Wild Boar in Ohio

Ohio officials have no idea how many wild boar are loose

Steve Bennish, Staff Writer of the DAYTONA DAILY NEWS wrote on Thursday, February 12, 2009 the following article. Excerpts are reprinted here. You can find the full article at http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2009/02/12/ddn021209feralhogsinside.html.

“A wildlife supervisor based in Xenia for the Division of Wildlife would like to see the wild boar population reduced to zero before they overspread Ohio.

The state has no idea how many are loose, although officials are trying hard to track them. When the swine get loose, they breed very fast, said the supervisor, Dave Kohler, and they can have two or three litters a year of seven piglets each.

"It's a big state and they are an elusive animal," Kohler said.

They have no natural predators — unless the cougar comes back to Ohio.

The state is counting on hunters who stumble on them during deer hunts to keep the population in check. The Division of Wildlife has an open invitation to hunters to forward photos of their kills. State officials have looked at banning wild boar from being brought to Ohio.

"We need to continue to discuss the issue," Kohler said. "Can we have legitimate wild boar hunting preserves and limit the threat of escape?"

Nobody knows. For now, escaped wild boar roam free.

Their stomping grounds have included Hueston Woods State Park in Preble County and most recently, this fall at two MetroParks: Englewood and Germantown. There's a report that one was shot locally, but there's no details on it, Kohler said.

Primarily night creatures, indications that they might be around appear in signs of rooting and turf damage.

Lonnie Snow, park manager at Hueston Woods, said escapees from an illegal game farm turned up at his park about four years ago. They tore up a golf course rooting for grubs and at one point, piglets were seen. Word got out. Hunters inundated the park.

"They were a good 200 pounds each," Snow recalled.

Eventually, the pigs headed to Indiana. Two boars jumped a 6-foot fence and began breeding with a farmers' sows, Snow said. The farmer shot the invaders. No pigs have shown up in the park since, Snow said.

Not so in Ohio's wilder regions.

Mike Connett, a hunter in Gallia County, forwarded a photo of his January kill to wildlife officers.

He wrote, "I took this 350 lb. (pound) "Wild" boar on Wayne National Forest land less than 20 miles from my house. . .

Connett, of Crown City, said that the hogs seem to have taken up residence in Wayne. He was hunting with a friend and walking along a ridge. After his friend spooked some hogs out of a ravine, he had his shot.

"At first, I though it was somebody's cow. Then, I thought, it was a really big pig," Connett recalled.

Connett leads deer hunts at Wide Rack Ranch, a guided camp he owns. To eliminate the hogs, he said, "it will take a lot of people to get in this area. They are smart and prolific breeders."

. . . Taste buds aside, the swine are brutal on the environment and not worth having out loose, said Mike Enright, wildlife biologist for MetroParks.

Bow hunters harvesting deer in nonpublic portions of the Englewood and Germantown MetroParks spotted the local hogs.

"I bet they're refugees from a private, nonlicensed hunting operation," Enright said. "People buy these things and let them loose on the property to hunt them, and then they escape. We're keeping an eye on it. They're very destructive and a small number can make a difference." . . .

Edited by PJJ

02/22/2009

Big Horn Ranch Revisited

Part I

The Ranch

Living in Southern California is a blessing if you are interested in celebrities. But it is a curse if you are into hunting wild boar. There aren't any worth mentioning between San Diego and Santa Barbara County to the northwest and the Tejon Ranch in Kern County to the northeast.

The Big Horn Canyon Ranch near Riverside is the exception. Located about 80 miles east of Los Angeles, just north of the 60 Freeway, it has offered wild pig hunting close to major urban centers for at least a decade.

What to expect

The ranch consists of between 200 and 1000 acres (depending on how it is measured) of steep terrain. To access the ranch visitors must navigate over a substantial curb and through a gravel strip that control access to a steep climb to a small plateau overlooking the entire ranch. The obstacles keep away Sunday afternoon drivers and those that search for a nice secluded spot for some hanky-panky in the car.

This plateau is an ideal place to spot game and to observe hunters in the process of hunting. It also has room for a small office, a bunk house, a barbecue/rest area and for equipment to field dress and butcher harvested game. A water tank and portable toilets contribute a semblance of creature comfort. There are several smaller plateaus below it that now accommodate at least one RV used a basis for a ranch overseer. They also allow hunters to camp at the discretion of the owner/operator.

Hunting on the ranch is on foot only. The winding and at times steep roads can be a challenge because of the heat, especially in summertime. By mid-morning temperatures at the ranch frequently reach high eighties and beyond. In combination with the significant differences in elevation (estimated at between 50 and around 150 yards vertical) walking the ranch is exhausting. Fortunately, Charlie keeps a trained eye on his hunting guests from the plateau. He will jump into his trusted truck or on one of the ATVs to retrieve hunter and game. When needed, he will also come and give tired and worn out hunters a ride back to camp.

