57 Million in Hog Damage in Georgia

[Currently]

Spoke to a warden a couple years ago about this subject. They knew certain people imported hogs for leased hunts profit. Knowing and proving are two separate things. When asked about how they knew, he told me about areas that had no hog problems and all of a sudden, like an island or a ripple in a pond, the hog population expanded from that area.

If a farmer really wants to get rid of them, there are ways to put you on their list.

Hopefully by next year, I'll be set up to do some effective night hunting.

[DaveS]

Spoke to a warden a couple years ago about this subject. They knew certain people imported hogs for leased hunts profit. Knowing and proving are two separate things. When asked about how they knew, he told me about areas that had no hog problems and all of a sudden, like an island or a ripple in a pond, the hog population expanded from that area.

If a farmer really wants to get rid of them, there are ways to put you on their list.

Hopefully by next year, I'll be set up to do some effective night hunting.

In Florida, we have a night setup designed by a Federal Game Warden friend of mine. It's crazy awesome, and the pigs I took in Florida last month (see Florida thread) was taken with his setup. I'm going to set up something similar here.

 

DaveS

[Currently]

Do you use night vision?

I'm saving up for a unit along with some cans to quiet things down.

Would love to learn as much as I can from someone that has done it. Edited July 28, 2013 by Currently

[DaveS]

No, night vision isn't legal. Motion sensor lights set up on the feeder. Awesome set up! My daughter took her pig in the daylight and I got mine at night. We hunted 4 nights and 1 day and seen probably 50 pigs, 99% were at night. That's the only way to go.

 

Dave S

[GlockSpock]

A few months ago when I went to TNGIC (TN Geographic Information Council) in Dixon, there was a student for 4H that had done a map showing hog damage by county for the entire state of TN. It was interesting; I had no idea there was such a problem with them until I saw that.

[DaveS]

A few months ago when I went to TNGIC (TN Geographic Information Council) in Dixon, there was a student for 4H that had done a map showing hog damage by county for the entire state of TN. It was interesting; I had no idea there was such a problem with them until I saw that.

It's real my friend, and not going to go away!

 

DaveS

Hawg Daddy

[Currently]

Is night vision legal in Georgia?

[DaveS]

Is night vision legal in Georgia?

Sir, I have no idea about Georgia. I'll tell you a place in Georgia that has a major pig problem (I was a Game Warden there), and that's Fort Benning. Them sucka's are everywhere! Check it out. They used to beg people to kill pigs!

 

DaveS

Hawg Daddy

[Luke E.]

In Florida, we have a night setup designed by a Federal Game Warden friend of mine. It's crazy awesome, and the pigs I took in Florida last month (see Florida thread) was taken with his setup. I'm going to set up something similar here.

 

DaveS

 

 Where abouts in Florida are you hunting? I'm from Florida and all but my immediate family are down there scattered out a bit. My father used and family used to hunt them and deer with dogs down there growing up but he has pretty much quit hunting these days. Anyhow, I have access to quite a bit of ground down there but just haven't made a point to hunt any hogs.

[DaveS]

 Where abouts in Florida are you hunting? I'm from Florida and all but my immediate family are down there scattered out a bit. My father used and family used to hunt them and deer with dogs down there growing up but he has pretty much quit hunting these days. Anyhow, I have access to quite a bit of ground down there but just haven't made a point to hunt any hogs.

Appalachicola area.

 

Dave

[Luke E.]

Appalachicola area.

 

Dave

Most of my Moms side of the family is north of and centered between Destin and Panama City in Defuniak Springs. It's not far off of Eglin AFB and there are some hogs wandering about the area. My Dad has a house in a little canal town right where the Suwanee river spills into the Gulf and they have quite a few down in those parts as well but I always end up spending my time in a boat when i'm down that way. My grandfather retired from the Florida Fish and Game Commission and was moved around more than a military family so needless to say my Dad has hunted most parts of the state and usually has a funny story to tell about each of them.

[RobertNashville]

I'd say their logic makes pretty good sense and if there is anyone folks need to blame for the restrictions on hog hunting in TN it's the hungers themselves; at least some of them.

 

It was clear that hunters/those who wanted to hunt were purposely increasing the hog population so they could hunt them...not a good move when these destructive animals need to be eradicated.

