feral hogs: the good, the bad, the ugly
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Feral Hogs: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly. Forestry on the Grow Conference 2014 Jaret Rushing CEA- Agri Calhoun County. Some acknowledgments. Dr. Rebecca McPeake Blake Sasse Clint Turnage. History. Early European Settlers de Soto Cortez BLOODLINE?. Bloodline. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Feral Hogs: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Forestry on the Grow Conference2014
Jaret RushingCEA-Agri
Calhoun County
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HistoryEarly European Settlers
– de Soto– Cortez
BLOODLINE?
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Bloodline
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Expansion in Arkansas• Settlers regularly let their hogs roam free until livestock
fencing laws were implemented in AR in the mid 1900s– Fencing laws ignored in several parts of the state
through the 1970s and 1980s.• Escapes of hogs kept as livestock in AR common
through the 1970s• 1977 - estimated wild hogs found in 4% of AR and were
considered to be declining• Movement and intentional release of hogs by hunters
wishing to establish new populations believed common in last 30 years
Blake Sasse, 2010
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Reproductive Characteristics
• Gestation?–Triple-3
• Reproduction?–Reproductive rate (12-15 months)–Maturity (8 months old)
• Litter Size?–Average (4-8 piglets)
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Houston, we have a problem!
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Do I have hogs on my land?
Hogs can be very sneaky due to their nature so identifying them on your lands may take a little
training and understanding.Feral hogs have the tendency to be nocturnal
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HOG SIGN
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Tracks
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Scat
Hog scat Deer scat
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Wallows/Rubs
• Feral hogs lack conventional sweat glands.– Wallows– “Sunburn”
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Wallows/Rubs Concern
• Holes create back road hazards, break field equipment
• Soil erosion & sedimentation• Fecal matter found in water supplies,
swimming holes• Stunt or girdle trees• Compact soil around tree roots• Impede forest regeneration
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Other signs
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Feeding Characteristics
• Opportunistically omnivorous• Feral hogs are primarily root and tuber
feeders.– ONE OF THE MAJOR BY-PRODUCTS OF FEEDING
FOR ROOTS AND TUBERS IS……?
ROOTING
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Rooting can be anywhere and affect any type of land use technique
ResidentialFarm roads
Livestock/forage productionRow crops
Creek/stream banksForest regeneration
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Kentucky livestock farmer
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Calhoun County, AR
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Other food sources
• Roots• Grasses• Forbes• Mast• Insects• Dead Carcasses
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Agricultural Impacts• Destruction of crops and pasturelands• Transmittal of livestock diseases• Food safety issues
(e.g., spinach)
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Other Concerns
• Wildlife competition– Resources
• Trespassing issues• Pets
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Specific wildlife competition issues
• Direct competition with wildlife for limited food sources (e.g., acorns)
• Competition for habitat and space
• Consumption of some game species and species of concern
• Spread of invasive plant species
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Potential benefits?
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Benefits?
HuntingRaising for slaughter
FoodMonetary gain
Viewing/aesthetics
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Hunting Impacts
• Additional recreation opportunity• Food source• Expenditures for equipment & dogs
– GPS receivers– ATVs– Hog dogs, collars, training equipment
• Some receive income from selling “hog hunts”
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Public perception ?
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Arkansas Laws
• ACT 1104 of 2013• Feral hogs are deemed as a “public nuisance”
species– Non-game nor domesticated livestock
• Transportation in the state is illegal UNLESS;– Transporting to a terminal facility
• Once captured by any means, removal (killing) on the spot
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Control
• After maturity, feral hogs have very little natural predators
• Prior to maturity, only several carnivores in Arkansas are predacious to feral hogs
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Control• Depends on your goal– Eradication – complete elimination– Population reduction• Must be significant and sustained • Hog populations that are reduced by up to
70% can return to pre-control levels in less than 3 years if anti-hog measures aren’t sustained
• May have to determine some level of “acceptable” damage you’re willing to live with
Sasse 2010
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Control Method
• Hunting• Trapping• Castrating
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Trap Types
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PEN TRAPS
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The key to catching hogs in a trap is to have a good door system!
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Trap Doors – Rooter gate
• Recommended option • Set to let hogs in until
doors are triggered• “Rooter” option lets
hogs continue to push into the trap
• Multiple panels lets small hogs in without opening gate enough for others to get out
• ExpensiveBlake Sasse, 2010
Protach
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Trap Doors – No Door
• Cheapest option• Seems to catch as many
as those with doors• Can also bend back one
of the door panels and tie it to a trip wire so it slams shut when a hog hits it
Blake Sasse, 2010
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Other door types
• Guillotine/Slide• Swinging door• Electric/automated– AGFC example
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Bait
• There are several different types of bait to use.– From personal experience “Buck Jam” is a great
bait– Corn as well
• The recipe is 150 lbs of corn, 8 lbs of sugar, 2-3 packets of yeast and 5-6 packets of strawberry jello. We seal it in metal drums and let it ferment for about 4 weeks
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Other tips for trapping
• Pre-bait• Bait around the outside of the pen– Utilize more than one trap type
• Move traps continually• Utilize different bait types• Be creative, yet honest
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Creativity without honesty• Santa Cruz Islands• Fort Benning, Georgia
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Always remember……
If you’re trapping and doing the right thing, your neighbor might not be. So, try to work together!
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Questions?