As reported Friday by the Capital Press, the presence of feral hogs has been confirmed in Idaho.A feral hog was killed in February in the Bruneau Valley of Owyhee County. Trail cameras set up by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have confirmed additional animals present in the area.
Feral hogs are one of the most adaptable and invasive mammal species worldwide. Once established, they are extremely difficult to control. They spread livestock diseases, damage stream habitat, tear up native plants and eat bird nests and native plants.
In many states, isolated reports of feral hogs have led--quickly--to established hog populations that are difficult, if not impossible, to control.
The Nature Conservancy helped lead an effort on Santa Cruz Island off the coast of California to eradicate pigs, which had upset the ecological balance on the island. The pigs attracted golden eagles, which in turn preyed on the native island gray fox--found nowhere else on earth. The pigs were eradicated, and golden eagles were relocated.
But on mainland areas, pigs can be extremely wary and difficult to find. They also have large litters of piglets--allowing their populations to rebound from control measures quickly.
It is believed that hunters introduced feral hogs to the Bruneau Valley from California--a terribly short-sighted action. Such illegal introductions can have long-term impacts on both wildlife and livestock.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is undertaking a control program this winter, when the hogs will be easier to track. Now is the time to make sure these hogs don't become established in southern Idaho. If you see one, please report it to the Idaho State Department of Agriculture immediately.--Matt Miller
Photo by NASA, on Wikimedia commons.
8 comments:
I hope the do not get well established. In our country here in southeastern Idaho, they would probably ruin the area along the forks of the Snake River.
This id deeply disturbing (especially to this transplanted idahoan). I have seen - first-hand - the damage caused in wild places by feral hogs.
ALAN GREGORY
BA, Idaho State, 75
Lt. Col., USAF, Ret.
Conyngham, PA
Personally as unfortunate as it is and knowing how much damage they cause, I am actually looking forward to hunting them. I believe if we can do our part we will be able to keep the population down and eventually eradicate them.
now that their here the fish and game will only protect them like the wolf. we the people will have to buy a tag to hunt them while they breed out of control.
Fish and Game is hurting financially over the wolf. Idiots State and Federal bringing in a prairie wolf instead of Mountain wolf. They are eradicating Elk a Deer herds causing a massive lose of thier income (They are self supportive) Watch, they will not give the feral hogs a chance to get a foothold.
If the farmers that live in the area do not allow hunters to hunt these hogs on their land because of their no trespassing rules, they will devastate the area. They will also come into your yards at night and totally destroy your yards and will make it unsafe for you to even be in your yards at times. Don't think for a minute that they won't attack you especially if they have piglets with them. I have hunted them for 30 years and have seen the destruction these monsters can do. There is no regulation of hunting that the Fish & Game can do that will work on hogs other then all out elimination. They totally destroy all watering holes and every creek and waterway that they can get into. It looked like bombs had hit in the area where they had been. If the brush is thick such as sage brush and so forth they are very hard to hit with a rifle or bow as they zig zag at a very high rate of speed through the cover. They do run around at night and are somewhat easy to spotlight but because of regulations by the Fish & Game here in Idaho you can forget that one for sure. If you need any help with elimination I would gladly come your way to help you get rid of them. Contact me outdoorsman592003 at Gmail.com
I read with interest your request for people to contact you to get rid of hogs. I am very curious what response you have gotten if any?? I am wondering how big of a problem they have become here?? I also would like to ask you if you know how far we have to go from here to hunt them?? I would like to hunt them but they seem to always be a step ahead of me. They wanted to much money I thought to hunt them in Texas when I was there. The laws were to restrictive for me in Az. when I was there. They had just went through the area with 300 hunters in Ok. when I was there. Thanks for any info you wish to share with me. Contact me @ jcxtwo@gmail.com Thanks John
Idaho Fish and Game does not consider them a game species, so you can hunt them at any time and no bag limit,,, Send me some bacon ,,, Travis North Idaho
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