Hogs...How long until they're considered a nuisance in NC?

JONOV

Twelve Pointer
A facebook friend in SC posted about shooting a hog this morning. Someone made a comment about "living the dream." She said it was more of a nightmare.

Right now, at least, it seems like hogs are viewed as a profit making opportunity for those that have them on their land. I've seen a handful of posts where people are "looking for a farmer that needs help with a hog problem" and everyone giggles and refers them to an outfitter. It seems most folks that have them hunt them themselves privately or sell hunts. When, if ever, do you think that we'll come to view hogs as a pest?
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Its coming, when they get enough of them that they loose a patch or field 2-4 acres at a time overnight of small grain or turf to them then they will change their mind. You go to any of the far SE states that happens routinely.
 

41magfan

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
The feast (revenue from hunting) will soon turn to famine (damage to agriculture & the environment) like it has in Texas.

All that "inaccessible" private land has been nothing but a breeding ground for a population that is now causing damage in the billions of dollars. It's way out of control now and they were on the brink of an indiscriminate poisoning campaign that would likely have had some serious unintended consequences.
 

darkthirty

Old Mossy Horns
Honestly??? Most hunters, not all, are very selfish and could care less about them becoming a pest. Most hunters, not all, are clueless about agriculture and the environment and ecosystems. Because of that, they will never understand the damage and impacts on ecosystems hogs have. They'll say there doing it "to help the farmers" but that's what sounds good and in reality it's just another critter to shoot. Saying your hunting hogs to help someone get rid of them, is ridiculous.
I personally think the state should fine and take guiding licenses from ANY outfitter that won't let you shoot sows or piglets. .
The state knows they're pests. The majority of hunters don't care and can't wait to have them. Can't say I blame'em, they won't be the ones that have to deal with'em.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
correct,,,firearms/bows are a fun way to hunt them,,,,,but you'll NEVER control them that way,,,,,,,,,,,

now dogs!! We got a fellow down at the SC that runs them with feist/cur mixes,,,,,dang tough dogs,,,,and let me tell you,,,if he bays them they die,,,momma and piggies all together,,,,,pure mayhem!!

well we have a bunch of folks that hunt them with dogs,,,but the fellow above is a 6 day a week type hunter!
 

oteixeira

Four Pointer
Saw a nice piece about a guy in Texas working JUST ONE farm, they trap and send the off to be culled. He said they easily trap hundreds a year, I think he was on a 500-100 acre tract.
 

QuietButDeadly

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
It has already been recognized as a problem by the state. The disease that the feral hogs are known to carry is a threat to the domestic hog industry here. Laws were changed a few years ago when the NC Dept. of Agriculture and the WRC worked together to get a bill through the GA to make a number of changes concerning swine. For one, it easier to convict folks restocking feral hogs. The same law did away with the wild boar season in the mountains and the Ag folks are required to mark all domestic stock. Anyone caught in possession of an unmarked live swine in NC is subject to a 5K per hog fine. Hogs trapped here have to be killed before being removed from the trap.

I do not remember the bill number or the exact year but there was a lot of discussion about it at the time.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
It has already been recognized as a problem by the state. The disease that the feral hogs are known to carry is a threat to the domestic hog industry here. Laws were changed a few years ago when the NC Dept. of Agriculture and the WRC worked together to get a bill through the GA to make a number of changes concerning swine. For one, it easier to convict folks restocking feral hogs. The same law did away with the wild boar season in the mountains and the Ag folks are required to mark all domestic stock. Anyone caught in possession of an unmarked live swine in NC is subject to a 5K per hog fine. Hogs trapped here have to be killed before being removed from the trap.

I do not remember the bill number or the exact year but there was a lot of discussion about it at the time.
The sad thing is they are still moving them. It isn't bad enough they are doing it intrastate they are bringing them across state lines. There are some guys close to me sooner or later that are going to get a dose of the Lacey act.
 

