The Nuge Speaks ..... again.

[The Hedgehog]

Solutions:

1) Move
2) Get rich so you can do what you want, when you want, where you want for however long you want.
3) Lots of this
4) Suffer through it but explain it to your kids, that this (game farms) isn't really the "wilderness."

 

[spook12]

shoots strait not that i ever would ,but are you saying i cant come to Montana and ''hunt'' a game farm, for buffalo, exotic pen raised birds?

 

[Lone Star Outdoors Show]

So in Texas, your ancestors set the stage for the poor treatment of the "North American Model For Wildlife Conservation", but you chose to use night vision thermal imaging equipment on your TV show to kill a Wild Boar. Where does that fit? It's your choice to use equipment your ancestors never even heard about. You could choose differently. That wouldn't sell the new equipment though would it.

LOL. Like I already said- you folks don't understand and you have no desire to even try to. Your way or the highway...I get it. You don't like southerners on this forum.

Have you ever trapped an animal to remove it because it was a pest to you personally or it was costing the state or a landowner money? You have wolves in some northwestern states. Are they not seen as a nuisance by the portion of the population who make a living raising livestock?

Well in Texas that is what a feral hog is. A big fat problem. There are over 4 million hogs in Texas and they destroy over $100 million in property damages and lost crops each year. Hogs are NOT a game animal here- they are a pest. Are they fun to hunt? Hell yes. But they are an invasive species and will be dealt with in the same manner as problem coyotes or wolves. I have seen cattle and humans break ankles and trucks break axles in roots left by hogs.

You had no idea that the boar I shot was destroying a wheat field when he died, did you? So yes. I will kill them with thermal imaging, I will kill them during the day, I will trap them 24/7 and I will run them down with dogs if given the chance. I only hope that you never have to deal with the problems they present. Oh wait... you probably are against hunting them with hounds too- EVEN THOUGH THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT ARE ANCESTORS HAVE DONE FOR CENTURIES. Who is forgetting where they came from now? It sure as hell isn't me.

 

[The Hedgehog]

You can shoot nucience animals in these parts as well as bigger predators.

Feral hogs.. Wow. Sounds like a great TV episode. Cornflinger and night vision optics would make it super cool.. not that I'd shy away from that if I were trapped in the lone star state.

I flip the channel on that stuff. LAME.

 

[shoots-straight]

shoots strait not that i ever would ,but are you saying i cant come to Montana and ''hunt'' a game farm, for buffalo, exotic pen raised birds?

Buffalo, and pen raised birds aren't included.Although if I had my way they would. Deer and elk are off limits.

 

[shoots-straight]

Have you ever trapped an animal to remove it because it was a pest to you personally or it was costing the state or a landowner money? You have wolves in some northwestern states. Are they not seen as a nuisance by the portion of the population who make a living raising livestock?

They may be considered a "nuisance" but they can't be treated they way you treat hogs. They are managed like all wildlife in the state. When finally de listed they will be a big game animal, or a fur bearer, or both.

4 million hogs is a bunch. Why not use claymores?

 

[The Hedgehog]

Claymores would be a kick ass time and I think I'd stop and watch that episode.

 

[Lone Star Outdoors Show]

I wouldn't watch it either. That is why I host a talk show. Sure we are going to talk about last week's hog hunt. But we also will talk spring nesting conditions and agricultural policy change in the prairie pothole region with Delta Waterfowl Senior VP John Devney and largemouth bass fishing on Lake Fork.

It doesn't relate to you so why would you listen to it? You have never had a crop destroyed by feral hogs. You probably don't care about waterfowl conservation and you probably haven't ever seen a bass in your life.

How am I doing on the stereotypes now?

 

[The Hedgehog]

Wasn't this supposed to be about the Nuge? He's a rockin mo-fo!

 

[Lone Star Outdoors Show]

They may be considered a "nuisance" but they can't be treated they way you treat hogs. They are managed like all wildlife in the state. When finally de listed they will be a big game animal, or a fur bearer, or both.

4 million hogs is a bunch. Why not use claymores?

I think people would if they could. They are simply out of control. 4 million in Texas, sows can have two litters of 5-8 piglets per year and are sexually mature at 6 months. Do the math- we can't win. Even with thermal, dogs and helicopters.

 

[shoots-straight]

I think people would if they could. They are simply out of control. 4 million in Texas, sows can have two litters of 5-8 piglets per year and are sexually mature at 6 months. Do the math- we can't win. Even with thermal, dogs and helicopters.

Seems everything in Texas is bigger. Just rounding up?

By knowing the range of feral hog habitat and the species population density in various types of Texas environments, Lopez also came up with a population estimate that has some meat to it, Higginbotham said. Lopez estimates that the actual number could range from a low of 1.9 million to a high of 3.4 million.

http://feralhogs.tamu.edu/2011/05/agrilife-today-busting-feral-hog-myths/

I know what a largemouth bass is, but I think your talking about something else.

