This is a completely different scenario from Palin's aerial wolf and bear hunting programs. In Alaska, supposedly, killing off the wolves and bears in the back country boosts the caribou population so that there will be more "trophy" animals for big-game hunters. That's BULL-hockey! Wolves and bears do NOT go after any animal that could be considered a "trophy" animal. They hunt the old, the sick, the injured, the weak, the very young with parents that are too stupid to protect them, the unwary (stupid) that stray too far from the herd and those unable to fend for themselves. Wolves hunt what humans don't want. They are not a threat to Palin, but she promotes the aerial hunting program by saying that they are a major threat to caribou population. Therefore, hunters who are too lazy to get on the ground will pay big money to hunt wolves and bears from planes.

With feral hogs, I am all for aerial hunting. There is NOTHING, repeat NOTHING!! more dangerous than feral hogs. They do NOT fear humans, they are smart and they WILL kill and eat you if you run afoul of them. They get HUGE, they are VERY aggressive and they breed exponentially. Feral hog populations are a major problem.

Bears are always a threat and they are 7' tall on their hind legs in Alaska! Not something I'd want to meet at any time.

As for wild hogs - they are some of the most vicious animals you will ever want to come across. They will gut a dog with those tusks in a few seconds. But hunting from helicopters sounds like pure trouble. Hunters can be pretty darned stupid. Our area has deerhunters every year. Stupidity knows no bounds - one tried to check in their kill - a german shepherd and another was a goat. Every year someone gets killed by a hunter so put a bunch in a helicopter and that spells disaster in the making. Making them pay to hunt on their land is no new thing. People rent hunting rights on propertys around here too. Might help pay for some of the damage they do. The ones on foot seem to think fences are of no value so they just cut them and walk thru.

However if they were under licensed supervision they might be worth using as hunting hogs on the ground is not safe and obviously they are over-running the pastures and cropland. They are smart and wiley. Much like coyotes.

For those of you who think that a big hog is 300 or 400 pounds. There was a hog killed in Henderson county Texas, that was weighed on the certified scale at the feed store in Henderson, Texas, its weight was 1200 pounds. It had stood over 5" tall at the shoulders. It took three rounds from a .30-06 the last of which was a couple of feet from the muzzle of the rifle, and that shot stunned the hog long enough for the hunter turned hunted to cut the hogs throat and bleed it out.

CAS Reaves: "With feral hogs, I am all for aerial hunting. There is NOTHING, repeat NOTHING!! more dangerous than feral hogs. They do NOT fear humans, they are smart and they WILL kill and eat you if you run afoul of them. They get HUGE, they are VERY aggressive and they breed exponentially. Feral hog populations are a major problem."

Making hogs some sci fi movie terror doesn't make the case for helecopter execution (not hunting). I've hunted them in my state with a bow. When I'm careless, I see thier backside.

Now on crops?? they are a roto tiller from hell!!!

1200 lbs? That's one big ole ham

Oh, yeah, a 300-pound hog is small. I live in Georgia, where the original "Hogzilla" was killed. I've seen DOMESTIC sows that overfilled the bed of a full-sized pickup after slaughter. Hogs are pretty much THE most destructive animals on the planet. They can even kill out kudzu, and that's saying something.
Scar - that's why going after feral hogs from the air is necessary. You hunt them on the ground with a bow (real hunting, I agree) and if you make a mistake, they take off. Squeal a piglet one time and see how fast the big ones run - after you. In Texas, they aren't looking just to provide sport, they are looking to quickly and effective reduce the feral hog population, and unless you get a hundred hogs in a given day, that won't happen. From theair, they can't hide as well and the numbers can be reduced more effectively. If Texas handles the hog hunts the way Florida handles gator hunts, it should go all right.
I know how big Alaskan bears get, but the ones in Palin's aerial hunts are back in BFE where about the only people around are the ones who have paid to hunt them, or people out there observing and researching, or just being out in BFE and they know the risks. If you read up on Alaska's aerial hunts, you will see that the population of the predators back there doesn't NEED to be controlled - natural selection is still very prevalent there, and the predator populations will rise and fall with the supply of prey animals. There is no livestock predation to justify the hunts because there is no livestock. Palin is just trying to artificially increase caribou numbers. The populations of predator and prey balance themselves beautifully when they are not interfered with.

How about hunting politicians from helicopters? End the elections and just have a massive hunt, survivors get to serve in office until the next hunt in the following November. I can just picture Patty Murray's fat butt scuttling across a parking lot, POW! Heweeey, Earl! Hell of a shot!