JONOV

Twelve Pointer
Honestly??? Most hunters, not all, are very selfish and could care less about them becoming a pest. Most hunters, not all, are clueless about agriculture and the environment and ecosystems. Because of that, they will never understand the damage and impacts on ecosystems hogs have. They'll say there doing it "to help the farmers" but that's what sounds good and in reality it's just another critter to shoot. Saying your hunting hogs to help someone get rid of them, is ridiculous.
I personally think the state should fine and take guiding licenses from ANY outfitter that won't let you shoot sows or piglets. .
The state knows they're pests. The majority of hunters don't care and can't wait to have them. Can't say I blame'em, they won't be the ones that have to deal with'em.
I think you're right.
 

catfishrus

Twelve Pointer
LOL.....it will never happen as long as deer hunters are leasing up the land. I think its funny folks want to pig hunt but not willing to join the club to hunt them. If you waiting until you get a free place to hunt...you standing in a long line. I just don't see it happening due to lease land.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
LOL.....it will never happen as long as deer hunters are leasing up the land. I think its funny folks want to pig hunt but not willing to join the club to hunt them. If you waiting until you get a free place to hunt...you standing in a long line. I just don't see it happening due to lease land.

I agree,,,,,everyone "wants to help you with your problem hogs",,,,,,heck we have folks JOINING (paying) the club just so they can run them varmits in the off season (deer/turkey),,,,,killing all they can,,,,,

if a person wants to hunt hogs,,,get in a club that has them and hammer away,,,,,,
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I agree,,,,,everyone "wants to help you with your problem hogs",,,,,,heck we have folks JOINING (paying) the club just so they can run them varmits in the off season (deer/turkey),,,,,killing all they can,,,,,

if a person wants to hunt hogs,,,get in a club that has them and hammer away,,,,,,
Yep, I join to small game hunt. They need to understand there is no free rides.
 

Longrifle

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I expect I've killed and/or caught with traps and dogs more than my share of them, we were at it almost daily for years. I hope I never see another one or another field rototilled up by them.
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
A lot already do but still charge for hunts to off set costs/ make it worth their while etc etc.... and there aren't many decent sized farms that don't already have 1 or more hunting leases on em


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

shadycove

Twelve Pointer
The sad thing is they are still moving them. It isn't bad enough they are doing it intrastate they are bringing them across state lines. There are some guys close to me sooner or later that are going to get a dose of the Lacey act.

Lacey Act, is that what goes on at some bars close to the speedway. J/K.
If most folks knew what was gonna happen if they are charged/convicted under the Lacey act, they would be alot more careful when they get in their truck and head OOS to hunt anything.
And yes, big brother IS watching and them there fancy new computers never sleep.
 

FITZH2O

Old Mossy Horns
If NC wanted to get rid of hogs they would make it illegal to hunt them. As long as you can hunt them and people can make money charging for it, the population will grow.
 

darkthirty

Old Mossy Horns
If NC wanted to get rid of hogs they would make it illegal to hunt them. As long as you can hunt them and people can make money charging for it, the population will grow.

That's what TN did. It has a few flaws but the basis for it makes sense.
 

JJWise

Twelve Pointer
In WV the DNR treats them like big game with very strict rules on hunting them. The population is growing, but anyone who's had these critters on their property wants them exterminated.
 

darkthirty

Old Mossy Horns
In WV the DNR treats them like big game with very strict rules on hunting them. The population is growing, but anyone who's had these critters on their property wants them exterminated.

The reasoning behind that is probably the same reasoning NC had in the mtns. Those pigs are probably the Russian boars that originated from Europe and are pretty much truly wild and Un-domesticated vs the others are "feral hogs" meaning they are here from Spanish explorers and/or have gone wild from once domesticated herds. Either way there all detrimental. Just explaining the differences.
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
The flaw with that is the pigs that were in WNC had just as much domesticated farm pig in them as the did Russian. Folks in the hills from the time they were settled until mid 1900s or even later free ranged pigs. Lot cheaper to feed em acorns and chestnuts as it was corn and such. Can't imagine the dogs kept them all rounded up.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
In WV the DNR treats them like big game with very strict rules on hunting them. The population is growing, but anyone who's had these critters on their property wants them exterminated.

The WV DNR expressly stocked them as game animals for hunting back in the 1970s.
 

