Due to extensive military training during June 2009 there will be
no hunting or fishing opportunities from June 1 through June 30,
2009. Your 2008/2009 hunting or fishing permit will be valid
through May 31, 2009. Hunting permits for 2009/2010 will be
required and available starting July 1st.
Not much harm done. June is generally too warm for wild pig hunting anyway.
PJJ
More Boar News
ABC News May 2009 A family in southwestern Germany found an orphaned piglet, starving and near death. They took it home and nursed it back to health. They named him “Manni”.
The family has a resident Jack Russel terrier. The terrier and the pig soon became best friends sharing food, beds and play times. Manni wags his tail like a dog. He is now also learning to bark like a dog, say his adoptive parents. The Jack Russel now likes to eat pig food.
The family of retired firefighter Dahlhaus plans to keep Manni as a pet. If he becomes too big and unruly, they will place him in a wildlife park for his retirement years.
Watch a video of the happy family here
Lethal Boar Hunt
Two German hunters were shot by fellow hunters in one weekend.
According to police, about 50 hunters were hunting boar in a well organized battue when one of the hunters crouched down in anticipation of fleeing boar. Another hunter mistook him for a boar and shot him. Police are investigating how the victim could end up in the line of fire of a well organized hunting party.
A few hundred kilometers to the north in the German state of Hesse, another hunting party also shot one of their own.
This goes to prove that even extensive theoretical and practical hunter education and difficult examinations that include live fire on moving targets does not prevent carelessness and foolish behavior of hunters in the field. Boar hunting can be hazardous to a hunter's health. If the boar don't get you, your fellow hunters will. (The Local, May 26, 2009)
And in case you like to know how certain elements of society react to tragic hunting accidents, peruse the comments to this story.
Another Cemetery Boar
In Gothenburg, Sweden ( not Germany as falsely stated in the news report), a woman walked her dog in a local cemetery early in the morning. They came face to face with a large boar. And wisely ran away. No harm done during the encounter.
However, hunters who were called in to investigate found that two boar actually were in the cemetery. Later both were shot according to a report by Lethal, a website that specializes in reporting about lethal things and accidents.
Do deadly hunting accidents and other boar induced deaths mainly happen in Europe? Of course not. Far from true. I could easily compliment the above stories with an equal number of equally deadly hunting accidents and other wildlife induced deaths from across this country – excluding deaths from poisonous snakes.
PJJ
While surfing for news about boar, I stumbled on two web sites that in juxtaposition struck me so funny that I just have to reprint them verbatim almost entirely.
Two reasons for it: First, when you look at the content of the web site that triggered the brouhaha and then confront it with the irrational, excessive reactions to it, one can only wonder how anyone outside of the fringes of environment and animal rights movements can even dream of forming coalitions with them in order to improve and protect our planet.
Secondly, in my work with animal rescue groups as a dog evaluator I have experienced the intemperate wrath of these self-anointed guardians of flora and fauna first hand. More than one walked out on me in a huff because they 'cannot have a conversation with a serial killer of Bambi and mass murderer of Miss Piggy'. Worse yet: “You teach others to be efficient killers. You are less than scum of the earth.”
I hang my head in shame!
Nevertheless, I cannot resist the temptation to gloat over activists defeating themselves and their cause with their own words. Let's go. Here are three pictures published on a website with an unusual URL. There is no article associated with the photos. At least I could not find one.
These pictures come from a web site that apparently is looking for fun in hunting.
“This really is the biggest boar ever!!! “
Look carefully at the one below and the people in it. They will become the recipients of one of the most inflaming, derogatory, despicable comments published on the second web site.
Finally, the last picture. All three constitute the entire story told on the website.
***
And now let's look at the comments of readers of the second website. This is a site where readers, contributors and commentators take things very seriously. No fun hunting or protecting wild animals. Only serious work with little humor. Visitors to this site apparently are actively engaged in animal rights issues.
Following are the comments to the above 'article' on 'fun hunting' as of May 20, 2009. There may be many more now.
I am reprinting only the comments as they appear on Care2 News Network, “socially conscious news and videos shared and rated by the community”. My own comments to the comments are identified as such.
We omitted the full names of the commentators. You can look them up by surfing to the actual website. Here we go:
Margret
Tuesday February 17, 2009, 3:06 am
And you have killed him ...was that necessary??
Simone
Tuesday February 17, 2009, 6:25 am
Agree Margaret. Cruel.
Kristiina
Wednesday February 18, 2009, 4:20 am
:( cruel
Diana
Wednesday February 18, 2009, 4:33 am
And then the magazine is called "Fun Hunter" (including ad's about hunting in Africa) - it's rather embarassing and stupid! Shame on them!!
Beverly
Wednesday February 18, 2009, 4:44 am
Really cruel. When you click the link you go to the "fun hunter" Fun for who?? Not the kind of story I wanted to see.
Audrey
Wednesday February 18, 2009, 5:44 am
These hunters are pathetic. They must have been worried about the size of their you-know-whats and thought that murdering a magnificent, sentient creature would somehow make it bigger.
Karla
Wednesday February 18, 2009, 6:03 am
The hunters are really stupid people¡¡¡ Stop this please¡¡¡ “
The editor: Stop this for a moment and pretend to be one of 'them'. If you addressed these activists as stupid people, the protest howling would fill the entire universe. You would be branded insensitive, a racial bigot, patronizing, a hate monger, demeaning, and, yes, a terrorist in hunting garb.
