Forest Of Dean Giant Feral Pig Photograph

Here's a photograph that shows the size these animals can grow to. I've seen one that I think was bigger than this.
www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk...

If they were really wild boar they'd be smaller. They're feral pigs breeding out of control and destroying sports grounds, gardens, cemeteries and other green spaces.

They're decimating the dormice, devouring the reptiles, chomping the chanterelles and scoffing all the sweet chestnuts.

I propose we have a whip round and pay to get Wild Woman over here. Send her round the junior schools to teach the children the basic skills they'll need for living in the Forest of Dean over the next few decades.

a reply to: Kester

That doesn’t look giant ro me

a reply to: norhoc

It's far too big to be a wild boar.

Weight of male 100 - 175 kg

www.britishwildboar.org.uk...

I don't care what the likes of P.E.T.A. has to say about it, there should be a payable bounty on these animals until their numbers are sorted out.

You don't have to completely destroy them either, they can be harvested for meat and could feed the poor and homeless. The younger they are, the more tasty!

That one is rather large....would make quite the presentation on a spit at the local food bank.

Just saying.

a reply to: norhoc

You've got a point though. Pigs and hogs can get bigger, but wild boar as a species suitable for rewilding are much smaller.

As far as the Forest of Dean feral pig population go he's one of the bigger ones.

a reply to: EternalShadow

I agree, but watch out for worms in the meat since theyre feral. Out here in Oklahoma we have a big problem with them, and its open season for traps and hunts.

Often times the meat is parasitic on wild hogs/pig/boar

Trichinella
en.wikipedia.org...

It's not Hogzilla, but it's a big pig.

www.google.com... 8.6j1.8.0....0...1.1.64.mobile-gws-hp..0.7.332.0..46j0i131k1j0i46k1.56.4qLeda_IBDQ#imgrc=BEGQmKoNt0aIkM:

a reply to: Kester

Big, dangerous, omnivorous and smart. They're like the four-legged equivalent of humans and if you trust cannibals, apparently we even taste the same.

Pigs are amazing animals and our domestication did little to curb their feral potential. Save for climate, these animals will have little difficulty destroying entire habitats that aren't adapted for their presence.

Open season year around is what I say. Climate prevents them in my area. I have no qualms with hunting for food or conservation. Put up bounties and if the meat is palatable, the excess carcasses could be distributed to locals in need with a signed waiver agreement to not expect the meat to be free of parasites/disease. Cook it right, and you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

a reply to: Kester
The heavy hindquarters indicate that this is either a feral domestic hog or a domestic/wild boar mix.

Looking again at the length of the nose, it is probably a mix. that is a long nose for a domestic hog.

a reply to: EternalShadow

Some of the shooting is being sold. You can shoot them as they attempt to break back into the boar farm.

. . . they keep coming back to see where they escaped from and trying to break into the pen where other boar are enclosed as quite a few of them are females. They can smell them from 40km away when they are in season.

These evenings have very limited availability, your chances are high.

An evening’s high seat shooting on either of the below locations

Forest of Dean £49.99 to book Pay £150 to the keeper on the night £1 a pound to keep any meat no charges to shoot

www.a1decoy.co.uk...

Some of the shooting is being taken care of by the Forestry Commission stalkers.

The cull figures quoted cover all feral wild boar carcasses handled by Forestry Commission staff, including those directly culled and those carcasses recovered from the Forest as a result of death through road traffic accidents or other causes. Carcasses derived from animals shot by the Forestry Commission team are inspected, and those passed fit for human consumption are sold to game dealers.

www.forestry.gov.uk...

Some are being harvested by locals and poachers.

But the numbers keep growing.

a reply to: norhoc

It's not nearly as big as some in the States, that's for sure. But as I understand it they are rather fearless, especially boars. I mean, its standing in the middle of the road and may as well be posing for the camera. In my area, bison are famous for this with the occasional bull moose that feels more like a honey badger. The moose is the most dangerous wild animal where I live by number of attacks, usually by a cow with calf. With the grizzlies making a huge comeback, though, they will soon surpass the moose in my opinion.

Back on topic, we made the wild pig problem (wherever they exist) so we are responsible for fixing it.

a reply to: Kester

That picture probably doesn't do justice for the size that hog really is. I lived on some land that was infested with hogs when I rented from my bro-in-law... I moved out in 2011 and he just uses the land to hunt now. My dad went over there earlier this week to bushhog about 20 acres and there were some spots that he couldn't even get his tractor in because he'd almost tump over from the ruts the hogs had dug out. They're open season all year round here in Louisiana because they're such a nuisance.

That's not fair, you're just reminding the poor old piggy that Hallowe'en is acoming...it looks like he knows anyway!

a reply to: butcherguy

The debate here is mostly being spun around them being 'wild boar' and we should be thrilled to see them back after 700 years.

As you say, these are very obviously largely domestic.

originally posted by: EternalShadow
I don't care what the likes of P.E.T.A. has to say about it, there should be a payable bounty on these animals until their numbers are sorted out.

You don't have to completely destroy them either, they can be harvested for meat and could feed the poor and homeless. The younger they are, the more tasty!

That one is rather large....would make quite the presentation on a spit at the local food bank.

Just saying.

If you find a nest of them, or herd or whatever they're called, the piglets can actually be raised on a farm and domesticated. I haven't done it but I've been told they'll lose their spots and turn pink like farm pigs.

originally posted by: Butterfinger
a reply to: EternalShadow

I agree, but watch out for worms in the meat since theyre feral. Out here in Oklahoma we have a big problem with them, and its open season for traps and hunts.

Often times the meat is parasitic on wild hogs/pig/boar

Trichinella
en.wikipedia.org...

Grody. I wonder if that's why people say you'll get the runs after eating wild pork until your body gets used to it.

a reply to: Kester

Good lord seriously people think an out of control pig population is a good thing... wow, that there is a special kind of ignorant. (I am going with ignorant because I assume they have never seen how fast those farkers breed)

nom nom - free range bacon

a reply to: Kester


I'm surprised it stood still long enough for someone to get a picture. They're usually on the run when they hear a noise.