Feral Hogs are getting out of hand

[Chief Grey Bear]

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[Chief Grey Bear]

Well it is somewhat difficult to document. I see no real need into heading that direction either.

But we always have the option of waiting until it is an epidemic and then trying to rectify the consequences. 

[skeeter]

16 hours ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

If you throw in a bug a salt rifle instead of a fly swatter and make it fun, you would kill them all in no time.

You gotta' get within three feet with the Bug-a-Salt and then you have to clean up the Fly carcasses AND the Salt, but it's sure fun   The good thing about Bug-a-Salt is it doesn't "splatter" the pests.

[ozark trout fisher]

It is probably a good thing the MDC knows to pick it's battles. I've no doubt you're right that it can cause disease problems. But...the MDC is gonna have to lay low and try to avoid being noticed for awhile. The reality is that the state and national political climate is going to extremely unfriendly to conservation  for awhile. It's sad, but now more than ever they really can't afford to anger anyone. Or the sales tax is gone. It might be anyway, sooner than later.

Fun stuff, huh?

 

[snagged in outlet 3]

52 minutes ago, skeeter said:

You gotta' get within three feet with the Bug-a-Salt and then you have to clean up the Fly carcasses AND the Salt, but it's sure fun   The good thing about Bug-a-Salt is it doesn't "splatter" the pests.

I shot this one right behind the wing for a heart shot.

 

[Phil Lilley]

1 hour ago, Chief Grey Bear said:

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This is the best post EVER!

[snagged in outlet 3]

Won't generate a lot of discussion though.  Never mind, it probably would here.

[SpoonDog]

3 hours ago, Quillback said:

Spoon, all you  have is speculation that the MDC manages game solely based on monetary value.  And if the value is high enough, they ignore potential problems, do really  think that is how they roll?

BTW Spoon, do you even read your own links?  That link you provided was referencing a Wyoming game farm and the outbreak was contained there.  Got anything local? 

I don't know why you keep referencing captive deer, but if you read the article you should notice that MDC did try to take ownership of managing captive deer, and they weren't "influenced" they were defeated in a court case. 

Nowhere, anywhere, at any time, did I say MDC manages game solely on monetary value.   I said it's a factor- that MDC doesn't operate in a political vacuum- you can google any number of Missouri state legislature maneuvers and learn that's a provably true statement.  I'm on MDC's side 90%+ of the time, I'm just not going to pretend they don't receive money and matching funds from license sales, nor am I going to pretend they receive no input from hunters, anglers, the Conservation Federation, or even lobbyists.

Thanks Quill, I did read the article- I just don't believe pheasants stop being pheasants when they're outside the arbitrary geopolitical boundaries of the state. Captive birds are captive birds, whether they're in Missouri or Georgia or Wyoming or Abu Dabi.  We can pick bird flu if you want, though.  Or salmonella.  Or botulism.  And you're right, the state-run hatchery was willing to eliminate all their birds and decontaminate everything because they could take the financial hit.  I don't know that a small business would be able or willing to that and apparently MDC isn't willing to risk it, either- otherwise the regs in the Wildlife Code wouldn't be in the Wildlife Code.

I keep bringing up deer farms because people pay to hunt them, just like people pay to hunt bird farms- they're analogous arrangements.  If you can't see the similarities in those two business models, I have to wonder if it's because you don't want to.  People pay money for these services because they see value in them.  Because people see value in them, they don't want these services to disappear.   Because they don't want these services to disappear, they contact MDC, they contact their legislators.  Saying it's just one court case assumes you don't know about all the legislative wrangling that's been going on regarding captive deer in the state, eliminating MDC's conservation sales tax, and fiddling with the number of Conservation Commissioners. A quick google search, a conversation with a conservation federation member can help clear that up.  These things have happened, irrespective of whatever you believe. 

All I'm saying is exactly what I just said, no need to put words in my mouth.  And if it's happened with deer, I can't think of a reason it absolutely wouldn't happen with hogs. 

[Phil Lilley]

8 minutes ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

I shot this one right behind the wing for a heart shot.

 

A dart from your cool secret spy wrist watch would work!  (first 40 sec)

[Phil Lilley]

By the way... good discussion!