Virginia Goes Hog Wild

Or to pick another cliche: VA state, wildlife officials to go whole hog to eradicate feral swine

Feral hogs rank right up there on the lists of invasive species considered “bad actors” — bad for wildlife, bad for ecological systems, bad for the economy.

Like other nuisance species, feral hogs (also called feral swine) take advantage of opportunities. For Virginia’s small — but likely growing — populations of feral hogs, those opportunities derive from legal loopholes, misinformation and a nationwide enthusiasm for hog hunting that may be taking root in Virginia.

The Virginia Feral Hog Task Force, consisting of a range of stakeholders — from wildlife managers to the pork industry — was formed to combat the spread of feral hogs. Its call to action is “Feral Swine: Not Here, Not Virginia,” and its tools include education, regulations and eradication.

Managers estimate the number of feral hogs in Virginia at between 3,000 and 5,000, located in small concentrations and isolated “sightings” across the state. Compared with some Southern states, these numbers are low. Texas and South Carolina have populations estimated at more than 100,000.

So what are they thinking of doing?

But it turns out that even well-intentioned amateur hunters aren’t equipped to control, let alone eradicate, feral hogs. Once they start feeling pressure from hunting — or trapping — they become very difficult to find or catch.

“It’s been well-proven that hunting doesn’t control the hogs,” said Jeff Rumbaugh, Virginia wildlife biologist for U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services, one of the lead agencies working on the control and eradication of feral hogs. Yet, because the hogs are labeled a nuisance species in Virginia, any licensed hunter may kill a feral hog, day or night, 365 days a year.

Not hunting apparently, since hunter are already doing all they want to. Wild Hogs are a problem species in many southern states where hog hunting is popular, and it's not really controlling the population.

So, are they going to round up the girls and spay them, like the PETA minded are doing for deer in Washington D.C.? If it hard to find them to shoot them at 200 yards with a high powered rifle, imagine how much more difficult it is to round them up for an operation.

Maybe they can dither them to death, by educating school children on how bad they are.