Why don't we have wild hogs in West Tennessee?

[scn]

Hunting doesn't IMO, hurt the control issue, not allowing hunters to use known means, like at night with bait, to hunt them does. As to the trap and release, that is not hunting, and since it is illegal it will, and does, still happen. Most times, sounders stick together, so while a sounder may be moved to a less pressured area, they don't create more sounders, at least any more than they would have anyway.

If the landowner gets the hog control permit, all of those control methods are available.

The illegal translocation is the major problem, and by allowing hunting, it just increases the problem.

 

[Omega]

If the landowner gets the hog control permit, all of those control methods are available.

The illegal translocation is the major problem, and by allowing hunting, it just increases the problem.

That is all and good, though you now have where land owners can charge, making it a "business" where hog population is a plus.

 

[scn]

They are legally limited to ten persons a year, so it probably isn't a big incentive.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

That is all and good, though you now have where land owners can charge, making it a "business" where hog population is a plus.
That is an issue here. Some landowners are making great money off of it. I have been offered pretty good money for spots on my permits.

The big issue I have is that I would love to do some hog control on the WMA next to me but it's only open during deer season and like 2 other days. There's no enforcement of that by TWRA, so it still gets hog hunted all winter but those of us that follow the rules can't legally go And it's super obvious that it's being hunted when they are lining the roads with their trucks/hog dogs

 

[PickettSFHunter]

They are legally limited to ten persons a year, so it probably isn't a big incentive.

Steve, hope your doing well. I know some people are paying $1000 a year. Unique opportunity to do night vision and all that. I could go up to 30 spots with my 3 permits. Landowners over 1000 acres can also get more spots than 10. Or like me, you can get 10 per tract. Better return than most deer leases.

 

[scn]

Understood. IMO, it is still a much better system than allowing unregulated hunting for illegally translocated hogs.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Heard rumors of there being hogs in southern Madison county. Whether it's true it not, I don't know. Never seen nor gotten any pics of any on our farm. Don't want them here either.

 

[Crosshairy]

A lady posted a picture on Facebook a few days back with 3 or 4 wild hogs running past an apartment complex in south Memphis just a mile or so from where I work.

On the north side of Memphis, as someone already said, we've had quite a few hogs showing up over the past 7 or 8 years. I've seen very extensive sign in the river bottoms, unfortunately. They ruined one of the dove fields a few years ago. The USDA and TWRA were involved in an intensive trapping effort in NW Shelby County, in that general area, and reported some unbelievably high numbers of hogs killed (I think the number was around 1,000 in a year) through a combination of different trap technologies and an intensive aerial gunning program (with a chopper).

There are hogs in Mississippi already - my friend killed one in the Sardis area with his bow maybe 5 years ago. I suspect that the pigs seen in south Memphis are pigs that traveled north from there, as the ones on the north side of the county are on the opposite side of Memphis itself.

 

[Boll Weevil]

It's been several years ago but Texas game officials were conducting use of poison for hog eradication. I don't recall the outcomes being published nor do I know if its use continues but I could see where if it were proven effective on only target species and safe for other species other states might also consider use.

It's a whole lot easier to eradicate a new/small population than letting them turn out litters/year and grow exponentially.

 

[UpperTully]

I grew up hunting Hardeman and McNairy in the 90's and early 00's. I still hunt Fayette and have never seen a wild hog. Wonder if they have recently moved in? I have heard about gators around Bolivar and of course cougars in those areas. I have witnessed emus running wild

There's hogs near Lagrange on Wolf River WMA. I've had ample opportunity to kill some during bow season.

 

[UpperTully]

Shelby Forest has them, LBL has them, and I've heard stories for years about them being in extreme southern Hardeman/McNairy counties around Pocahontas, TN. We're lucky they haven't exploded....yet.

There's hogs at Tully too.

 

[Bon3_Daddy]

there are hogs in the river bottoms around hardin co.. seen several kill pics from recent years

 

[DeerCamp]

Heard rumors of there being hogs in southern Madison county. Whether it's true it not, I don't know. Never seen nor gotten any pics of any on our farm. Don't want them here either.

They were around, but then the mountain lions thinned them out.

 

[Biggun4214]

Kind of like hunting turkey over bait, illegal but apparently being done.

I think they way TN handles hog hunting is a bit counterproductive, if they would allow hunting them a bit more aggressively, folks wouldn't be moving them around, or at least not as much.

That's what got people to moving them around. TWRA opened the season year round and state wide.

 

[Safari Hunt]

Hunting wouldn't put a dent in the population. Hog can have several litters a year. Texas is up to their eyebrows in wild hogs. I have seen the damage around the homesteads in the national park.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

The right kind of Hunting does put dents in the hog population , even in areas with very rough terrain and poor access. I've had no trouble at least controlling the hog populations on my properties and have had a lot of fun doing it. In one particular part of this county, the hogs have really been knocked back a lot and we've had hogs at least 60 years. You just have to stay on them and use all methods. We may be wishing for hogs so as to have something to hunt after the TWRA rids the state of deer over CWD, that's something to think about.

 

[WestTn Huntin man]

We have a lease in Benton County around Big Sandy. Got a pic of a hoss of a boar hog one year and never saw him again. The next year one of the guys heard something making a ton of noise behind him as he was preparing to shoot his first ever buck. When he glanced that way, there were three hogs coming out of a thicket. He shot the buck and didn't look at the hogs again. Another member made an emergency pit stop on the way to the stand in the dark and had one grunting and walking around him in the dark. Now THAT was a helluva funny story at lunch! All this transpired in two years. Only the one pic ever and no more sightings or encounters. 700 + acres, 25+ stands, 18 cameras, 13 members. No sign anywhere either. Go figure.

I've hunted Benton County for 20+ years and never seen one. Occasionally hear about one. They have a Huge Skull at the Natchez Trace State Park visitors center.
I wonder if the Large #s of Yotes keep the population down in West Tn ??

 

[WestTn Huntin man]

Hunting wouldn't put a dent in the population. Hog can have several litters a year. Texas is up to their eyebrows in wild hogs. I have seen the damage around the homesteads in the national park.

The right Hunting Method will. The Feds coming in with Helicopters and snipers is pretty effective.

 

[Carlos]

Here's a pic I got today of one near the house.

 

[Carlos]

I've hunted Benton County for 20+ years and never seen one. Occasionally hear about one. They have a Huge Skull at the Natchez Trace State Park visitors center.
I wonder if the Large #s of Yotes keep the population down in West Tn ??

No, I wouldn't think so.
I have heard that the boys out there really enjoy BBQ ribs though.