Don't be so defensive. Texas skin must be thin.

The Nuge means well too. He just needs to choose more wisely, and figure it out that he doesn't speak for most of us.

Greenhorn, are you drinking Blue Yummies tonight?

 

[Lone Star Outdoors Show]

Wasn't this supposed to be about the Nuge? He's a rockin mo-fo!

Good talk friends. I am sure all ya'll are good folks (seriously, I would gladly share a campfire with any of you because you obviously love hunting if you are a part of this site and a fan of Randy's show). Anyway, I am headed to Texas coast in the morning to get after some high fence speckled trout and redfish. Take care

 

[Lone Star Outdoors Show]

Seems everything in Texas is bigger. Just rounding up?



http://feralhogs.tamu.edu/2011/05/agrilife-today-busting-feral-hog-myths/

Guess I will go to the well one more time: Thanks for bringing up an article dated March 2011 which mentions a possible high of 3.4 million. Part of my job is to interview Texas Parks and Wildlife Officials - which the neither the author nor Lopez are. I have also talked to our Ag Commissioner. The number of hogs is around 4 million and the damage upwards of 100 million. Really drawing for straws now aren't we to debate a few hundred thousand pests Carry on

 

[The Hedgehog]

Greenhorn, are you drinking Blue Yummies tonight?

I bought the XL growler (Nalgene bomb-proof version) at Madison River Brewery tonight while my girl was at ballet. Shared some of it, but not all.

 

[spook12]

So we are gonna pound the crap out of the Texans for decisions made over a century ago? In my opinion they are leading the way in tearing down the North American model,however it seems that none of us are clean in this thing. The pay to hunt in the southeast and midwest. The auction,transferable landowner , outfitter tags in the west.Wyoming keeping wilderness set aside for residents and those NR's willing to pay, All of these things have made it harder or more costly for guys to get in the woods.If your problem is their canned hunts ,every state west of the Mississippi has some form of them.You can go on line and buy any big game animal ,or circus animal ,feral hog with a 100 percent kill, and never set foot in texas.Lord knows they make an easy target, but it wouldn't hurt the rest of us to take a look in the mirror.

 

[Ben Lamb]

LOL. Like I already said- you folks don't understand and you have no desire to even try to. Your way or the highway...I get it. You don't like southerners on this forum.

Have you ever trapped an animal to remove it because it was a pest to you personally or it was costing the state or a landowner money? You have wolves in some northwestern states. Are they not seen as a nuisance by the portion of the population who make a living raising livestock?

Wolves are native to MT (TX too, if you want we can ship y'all some ). Hogs are not native to the U.S. hence the feral designation. I'm full on in support of them mission of killing every feral hog in the U.S. That's one of the problems with exotics - like the elk/red deer mixes in Idaho that get loose from time to time. There's all sorts of problems that happen ecologically and economically when exotics get loose.

As for bashing Texas; Texas kind of sets itself up for it, but I was trying to use it as an example more than just bash it. You've said that you either hunt on the lease, etc, or you stay home. I get that, but there's a bigger piece of that puzzle missing - fight for your rights, and the ability to return management of wildlife to the people rather than landowners.

No money to purchase game ranges? Tax yourselves. Montanan's found a way, and we're notorious skin flints.

Margaret Mead once said that "a small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Giving up and accepting a situation that puts the average hunter or angler at a severe disadvantage sounds like a great way to lose more hunters and anglers.

So we are gonna pound the crap out of the Texans for decisions made over a century ago? In my opinion they are leading the way in tearing down the North American model,however it seems that none of us are clean in this thing. The pay to hunt in the southeast and midwest. The auction,transferable landowner , outfitter tags in the west.Wyoming keeping wilderness set aside for residents and those NR's willing to pay, All of these things have made it harder or more costly for guys to get in the woods.If your problem is their canned hunts ,every state west of the Mississippi has some form of them.You can go on line and buy any big game animal ,or circus animal ,feral hog with a 100 percent kill, and never set foot in texas.Lord knows they make an easy target, but it wouldn't hurt the rest of us to take a look in the mirror.

Good post Spook. Every state has a blemish on it, caused by special interests who put their own economic benefit ahead of the benefit of fish and game. At least in MT, I think we can say we've started to take that back from the privateers.

 

[wyoming556]

Buffalo, and pen raised birds aren't included.Although if I had my way they would. Deer and elk are off limits.

But you can get an elk burger at plenty of places in MT. Wonder where that elk meat comes from? I thought it was illegal to sell wild game meat so that pretty much leaves one source if it didn't come from wild animals.