[Luke E.]

I'd say their logic makes pretty good sense and if there is anyone folks need to blame for the restrictions on hog hunting in TN it's the hungers themselves; at least some of them.

It was clear that hunters/those who wanted to hunt were purposely increasing the hog population so they could hunt them...not a good move when these destructive animals need to be eradicated.

Their logic only makes sense IF their no hunting regulation 1. Stops the rule breakers from moving them and 2. Stops the hogs from reproducing and spreading on their own. I'm not sure the regulation stops #1 and I'm 100% positive it only speeds up #2. They should give the ones they catch moving hogs a minimum 10yr sentence and after the first couple get caught, I'd say that would cut way back on any more hog relocating. But their "logic" sounds like something a liberal would come up with in that it makes it sound like they are accomplishing something but in reality they are making it worse.

[RobertNashville]

Well, seems like they tried it the way people here seem to want and it didn't work and in fact, made the problem worse.

 

Land owners can hunt hogs pretty much to their heart's content on their our land, so it's not as if they can't be hunted at all  And unless I misunderstand the rules, if I own land and I want to let someone hunt hogs on it for me I can do that too, right (at least up to some specific number of people)?

 

I suppose I'd have more sympathy for those who want to hunt them if they were legitimate game; i.e. existed here naturally, but as I understand it, the only reason these hogs exist is either by accident and/or because some people purposely released hogs into the wild so they could hunt them...that's not legitimate game to me.

 

Since the current law only restricts hunting on public lands this just doesn't seem like a big deal to me.  :shrug:

Edited July 29, 2013 by RobertNashville

[Luke E.]

Well, seems like they tried it the way people here seem to want and it didn't work and in fact, made the problem worse.

Land owners can hunt hogs pretty much to their heart's content on their our land, so it's not as if they can't be hunted at all And unless I misunderstand the rules, if I own land and I want to let someone hunt hogs on it for me I can do that too, right (at least up to some specific number of people)?

I suppose I'd have more sympathy for those who want to hunt them if they were legitimate game; i.e. existed here naturally, but as I understand it, the only reason these hogs exist is either by accident and/or because some people purposely released hogs into the wild so they could hunt them...that's not legitimate game to me.

Since the current law only restricts hunting on public lands this just doesn't seem like a big deal to me. :shrug:

I completely agree that the few have caused some damage. The landowners being shoot and have people shoot is great but its not as simple as the land owner just giving permission. Also there are plenty of land owners that are not going to go through the trouble of setting a list up for people to come out and then you have bleeding hearts that think everything on this planet deserves another breath that won't allow them to be hunted. I say this because these few examples will create enough voids for them to increase in numbers greatly.
Like I said there should be very very severe penalties for people caught moving/transporting hogs but we need as many people killing them as possible or they are going to get away from us. I'm not as much concerned with hunters not having the opportunity to hunt hogs as I am concerned about what will happen if they don't. I never truly understood the devastating effects the have on crop land and the danger those pose to children and even adults until I witnessed it all first hand.
Here's something else most people don't realize, if a farmers has hogs that are more or less free range and then turns them loose, it doesn't take very long for the same problems to occur. An older gentleman about 20 miles from my grandparents passed away and his two sons never did anything with the farm or livestock. Now 10-15 years later, there are feral hogs stemming from that bunch 50 miles from that farm and that's with folks shooting them. I don't know how far they have stretched out in the other direction but there is 10's of thousands of acres mostly wooded on that side so who knows.
I guess my point is, I agree with a lot of what your saying but bottom line is, it's going to take as many barrels aimed their direction as possible to keep them thinned out so maybe a smarter way would be to make the punishment so severe that it would be worth the risk and actually follow through with it when someone breaks the law. Maybe I'm completely wrong here but from what I've seen first hand, I'm pretty much on target.

[DaveS]

Well, seems like they tried it the way people here seem to want and it didn't work and in fact, made the problem worse.

 

Land owners can hunt hogs pretty much to their heart's content on their our land, so it's not as if they can't be hunted at all  And unless I misunderstand the rules, if I own land and I want to let someone hunt hogs on it for me I can do that too, right (at least up to some specific number of people)?