This comment speaks for itself. It is a foolish, shortsighted and unnecessary insult ad hominem. Come on, friends, you can do better than this!
More comments:
“ Jody
Wednesday February 18, 2009, 6:59 am
what the hell they have to kill it for??? What are they going to do with it? Stuff and put it in the living room? Likely to big. Stupid idiots. With such an great sized and aged animal the best way to have a momentoe of it is just taking pictures. Bunch of @$$es!
Ray
Wednesday February 18, 2009, 5:53 pm
Don't know why these guys killed the boar since the story is not told, but if you were to meet up with one of these creatures while out in the woods enjoying a hike or whatever, it would come after you. Most if not all States encourage the killing of wild boar all year round because of the destruction they cause in the environment and they are a serious danger to be reckoned with when confronted either by accident or intentionally.”
The editor: At last, a reasonable man and a fact based comment.
“Anonymous
Wednesday February 18, 2009, 7:33 pm
AUDREY IS ALL WORRIED ABOUT THE SIZE OF HER CUNT? WEIRD.
John
Thursday February 19, 2009, 1:09 am
The issue is not necessarily what the boar is doing out there in the wood. The forest is the home to the boar. I think it is important we understand the animals have the right to exsit just like we humans. That we oversee the environment does not give us the liecence to make the environment hostile to other creatures. The boar in question has not moved out its habbitation to hunt humans but the hunters killed the boar right there in the wood. This simply insane and cruel!
Roopa
Thursday February 19, 2009, 4:34 am
THe hunters look pathetic losers at first go.
I would love to spit on them. “
The editor: Look here, we got another foolish comment. I venture the guess that commentator would take his remark as an racially motivated insult if it were made about him.
“John again
Thursday February 19, 2009, 5:16 am
I think they actually much more than that. They look very much confused and out of this world. Somewhat frazzled. I 'am still thinking of appropraite punishment....ok maybe life punishment!
Ingrid
Thursday February 19, 2009, 11:27 am
What a shame that the boar had to die at the hands of such pathetic men! He had lived a long life in his own environment, and was unfortunately was tracked and killed in his environment!
What pleasure is there in this act of killing? DISGUSTING! “
Conclusion: Ladies, gentlemen, members of the radical fringe, the poor boar did not die in vain after a long peaceful life in his own domain. By his death he achieved greatness.
He united you in disdain for the killers and murderers of innocent wild animals. He motivated you enough to belittle the pathetic men in the pictures.
And so let the hunters gather around to honor the boar and thank him for his sacrifice to give food to the people and a cause and rallying cry to anti-hunting activists.
He shall be remembered.
PJJ
The pictures and the comments above are taken from the following websites:
http://fun-hunter.com/index.php/Interesting/Biggest-Boar-Ever.html
and
http://www.care2.com/news/member/925413863/1050844
Wildboarhunting Blog is in no way associated with these websites. We neither approve or disapprove of the content of the sites. Pictures, comments and typos are copyright of the respective sites and/or photographers or writers.
The invaders from the nearby forests turned out to be a sow with four shoats. One of them was run over by a car and killed. The others jumped or fell into a small river where they swam upstream. Two eventually drowned in a weir. Another one was injured and sought refuge in a weir. Since he could not be retrieved, the official city hunter had to shoot him.
Behold, the official City Hunter!See his target: The boar in the weir!
See the dead boar from the weir.
The official City Bugler was out of town. No signal 'boar dead' bugled. Too bad.
One of the raiders was eventually captured and returned to his/her native forests.
This episode is another fine example of boar moving ever closer to man and into his cities. Surprisingly, the prime objective of the fire department and police were to capture the boar and to return them to the wild. The deaths of four of the five animals was self-inflicted. Amazing!
PJJ
(Source and pictures SPIEGEL ONLINE 2009)
A solution to out-of-control wild pig populations?
The European Commission just approved Improvac as a vaccine for boar taint. Improvac is a product of Pfizer Animal Health.
“Boar taint” as defined in the free Medical Dictionary is “an odor specific to fresh boar meat, especially from adult boars, and said to resemble stale urine, is strongest immediately after slaughter, fades during storage but returns on frying or boiling. Some diners prefer the redolent rashers.” (http://medicalary.thefreedictionary.com/boar+taint)-diction
Chemically castrated boar can be raised to the weight of natural boar on less feed than castrates would require. It also eliminates much of the undesirable behavior male pigs display when reaching maturity.
The vaccine is administered in two doses. The first primes the immune system while the second eliminates the taint compounds in the body.
The vaccine is approved by 52 countries in the world.
It is a tempting thought to suggest using the vaccine to control burgeoning populations of wild pigs in the this country. However, domestic pigs raised in pens are easy to vaccinate. But how does one apply two vaccination shots to wild pigs roaming free?
PJJ
Part III
On May 17, 2009 Albert Rasch commented on my original article. A. Rasch, an outdoor enthusiast, equipment reviewer, writer (The Outdoor Rasch Chronicles) said:
“ Fellows, And the unfortunate part is that they are on both ends of the spectrum, with the regular guys like us increasingly caught in the middle.”
I agree. Nevertheless, this statement applies to many other movements in modern societies. Many are very well organized. On the other hand, since hunters seem to be individualists who are happy to spend a weekend in the wilderness with little comforts of civilization and company, it is not in their nature to band together for a cause and organize pressure groups to further their objectives. That makes us the more vulnerable to attacks from either side of the spectrum.
