Feral Hogs

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

The one thing to keep in mind, is if there were as many as some people assume, they should be a lot easier to find.

There it is, they are mostly confined to small pockets, trick is to identify those and then get land access.

Grizz

[Diesel_wiesel]

my daughter ran one over with her tractor trailer unit last week coming back to Edmonton from Winnipeg , she was just east of Brandon MB where she ran it over

[1shotwade]

I have a area I hunt that has a full section of knarly hard thick ass bush surrounded by agricultural land. it has boars in it we have seen them on camera and harvested 3 . I myself have only had a few shots at them and they can move! Trust me you wont see them feeding in field in daylight or just out wandering around with any type of human activity around!

[Sooner]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

The one thing to keep in mind, is if there were as many as some people assume, they should be a lot easier to find.

My job takes me to a lot of farms. When out west and in the Sangudo area, I have asked those farmers about the wild hogs. Here is what they say and no I don't ask for permission as I am there doing a job.

Yes they were a problem years back. Yes they were hunted hard and now their numbers are nowhere near what they were. Still pockets out there, still have a huge number of hunters looking for them but most farmers in the hog areas have a few guys who they let hunt year after year and those guys get the access. Problem is the same with big game, the hogs figure out real quick where their safe(land owners who do not allow hunting) and where they are not.


Plus, the farmers who hunt, also chase the piggies.

I agree with Elk, their numbers are not as high as people think. At least that's what the farmers I meet in the so called Hog areas tell me.

But I do believe they are migrating. A friend got 2 on trail cams last winter east of Elk Island. Time was spent looking for them over the winter but they were never seen again, nothing on cam this summer.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by Sooner

My job takes me to a lot of farms. When out west and in the Sangudo area, I have asked those farmers about the wild hogs. Here is what they say and no I don't ask for permission as I am there doing a job.

Yes they were a problem years back. Yes they were hunted hard and now their numbers are nowhere near what they were. Still pockets out there, still have a huge number of hunters looking for them but most farmers in the hog areas have a few guys who they let hunt year after year and those guys get the access. Problem is the same with big game, the hogs figure out real quick where their safe(land owners who do not allow hunting) and where they are not.


Plus, the farmers who hunt, also chase the piggies.

I agree with Elk, their numbers are not as high as people think. At least that's what the farmers I meet in the so called Hog areas tell me.

But I do believe they are migrating. A friend got 2 on trail cams last winter east of Elk Island. Time was spent looking for them over the winter but they were never seen again, nothing on cam this summer.

That's the Reality, Alberta has deemed them a pest and a land owner is obligated to control them.

The Wild Boar has been declared a pest under the Agricultural Pests Act of Alberta (1984). The Agricultural Pests Act of Alberta states that the municipality shall "take active measures to prevent the establishment or to control or destroy pests in the municipality"

Grizz

[sluggun]

Great information, thanks everybody!

[KUDUHNTR]

Originally Posted by KGB

There is a big one in a Rideau cottage...

Ha ha good one KGB

I think he is a groundhog, pops out once a day and give his soapbox sermon once a day from the sanctuary of Rideau taxpayers funded cottage!

[Sideways]

Same. Been hearing about them for years now in Sask and Alberta, but can't seem to find any info on where to go on google

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by KUDUHNTR

Ha ha good one KGB

I think he is a groundhog, pops out once a day and give his soapbox sermon once a day from the sanctuary of Rideau taxpayers funded cottage!

It's more like a Cuchoo clock. Exactly every hour, he comes out to squawk.

Grizz

[hilt134]

Allegedly some folks have shot them in the province weather or not it was just a farmers pig no one knows. What is with the whole statute of secrecy with them? Is it because there genuinely are none? Do people want their own piece of an unregulated hunting species? Is it trying to avoid large numbers of trespassers?

[Wiz]

Originally Posted by KGB

You must be very new here...

Haha

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by hilt134

Allegedly some folks have shot them in the province weather or not it was just a farmers pig no one knows. What is with the whole statute of secrecy with them? Is it because there genuinely are none? Do people want their own piece of an unregulated hunting species? Is it trying to avoid large numbers of trespassers?

You read the posts so far I presume, pretty clear most of us are of the view that there is not a very large population and they aren't pervasive across the Province like you see in Texas, California, Hawaii, the Carolinas etc. You obviously think we are covering up our secret hunting spots. Like I said before, as much as I like hunting Boar, I will go to Germany, Hungary or the States because there are huntable populations there and the overall cost is less than trying to hunt one here.

You are free to go out and drive many hundreds of miles scouting for sign to prove us wrong. Let us know how that works out please.

[bezzola]

The family is from sandgudo and they are around there. Hard to find most days.
I don’t understand why its a big secret if they are such a pest.

