Feral Pigs in NY

[Stumpkiller]

Attached is a link to a fairly interesting study.  It seems three counties in NY have feral pig populations and DEC Region 7 (mine) has thrown in the towel because of state cuts and is no longer aggressively eliminating feral pigs.  So, a population is established in Onondaga, Cortland and Tioga County and will expand.  I live in Broome County which borders Cortland & Tioga counties.  Do pigs swim rivers?

I feel sorry for the farmers and gardeners . . . but am willing to help!

   http://www.pressconnects.com/assets/pdf/CB172981412.PDF

[LongStick64]

Oh Mama, not good.

[LEWIS VADEN]

Yes, they swim rivers.

[Red Tailed Hawk]

I didnt think they would be able to handle the harsh winters. "guess i was wrong".

[Mint]

Yes, pigs are pretty good swimmers. I think the expansion will be slow since they will probably only give birth once a year unlike the south where they give birth several times a year. The orange army will keep them in check I'm sure.

[Stumpkiller]

Hmmm.  Unfortunately the Orange Army only marches two weeks a year.  

This'll be interesting to see if some formerly posted farmland opens up.  Many landowners hereabouts give "shoot any coyote you see" requests when you ask for permission.  Now we'll add hogs.  The bad news is that the worst piggies (European hogs) are escapees from the shooting pens for "pay to play "hunters"".  When that gets understood it's likely another lever anti-hunters will pick up on.

Side note - I shot a feral Fallow Deer on my 20 acres that had escaped a "compound" five miles away which was refused a license and up on charges for importing animals without a permit.  They had a "fence malfunction" and 12 went over the wire.  Still 10 out there (from six years ago).  One other bowhunter reported a kill - possibly others went down unreported (which would not be illegal).  I reported it which is how I got the background info.  

Did not taste near as good as whitetail venison.

   

[Flingblade]

Interesting study.  Surprising how few showed signs of disease.  I would start contacting farmers in those counties and see if they would like a little help.

[Bent Rig]

Most of them are on private land so it is not easy to access and hunt them even if one knows where they are . A friend of mine who lives very close has been beggin me to go out after them the last couple of years but I have been busy . He knows exactly where they are so I think this spring after turkey it will probably happen unless we can both get out before the first of may.  

[Knawbone]

I heard they were coming but didn't know they were in the state yet. I don't eat pork, but I'm sure I can find plenty who do.If they come to Steuben county I'll be watching for them- I don't like pigs. The only good pig is a dead pig,thats my feelings for what its worth.They don't belong here.

[adkmountainken]

my family use to raise pigs and yes they can most definitly swim and swim well as i watched when they got out of our pen. took 2 days in the winter to get them back, only 3 got out and we "recorved" them. everyone knows where i stand on pig's in NY, more precisly my mountain, i will do all in my power to stop them.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Charlie,

If you need help, dont be shy, I will gladly add some swine to my dine.

[sawtoothscream]

I just heard. But they have been in parts for a while. Some were fou.d a mile from my house and a farmer 40 min away kills like 6 or more a year according to a guy I spoke with that knows him.  Its bad but idk. I really want to hunt them.

[adkmountainken]

no its just plain BAD.

[Izzy]

We saw a whole sounder of them yesterday. They were tearing up the McDonalds by the T-way on ramp in Johnstown. It was scary. If you woulda met us there Ken, you woulda seen em.  

[adkmountainken]

LOL. there was another batch just as scary at Romanos, think they smelled a little worse though!

[sawtoothscream]

my dad saw one dead on the side of the road when he was on his to his training course.  so is thier like a breeding pop now?  wonder if it will really get out of control like down south

ether way ill be dropping every single one i see. fill the freezer and have some yote bait

[SteveB]

I live a few miles from the ones in Cortland County. A few are shot every year as targets of opportunity in the 4 week (not 2) gun season. Still so rare and move enough so trying to target them is pretty much a waste of time. Most of the local landowners are pretty fed up with those trying to "help with the problem" without bothering to ask. I haven't heard of any granting pig only access - those who are seeing them are taking care of it themselves or the ones hunting there are doing it.

There has been no significant increase in sightings or kills since a couple years after the 1st ones.

[Shawn Leonard]

Guys, pleae don't think this is another great hunting opportunity, they will wreck your hunting area and wreak havoc with the deer herds. Please let DEC know that you want them eradicated!! Shawn

[Stumpkiller]

Swine rooting in oak (Quercus spp.) and American beech (Fagus grandifolia) stands indicates that feral swine are competing with native wildlife such as deer and turkeys for important mast crops. We also observed feral swine wallows, or areas of rooting, in and around 1st order streams, seeps, and springs. At one creek bottom in Cortland County there were more than ten wallows. Wallows were documented in ephemeral pools, on pond edges, or in small wetlands in the three counties where we trapped.  In areas where swine density was high, they disrupted or destroyed large areas of natural plant communities, leaving only bare, compacted soil. There is little doubt that feral swine adversely affect forest regeneration and alter plant community structure on a local scale in their New York range; the magnitude of the impact depends on the population of feral swine.

Feral swine represent a novel predator for countless other species in New York State. Feral swine readily prey upon important game species such as eggs, nests, and offspring of upland birds and deer fawns, as well as small mammals, fish, amphibians, and invertebrates  

Does sound grim for ground-nesting game.

[GRINCH]

They will chase the deer away if left unchecked.