“Amen to that Albert!
We have to be acutely vigilant without allowing ourselves to become severely paranoid in the process.
If I am allowed to elaborate a little I might add that my wife is Chinese and comes from a Buddhist background.
I, on the other end of the spectrum came from a very strict, and the word of God taken literally, Christian background.
Between the two of us we have managed to find good, and common sense middle ground for the past 20 years of knowing one another.
This, I believe to be is what is lacking in today's society.
Finding that good, and common sense approach to solving everyday life problems which one would encounter.
A clear and level head will allow an individual to use rational thought process.
To discipline one's self in that respect is not an easy task, but so very necessary to making decisions which will not only save your own life, but hopefully the lives of others as well.
As I have stated before, I have not a single problem with an Animal Rights Defender, I myself would be considered one under certain descriptions.
For instance, I would literally, and by force of my own two hands take possession of an animal which I was witness to being abused by someone.
But, the flip side to that coin would be that never would I place the life of an animal above that of a human being.
I believe that most rational thinking people would concur with those above sentiments.
It is the zealot's whom are so far left and so far right of that spectrum that follow a doctrine which, upon closer examination, is not of the norm and is counterproductive to a harmonious balance between man and the beast's of this earth.
Upon reading the U.N. report which PJJ provided in another post, I am now more convinced than ever that we "must" promote rational and conscientious thought.
And also re-establish a more harmonious existence with mother nature herself.
Our very lives depend upon it!”
Well said. Not much to add at this time except, maybe, that many movers and thinkers have postulated 'rational and conscientious thought' without great and lasting success. Does that mean that we need to give up? No. On the contrary, we need to persevere. Hunters need to stand firm for their cause or they will get annihilated between the well organised interests on both extreme sides of the spectrum.
PJJ
Comments on a comment.
My recent thoughts on gun and ammunition sales have drawn a quick response from 'Native'. Readers of this blog recognize him as a ranch owner dedicated to managing his property according to proven environmentally sound methods. He also frequently comments thoughtfully on my ramblings.
His comment to my most recent post about sales of hunting weapons and ammunition prices appears as a comment to the original article. Nevertheless, I am posting his opinion here as a separate post to give it more prominence. Comments to a post get covered up and lost over time as the article gets replaced by newer materials.
In addition, I share "Native's" concerns about extremists among environmentalists and Animal rights Activists because any extremism has polarizing effects that impede cooperation and rational consideration of a problem. Concerns for the environment and its protection have always played a prominent role in my life. And so have protection and fair treatment of animals. I have worked for years as dog evaluator (not trainer) for a rescue group. As such the fate of animals rests in my hands on an almost daily basis. It also weighs heavily on my heart. That leaves very little room and tolerance for heart bleeding emotional arguments.
Preparing to publish the comment I found by sheer coincidence an article about a report by the United Nations. It evaluates the chances of 'mega disasters' as consequence of human activities. This article compliments and expands “Native's” comment.
Let's start with the comment:
“Excellent and solid advise, thoughts PJJ!
As I told my wife the other day, it doesn't matter one iota whether you believe in the bible prophesies or not.
The fact of the matter is that there are individuals who believe that these are the end of times, and that the skies are gonna' open and the earth beneath our very feet will crack into large gaping holes.
"That is where my concern lies"!
These fanatics and extremists will become ever increasingly dangerous as time progresses, and if the economy does not improve soon.
Especially if they are arming themselves at the current rate of which they are now doing.
Fanaticism and extremism on any front becomes a very dangerous thing because at that point a person loses all sense of rationale.
This is the very reason that I fight these A.R.G.s ( Animal Rights Groups) at every presented opportunity.
Because that particular group of people contain fringe groups within the organizations that are so rabidly concerned with their cause, that human life itself means nothing to them.
In my daydreams I fantasize about living in a time where all technology is gone and we must go back to a more natural and simple state of being.
Though it is only a favorite fantasy of mine and nothing more, but there are individuals who would usher in this type of existence at any cost.
Fully under the spell of their own personal doctrine, and believing themselves to be included in the upper echelon of privileged individuals.
The ones who will escape Armageddon and live upon earth in a utopian and new Eden like existence.
These type of individuals are the ones whom I have been concerned about and keeping a wary eye upon.
Poor fools that they are but none so dangerous as is a fanatic.
I guess they forgot about the paragraph in the bible which states: That no man will know or can predict when the end of times are at hand.“ (Comment by 'Native')
And now the UN:
UN: Growth of slums boosting natural disaster risk
By Brian Murphy, Associated Press
The rampant growth of urban slums around the world and weather extremes linked to climate change have sharply increased the risks from "megadisasters" such as devastating floods and cyclones, a U.N. report said Sunday.
The study — which examines natural disaster trends and strategies to reduce potential catastrophes — also noted that millions of people in rural areas are at higher risk from disasters such as landslides where forests have been stripped away or crippling droughts blamed on shifting rainfall patterns.
Much of nearly 200-page report restates warnings from previous studies about unchecked urban growth and shortsighted rural planning. But it also seeks to sharpen the apparent link between climate change and the severity and frequency of major natural disasters including severe droughts and epic storms.
"Climate change magnifies the interactions between disaster risk and poverty. On the one hand, it magnifies weather-related and climatic hazards. On the other hand, it will decrease the resilience of many poor households and communities to absorb the impact and recover," said the report . . .
