Most farmers have tried these conventional methods to rid the vermin, but the shear numbers are against them. However, when the dogs catch a hog In a given area and the hog lets out a loud squeal the other hogs seem to take that a little more seriously. It usually only takes one time, or one hog to squeal, for them to decide to look elsewhere for food. There have been a few occasions that the crops were bothered again after we caught hogs there, but I believe that it was probably a different group of hogs. When that happens the farmer calls us back and that's usually the end of his problems for that season.
This works well for us, we like to help the farmers and ranchers, plus we like to hunt with our dogs. We help the ones we can and other hunters help the ones they can, but some farmers get left out In the cold. In some cases the farmer only owns a few hundred acres. This leaves him at the mercy of his neighbors. What typically happens, is the hogs are coming from somewhere else, usually from the neighbors property or crossing through his land to get to the crops. When the dogs arrive, the hogs go back where they came from and the dogs follow. This can present a problem if the neighbor does not agree to allow the hunter to enter his property. Some do, some do not. Therefore we can only help the ones that obtain these rights prior to our arrival.
There have been cases where the neighbor changes his tune when he realizes how much damage the hogs are doing to his land and livestock. Not only do hogs like fresh produce, they love grub worms. Not that anybody cares about grub worms, but the fact remains, the hogs have to dig to get to them. That means rootings and lots of them. They dig holes, ruts, and trenches deep enough to get a truck or tractor stuck in. It looks like an army squadron was there having target practice when the hogs get through with a place.
Sheep, goat, and even cattle ranchers battle the hog population consistently. It is common knowledge that many small animals are taken by hogs. There was one cattle ranch foreman down here that took pictures of hogs devouring small calves. He had to use them as evidence to show his boss where the missing animals were going.
Because of the fact that hogs are over populating many areas, more and more people are starting to be effected by them. When someone tells me they have "x" amount of acres out in the country, I'll usually ask then if they have any thick brushy areas with hogs. Most people don't have a clue. The one statement I hear all the time is, "I never see any hogs on my ranch or deer lease. The reason for that is a hog is a nocturnal creature, meaning they do most of their traveling and hunting for food at night. Therefore, they are rarely seen during the daylight hours. However, an experienced hunter can spot hog signs (their tracks, crossings, rootings, rubs, bedding grounds, etc . . .) in many places that are thought not to be populated by wild hogs. But If I ask them about deer or turkey they usually say, "Ya know, I haven't been seeing as many deer or turkey lately as I used to." The thing that most people don't realize is that the hogs will starve the deer, turkey, and other wildlife off their land. When there are no crops in season, acorns and other such natural food sources becomes the hog's main diet. That is what most of the wildlife native to Texas rely on for survival. It's simply a matter of over population by a more dominant species. Either the other forest creatures move elsewhere or their numbers deplete rapidly.
I think one of the biggest future problems that landowners are facing is the wild hog. The lack of education by the general public will be their own downfall. We had a group of whack-o's down here a few years back that were trying to protect these "harmless" animals. Somehow they got the idea that too many poor little pigs were being slaughtered. They were demanding that a season and bag limit be put on feral hogs. What a joke. For starters, wild hog are going to be here when we are all dead and gone. Secondly, there is not enough people hunting them to even put a dent In their already enormous population. Besides all of that, the wild hogs are very good to eat. Therefore every hunter I know takes the meat home to his family, the same as they do with deer, turkey, fish, etc . . . There is no meat wasted, so the idea that the hogs were being needlessly slaughtered must have been someone's idea of a joke. I don't know who started that little rumor, but I bet my best hat that not a single one of them ever had a hog in their backyard. If he did, then there might be a slaughter. Needless to say that didn't happen, but they will keep trying or another bunch of uneducated do-gooders will come along and try to put a stop to hog hunting for some other silly reason. If they only knew . . .
