Wild hogs could be past point of elimination in Ohio – Dayton Daily News
January 11, 2010 · Print This Article
By Steve Bennish, Staff Writer
Ohio could be past the point of being able to eradicate destructive wild hogs from the state, a federal wildlife specialist said.
The swine, popularly dubbed “Hogzillas” capable of growing to 500 pounds or more, have taken a foothold here as they have rapidly spread across the United States in a population explosion, a new survey shows.
So far, Ohio’s animals are apparently free of diseases that could harm people, said Craig Hicks, a wildlife disease biologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture based in Reynoldsburg.
But they remain a serious threat to native wildlife and the environment, and hunters should still use caution when harvesting them, Hicks noted.
“Their existence here can only wreak havoc on the natural environment,” he said. “We may be beyond the point of removing all feral swine from Ohio.”
In 2009, the first year of an ongoing program to test the wild hogs for diseases, Hicks examined samples from 14 swine killed by hunters. Tests came back negative for classical swine fever, swine brucellosis and pseudo rabies.
That doesn’t mean hunters shouldn’t be vigilant, he added.
As with deer or any wild animal, hunters should wear rubber gloves when handling raw meat and properly bag discarded pieces after field dressing, Hicks said. Hunters should also wash their hands and clothing. And, as with any pork product, the meat should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
The total number of wild Ohio hogs — a mix of farm escapees and much larger European boars that fled game hunting camps — is 500 to 1,000, according to estimates.
They’re in 26 of 88 counties including Belmont, Gallia, Guernsey, Lawrence, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Ross, Scioto, Vinton and Washington in the southeast.
They’re also in Adams, Brown, Butler, Darke, Preble and Shelby counties.
Reports also have located them in Auglaize, Champaign, Fayette, Logan, Mercer and Pickaway counties, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
As wild hogs have spread, they have developed permanent populations in more regions, said Jack Mayer, a scientist with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Savannah River National Laboratory in Aiken, S.C.
In a Scripps Howard News Service report, Mayer said he’s tracked the spread of the pigs to 44 states. America’s wild pig population more than doubled in size and range in the past 20 years. Two decades ago, 500,000 to 2 million roamed the United States. Now the population is 2 million to 6 million. In 1982, they were documented in only 17 states.
Mayer said that when a wild hog community is large enough, it reaches a critical mass and gains what scientists say is a permanent foothold.
Twenty-one states fall into that category of having an “established” hog population. When the population is smaller, it can still be removed by hunting and trapping.
Twelve states have so-called “transitional” or “emerging” populations including Ohio, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Wildlife experts have said the hogs are increasingly running roughshod in rural areas, suburbs and even a few cities. They’re digging up cemeteries, gardens and lawns, causing car wrecks — and occasionally attacking people.
In 2009:
• A wild pig attacked a St. Petersburg, Fla., woman in her backyard in April, goring her leg. Seven months later, an Avon Park, Fla., driver was killed when her sports utility vehicle flipped after colliding with a wild hog.
• In Detroit, a wild pig wandered through downtown, making its way to the home of a family in nearby Warren, Mich.
• In September, in a Redding, Calif.-area subdivision, an estimated 100 feral hogs tore out landscaping and turned lawns into muddy messes.
According to the Scripps Howard report, no national strategy or program exists to corral what is a cross-border problem. Without federal intervention and enforcement of laws that limit transporting animals, the battle against the pigs — which each year cause an estimated $800 million in property and crop damage and 27,000 auto collisions — could very well be lost, Mayer said.
The USDA’s Hicks said wild pigs are challenging to kill.
“They’re a pretty smart animal, and they learn from our mistakes,” he said. “They are prolific breeders. In our southern counties, trying to find them on a large tract of land can be difficult.”
via Dayton Daily News.
Hi I’m a very happy hunter that would love to be able to hunt these hogs in Ohio but finding the landowners in these places is difficult. If someone who has land being destroyed by these hogs and wants them gone, just e-mail me at baquasty@yahoo.com and i will be there. thank you.
I will hunt them in Ohio as well… Just email me at rodgersemail@yahoo.com , put “wild hog” in the subject line, tell me your situation and where the hogs are located. Thanks
As a land owner and hunter I can understand the efforts put into maintaing a property… And to have any type of wildlife that reaks havoc on the landscape must be beyond frustrating…And to these landowners who have issues with wild hogs, I would request that you feel free to contact me in reguards to hunting them. I have at least one other friend who would be able to assist me…We are capable of hunting w/ firearms and/or archery equipment dependant on the owners request.
Thank you…God Bless!
I am offering my services and my hounds to any property owner in Ohio dealing with feral hogs of any number. We have five hounds trained to eradicate and track hogs and coyotes. My services are free at this time. Contact me via email or phone 740-397-9278 leave message. This is a busy time of year for coyotes, pre-litter time. So I will contact you back guaranteed within 24hrs. Results vary depending on established population of hogs but you WILL see our methods are humane and respect for property owners land is above and beyond our most important necessity.
If any land owner would like to get rid of there hogs email me or give me a call.i am a very dedicated hunter.i will take care of your land as if it was my own. phone number 937-270-0321 or email at kingtuny@yahoo.com
i have been interrested in hunting hogs in ohio for a while.
have not found an area or farmers who have a problem and need them hunted. iam tetired and have hunted all of my life.,
i have a farm of my own so i do respect other people and there property
if you can help out please contact me.
thanks
ed
Send me an email with your wild hog problem,I wont bring dogs.If the noise is an issue I also carry My Compound bow,for delicate areas.
I am looking for farmers with hog problems. Myself and a friend are looking to help with the problem and fill our freezers at the same time. We are very respectful of others and their property. No property or equipment would be damaged. I only hunt with a bow and if you do not want guns on the property my friend will hunt with a bow also. If guns are allowed my friend will use a shotgun or handgun. Any info would be appreciated. Pleas e-mail me at imn8iv@yahoo.com.
My son and I would like to lend a hand to any farmers with a hog problem. We carry bows and do not hunt with dogs. If anyone is looking to get rid of some hogs, please give us a call at 717-557-4427 or email me at ahostler@embarqmail.com
Thanks
My husband and I have talked about going on a hog hunt for some time now. If there is anyone that is having problems with hogs on their property, we would be happy to have the opportunity to take as many of them off your hands as we can. We also have many family members and friends that would be interested in joining us. We live in nebraska and would be willing to travel, but would be very interested if there are any farmers in Iowa, missouri, or kansas that would be willing to welcome us. Please shoot me an e-mail if we can help each other out. jolson_68701@yahoo.com
We would be respectful of any rules you would want us to comply to. Thank you.
As all above if you have a hog problem e mail and give ph# will be glad to give you a call and see if I can help you get rid of some. The meat will get used . Thank You.