At least 900 million people now live in shantytowns and other makeshift settlements in cities vulnerable to disasters such as cyclones, flooding or earthquakes, the report said. Those populations are growing at a rate of about 25 million a year, it said . . .
India, China and other parts of Asia were at a particularly high risk from so-called "megadisasters" such as last year's Cyclone Nargis, which killed an estimated 140,000 people in Myanmar, and the massive quake in China that claimed nearly 90,000 lives and left 5 million people homeless. . .
"The linkages between disaster risk, poverty and climate change ... form a particularly tightly interlocked group of global challenges," the report said. . .
"There are all these factors coming together: urban poverty, climate change, migration to cities from rural areas," he said. "We're saying: This is bringing about a situation of impending catastrophes, but there's also something we can do about it to lower the risks."
The full article is here.
PJJ
Despite a rampant recession and burgeoning commodity prices gun sales are going through the roof. And so are the prices for ammunition. In fact, according to an article in the 'Reporter' (fdlreporter.com) John Castillo, spokesman for Cabela's, a national sporting goods store, getting and keeping ammunition in stock is the bigger problem. Increased demand for ammunition in conjunction with climbing prices for metals is driving up ammunition prices. This applies to rifle and handgun ammunition. Some businesses report quadrupled weapon sales for 2009.
But sales of hunting weapons are falling behind. Smith & Wesson sold 27.5 more firearms in the first quarter of 2009, while sales of hunting weapons dropped 46 percent in the same period, reports Associated Press in and article published on May 16, 2009.
Two major concerns are driving these developments. One is the fear that the new administration will tighten gun control and increase taxes on gun and ammunition sales, The other is an inherent uneasiness with the economic situation and its consequences. People are hunkering down, looking ahead into an uncertain future. They play the 'What if.. .' game expecting having to go out fending for themselves.
I do not share these concerns. As a hunter you already own hunting weapons. And ammunition for it. Most likely enough to last a season or two. Come on, honestly, how many shots do you fire on big game in a season? Hundreds? Thousands? Less than the fingers on one hand, most likely.
Do you really need rifles with very large caliber or assault type weapons like gun nuts claim? I don't think so.
Nevertheless, anticipating further price increases for ammunition by acquiring a small stock at today's prices is a good idea. Taking up reloading is an even better one. However, increasing prices for raw materials will affect reloading as well.
Overall I do not see any reason for panic. On the contrary, I am more concerned about the shrinking access to hunting land and skyrocketing access and guide fees. Primordial fears of gloom and doom are baseless. Short of an asteroid hit or a worldwide cataclysm triggered by the eruption of a super volcano, we are not on our way to reverting back to a society of hunters and gatherers. Envirosell monitors the behavior of consumers and sellers in the US and worldwide. Associated Press quotes Envirosell's owner Paco Underhill:
"They (i.e. Americans) are looking down the road going `What could happen here?'" . . .. "I think a lot of Americans are truly scared. One of the things that tickles is our pioneer ethos, which is, `I feel better with a year's supply of toilet paper' and `Maybe I should start canning and pickling.'"
That's funny.
Maybe we should all hunker down with a blunderbus, homemade black powder and some rocks as projectiles.
PJJ
Does it really matter whether it is a wild pig or a true boar? Only if you are hunting for a trophy boar or have engaged a hunting outfit that charges higher prices for 'Russian boar' than for plain old wild pigs. If you are just looking for a meat pig or want to be able to brag to your friends that you faced a fierce wild boar ( from 200 yards away and with a high powered rifle) then it does not count.
Wild pigs are found in California and in many other states of the US. No matter what they are called, wild boar, wild pigs, wild hogs, Russian boar, Eurasian boar, porkers, razorback or anything else, they are all members of the same species. But not all 'boar' are created equal. Most of them trace their lineage back to domestic pigs brought to the States by Spanish conquistadors. True European boar were introduced much later to hunting estates. Feral pigs and wild boar hybrids make up the largest segment of the group, over 95 percent or more. Members of the group look very much alike. They all make for challenging hunting and they are equally tasty. Yet, hunters prefer to hunt the 'real' thing: True wild boar.
Consequently, some guides and ranch owners charge more for harvesting a 'boar' than they do for a feral pig. Black wild pigs get often classified as 'Russian' boar.
True boar, also known as Russian boar or Eurasian boar, are members of the family of sus scrofa with a pure Eurasian lineage. There are very few pure Russian boar in the United States.
Most 'boar' roaming the wild actually are feral pigs or boar hybrids. A small number of boar ranches breed genetically pure Eurasian boar. They sell them to hunting ranches all over the country.
How do you tell whether the boar in your sights is a true boar or one of the many wild pigs? By the color?
The coloration of Eurasian boar is most often reddish brown to dark dirty brown, shades of black, gray, even very light tan or gray. So much so that some almost appear a dirty white. True boar also can have white stripes in a dark coat, frequently as a white stripe on the front of the head from the nose to the ears or around the shoulders. Spotting is less common but can occur.
Unfortunately, hybrids and even feral pigs can sport all of the above colors as well. Therefore color is not a reliable means of identifying true wild boar. Neither are the stripes found 'exclusively' in boar piglets. Wrong as well. Any of the other wild pigs can have striped piglets with the exception of domestic swine.
Here is another old wives' tale. I fell for this one for a while: Only Eurasian boar have a woolly undercoat. Neither hybrids nor feral pigs do have it.