The best time to hunt on the ranch is in fall and early spring. Hunting during the hot months of the year is only for the hardy and heat resistant. It would not be for me.

I found the plateau with its unofficial observation spot and the ranch a nice area to spend an afternoon away from urban centers. The ranch is close enough to get there in reasonable time and at acceptable cost – even if you are not intent on hunting at all. The clay pigeon station that was operational at the time of my first visit is no longer in use. I understand however that a local bow and arrow club still uses the ranch for target practice.

Big Horn Ranch is so close to populated areas that one expects restriction for the use of weapons. Surprisingly enough, bow and arrow, shotgun and rifles are acceptable hunting weapons. It is not quite clear to me to what extent DFG regulations apply to this ranch. Official promotional materials say that no hunting license and no pig tags are required. On the other hand, an e-mail message states that “you do need a license if hunting coyote or game birds that are in season, also any hogs outside the fenced area, you need a hunting license. We (are) under all fish and game rules and regulations.”

That makes sense because neither coyote nor game birds can be considered domestic livestock. This rule would also apply to wild pigs outside the ranch fences. That still leaves one question in my mind: Does the lead-free ammunition rule apply? Maybe we will hear from the ranch managers.

The ranch has a perimeter fence with an electrified wire at the bottom of a regular fence. It keeps most animals in. It does not keep coyotes out.

So, where do the animals on the ranch come from if they cannot get in or out because of the electric fence? Though there is, or maybe better, was a small population of wild pigs in the general area, the ranch holds mainly feral hogs that were raised somewhere else, transported to the ranch and then released.

California law prohibits the transport and release of wild pigs. You heard about that in your hunter education class, didn't you? It follows that none of the pigs on the ranch are truly 'wild' animals. Even the 'Russian boar' are boar from a breeding ranch except that they have a purer wild boar ancestry than feral wild pigs. The boar betray their wild ancestry in their behavior.

“Our feral pigs run straight into thick cover upon release. Wild boar on the other hand, almost without exception, immediately run along the fences probing for weak points and escape routes”, says Charlie Wagner, ranch manager.

They also are much more prone to attack hunters when cornered. I can testify to that. During my last visit I watched a hunting party that had unsuccessfully stalked a Russian boar for almost four hours. When they finally cornered him with the assistance of a 4x4, two dogs and Charlie, he went straight for the leg of one of the hapless hunters. So much for poor pen raised Miss Piggy!

Of course, the “exotics” on this ranch also come from breeding ranches or are acquired at auctions.

At any time, the ranch may house groups of wild pigs, Russian boar, a variety of horned animals, such as Spanish Billy, Mouflan, Texas Dall, Rambouillett, Black Hawaiian, Merino Sheep, Ibex Cross to name a few.

Rumor has it that some of the animals on the Big Horn Ranch are tame and might even come up to the hunter to ask for a handout. During my two visits to the ranch I have not been able to see anything close to this emotional description. On the contrary, during my first visit I spent an hour or two watching a group of three hunters stalk a herd of Merino Sheep. It was interesting and at the same time very educating to watch the sheep skillfully maneuver to evade the hunters. At times I felt sorry for the clueless hunters who were outwitted by the sheep again and again and again. The funniest part was to watch the hunters stalk the sheep expected to be ahead of them when in fact the sheep had gone around the hunting party and were following in its wake.

Does that mean that the animals have a fair chance under 'fair chase' practices? Not really. It only means that even pen raised animals become wise to danger rather quickly. A few days of being shot at will transform their behavior decisively. Is it 'fair chase' then? I do not think so. After all, the animals cannot really go anywhere. They have to make do with the limited space at their disposal. Some do surprisingly well.

Take my last visit. I spent the afternoon with a group of hunters from Nevada. Grandfather, father and sons come at least once every year to hunt. They had successfully hunted wild pigs in the morning with bow and arrow. After lunch they spotted a herd of sheep on one of the mountain sides. Two hunters decided to go after the sheep with rifles. They were back in camp 30 minutes later.

“As soon as they (the sheep) saw us, they hauled a...,” one of them remarked. “No way ever to get close to them again this afternoon.”

At the end of a long weekend on the ranch and with rain beginning to fall, this was the end of their sheep hunt.

Experienced hunters and those who have hunted the ranch before know where to find their quarry. Success is (almost) guaranteed. Challenges to hunters are somewhat limited. That makes Big Horn Canyon Ranch a good place for first time hunters and maybe to introduce a budding hunter to big game hunting. If you hunt for meat, Big Horn is the place to go because of the proximity to urban centers, relatively easy access and moderate prices for the meat.

