightened he bolted past her knocking her over in the process. Which is easy to do with an old lady as opponent.

Back country dirt roads are narrow and winding in Slovakia . . .

Finally, I would expect a male chauvinist pig with a craving for human flesh to prefer the tender flesh of a young woman (or two) to that of an old swineherd – female or not.

PJJ

Wild Pig Commandos Attack Palestinian Agricultural Crops

Israeli Settlers Blamed.

Wild boar in and around Samaria (in the northern region of the West Bank, Middle East) are Israel's super secret, highly efficient, most destructive stealth commandos in the fight against Palestinians. At least in the eyes of the Palestinian Authority (PA) that governs Arab villages around Ariel and nearby towns.

According to repeated reports in PA media outlets, Israeli settlers are releasing the pigs in an orchestrated effort to engineer wild pig attacks on Palestinian fields and crops.

“The wild boars are being released by Israeli settlers in order to destroy the plants and crops of Palestinians”, reported Ma'an, a Palestinian news agency.

The head of the PA regional farmer's union reflects this sentiment. Residents of Samaria have also made similar complaints during the past three years. Officers in the Palestinian military confirmed that Israel is behind these wanton attacks.

The brazen raids continue, though Israeli officials are culling wild pigs in areas under their control. Culling of wild pigs by the Israeli Nature and Parks Authority intensified since May 2009 due to damage in the Haifa district.

We know that pigs are smarter than your average pet dog. Nevertheless, one has to wonder how Israel trains its wild pigs to attack and selectively destroy only Arab crops. Maybe we could learn from the Israelis to train our American wild pig populations to ferret out and destroy clandestine cells of terrorists before their efforts bear fruit?

PJJ

Read more funny boar news from around the world.

Wildlife Protection and Hunting - California Outdoor Heritage Alliance

Hunters, non-hunters, environmentalists, animal rights activists all have one goal in common: The preservation of our environment and wildlife. We may differ in how best to achieve this goal, yet we are united in preventing further deterioration of our natural resources and life that depend on a healthy environment and habitats.

As hunters we know that where there is a sick environment, there is also poor hunting. The two are interdependent.

Therefore I have advocated in many of my previous articles that hunters overcome their individualism and narrow self-interest and organize in order to assure a prosperous future for hunting.

There are numerous organizations that have 'protecting the environment' written on their banner. Yet, most of them define their objectives too narrowly to serve as powerful interest groups for hunters and non-hunters alike.

There might be one exception: The California Outdoor Heritage Alliance (COHA).

This organization serves as an umbrella for numerous and sometimes divergent interest group. Their membership encompasses hunting clubs, sporting associations, gun interests, landowners and their representations, legislative groups and many more individual factions. Including, I hate to say, the controversial Safari Club or some of its sub-organizations. They have a team of directors, managers and representatives that looks impressive at first sight.

The Alliance “is a 501(c)4 Political Advocacy organization that promotes wildlife conservation and is dedicated solely to the preservation of our outdoor heritage. . . COHA accomplishes its mission through direct lobbying, legal research and political fund raising. Key issues include, but are not limited to, protecting and enhancing wildlife habitat, increasing hunter access and opportunity, protecting the use of dogs in hunting, ensuring appropriate use of hunter-generated monies, ensuring biologically-based seasons and bag limits, maintaining appropriate wildlife management tools. . .” (Coha Mission Statement)

Sounds almost like we could have a winner here. Thus far I do not know enough about this organization to make a final and educated judgment. Therefore, I am not endorsing this interest group at this time because I simply do not know yet how effective and dedicated they are to the cause of hunting and protection of wildlife habitats. See for yourself by checking out details and the roster of member organizations and representatives of COHA at http://www.outdoorheritage.org/mission.php

With hunting and hunting tradition under attack and wildlife habitat shrinking at ever faster rates, maybe this is the organization hunters should support. Even a flawed and less perfect attempt is better than no effort at all. If you know a better solution, please let me know.

PJJ

California Hunting License – Renew Soon

It can easily slip a hunter's mind: California hunting licenses for 2008/2009 will expire on June30, 2009. It is time to renew your hunting license.

The fee for a basic California resident license is $ 41.20 (including the 5% agent fee). You will have to purchase additional tags for the type of hunting you do. Upland Game Tags are $ 8.40; HIP stamps are free. The price per resident pig tag now is $ 19.70.

Remember that a current hunting license or a license for 2009/2010 are required if you intend to enter into any DFG drawing.
Details and license prices are posted on the DFG website.

PJJ