Feral Pigs Spread Across Britain

My family is from west of Fort Worth about 90 miles........we get some HUUUUUUUUUUUGE hogs down there.......

My aunt flipped her car one night hitting one......

We hunt them all the time...I have to say its bad for agriculture, but GOOD for meat and hunters, you havent ever had better bacon, sausage, or a ham from a ferral hog......

Every year, the week before Christmas we go knock down one or two.......makes for an awesome christmas dinner...


My best memory..cousin who knows nothing about them gets out of the truck, were moving through brush.....about 30 yards from the truck, a piglet runs into him and starts running around.....kinda going after him........not thinking much cause were experienced we hit the truck........

We let that sow corner him for about 30 min before we ran her off lol

originally posted by: Kester


They're feral pigs and they weigh up to 300kgs. If you walk into a group of males in the dark they explode off in all directions. If you're in the way you'll be knocked flying. Apart from that they pose little danger to pedestrians.

You REALLY need to watch tonight's 60 minutes episode (season 51 episode 3), the last 15-20 mins where they show a wild pig that is being photographed. This thing has 4-5" tusks and probably weighed 70-90lbs and it jumped 5 1/2ft in the air, climbed a wooden fence and jumped over the other side and almost attacked a camera man. The pig charged the camera man while still in the cage (photographer outside just looking in) and ran full bore (HAHAHA!!) into the wire door trying to attack the guy.

From what I have heard it doesn't take very long for domesticated live stock to fall back into a more aggressive breed that isn't afraid of humans & may have a lot of repressed/subconscious rage/aggression from being farmed for so long. Add to that a lack of hunting and you have a recipe for a very bad time.

edit: I found the video. Go to 3:30 on the video and watch.

www.cbsnews.com...

Now imagine a pack of 5-15 of these things that are 150-500lbs! Here is a story about a 1,000+lb monster that was killed a decade ago in Alabama!

www.foxnews.com...

I can't imagine what these things could turn into if left unchecked with a large food source and nothing to be scared of. Hunting these things with a few dogs isn't going to cut it, you will need a large pack of dogs to do it safely. Maybe it would be good for the dogs, they bring down a large boar and there is plenty of dog food!

a reply to: seagull

A deer defending itself, especially a buck, will gore the bejeezus out of a person with those antlers... that's what they're there for. Even a doe will rear back and let me tell you... those hooves are SHARP. Just because they tend to run from humans doesn't mean they always will. A quick search of YouTube will likely turn up plenty of videos of people getting their butts handed to them by a whitetail.

That's a prey animal. Predators are orders of magnitude more dangerous. Their instinct is to kill, not to run.

Then you get the really big critters. Bears don't care. They're used to being the biggest, baddest thing in the woods and they're not going to peaceably leave that apex perch. Hogs are used to just taking what they want, and if they want you... they plan on getting you. Both of those are omnivores, meaning they're just as comfortable with gnawing on a root as they are gnawing on your innards.

One thing I have learned is that, as attuned as I am to this mountain, I am still the late-comer, the invader. The other critters that live here have that advantage. I'm fond of declaring that here, I'm top of the food chain and nothing is gonna change that... but I stay on top because I respect what critters can do. I return, they seem to respect what I can do, and we get along fine. It's when that Disneyfication takes hold that people get themselves hurt, and like in the case of the bears you mention, take the critters down with them.

The OP does not respect the boars. Yet.

TheRedneck

a reply to: Strate8

Good story!

The smartest thing you could have done was turn off the Taclight. You had a scared boar, probably as scared of the light as you were of him. The difference is that, while you could smell him, he could smell and hear you so much better he could track you with it. That was the zig-zagging; he was zeroing in.

I was just thinking... I have never seen a boar run. Never heard of it either. They'll charge, not retreat, down to that last breath. I've seen black bears trot away to safer pastures, and I've heard of mountain lions running away if wounded, but I have never heard of a boar acting that way. Maybe someone on here has; I'd be interested to know if so.

I called it a bunch of names in a gruff voice and backed the heck off. I did not get that hog that night. But he didn't get me either!