MJ74

Old Mossy Horns
Luckily we don't have any on the farms I hunt but I'm sure they will in the future.
I hunted a ranch in Texas that was eat slap up with them and they shot every one they seen and also trapped them but couldn't come close to controlling the population.

sent from...... Tapatalk
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Luckily we don't have any on the farms I hunt but I'm sure they will in the future.
I hunted a ranch in Texas that was eat slap up with them and they shot every one they seen and also trapped them but couldn't come close to controlling the population.

sent from...... Tapatalk


when I first started hunting Wahee down in SC we were really ate up with them,,,,,the river flooding severely for nearly 6 months kind of "helped us out",,,,,,,but they are coming back

unfortunately that sever flooding didn't do us any favors with the deer and turkeys, rabbits, etc either!!!! But they all are coming back fine,,,,,,
 
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Greg

Old Mossy Horns
We don't have them, but if/when we do, I'll shoot them (or do whatever it takes). If somebody local wants me to 'help out' controlling them, I will, but I'm not going to pay to do it.
 

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
I will say. Back home they used to have Linville Gorge absolutely torn up. Pigs everywhere. (This was back when there was a "season" and tags. late 90s/early 00's)

We all hated them for a couple reasons.
---A pack of bear dogs running good on a track (not jumped yet) would run through one of those flats where the hogs had tore up the night before and the pack would blow up with one or two making it through after they sorted it out. The others would either have to rally to the dogs that made it through or run the backtrack. Also, had a lot of guys killing the hogs on the slipout when they bayed up and the bears would break and head over into the sanctuary... (This was also before permit hunts in the DB)
---They also ate up all the feed low on the River and pushed all the deer up higher in the clifflines.

But.......
The between the guys dogging them down low and the big fire of 2000. They are gone. And have been since about 2001.

It was like a light switch. Early fall of 2000 there was sign and pigs everywhere from Pinch-in all the way down the river to the lake.
Fast forward to 2002 and there were zero.

Really haven't been any back in there since... IDK whether the fire or hunting pressure did the trick. But the combination of the two has kept them out for a long time.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
when I first started hunting Wahee down in SC we were really ate up with them,,,,,the river flooding severely for nearly 6 months kind of "helped us out",,,,,,,but they are coming back

unfortunately that sever flooding didn't do us any favors with the deer and turkeys, rabbits, etc either!!!! But they all are coming back fine,,,,,,
I remember when they were absolutely terrible down there. I will never forget the first deer feeders I saw with corral panels around them. SMH. It wasn't long before I figured out why, I had a squirrel dog that had grabbed about a 90# shoat by the back leg and he was swinging around and hitting my dog in the ribs. Luckily he had broken off his cutters already on the side he was raking my dog and I lit the dog up like a florescent light then shot the darn hog.

The first of several encounters that weekend.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
I remember when they were absolutely terrible down there. I will never forget the first deer feeders I saw with corral panels around them. SMH. It wasn't long before I figured out why, I had a squirrel dog that had grabbed about a 90# shoat by the back leg and he was swinging around and hitting my dog in the ribs. Luckily he had broken off his cutters already on the side he was raking my dog and I lit the dog up like a florescent light then shot the darn hog.

The first of several encounters that weekend.


gld dog made it OK

they are spotty now,,,,one stand area will be ate up with them and a half mile away nary a sign,,,,,,,,

got bears coming on strong though,,,,,and some of them folks down there will give up a stand area when a bear shows (worried on the walk in/out in darkness, for their kids mind you,,,,not themselves :rolleyes:)
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
gld dog made it OK

they are spotty now,,,,one stand area will be ate up with them and a half mile away nary a sign,,,,,,,,

got bears coming on strong though,,,,,and some of them folks down there will give up a stand area when a bear shows (worried on the walk in/out in darkness, for their kids mind you,,,,not themselves :rolleyes:)
We have the same thing here with the hogs. Two years ago they were right here at my house. The farmer that tends my fields killed one in my closest field to my house. I had a young dogs get on them a couple times to I changed his mind.

I told some boys that dog them and they got on them hot and heavy. They killed a few but the pressure put them up the river about 5 miles and the fools up there loved them and protected them. Well now they hate them and between them pressuring them and reproduction I suspect they will be back.
 

Crappie_Hunter

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
On my old hunt club, it seems like it went from seeing a track here and there, and hearing rumors of pigs in the area to being infested with them almost overnight it seems. They are bad news!
 
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