It would sure eliminate old dinosaurs like Ted Kennedy from being in office very long.

Yo Sarah! yawl come on down ya hear? bring the kids! well do leave that one with the funny ears with that nanny of yours, leave that first dude guy too, we all will be most neighborly, my cousin Austin will hold you to make sure you do not fall outta that helicopter thingy, my other cousin Dallas will spot him to make extra sure, kinda like a "you betcha", me on the other hand? just sarcasm. kill the feral pigs, they destroy land. period, now about my bitch neighbor with the cats that filth my car, anyone want to hunt those filth leaving animals that belong inside her house and not in my yard? this is hysterical, the offending cat neighbor is named Sarah ,, "oh they are outside cats" stoopid bitch keep your cats off my property,, Dusty, in Texas all sarcasm, well except for the bloody cats, my best friend had a Downs Syndrome Son, it was so sad, the son lived for six years, tore him apart, he loved the kid so even though it was not his child but a result of his wife sleeping around

And everyone said Sarah Palin didn't have a positive affect on the Country....

If she would have won - we could be shooting from all 50 states - there would have been some major jobs created for pilots....

I wouldn't let Cheny go shooting from a Helicopter though.....especially in Texas!

Well, a couple things... don't let Big Dick Cheney out there hunting. We all know how his aim is, right? Also, Just dont confuse the Pig With Lipstick from Alaska be confused with one of these fearal pigs.

Leprechaun,

The pig with lipstick is from Illinois, not Alaska, or did Michelle change her voter's registration to DC?

Oliver needs to check out snopes.com. The story about the 1200 lb, 5' tall pig is a hoax.

Hey, I LOVE pigs. But these are NOT cuddly piggie wiggies. these are stinkin' hogs....horrible creatures. You wouldn't believe it if you saw one. they are the nastiest creature on this planet! yick!

Obviously not from Texas....I live in Texas and these are not your pretty little pink piggies that you see at a state fair or the ones that people are taking in as pets. These can get as big as a cow and weigh about the same, they are usually brown, have tusks, and will chase you. They prefer to do the hunting instead of being hunted. Dogs will not help - will ripe them to shreads in a matter of seconds.

I think the idea of being able to hunt feral hogs by helicopter is great - if you have ever woke up to your front yard tore apart, grass no longer planted, or 10 acres of vegetable garden completely trashed then you would agree that this is a great idea. Fences do not stop these animals. Texas just needs to watched this program closely and the area being hunted by helicopter needs to be posted for that day so hunters in the area will not be there on that day.

Speak not about things that you do not know, Fed up in SB! These are the nastiest creatures, extremely dangerous, fast moving herds of 100 or more sometimes. They kill deer, cattle, goats, dogs (My friend's rottweiler was badly injured trying to defend us from a herd) and humans if they get the chance. In herds that big, they have no fear whatsoever. The only animal that was their predator would be the mountain lion/puma, whose numbers have been hunted away to nearly nothing, so their numbers have grown incredibly. They are a very serious problem, and the terrain in some areas makes hunting from the air the most efficient use of time and resources.

Is that sarcasm or something?

PETA doesn't even like them (thats PETA,,, PEOPLE EATING TASTY ANIMALS!!)

Elizabeth--You need to get to Texas and wonder around with the wild hogs---See for yourself how dangerously wild they are. If you gave a darn about anything worthwhile-You would be spending time helping to feed starving children.

Better yet, volunteer yourself for "self reduction".

Hey, how about share some of your ideas of other methods to control them? I agree with the other posters....how about you go on a field trip and visit a texas ranch....and see for yourself...you'll be wantin' a gun, sweetheart!

Elizabeth, these aren't endagered animals. How about you move to Texas, plant yourself a garden (upon which you will rely for your winter produce) and, once the feral hogs have eaten it three times in a year, and chased you up a tree and held you there (provided you were lucky enough to get away from them and up that tree) for a day or two, then we'll see how you feel about not controlling their populations.

Take a trip to Texas. I'm sure you'd change your mind if you had to deal with these creatures. They are not pets, they are not domesticated and can't be, and frankly humans sure don't want to be on foot anywhere near one as they will attack. Suckers can run like wildfire. Put they are good eating.

Sounds like you think they can be trapped and neutered. lol Oh, yeah, call PETA they'll come kill them, whoops I mean rescue them. Since they are not native to this country, just where would they be turning them loose?

if animals need to be controlled, so do humans.