Sounds like a win if you ask me.

TheRedneck

a reply to: Kester

hunting wild pigs is a popular sport here in NZ a lot of people just yous a knife and dogs in fact our local pub has a once a year great boar hunt

originally posted by: TheRedneck
a reply to: seagull

A deer defending itself, especially a buck, will gore the bejeezus out of a person with those antlers... that's what they're there for. Even a doe will rear back and let me tell you... those hooves are SHARP. Just because they tend to run from humans doesn't mean they always will. A quick search of YouTube will likely turn up plenty of videos of people getting their butts handed to them by a whitetail.

That's a prey animal. Predators are orders of magnitude more dangerous. Their instinct is to kill, not to run.

Then you get the really big critters. Bears don't care. They're used to being the biggest, baddest thing in the woods and they're not going to peaceably leave that apex perch. Hogs are used to just taking what they want, and if they want you... they plan on getting you. Both of those are omnivores, meaning they're just as comfortable with gnawing on a root as they are gnawing on your innards.

One thing I have learned is that, as attuned as I am to this mountain, I am still the late-comer, the invader. The other critters that live here have that advantage. I'm fond of declaring that here, I'm top of the food chain and nothing is gonna change that... but I stay on top because I respect what critters can do. I return, they seem to respect what I can do, and we get along fine. It's when that Disneyfication takes hold that people get themselves hurt, and like in the case of the bears you mention, take the critters down with them.

The OP does not respect the boars. Yet.

TheRedneck

Have you ever seen the video of the hunter pointing the rifle at the deer (about 150lbs - no rack) about 3-5ft away and the guy freezes - then the deer stands up on hind legs and basically clobbers the guy with their front feet? It's like a boxer going wild on a guy stuck in a corner that is stunned/dazed - the guy gets away but has a look of terror and WTFJHH on his face.

Found it!

www.youtube.com...

Sorry it did have a rack - it just didn't know how to use-em (lucky for the hunter I guess!). Maybe that is the deer's version of not practicing human cruelty.

Hey Redneck, look at my post a few above and go to the link I posted about the pig/boar jumping over the 5-6ft fence.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

Have you ever seen the video of the hunter pointing the rifle at the deer (about 150lbs - no rack) about 3-5ft away and the guy freezes - then the deer stands up on hind legs and basically clobbers the guy with their front feet?

There's actually several of them. I saw one once where the guy just surprised a deer on his deck and the deer attacked.

We have them here a lot... they're magnificent animals! It's nothing to walk out on the porch and see one munching away on the greenery. I will usually just stop and watch them. We used to have an old apple tree in the front yard that never did bear anything but small green apples. One doe would come down every fall and eat apples right there in front of the house. I told everyone that was hunting that if they saw her eating apples, she was off limits... I loved to watch her (not to mention anyone shooting that close to my house is asking me to return fire out of self-defense).

"not practicing human cruelty"... OK, that's a good one! I laughed out loud for real!

Hey Redneck, look at my post a few above and go to the link I posted about the pig/boar jumping over the 5-6ft fence.

I did... pretty awesome, and that was NOT a full-grown boar. That was a piglet, a baby. Now, figure one about 4-5 times the size, just as agile, with bigger tusks and a bad attitude: that's a wild boar!

TheRedneck

a reply to: TheRedneck

I have sveral dozen deer in my yard at all times. The bucks fight during rut otherwise the doe run the show.

To drive out of my driveway involves me shooing a bunch out of the way first. There are hundreds living in this forest. Everywhere you turn you see several deer.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
a reply to: TheRedneck

I have sveral dozen deer in my yard at all times. The bucks fight during rut otherwise the doe run the show.

To drive out of my driveway involves me shooing a bunch out of the way first. There are hundreds living in this forest. Everywhere you turn you see several deer.

Deer or hogs?

Not going to ask exactly where you are but.......im curious.......