Wrong again, say the experts. In boar the undercoat ranges in color from dark brown to gray regardless of the color of the bristles. Hybrids can have an undercoat in the color of the bristles but is most often dark brown or gray . Feral pigs have an undercoat in the color of the bristles in the same area.
And talking about bristles: Some experts can distinguish boar, hybrids and feral pigs by their bristles. However, since a hunter cannot see the bristles of his quarry close enough to identify split ends in his scope, this distinction is academic for all practical purposes. Furthermore, all three types of boar can have split end bristles.
The same applies to another favorite of guides and 'boar experts': The razorback. In fact, in many publications about wild boar in the United States the term 'razorback' is used as a synonym for Russian boar or Eurasian boar. Texas even has razorback hogs!
The term 'razorback' derives from a long but narrow strip of guard hair running down the spine on the back of many Eurasian boar. Boar can raise them straight up when excited or in a fighting mood creating a sharply defined narrow line of hair, the razorback.
Therefore, if it shows a razorback, it is a wild boar. Right?
Wrong! Many hybrid boar and even feral boar possess a fashionable razorback look.
You can see it very well in this boar from New Hampshire.
And in this one on a boar in Florida.
Is there a surefire way of determining whether you are looking at a true boar or a hybrid or a feral pig? No.
There is no easy way to determine what kind of boar you are facing – until you harvest it and examine it closely. Maybe even look at DNA and genetic markers?
But wait. Look at these pictures:
This is a Eurasian boar from Berlin. And here is a picture of the same boar from a slightly different angle.
Now look at the following pictures of friendly, unmistakably domestic pigs.
Comparing the pictures above clearly shows the difference between the snout length and the gradient of the occipital rise in wild boar and domestic pigs.
Eurasian boar have long, narrow snouts while their hybrid and feral counterparts retain much of the snout pattern of their domestic ancestors. They have wider and shorter snouts. Also note the transition from the snout to the front of the head above the eyes. It rises abruptly and steeply towards the top of the head unlike the occipital rise in true boar which is more of a gentle slope than a steep rise.
(Picture taken by NASA)
This Australian picture of a feral wild pig shows the short, thick snout and the sharp rise towards the top of the head.
These very distinctive differences are in my opinion the best method to quickly answer the question “boar or wild pig” in the field.
If it has a long, narrow snout, gently sloping towards the top of the head, it is most likely a true boar regardless of color.
If it is black, has a wide relatively short snout that rises very abruptly from the eyes to the top of the head, you are looking at a wild pig.
Feral pigs and hybrids usually retain enough of the facial characteristics of their domestic ancestors to be clearly recognized in a scope.
Head and snout shape are in my opinion the best and most reliable means of classifying wild boar in the field. No, it is not perfect. It does not have to be. But it serves you well when you are hunting in one of those places where they charge you more for a 'Russian boar' than for a feral or a hybrid.
Unless you are hunting for a trophy boar or you are looking for extra excitement, it does not make a difference whether the wild pig in your scope is a true boar, a hybrid or a feral. All wild pigs are tasty, all are difficult to hunt, all are quite adept in evading hunters and all can be vicious adversaries when pushed too far.
But don't pay a boar premium for a hybrid or a feral just because it is black and someone screams “OK, Russian. Shoot”.
Don't pay a premium for a feral pig.
PJJ
Santa Barbara County hosts wild pigs. They thrive in the mild climate and enjoy the bounty the ocean deposits on the shoreline and the protection they get on special use land. Marshy areas and swampy spots are an added bonus.
Most of the boar do live on private land or an land that is closed to the public. Hunting wild pigs around Santa Barbara is therefore somewhat of a challenge unless you have privileged access to areas that are closed to hunters at large.
For years, wild pigs were sighted close to Lake Cachuma. Most of them have migrated to the organic farms in the area where they can find better forage than in the Los Padres National Forest. These boar should have been far enough from the fire to be safe.
What happened to the other wild pigs during the Jesusita Fire, I wondered. Several e-mails to DFG and landowners remained unanswered. DFG is normally quite responsive but recently I have had little luck talking to the wild pig people there.
Let's therefore think about it rationally. Most of the known wild pig populations live in the west of Santa Barbara County close to the ocean. There they find excellent habitat conditions in wetlands and swampy areas as well as in brush, since hunting is quite limited because of difficult access rights. The most numerous population of wild pigs exists on VAFB. Unless you are on active military duty or retired military you cannot hunt there legally. Properties around the base are private land.
There is a small hamlet close to the base adjacent to private land. I have seen wild pigs skins there on fences. That would indicate that hunters got access or some poaching is going on.
The fire mostly burned in bucolic sections of the City of Santa Barbara with relatively dense human population. Chances of finding an established wild pig population roaming among the residences and estates are slim. I have never heard of any despite my attempts to find out. If there are any wild pigs there, it is a well kept secret for the benefit of locals.
Wild pigs are good runners with flight speeds reaching around 30 miles per hour. They also have an excellent sense of smell. And they are intelligent.
We can therefore conclude that the boar took flight and moved out of any endangered areas in time. My educated guess is that the fire did not damage the wild pig population in that area. Instead you might find wild pigs in locations they did not frequent in the past. At least until brush and vegetation have grown back.
In the more remote areas away from people, new growth in the burn area may actually produce improved forage. And once the soil has cooled sufficiently, wild pigs might also find good pickings in remote canyons ravaged by the fire. Hunters could spot them much easier in theory. I do not consider Santa Barbara proper and its suburbs hunter friendly territory anyway.
