Get the hog outta Texas

i wish the TPWD could or would open up more public lands for hogs. i was dove hunting on public land just east of Greenville last weekend the land was for dove only. as i was walking to the spot i wanted to hunt i passed 4 or 5 acres of fresh rut. 5 min after i got there i hear squeals and grunts and out of the sun flowers walk a dozen or so pigs. if it would have been legal i would have hepled the problem.

the cheapest i have seen private hunts around here is about $150 a day. not too bad when the average lease will run $1500 -$3000 per gun.

i think they should pay us to shoot them!
 
"Texas AgriLife Extension Service estimates that statewide annual economic damage caused by feral hogs is $51.7 million."

That sounds like a fair amount of loss, although I'd bet dollars to donuts it's under-guesstimated.

Then the red tape begins:

"In order to be eligible for a grant, counties will be required to submit a completed Grant Application by November 12, 2010. Participating counties will be required to document the following results for the period of October 1, 2010 through October 31, 2010:

Number of feral hogs taken in the county, as certified by the county.

Number of participants at a TDA-approved education program about feral hog abatement technologies.

Number of acres in the county that landowners will commit, in writing, to allow access by county trappers or Wildlife Services (WS) Specialists for the purpose of removing feral hogs (subject to WS availability)."

Okay, a county trapper is pretty open insofar as who's reasonably known to the county commisioners. But what's a Wildlife Services Specialist? Never heard of such. And I'll again bet dollars to donuts that there's a ton of red tape to get the certification.

Edit-add: I emailed them to asking what is a WSS. :)

Then we come down to the grant money:

"Based on the criteria above, awards will be made in the form of a grant that the county will be able to use on feral hog abatement related expenditures during the 2011 calendar year. Awards will be made as follows: The highest scoring county will be awarded $25,000; the second highest will be awarded $15,000; and the third highest will be awarded $10,000."

Chump change. Makes for a good press release and maybe a photo op for the Bossman, but it ain't much money.
 
But what's a Wildlife Services Specialist?
Click to expand...

If you'll do a search of Texas A&M jobs, you'll find the job description there most of the time. They are continously looking for people to do the job. Yeah, I know, getting paid to hunt for a living. That can't be right. But it is a job and it pays darn little. Most of the time it pays less than $24,000 a year. But they do provide a Gov't 4x4 truck that you can't smoke or drink in, can't have any alcohol of any kind aboard, must be clean at all times, must not be scratched, must never have any riders including ranchers, and failure to see to this costs you yer job. I guess they don't want to you drive it off of the pavement. You must pass a certified pest control license test and have a clean back ground. A lot of retired folks do these jobs just for something to do. They had an opening in yer area about 3 months ago. Anybody around Kerrville can apply for an open position there as it seems like it's always open and folks don't last long.
If yer interested, look on the A&M website under Technician 1.
 
"Texas AgriLife Extension Service estimates that statewide annual economic damage caused by feral hogs is $51.7 million."
Click to expand...

And the state has an estimated 2 million hogs, so each hog on average does roughly $25 damage per year.
 
I'd trade somebody a three to five day Kansas pheasant hunt for a three to five day Texas or Oklahoma hog hunt. Private land only on my side & would expect the same in return.
This may not follow the topic completely on a parallel but any help or interest would be appreciated.
 
Kill 'em all. we're covered with them here in Waco, tx. They're here to stay and will probably be everywhere in the U.S. within 20 yrs. We kill every one we see. The reason I won't let strangers hunt my land is 1. liability. 2. I don't know you and don't want you tearing up my roads, shooting one of my cows or deer, or yourself (see liability).
 
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