My family lives about 90 miles west of Weatherford.......where are you boss? approx?

a reply to: ManBehindTheMask

Near Belton Lake.

a reply to: ManBehindTheMask

Some images:


Nephew feeding a doe

a reply to: TheRedneck

I believe a child will be eaten alive sooner or later.

'Ferocious' boars who roam the Forest of Dean transformed into lovable piggies who will eat out of tourists' hands

www.dailymail.co.uk...

IS this bleeding stump of a forefinger the first evidence that Forest of Dean wild boar have turned man-eater?

www.theforester.co.uk...

Looking at it from a conspiratorial point of view it appears the general public are being urged to welcome the 'return of the not-wild wild boar'. When a child is eaten, suddenly those same people will fear the countryside. I started studying this subject because there are so any obvious lies being told. There must be an agenda.

Suddenly from a long way away,a large boar came out and made it obvious he was going to attack.
. . .
I have been photographing wild boar here for years (www.mkwphotographics.co.uk) and in the years of photographing these creatures I have never encountered this behaviour before . . .

It has completely changed my mind now about these creatures and I will take every care to avoid them in future, but living totally surrounded by forest in the Forest of Dean doesn't help! It has been reported to the Forestry Commission but unfortunately no amount of available wild boar literature now seems to be able to pacify my naturally concerned rural neighbours, who, all have young children and disabled family members ... what a dilema! Hope this might be of some statistical use. After Wednesday I rather think it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously hurt, whereas before, I thought all these 'Boar chases me' stories were just hyped up!"

www.britishwildboar.org.uk...


If I could get scientific data on how behaviour changes over generations it would help. I'm going to have to look for that.

a reply to: musicismagic

They've been hunting in packs here, so far only witnessed to take lambs as far as I know.

a reply to: TheRedneck

They will even set up ambushes and traps if they feel threatened, and in packs they use herding to put large prey at a disadvantage.

When this first happens to a human in the Forest of Dean everything is going to change. It's so predictable it must be deliberate.

a reply to: seagull

. . . the moron who was "living with the bears", until they ate him. I can't remember how many bears ended up being destroyed because of that idiot...can't recall his name . . .

Timothy Tasteswell. Sorry, Treadwell.

Timothy Treadwell Devoted His Life To Grizzly Bears — Until They Ate Him

allthatsinteresting.com...

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

By little danger I mean crossing the road is a lot more dangerous. Not taking exercise is a lot more dangerous. But a human fatality is certain sooner or later. Doesn't stop me going into the forest in the dark or camping out there.

This idea that behaviour will change over generations is crucial.

Wild hogs are very dangerous.

They can smell incredibly well, and hear quite well. They cannot see that well, and are unable to sweat (so are only active when temps are moderate).

Their tusks are large and can rip out your entrails. The infections a bite can cause can be lethal.

And we are food to them.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

Nature's battering ram, with legs... And teeth that can crush a man's arm!

Absolute beasts, fascinating creatures worthy of respect. The size they can reach can be astounding, I remember a Turkish guy showing me pictures of one he hunted with his father. Darn thing could've fed a village for a week.

It was about 5-6 foot long, you don't get that big without being successful and ruthless. Everything is food to them.

BTW those pictures you posted are awesome, they don't seem too timid do they?

a reply to: RAY1990

I've seen one in the Forest of Dean about this size. www.petnyaku.com...

It wasn't as friendly as this.

It jumped up from where it had been lying among fallen branches and trundled off grumbling in a bad tempered way. All the others I've seen there are maximum two thirds the size. One of the Forestry Commission stalkers told me they've had one of 300kgs.



If I had some nose candy I could come up with a brilliant idea like asking celebrities to support bringing bears back.

A number of celebrities have come out in support of plans to bring bears back to South Gloucestershire.

www.gazetteseries.co.uk...

a reply to: RAY1990

Even with a gun....may not help if you don't have steady aim. The face/head is difficult to penetrate. A "kill shot" is usually right beneath the ear.

I've seen one approx 150lbs take a 20ga to the face and then run off.

Hogs are not pigs. I mean, they can become pigs. But hogs are wild animals prone to wild behavior.