Guided hunts are much more expensive. Even on a guided hunt there is no guarantee that you do not end up with a pen raised wild pig or one that has been captured and kept in a pen as a backup in case of need. I will get to that in Part II of my post on the Big Horn Ranch. In it I will explore the ethics of hunting on a game ranch and the ever growing objections of the public against hunting in general.

Meanwhile, if you are interested in details of hunting the ranch, go to http://www.bighorncanyonranch.com/.

Compare their prices to the prevalent prices of guided hunts on private ranches within three or four hours drive from Los Angeles. You will find much higher access fees or guide fees. Only unguided wild boar hunts at the Tejon Ranch come anywhere close. I believe they charge $ 400.00 for an unguided hunt with no guarantee of success. Of course.

Summing up: The Big Horn Ranch is a good place for beginning hunters, maybe physically challenged hunters and meat hunters. It is not a property on which to bag truly wild game.

If you do not want to hunt or if you are unsuccessful, Big Horn is a site close to major urban areas and facilities to relax and to enjoy the outdoors. Come without a weapon, enjoy a day at the ranch and spend only fifty dollars for the privilege to hang out with the boys. For your own peace of mind and sanity leave sensitive friends, spouses, animal rights activists and vegetarians at home.

PJJ

Russian Boar At Big Horn Canyon Ranch

This weekend I braved heavy rain, snow, hail and mud to visit the Big Horn Ranch in Riverside County. Actually, I re-visited the ranch to check out what changed in the eight years or so since my last visit.

Most noteworthy for now: The ranch is expecting a shipment of Russian wild boar from Canada. These are wild boar and not feral wild pigs, says Charlie Wagner. He expects the shipment around February 11 or 12, 2009. The boar will be released on the ranch on Friday, February 13. At least that is the plan.

Considering the number of boar transferred, there should be good hunting for Canadian wild boar for the next few weeks. You can call Chuck or Charlie at 951 – 789 – 4690 for details and reservations.

Hunting Big Horn Ranch may not always be the ideal fair chase hunting, but it is a viable alternative to the lack of good wild pig hunting in or close to Southern California.

If you live in the Los Angeles area or even farther south, hunting wild boar at the Big Horn Ranch is most likely your best and least expensive solution. Success is almost guaranteed. And if you do not succeed in getting close to a boar for a clean shot, Charlie, his two dogs and his helpers will get you involved in a wild boar hunt with dogs.

Such a situation arose today. Some hunters needed assistance. They had stalked a black boar for hours without getting a shot. Help came in the form of two dogs and guides. To make it short, when bayed the boar first attacked the dogs, then tried to cover his back under the 4x4 to get a better chance against the dogs and, when lodged from his fortress, lashed out at one of the hunters barely missing his leg.

A detailed report on my visit, my findings and a brief discussion of the pro and con of hunting wild pigs at the ranch will follow shortly.

Another Private Hunting Club?

Best Hunting Club or Scam?

I noticed a great number of reports on a 'private hunting club' with membership fees that are too good to be true. I have followed these reports on hunting bulleting boards and on the Net in general. Some of them go back to 2006 and earlier. Judging by the increasing chorus of unhappy 'members' a word of caution regarding this club may be appropriate.

Here is the scenario: Ads in small, local newspapers advertise for membership in a new 'hunting club' with a membership fee of $ 300.00. For this fee members are entitled to take 2 wild pigs per year and get a chance at hunting birds.
The ads appear mainly in papers published in Central and Northern California. The club's business phone number keeps changing.

The number is serviced by an answering machine claiming to be the 'Hunting Club'. Interested hunters allege that eventually a man by the name of Larry Hamilton returns the calls. According to their stories, he explains that he has a hunting club with access to numerous private ranches in the area. Many of these ranches are allegedly located in the area of Parkfield, California. Disappointed hunters also allege that he promised them wild pig hunting access to one of the numerous ranches upon payment of a 300 dollar club fee. He is said to stay vague when pressed for the names and locations of the ranches because he wants to assure that only a small number of hunters is assigned to each ranch commensurate with the wild pig population on the ranch. It seems that there are follow-up calls from Larry until the club fee is paid. Thereafter, communications allegedly become difficult and excuses for lack of performance more frequent. Eventually, Larry disappears like the wild pigs on the private ranches in the club portfolio, says an increasing number of irate hunters who fell for Larry's promises.

Googling for Larry Hamilton unearths numerous entries and stories about Larry and his 'hunting club' going back several years. Among them is “Hamilton's Pheasant Resort” in San Miguel, California. This resort also has an address in Parkfield, Ca.

Though there seems to be a large number of hunters who fell for this hunting club, I could not find reports on any action by law enforcement against Larry Hamilton and his 'hunting club' despite the fact that his 'club' has been around for many years. It may be due to the fact that technically Larry Hamilton charges an access fee for “his” club ranches. But since it is alleged that he does not give the access rights to private ranches for which hunters paid him, fraud might be a possible charge.