I agree, Liz. Since our state legislature is in session in Austin, lets propose a bill for them to consider, to wit: a $5.00 bounty for a set of wild hog ears ~ ~ ~ and a $25.00 bounty for a set of Republican ears (either gender). Wow! Do you realize that you could make over $3,500 in the state legislature alone? Gov. Perry would only yield a $10.00 bounty for his ears, but his coiffed mane would bring $100.00 and a set of both ears/mane would bring $150.00.

lets start with the politician's//

??

As much as I enjoy nature and wildlife, if the animal or plant isn't indigenous and it's causing major problems within a community then it should be destroyed.

Elizabeth, I agree with you. Well said!

Again obviously this person is not from Texas....I live in Texas and these are not your pretty little pink piggies that you see at a state fair or the ones that people are taking in as pets. These can get as big as a cow and weigh about the same, they are usually brown, have tusks, and will chase you. They prefer to do the hunting instead of being hunted. Dogs will not help - will ripe them to shreads in a matter of seconds.

And if you live on a farm that has livestock and gardens - they have been known to kill the livestock that "sneaked up" on them will rutting around and destroying your crops. If you have ever woke up to your front yard tore apart, grass no longer planted, or 10 acres of vegetable garden completely trashed then you would agree that this is a great idea. Fences do not stop these animals.

Bob, PLEASE tell me that's sarcasm....

They don't have a home state...

Maybe you would like it if we do a test run in your neighborhood.

sfmom, no, killing them from helicopters isn't really hunting, but feral hogs are an enormous threat, and in far more places than Texas. I normally do NOT advocate aerial hunting of anything, but when it comes to these hogs, I do, because they are one of the deadliest animals in the world. They WILL hunt you. They WILL kill you and they WILL eat you. They eradicate food crops and injure livestock, people and pets. Farmers have been killed and eaten by their DOMESTIC hogs.
There is no safe way really to hunt feral hogs, and if Texas handles hog-extermination hunts like Florida handles gator-culling hunts, things should go well. The meat from the hogs needn't be wasted. Zoos can feed it to their carnivores, fur farms would probably love to have it, and I bet the homeless in shelters would be glad to get ANY kind of meat, even tough, gamy stuff from wild hogs.

Tie it into Bush.. of course.. Every thread no matter what the story topic people have to make it about Bush or Obama or Palin. Will it ever end?

By your logic Sfmom when you have a termite problem in your house you also would expect the exterminator to show up armed with a tiny slingshot and a handful of bb's because the termites should have a sporting chance.

I can understand why your mind would jump to thinking of the hogs in "hunting" terms because the article does use the term "hunting" but this is more about vermin control then it is sport. Many of the people willing to do this don't do it for the sheer enjoyment of spending hundreds of dollars on helicopter flights and ammo to go out and waste a day shooting game they have no use for as food or a trophy. They're already paying professionals to do it for them and I'm sure they don't gather around the barbecue at night to brag about how their chopper bagged more hogs then their neighbor's chopper did that day. But hey, missing the point and taking a shot atwhichever party you hate is what Newsvine's all about. If you'd said open season on all politicians I at least would have had a little respect.

Because someone just has to write stories to incite the rescue orgainizations so they can run get a government grant to buy land for themselves to rescue animals and the sell for "adoption fees" while they pay themselves big salaries and own the land for free

cook the hogs and feed the homeless, we could call them Obama-ques.

have you ever tried to farm around these animals o yeah u think milk is made at the grocery store and your corn comes from walmart in a can

But the pigs have to go - Texas Style - I love it.

Nah, Texas-Style they'd be hunting them with Hand Grenades from their choppers.

That might work! Either way around,, only,, most criminals are too stupid or lazy to hunt anything but humans,, and pigs won't eat (s***).

One of the few things they won't eat.

Besides, for all the problem the wilds ones cause,, they tend to be "clean" animals.

Your tone is nearly as vengeful as that of one who is a murderer. Beware revenge, it only causes trouble. Forgiveness leads to peace, unforgiveness leads to chaos.

Long Island, coyotes love bacon and they're scavengers too

The only problem with coyotes and wild hogs is that they coyotes won't take them on while they are alive if they are over 20 pounds (less than six months old at that size), and the hogs probably outnumber the coyotes by a sizeable margin. Even most dogs won't tackle wild hogs. Not ifthey have any brains, anyway.
Once again, there is no need to waste the meat from the hogs. Homeless shelters, prisons, fur farms and zoos can probably all use it, as could pet food companies.