[hilt134]

Originally Posted by Dean2

You read the posts so far I presume, pretty clear most of us are of the view that there is not a very large population and they aren't pervasive across the Province like you see in Texas, California, Hawaii, the Carolinas etc. You obviously think we are covering up our secret hunting spots. Like I said before, as much as I like hunting Boar, I will go to Germany, Hungary or the States because there are huntable populations there and the overall cost is less than trying to hunt one here.

You are free to go out and drive many hundreds of miles scouting for sign to prove us wrong. Let us know how that works out please.

Half and half! I think there’s pretty well none and for at least my life never has been. My question is, if people have seen them why the secrecy? The only reasons I can think of are either it’s kinda a made up ordeal or they aren’t as undesirable as people think.

Also are people talking about farm animals that got let loose and bred a little? Or more like actual Eurasian boar cross breeds?

[Sooner]

Originally Posted by bezzola

The family is from sandgudo and they are around there. Hard to find most days.
I don’t understand why its a big secret if they are such a pest.

I would guess no different than chasing deer, moose or elk. If you got a honey hole, your keeping your cards close to your chest before ever tom, dick and harry are out there.

Can't fault a guy if he did the work and found an area and a farmer giving permission to hunt those tasty buggars(A friends family had land N of Sangudo and I was on a hunt where a mama and 1 big piglet were taken a few years back). But I don't think they have the population numbers some may think are out there.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by bezzola

I don’t understand why its a big secret if they are such a pest.

Originally Posted by hilt134

My question is, if people have seen them why the secrecy?

IIRC there was an issue when the news first broke about the bounty - farmers were getting tired of people pestering them for permission, or worse yet, trespassing. The fact that the pigs were more active at night made it even worse. The odd domestic pig was shot too..

[GMX]

Google hog farms in Alberta draw a 10km circle around them start your search. Haven't seen a fence yet that holds them in.

[Smoky buck]

I have seen them twice now and the last time was a week ago actually

Don’t ask where but they were not far from hwy 16

[hilt134]

Originally Posted by Stinky Buffalo

IIRC there was an issue when the news first broke about the bounty - farmers were getting tired of people pestering them for permission, or worse yet, trespassing. The fact that the pigs were more active at night made it even worse. The odd domestic pig was shot too..

That makes a ton of sense. I was unaware there was a bounty which would totally drive up trespassing.

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

I have seen them twice now and the last time was a week ago actually

Don’t ask where but they were not far from hwy 16

Saw one there about 2 years ago and another one last winter further south on that quarter with the series of parallel cutlines on the west side of the road.

[kilgoretrout]

It could be that we are at the extreme of their range as far as winter and temps go and that they will always be around but never in numbers and there will be times where their numbers increase(warm winters) and conversely times when they will be few and far between

[Mb-MBR]

https://thestarphoenix.com/news/loca...sive-wild-pigs

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...nada-1.5136431

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Bushrat

Saw one there about 2 years ago and another one last winter further south on that quarter with the series of parallel cutlines on the west side of the road.

I have seen two groups over the last 2 years about 10km north of there. The wife seen one south east of town last year too

[sk270]

I know biologists are not infallible and I know the feral hog situation may be different here in Saskatchewan.

However, I have heard from landowners in Saskatchewan that there are not very many feral hogs. Nonetheless, Ryan Brook and company at the University of Saskatchewan are convinced that there are lots of them and they are a growing problem. I believe the U of S data includes expanding populations of hogs in Alberta.

Are the hogs so smart, wary and nocturnal that even the farmers don't see them? Are the biologists exaggerating for reasons unknown?

The two sides are diametrically opposed and I can find no way of deciding which is correct. Is there a middle ground?

[warriorboy10]

Have them on camera and want to get them coming in more consistent.
Any ideas on what to put out to bait them in with?

Thanks,

[Jayhad]

Originally Posted by sk270

? Are the biologists exaggerating for reasons unknown?

Government bios are the bottom of the intellectual barrel, the free market gets those that graduate "With Honours."

I have zero faith in the government employed bios, those that are truly in the bush know that the "modeling" is questionable.

[warriorboy10]

Originally Posted by Jayhad

Government bios are the bottom of the intellectual barrel, the free market gets those that graduate "With Honours."

I have zero faith in the government employed bios, those that are truly in the bush know that the "modeling" is questionable.

Fish bios are the same! *&6en boneheads!!

[North40Rules]

Originally Posted by kgb

there is a big one in a rideau cottage...

lmao

[Gboe8]

Originally Posted by warriorboy10

Have them on camera and want to get them coming in more consistent.
Any ideas on what to put out to bait them in with?

Thanks,

I’ve read they soak corn in diesel and let it ferment in the states apparently they love it and nothing else will touch it. Not sure if this is true or legal but have read that a few times now.

[warriorboy10]

Originally Posted by Gboe8

I’ve read they soak corn in diesel and let it ferment in the states apparently they love it and nothing else will touch it. Not sure if this is true or legal but have read that a few times now.

Corn in diesel sounds like a reach... Might as well just load up on biodiesel!