PJJ
As you know from some of my previous posts, many urbanites are quite tolerant of the wild pigs in their midst. Berlin, the German capital, seems to hold particularly great attraction to wild boar.
In January 2004 the British newspaper The Guardian ran a headline
A wild boar searching for food broke into a Berlin apartment and bit a man on the leg before fleeing into the woods.
A police spokesman said yesterday: "The wild boar broke into the living room through a terrace door and hid under a table. When the 54-year old resident tried to shoo the boar back out the door, it went wild."
The man was treated in hospital for his leg wound and discharged on the same day. Police said the animal had not been captured.
Several thousand wild boars, which can grow to 150kg (23 stone), inhabit the city and push further into the city when food supplies are low.
Hundreds of miles to the West, a wild pig felt the need for spiritual guidance. Or was it just the smell of breakfast?
Wild Boar Storms Frankfurt Church
Over the last several months, turmoil in the international economy has made Frankfurt on the Main, Europe's financial capital, a pretty scary place to live. Still, the city's Martinus Evangelical Church got a special shock on Thursday as a rampaging wild boar burst through a glass porch door and terrorized a group of 10 mothers eating breakfast with their young children. . . .
The mothers and children took cover by getting up on top of the tables and chairs, and although no one was hurt, all were visibly rattled when the police arrived later. According to the police report, the parish is providing "psychological support" for all those who need it.
Victims of the attack told police that the boar, suspected to be female, sustained injuries from crashing through the glass. After briefly running around the room, the wild sow ran back toward the cemetery, suggesting that she may have been just as frightened by the encounter as were the shaken members of the breakfast club . . .(Spiegel Online)
A Startling Trend
2008 has been a banner year for wild boar incidents in Germany, with sudden attacks, often in gangs, becoming an increasingly familiar sight.
After groups of angry boars assaulted car thieves and layed waste to a home-improvement store earlier this year, it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that in the years to come, even the country's most urban districts will no longer safe from the boars' wild onslaught. (Spiegel Online International November 2008)
So, you think boar are only going berserk in Germany? How about this article published in December 2007 in The Independent, a British newspaper.
Wild Boar Runs Amok In France
(Newser) - Shoppers weren't the only thing going hog-wild over the weekend . . . One wild boar rampaged amid last-minute gift-buyers in a clothing store in France, while another stepped in front of a high-speed train, delaying trains for hours.
In the clothing shop in Poitiers, in western France, customers and staff were evacuated while police tried to remove the 190-pound boar. But the animal charged officers and was shot. The second boar was hit by the high-speed Nice-to-Brussels express. The train was then delayed for almost four hours, triggering travel chaos across France as 34 other trains were also held up. (Independent December 2007)
Wild pigs even found a liberal home in Massachusetts according to an article by George Barnes, staff writer for TELEGRAM & GAZETTE. It appeared in October of 2008.
Wild boar struck and killed on Rt. 2
. . .There have been deer, moose and even bear killed on Route 2, but a Russian wild boar hit by a vehicle Wednesday morning was something new to everyone involved.
David Procopio, a spokesman for the state police, said yesterday that a trooper on the westbound lane heading into work about 6:30 a.m. noticed a large animal, obviously injured, on the side of the highway just before Shirley Road in Lancaster. . . .
Mr. Procopio said the animal was suffering and posed a risk to passing motorists if it got back into the travel lane. He said it was decided to euthanize it. . . .
Chester H. Hall III of Royalston was contacted to take away the carcass. Mr. Hall is known locally as a coyote hunter. He said he was offered what he was told was a pig for coyote bait.
“I went to pick up a wild pig and there was a full-blown Russian boar,” he said.
The boar was about 200 pounds, dark brown and slightly reddish in color. Mr. Hall said it looked to him like the classic image of a werewolf with a hump on its back and a long snout. The animal had tusks but they were barely visible because they were broken.
Mr. Hall said he was surprised because wild boars are not supposed to be found in Massachusetts.
“I spoke to a biologist and he said it’s only the third time he has heard of one in Massachusetts,” he said. . . .
There are wild boar populations in New Hampshire, Vermont and Pennsylvania, but the animals are rarely seen in other parts of the Northeast. . . .
Mr. Hall said he has hunted bear, but he would not want to meet a wild boar up close.
“They can be very nasty and aggressive,” he said.
I would rather see a 500-pound bear in the woods than a boar. Chester H. Hall III, HUNTER
Mr. Hall said most people who hunt boars do so from a tree stand. . . (CBS NEWS, News Telegram.com,October 2008)
Even celebrity status does not exempt a person from boaring contacts.
London, June 2 (ANI): Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are being urged to open up the grounds of the 17th-century French chateau they are staying in - by wildboar hunters.
Brangelina arrived at Chateau Miraval, near Aix-en-Provence last weekend, and are renting the 35-room former Benedictine priory for the next three years.
The chateau sits on a 1,000-acre estate that has vineyards, two swimming pools, a helipad, a forest and a lake with swans and geese.
However, hunters are urging Tom Bove, the owner of the estate to ensure that the environment-friendly couple don't bar them from hunting on the grounds, especially as it prevents the vineyards from being destroyed by animals.
Were waiting to hear back from Mr Bove and we hope the new residents won't ban our hunts, Times Online quoted Alain Mayen, as saying.
The environment is all very well but you have to protect the vines. Hunting is the only way to stop the vines getting damaged.