If you ever come across an ad that promises membership in a hunting club and exclusive access to private wild pig ranches, use common sense and caution. It it sounds too good, it most likely is a scam.

PJJ

Joice Island Pig Hunt - Last chance to enter into drawing

The Department of Fish and Game will issue a small number of limited-entry, pig-hunt only permits for the Joice Island Unit of the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area. Three hunters will be drawn for each of the eight weekends between March 14 and April 25, 2009.

The first weekend in March is reserved for Junior Hunters with a Junior Hunting License.

Deadline for all applications is February 12, 2009.

Successful applicants can bring one non-hunting partner.

Joice Island is a 2,150 acre wetland area “consisting of thick cattails, tules, some brush and standing water.” Sounds like wild pigs to me!

Shotguns and slugs or archery are allowed. Remember the lead-free rule, please.

Details of the application process are at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/news08/08148.html.

PJJ

Lake Sonoma Boar Hunts 2009

The Department of Fish And Game published the wild pig hunting schedule for Lake Sonoma in 2009.

You can find the Calendar for Wild Pig Hunts at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/pig/docs/specialhunts/2008-2009-PigHuntingCalander.pdf.

Detailed information on rules and procedures for the hunts are at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/pig/docs/specialhunts/2008-2009-HuntInformation.pdf.

The news release of DFG reads as follows:

“Pig Hunting Information 2008-2009

There are major changes to the hunting policy at Lake Sonoma. Most importantly: the shoreline will be off limits from November 19 to April 11 to any vessel that is not registered at a campsite, registered to hunt that day at the visitor center or any vessel whose occupant/operator is not within shouting distance of the vessel. Any vessel not meeting one of these three exceptions will be considered “abandoned equipment” and it’s owner subject to citation ($150.00) and possible impound fees (TBA).

Absolutely no pig hunting on Mondays or Tuesdays.

Hunters will initially be required to check in with the visitor center staff. Hunters will also be required to show: a driver’s license, valid hunting license, and pig tags. They will then be issued with a hunting pass for their vehicle and vessel and given a brief orientation on hunting at the park.

Hunters may self-register only after they are issued a parking/boating hunting pass. Self registration will consist of filling out their name and vehicle/ vessel hunting pass number as well as date in and date out of the park. This check in process can be done before or after hours at the visitor center.

Shotguns with slug loads may be used on the Dry Creek arm of the lake during February ONLY.

Refer to the Shotgun Slug map for details on actual boundaries (no hunting Mondays or Tuesdays). Crossbows and bows may also be used in February on both arms of the lake (no hunting Mondays or Tuesdays).

Hunting stands and game cameras are permitted provided that they do not permanently scar the trees.

Hunting dates are as follows:

Archery and Crossbow November 19, 2008- April 11, 2009 with the exception of all Mondays and Tuesdays.

Pigs must be gutted at least 100 yards away from any man made structure, trail or campground.

Do not dispose of entrails in garbage cans; leave them in the field to attract other boar.

Stay within park boundaries even if an injured animal crosses onto private land. I may not see you but our neighbors do and they are very vocal in their disapproval of trespass.

Hunters are subject to all park rules and regulations as well as all county, state, and local laws.”

(Emphases added by editor)

The maps referenced above are at

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/pig/images/ArcheryMap-2008-2009.jpg

for archery and at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/pig/images/ShotgunMap-2008-2009.jpg for shotguns.

Please keep in mind that shotgun slugs must be lead-free. It may be a small challenge to find a store that carries lead-free slugs. I still have not found one in Los Angeles.

PJJ

Wilderness Survival Clinic -- Two-Day Clinic at Tejon Ranch

Advanced Hunter Education in cooperation with the California Department of Fish and Game will conduct a survival clinic in late February at the Tejon Ranch.

This clinic is part of the Advanced Hunter Education Program. It starts at 09:00 on February 21 and ends at 15:00 on February 22. The clinic explains and demonstrates survival kits for various terrains, first aid in the wilderness, finding and collecting water, making fire, signaling methods, shelter building, water crossings and other essentials for trips to and survival in the wilderness.

Class equipment and survival kits are provided by the Advanced Hunter Education Program (excluding meals).

Participants will receive an e-mail with directions to the facility (Tejon Ranch), a list of items to bring and the workshop agenda. Cost of the clinic is $ 60.00.

Camping accommodations are available at the Tejon Ranch. The ranch is located between Bakersfield and Los Angeles along the Interstate 5.

Registration forms are available online at www.dfg.ca.gov/huntered/advanced.

For further information contact Lieutenant Dan Lehman, Advanced Hunter Education, (916) 358-4356 or Harry Morse, DFG Office of Communications, (916) 322-8962

PJJ