So Montana residents/businesses support game farms in neighboring states by buying/selling/consuming the elk meat but they don't allow game farms in the state so they are better?

Oh yea if there are any Texans looking for public land to hunt on just cross the border to OK. Hundreds of thousands of acres in SE Oklahoma as well as SW and Western parts of the state also.

http://fishlab.ou.edu/odwcims/

 

[shoots-straight]

But you can get an elk burger at plenty of places in MT. Wonder where that elk meat comes from? I thought it was illegal to sell wild game meat so that pretty much leaves one source if it didn't come from wild animals.

So Montana residents/businesses support game farms in neighboring states by buying/selling/consuming the elk meat but they don't allow game farms in the state so they are better?

Oh yea if there are any Texans looking for public land to hunt on just cross the border to OK. Hundreds of thousands of acres in SE Oklahoma as well as SW and Western parts of the state also.

http://fishlab.ou.edu/odwcims/

Montana didn't ban game farms. They banned the hunting on them. Elk on game farms are considered livestock. Restrictions don't apply to livestock. The law had to be made to ban elk, and deer canned hunting. That was to protect the wild ones.

 

[shoots-straight]

Guess I will go to the well one more time: Thanks for bringing up an article dated March 2011 which mentions a possible high of 3.4 million. Part of my job is to interview Texas Parks and Wildlife Officials - which the neither the author nor Lopez are. I have also talked to our Ag Commissioner. The number of hogs is around 4 million and the damage upwards of 100 million. Really drawing for straws now aren't we to debate a few hundred thousand pests Carry on

Seems that Texans can be blamed for much of the spread of hogs. The increase in game farms and corn fingers have increased the hog numbers substantially. The major increase in hog's came with the increase in this type of land use.

http://feralhogs.tamu.edu/faq/

A. Feral hogs were first introduced into Texas by the explorer Hernando de Soto in the mid-1500′s. However, it was not until the 1980′s that populations of feral swine literally exploded across the state. The huge increase occurred as result of a “perfect storm”: Many hogs were moved and re-released during this time to provide a supplemental species for hunting as their popularity increased as a game animal. Also, in Texas it is legal to supplementally feed wildlife and to that end, Texans feed approximately 300 million pounds of corn alone to wildlife annually. Non-target species such as feral hogs and raccoons benefit greatly from the increase in nutrition this supplement provides and respond by producing more young with higher survival rates. Feral hogs are also smart-inefficient attempts to control their numbers make them wary and less susceptible to control measures and often result in the hogs becoming nocturnal.

Nuge, and all those that use corn fingers are partially responsible for the increase of this feral hog. It might be responsible for some of there deaths, but it looks like overall their numbers are increasing because of it.

Quit the use of baiting that would be a start in the right direction of hog numbers coming down. That's goes against the Southern Texas model for any type of game management.

Other researchers suggest that damage per hog per year averages $200– but the problem there is that the assumption is made that a 40 pound hog causes as much damage as a 300 pound hog, which is unlikely. The total hog population in Texas has been estimated recently (2011) at 2.6 million. However, estimates for the United States population as a whole are non-existent. Some reports estimate total damage in the U.S. may be $1.5 billion annually—However, these damage estimates are in part based on population estimates—and again, a figure we don’t have a good handle on nationwide.

The point of the nit picking is to show your character, and the fact the Texans are to blame for this. Many people round up too. Not just Texans.

 

[wyoming556]

Montana didn't ban game farms. They banned the hunting on them. Elk on game farms are considered livestock. Restrictions don't apply to livestock.

Ok, so MT has game farms like most other states where you can shoot most domestic animals from bison to phesants but your not allowed to shoot deer or elk so that makes MT better than TX. Did I understand you correctly?

Seems to me like MT has problems just like other states. People on this board constantly complain about the FWP mamagement of the Elk population in MT. MT has problems selling thier general elk tags even though most on this board claim MT has by far the best elk season in the country. If it's the best why can't they sell their tags? Why do many people who draw elk tags in MT return them? That kinda makes MT the thanks but no thanks elk hunting state. One of the reasons for their lagging tag sales is the huge price increases for NR's in the last few years and the creation of MT native hunting tags. I keep hoping WY would do the same thing with native tags but WY lawmakers are not that stupid. Honestly MT FWP masterminded propably one of the worst wildlife sting operations in the history of US wildlife departments that led to a 200" ram being killed and no convictions. The funny thing is that nobody on this pro Montana board seemed to care after the truth started to come out and none of the convictions stuck. People in MT constantly make fun of corn flingers that other states allow but seem to have no problem when the buckmasters crew shows up to hunt food plots in eastern MT or shooting elk on alfalfa fields outside Bozeman. Every state has their own wildlife management problems and MT is no different, don't let them fool you Lone Star Outdoors. .