Added Michael Latz, the mayor of Correns: Hunting here is part of the local tradition. Boar and deer are harmful. If you don't hunt them, you don't get grapes. (ANI) (Some typos corrected)
By Alex Duval Smith in Paris, February 2003
Knife attacks and shoot-outs are part of life in high-rise estates. But a court in Grenoble has made a stab at ensuring that boars, at least, will be safe in la zone.
A 37-year-old man was fined €200 (£130) and given a month's suspended sentence for hunting down a boar on an estate at Bourg d'Oisans in the Alps, earlier this week.
The unfortunate animal was quick-witted even in the face of a pack of hunting dogs; a law forbids hunting within 150 metres of human habitation.
Despite having been coursed for several hours, the boar hightailed it through a car park and past shops to the estate. There, it must have thought, amid the juvenile delinquents and drug dealers, it would be protected by the law.
But the hunter, who did not turn up in court and was not named, claimed in his affidavit that the animal was "aggressive". He decided to finish it off "to protect the children and the other people".
The prosecutor told the court the hunter shot the boar with his rifle, then stabbed it to death. The boar drew its last breath just three metres from the entrance to one of the blocks of flats. . . .
The case marks the latest in heroic getaways – some of them successful – by boars. Last summer, one climbed over a dune and swam out to sea to escape the chop. (D. Smith)
Back to Germany where a wild boar gave an elderly couple the most exciting night in decades.
Boar Goes Hog Wild
The beast from the local forest sped past a group of children playing outside and into the building in a Berlin suburb, probably in search of food. Petrified neighbors peered through their spy holes fearing their doors would not hold - and called 36-year-old hunter Conrad Meyer.
"I grabbed him around the neck and then stabbed him square in the heart with my hunting knife," Meyer told the BZ daily newspaper, which showed him in traditional green hunter's hat and camouflage kit dragging the carcass away.
Wild boar often cause havoc in Berlin. Last April one jumped into bed with an elderly couple and in January a man was hospitalized by a boar when it crashed into his living room. (Thomson Reuters 2004 All rights reserved); Planet Ark)
I do not know what the connection really is, but could it have something to do with wild pigs jumping into bed with couples? Read this and wonder.
Wild boars are breeding at a huge rate in Germany and wreaking greater havoc than in any other European country by destroying crops, killing pets and even attacking people, according to a new study.
Findings by the Hanover-based Institute of Wildlife Research show that Germany's boar population rose by 320 percent last year because of better access to food and bigger litters of young.
"It's impossible for their habitat to adapt to a surge of this degree," the institute's Gunter Sodeikat said.
Increasingly encroaching on suburban areas, boars have been reported attacking people, killing pets, and digging up corpses in cemeteries. Graveyards and gardens are being ravaged daily, police say.
The surge has also caused mounting destruction of crops and raised the risk of swine fever spreading, Sodeikat said.
According to the institute, the boar boom is exceptional in Germany, though it is not yet clear why.
"German litters have six to eight piglets on average, other countries usually only about four or five," the study said. (Reuters; The Independent October 2008)
Though I find many of these stories funny and even feel like cheering for the boar, the following story shows the dangerous side of wild boar. It is a tragic story published by Der Spiegel in October of 2008.
. . . Zoologists have called them Germany's "most dangerous animal." And while wild boars have been terrorizing the German countryside for centuries, in recent months their comfort zone has expanded, with city centers now also falling under their reign of destruction.
This year alone, boars chased a pair of policemen onto a balcony in a suburb of Frankfurt, sent a pensioner to the emergency room in Berlin, and broke into a home improvement store before being shot to death at the checkout counter in North Rhine-Westphalia.
None of these earlier skirmishes, however, resulted in loss of non-boar life. Now the stakes are getting higher.
An unlucky hunter, a married 72-year-old man from Berlin identified only as Jürgen C., was not alone when he met his untimely end. He was part of a five-man hunting party that joined forces in order to dispatch a wild beast spotted feasting on maize in a cornfield near the village of Linthe, 70 kilometers outside Berlin.
At first, the hunters seemed to have the upper hand. According to 53-year-old hunting partner Ehrhard H., it was Jürgen himself who first managed to shoot the boar in one of its legs, but the creature was able to dash back into the cornfield.
Then Ben, the group's hunting dog, was sent to pursue the hog, followed close behind by hunter Torsten P. This time it was the boar who scored a hit. According Ehrhard, the remaining hunters heard a cry before seeing Torsten limp back to the group with a wounded shin.
But by the time Jürgen's friends found him, he was lying on the ground bleeding heavily from his knee. They called an ambulance but it was too late. The boar warrior had punctured a major artery and the 72-year-old sportsman bled to death.
The hunting party ultimately found the boar and shot it. The corpse of the murderous beast is now being kept in a refrigeration room not far from the scene of its struggle. (Spiegel Online International 10/10/2008)
A world apart a man playing cards with friends had a similar, but less traumatic, experience with a wild boar. In April 2009 Hong Kong Earth News reported on demands to control wild pig populations after a man was injured by a boar.
A 77-year-old Hong Kong man was savaged by a wild boar that pinned him to the ground and bit his groin, police said Wednesday. The 70-kilogram animal went on a rampage, knocking the man down and sinking its teeth into him, after it strayed into a village in Hong Kong's New Territories.
Witnesses said the boar attacked Tuesday after it jumped a fence and charged at the man who was playing cards with friends outside.
The animal then ran off. The man was taken to hospital bleeding and was in stable condition Wednesday.