And just like in 49 other states I am sure most of them are in the state capitol, oh and DC too.

Wild pigs are legally hunted in most states that have them,, (virtualy all states have them,, some more than others).

The "boars" (males) taste like crap,, (gland issues) but the feeder piglets and sows, are fine to eat.

Actually balsamic vinegar, and citrus helps the issues you note on the meat. Wild pig tastes better than venison any day of the week.

I've eaten wild pig in Italy and the cook did a great job, lots of olive oil and garlic. However I'd eat a rare venison steak over wild pig any day.

As for why it is illegal to sell the meat - maybe issues with diseases like pseudorabies, something that does happen in hogs? Of course, from what I've read, pseudorabies doesn't transmit to humans, at least as far as we know. (yet)

As for why it is illegal to sell the meat - maybe issues with diseases like pseudorabies, something that does happen in hogs? Of course, from what I've read, pseudorabies doesn't transmit to humans, at least as far as we know. (yet)

More likely trichinosis, a parasite that lives in the muscle. Even farm-raised pork isn't particularly safe without thorough cooking, but try eating a wild pig and you're asking for trouble if you decide that "rare" meat is cooked enough.

So how does feral hog compare to Arizona javelina in terms of taste? To me, javelina legs taste like tender roast beef.

As far as aerial killing of hogs goes, this doesn't even compare to wolves in AK. There is a real need here to do some population control, that's clear. But can't enough professionals be hired to do it without letting every rich yahoo who can afford to rent a chopper in on it? Don't sound like a good idea to me. If they do it they better regulate the hell out of it.

Moo, I believe the animals are the same or at least very similar, Javelina would be the Spanish term.

It's called overregulation of everything in our lives and you can thank the bottom feeding lawyers of the world. We have a tremendous problem with deer causing car accidents where I live and someone had the bright idea of rounding them up, farming them and selling the meat or giving it to homeless shelters, and they were told by an NYDEC enviromental wacko that it's illegal to fence in deer, they're a "public treasure" and must be protected. Meanwhile more deer have caused fatel crashes the last few years then drunken drivers in our area... and don't even get me started on the rampages of drunk deer drivers. If you see headlights and antlers.. run.

Let's start a new organization PAAT, People Are Animals Too and maybe some of the PETA mentalities will start thinking in those terms and become more rational.

case in point,, sorry to hear that happened to you. Hope you are doing well.

I thought most of them were in Hollywood.

So if we're gonna pass a law to kill more pigs why can't we pass a law that says we purchase meat from those that kill them? By the way, why is it European and Asian nations are legally allowed to eat a wider variety of foods then us?

Animals don't get wary of traps if well placed. They get wary of human scent, so wash up good. No doubt the big ones are hard to kill, maybe a deadfall with a heavy tree limb could knock one down. It is a fact that bowhunters kill javelina with handmade wooden bows, they are not indestructable. Helicopters won't work. They make too much noise and wind, and the hogs will scatter into the brush. As for garderns, build stronger fences. In Africa they have to fence their gardens from elephants, and they get by. Final point, feral cattle posed the same problem in Texas and other states until the cowboys rounded them up and drove them to the stockyards. The problem is legal, FDA approval of wild hog meat is lacking. Barring that, eat it yourself or feed it to your dogs. It can't be that bad. People eat oppossum and beaver, and they have to parboil it all day. If the meat is stringy, throw some lard in the pot.

In Oklahoma we have feral rabbits, wild, beastly little things that clog our country roads and destroy our gardens. I often see their dead bodies, curiously right in the middle of the road. One isn't hard to deal with but a raging mob of them is deadly. Sometimes I hide in a tree, right over my garden and leap on them with a homemade spear, kind of like that guy did on First Blood.

esbee, there are other groups dedicated to fighting NAIS as well. There is the LibertyArk Coalition and FarmAndRanchFreedom. Take a look at those, as well.

Problem with government is it's always bending over the little guy and shovin it up his a**. Big brother should be making the factory farmers squeal like their snout-nosed breathen. The conditions that these animals live in are deplorable and inhumane. And because of these high-stress and unsanitary conditions every so often an American citizen gets sick because they ate a piece of diseased or chemical-pumped meat. But the small farm owner gets to take it up the a**.

Right behind an ear knocks em' down pretty quick.

But they do have a hell of a "left over" nervous system.

The challenge, the fear, anticipation, and a good gnawing hunger in the belly.

Because we are naturally omnivorous, which means we are part carnivore, and carnivores like killing and eating food.