Get paid for harvesting meat - Alberta Feral Boar bounty

[Albertadiver]

I'd be up for some wild boar sausage and bacon! Might have to reach out to some landowners I know in the Stettler area....


https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/a-threat...boar-1.5849361


The Alberta government has placed a price on the heads, and more specifically the ears, of wild boar which have now been reported in 28 rural municipalities.

“Wild boar at large are a threat to our animals and environment, as well as a vector for diseases like African swine fever," said Agriculture Minister Nate Horner in a Tuesday announcement.

"We are taking action to get rid of this menace and help those affected by it before it gets worse.”


The bounty is in effect in the County of Stettler and the Municipal District of Peace.

Hunters who kill the animals in those areas can claim $75 per set of ears turned in to the government.

Trappers who are government approved can make $75 per set of ears per sounder, which is a herd of feral hogs.

Landowners who work with trappers can also receive $75 per set of ears.

"They were imported into the province in the 70s and 80s as a means of diversifying livestock operations," said Bruce Hamblin with Alberta Agriculture, Forestry, Rural Economic Development.

There were few regulations at the time and it was thought that the animals could not survive in the Alberta wild, Hamblin explained.

It turned out that the species not only survived, it now appears to be thriving. The government has since classified the animals as "pests."

"Wild boar did manage to escape, and we have no real number of wild boar that are at large in the province," Hamblin said.

'IT'S ACTUALLY A DELICIOUS MEAT'
Brandon Berry has been hunting wild boar for 15 years. His family owns a ranch in south Texas, where feral hogs damage fences and land.

"We hunt them a lot like deer. We put out a few bags of corn. They'll come to corn from about eight miles away. And you sit in a truck or a blind and try to get as many as you can," Berry told CTV News Edmonton.

"I might get 10 in a night. I might get 15 in a night."

Farmers and ranchers in Texas have reported problems with the animals as far back as the 1980s, and a recent count estimated there are 2.5 million feral hogs in the state.


The invasive animals are becoming harder to kill, Berry said, as they get to know the sounds of vehicles and humans.

"They're actually really smart. The first time you hunt a certain group of them, they're not gonna know what's happening. But eventually they're gonna figure out the sound of the truck, the sound of you slamming a door," Berry explained, adding they're easier to trap.

"I eat most of the ones that I kill. It's really tasty."

The government has an information page on how to recognize signs of boar activity.

People who have boar damage to their property or trapping areas may also be eligible for government money.

The trapping program is already underway and runs until March 31, 2024.

The hunting program is scheduled to wrap up on March 31, 2023.

Both will be reevaluated and possibly extended if they're successful.

[leo]

We had quite a few of these critters in the county where I farmed. They were mostly nocturnal and getting into silage pits. I asked F&W if I could spot light, or use night vision optics to eradicate them. Short answer... NO! If they really want to get rid of these critters, then they need to look at changing the laws on firearm discharge after dark. At least for the purposes of culling invasive species.

[lyallpeder]

https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?x...75E89C08CCEACB

Government media release

[DirtShooter]

The problem is that the people that may know where the boars are keep it to themselves because "muh honey hole muh pigs" and they don't want others shooting "their" pigs. This actually makes the problem worse, much worse because the boars do so much damage and people would rather shoot a feral hog every now and then than give a F about the land damage they are doing.

[Dubious]

A guy could try and snare them, no moonlighting or expensive thermal optics required. https://youtu.be/nWDf5Rc9e70

[EdmontonEli]

I say let the piggies multiply. heh~

[Redfrog]

Hmmm It seems like those who have no skin in the game think the pigs are ok, it's only the landowner who suffers the damage that wants some control.

Some parallels to access to farm land.

[lattery1]

Wish I knew where they are in County of Stettler. Lived here all my life and have never seen one alive and only know of one that was shot.

[buckman]

Wild boars and crosses between them, and domestic pigs are smarter than most animals. This is especially so once they are hunted.Most of the harvest in Europe is done by driving them out of cover using people and trained dogs.They are also shot at night.