The attack is the latest in a series involving wild boars, which have lead to calls on the government to control the population, which is believed to have grown in recent years in Hong Kong's rural areas, which cover more than 70 per cent of the territory's 1,078 square kilometres.
Wild boar are common in rural parts of Hong Kong near its border with mainland China but are rarely seen in built-up urban parts of the city. But in February, police shot dead a wild boar when it strayed into a high-rise housing estate in the city's built-up Tuen Mun district.
In September, a 120-kilogram boar was also shot dead by police after it fought with pet dogs and bit two residents in a rural village near the Hong Kong-China border. (Hong Kong News Report)
After all this blood and gore it is refreshing to note that these gregarious bad boys of big game and the environment also have a few defenders. Joining Brangelina is Sir Paul McCartney, according to The Sun on May 3, 2009.
The fab boar
Neighbours of Sir Paul McCartney are pig sick because he refuses to cull wild boar on his estate.
They say dozens of the animals, which weigh up to 900lbs, are “wreaking havoc”.
Macca, 66, a vegetarian and animal rights campaigner, will not co-operate with locals who want to control numbers at his 1,500-acre estate in Peasmarsh, East Sussex.
Government policy gives landowners and communities power to cull the animals if they threaten the environment, farming or human safety.
Macca’s neighbours say crops, trees and gardens in the area are suffering because he refuses to act. A source said: “The boar are doing huge damage. They are also dangerous if confronted.
“Locals are up in arms because he won’t allow them to be shot. They are breeding like rabbits and his estate is completely over-run.”
The source added: “Boar are a huge problem for farmers. As with deer, the Government has a policy to allow humane culling but Sir Paul is having none of it.”
West Kent and Sussex has Britain’s largest breeding population of wild boar. The official number is 200, but experts believe it may be 400.
Boar can reach the same weight as a horse and are very quick on their feet.
Professional stalker Stewart Venables, 48, said: “Wild boar can be very dangerous. They will attack people to protect their young. They have tusks and teeth like razors.
“A charging boar could kill someone. They really are a big problem in the UK now.” . . . (JOHN KAY, Chief Reporter and GORDON SMART, Bizarre Editor , The Sun)
Let me close on a conciliatory note published in Explore, Hong Kong. At the end of a lengthy article the author concludes:
Targeting Boar
“ . . . Granted, they are a nuisance, and there are some very legitimate cases of concern too. Gardens and farms around the territory are often being raided. The pigs' tough snouts burrow into the ground for roots or vegetables and that acute sense of smell makes it easy for them to zero in on those especially yummy treats. . . .
The 'mauling' of the Kau Sai Chau golf course by a family of 20 boars made the news around the world in 2004. Previously not sighted on the island, the family swam over from nearby High Island and wallowed in the abundance of a particularly tasty grub – to boars, that is! Rather than bring a hunting team . . . night watchmen were hired to patrol the course in noisy maintenance vehicles with high beam lights. This greatly reduced the turf damage (from 1,000 to 20 square metres). The golf course then installed electric fencing . . .
Kevin Yuen, General Manager of the Jockey Club facility, told Explore: "There's lots of misunderstanding about wild boars! We're not keen to hunt them; instead we prefer to use preventive measures such as electric fences, which won't harm them but merely deter them… Since the installation of the fences late last year, the whole matter has improved greatly, with very small areas damaged by boar, mainly in the rough areas. We are pleased with the current situation. As a matter of fact, we are working on a review of the habitats of wild boar with ecologists to help us understand wild boars better."
. . .Certainly, the feral pig population is growing exponentially and the numbers need to be controlled – but – what use is two killings per month by the AFCD sanctioned Boar Swat team?
AFCD Fauna Conservation Officer/Enforcement, C.L. Wong, told Explore that no consideration is given to conserving these animals anywhere in the world because they are dangerous animals. No doubt a cornered animal about to charge is dangerous. But many of those who spoke to Explore believe that more investigation into the use of tranquilizer darts and sterilization of females to reduce numbers should be considered before the guns are cocked. (Explore, Sai Kung)
“I do like the "Bad Boys" image though because they are a bit unruly and mischievous due to their curious nature.
There will not be a barrel, pole, piece of plywood or nothing which they haven't touched their noses to, turned over or rolled down a hill.
I am always completely fascinated by these wonderfully entertaining Wild Swine!” (Native, nativehunt.com)
To which I can only say Amen.
PJJ
Registration ends on May 5, 2009.
The Department of Fish and Game will present a two day big game hunting clinic on a Wilderness Unlimited property near Williams. Wilderness Unlimited is one of the oldest and largest private hunting clubs in California. The clinic will be held on May 21 and 22, 2009. Registration is still open but will close on May 5, 2009. The participation in this workshop costs $ 60.00.
This hunting clinic focuses primarily on deer hunting but will also cover other big game. All DFG hunting clinics are hands-on events taught by experts in their respective fields. They are a great way to expand your hunting skills, learn more about hunting in general and the big game you are specifically interested in.
But most of all, they are an excellent opportunity to get to know and learn from other hunters, DFG personnel, wildlife biologists and hunting guides.
I highly recommend participation in these clinics.
Closer to Southern California there will be the annual wild pig clinic at the Tejon Ranch. Check DFG for scheduled clinics and dates. You can find details for this workshop here.
Call (530) 347-3980 for your reservation. Time is running out.
PJJ
Hunt The Outdoors