 

I suppose I'd have more sympathy for those who want to hunt them if they were legitimate game; i.e. existed here naturally, but as I understand it, the only reason these hogs exist is either by accident and/or because some people purposely released hogs into the wild so they could hunt them...that's not legitimate game to me.

 

Since the current law only restricts hunting on public lands this just doesn't seem like a big deal to me.  :shrug:

Robert, problem right now is the land owners don't want the hogs to go away. Right now, people that would never ever allow a hunter on their property to hunt, are now allowing you to come onto their property to hunt hogs at 500 dollars a piece per year. Hell, I wouldn't want the hogs to go away either! Ten hunters or more per year at 500.00 a piece? OINK OINK my friend! There is a guy under investigation right now for that! Hog control will not work until the average Joe can blow one a way day or night without being on a list anytime he wishes!

 

DaveS

Hawg Daddy

[Luke E.]

Robert, problem right now is the land owners don't want the hogs to go away. Right now, people that would never ever allow a hunter on their property to hunt, are now allowing you to come onto their property to hunt hogs at 500 dollars a piece per year. Hell, I wouldn't want the hogs to go away either! Ten hunters or more per year at 500.00 a piece? OINK OINK my friend! There is a guy under investigation right now for that! Hog control will not work until the average Joe can blow one a way day or night without being on a list anytime he wishes!

DaveS
Hawg Daddy

Exactly! And they are just as much of a problem as the handful that moved them. This was the issue with the Farmer that had us out, he was happy to have someone killing them until he found that people would pay to do it. More lead flying = less hog problems. And I'd say most of us know a large acreage land holder or farmer but a small percentage of the public do and an even smaller number know one well enough to get them selves on some list.

[Wingshooter]

Well, seems like they tried it the way people here seem to want and it didn't work and in fact, made the problem worse.

Land owners can hunt hogs pretty much to their heart's content on their our land, so it's not as if they can't be hunted at all And unless I misunderstand the rules, if I own land and I want to let someone hunt hogs on it for me I can do that too, right (at least up to some specific number of people)?

I suppose I'd have more sympathy for those who want to hunt them if they were legitimate game; i.e. existed here naturally, but as I understand it, the only reason these hogs exist is either by accident and/or because some people purposely released hogs into the wild so they could hunt them...that's not legitimate game to me.

Since the current law only restricts hunting on public lands this just doesn't seem like a big deal to me. :shrug:

I don't think it really matters how they got here or if they are legitimate game because now they are here, and they are breeding at an incredibe rate. Now they are spreading naturally. I agree with punishing those that transport and release, but I think the TWRA should encourage widespread hunting. Remove the ability to profit from it, but increase the opportunity to hunt them in addition to other measures.

posted from my phone

[whiskey]

I don't think it really matters how they got here or if they are legitimate game because now they are here, and they are breeding at an incredibe rate. Now they are spreading naturally. I agree with punishing those that transport and release, but I think the TWRA should encourage widespread hunting. Remove the ability to profit from it, but increase the opportunity to hunt them in addition to other measures.

posted from my phone

 

Agreed. They should have made "paid hog hunts" illegal and removed all restrictions from killing them. Bait them, Shoot them with spot lights, day or night, night-vision, full auto, whatever. 

[DaveS]

Exactly! And they are just as much of a problem as the handful that moved them. This was the issue with the Farmer that had us out, he was happy to have someone killing them until he found that people would pay to do it. More lead flying = less hog problems. And I'd say most of us know a large acreage land holder or farmer but a small percentage of the public do and an even smaller number know one well enough to get them selves on some list.

Very well said.

 

DaveS

[DaveS]

Agreed. They should have made "paid hog hunts" illegal and removed all restrictions from killing them. Bait them, Shoot them with spot lights, day or night, night-vision, full auto, whatever. 

You're just itching to use that new grenade launcher aren't you?

 

J/K

 

DaveS

[Luke E.]

Agreed. They should have made "paid hog hunts" illegal and removed all restrictions from killing them. Bait them, Shoot them with spot lights, day or night, night-vision, full auto, whatever.

I do believe your "make paid hog hunts illegal" idea is the absolute best way to go! And the TWRA might should go as far as to offer a reward for the turning in of folks who try to charge. Either way, your idea makes far more sense than the route they went. Maybe that's why they didn't go that route... can't have a government agency using anything that could be construed as common sense.