If the government has announced them as pests, and offered a bounty its probably too late to eradicate them.

Perhaps we as hunters will get some out of season culling/hunting of the beasts in the future.

[EdmontonEli]

And said landowners don't allow access into their land for hunters to hunt.

Can't really expect people/hunters to empathize with these land owners, when they themselves curse at hunters. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Positrac]

Originally Posted by leo

We had quite a few of these critters in the county where I farmed. They were mostly nocturnal and getting into silage pits. I asked F&W if I could spot light, or use night vision optics to eradicate them. Short answer... NO!

2am outside the local watering hole was always a good time to get a wild piggy….

[Grizzly Adams1]

Originally Posted by lattery1

Wish I knew where they are in County of Stettler. Lived here all my life and have never seen one alive and only know of one that was shot.

In spite of what some people believe, they are still confined to small areas and spotty. Trick is to find them, then kill them. Our local herd didn't last long.

Grizz

[Pioneer2]

Legalize night hunting and optics. They have a new poison they are testing in the States using nitrates .After killing the hog it dissipates harming nothing else.

[huntinstuff]

Blind
Crossbow
Bait
Night

[walking buffalo]

A reminder for those proposing firearm discharge at night.

This will also allow Treaty hunting of ALL animals to legally occur at night.


Maybe not such an easy decision....

[Who Da Fisherman]

Originally Posted by huntinstuff

Blind
Crossbow
Bait
Night

Like

[gman1978]

75 bucks per head. At these gas prices you will end up in the hole! But I can’t wait to see the amount of ears that are going to show up on “ slaughter day”. There will be ears coming in by the 45 gallon drum!! Now that’s a money maker.

[Grizzly Adams1]

Originally Posted by gman1978

75 bucks per head. At these gas prices you will end up in the hole! But I can’t wait to see the amount of ears that are going to show up on “ slaughter day”. There will be ears coming in by the 45 gallon drum!! Now that’s a money maker.

Once you locate a sounder, you're half way there. I know the local German who did a real number on the Bergen herd. Might have helped that he understood their behavior.

Grizz

[gman1978]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams1

Once you locate a sounder, you're half way there. I know the local German who did a real number on the Bergen herd. Might have helped that he understood their behavior.

Grizz

Sounds right! I was talking about butcher day on the farm, 75 bucks for a set of ears they will be coming out of the wood work lol!!

[summit151]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

A reminder for those proposing firearm discharge at night.

This will also allow Treaty hunting of ALL animals to legally occur at night.


Maybe not such an easy decision....

And that doesn’t happen already……..?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[marky_mark]

Wasn’t the previous bounty more money?

[Gboe8]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

A reminder for those proposing firearm discharge at night.

This will also allow Treaty hunting of ALL animals to legally occur at night.


Maybe not such an easy decision....

I was told this year by fw that they were aloud to hunt at night they do it all year around my place here.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by summit151

And that doesn’t happen already……..?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I said legally.
So, no.

Originally Posted by Gboe8

I was told this year by fw that they were aloud to hunt at night they do it all year around my place here.

No, it is not legal.
Though F&W in your area may have been told to not apply the law to prevent the govt from having to face a legal challenge that it very well may lose.

Might as well have the court date, and go from there.
If Treaty hunters are allowed to shoot at night, then so should the rest of us.

[brendan's dad]

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

I'd be up for some wild boar sausage and bacon! Might have to reach out to some landowners I know in the Stettler area....


https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/a-threat...boar-1.5849361


The Alberta government has placed a price on the heads, and more specifically the ears, of wild boar which have now been reported in 28 rural municipalities.

“Wild boar at large are a threat to our animals and environment, as well as a vector for diseases like African swine fever," said Agriculture Minister Nate Horner in a Tuesday announcement.

"We are taking action to get rid of this menace and help those affected by it before it gets worse.”


The bounty is in effect in the County of Stettler and the Municipal District of Peace.

Hunters who kill the animals in those areas can claim $75 per set of ears turned in to the government.

Trappers who are government approved can make $75 per set of ears per sounder, which is a herd of feral hogs.

Landowners who work with trappers can also receive $75 per set of ears.

"They were imported into the province in the 70s and 80s as a means of diversifying livestock operations," said Bruce Hamblin with Alberta Agriculture, Forestry, Rural Economic Development.

There were few regulations at the time and it was thought that the animals could not survive in the Alberta wild, Hamblin explained.

It turned out that the species not only survived, it now appears to be thriving. The government has since classified the animals as "pests."

"Wild boar did manage to escape, and we have no real number of wild boar that are at large in the province," Hamblin said.

'IT'S ACTUALLY A DELICIOUS MEAT'
Brandon Berry has been hunting wild boar for 15 years. His family owns a ranch in south Texas, where feral hogs damage fences and land.

"We hunt them a lot like deer. We put out a few bags of corn. They'll come to corn from about eight miles away. And you sit in a truck or a blind and try to get as many as you can," Berry told CTV News Edmonton.

"I might get 10 in a night. I might get 15 in a night."

Farmers and ranchers in Texas have reported problems with the animals as far back as the 1980s, and a recent count estimated there are 2.5 million feral hogs in the state.


The invasive animals are becoming harder to kill, Berry said, as they get to know the sounds of vehicles and humans.

"They're actually really smart. The first time you hunt a certain group of them, they're not gonna know what's happening. But eventually they're gonna figure out the sound of the truck, the sound of you slamming a door," Berry explained, adding they're easier to trap.

"I eat most of the ones that I kill. It's really tasty."

The government has an information page on how to recognize signs of boar activity.

People who have boar damage to their property or trapping areas may also be eligible for government money.

The trapping program is already underway and runs until March 31, 2024.

The hunting program is scheduled to wrap up on March 31, 2023.

Both will be reevaluated and possibly extended if they're successful.

I wouldn't waste any on sausage. Just did a full hind quarter of a wild boar on the pellet smoker at 225 for 11 hours. Let it rest wrapped in a cooler for 3 hours. Better than any pork shoulder I have ever done. Crazy part was the tastiest meat on the quarter was the shank, it was like candy.

[270person]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

Might as well have the court date, and go from there.
If Treaty hunters are allowed to shoot at night, then so should the rest of us.

Might as well not. Shouldn't be allowed for anyone and the only reason it is in places is weak kneed government kow-towing to every ridiculous demand that arises.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by DirtShooter

The problem is that the people that may know where the boars are keep it to themselves because "muh honey hole muh pigs" and they don't want others shooting "their" pigs. This actually makes the problem worse, much worse because the boars do so much damage and people would rather shoot a feral hog every now and then than give a F about the land damage they are doing.

In the case of landowners, many just don't want dozens of phone calls every week, or constant trespassing, by people that were either denied permission, or that never bothered to ask. Many would rather have a few people that they know shooting them, and not have to deal with a huge influx of want to be hog hunters.

[DirtShooter]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

In the case of landowners, many just don't want dozens of phone calls every week, or constant trespassing, by people that were either denied permission, or that never bothered to ask. Many would rather have a few people that they know shooting them, and not have to deal with a huge influx of want to be hog hunters.

By all means, and they the landowners can keep complaining about the hogs along with complaining about the government not fixing the problem while still complaining about hunters.

[58thecat]

Mentioned it on Phil’s thread, good eating, got a few locations to check out and if you pay me a few bucks it pays for the gas.

[Smoky buck]

Most hunters would shoot the wild pigs to add to their freezer with or without the bounty. My wife asks a few times a year “ do you know a place we can hunt pigs yet “?

The issue is locating them and getting permission

[Chief27]

Originally Posted by Dubious

A guy could try and snare them, no moonlighting or expensive thermal optics required. https://youtu.be/nWDf5Rc9e70

I just can't see how a snare would be effective on a wild boar, those things are tough.