Feral Pigs---Fact or Unicorn?
There are story's about feral pigs that are hard to deny. Escapees from the farm or transport, inter-breeding with wild European boars that were brought over for hunting, US border jumpers; all seem credible.
Without disclosing your honey hole, any sign---tracks, game cams, predator kill sites, sightings or harvests, you, your buddy?
Re: Feral Pigs---Fact or Unicorn?
They exist on high fence ranches in alberta, a few very isolated populations have been rumoured that escape from ranches en masse but no established populations have never been found in BC, Ive seen one big fat piggy on crown land but it was 100' from the farm it walked off. Saying that CBC said there is so there must be right?
Re: Feral Pigs---Fact or Unicorn?
I saw one a guy shot last fall in 5-13 by Kluskus. Huge boar. Black and white, must've got away from somewhere.
If I hadn't of seen it, I wouldn't have believed it.
Checked there for tracks/sign in the snow several times for others and never found any sign.
Re: Feral Pigs---Fact or Unicorn?
I saw a Facebook post a few weeks ago of a bunch of pig parts dumped at rolley lake,lots of people were speculating that they were feral
Re: Feral Pigs---Fact or Unicorn?
According to Ryan Brook, wild pig guru at USask, there are scattered populations established in BC. I saw his map recently but can't locate it now. Anyway, feral pigs are his specialty and he's been studying and tracking them for years. I don't know if they're crossing the Rockies, coming up from the States or escaping inside BC. Can't find the numbers. Google Ryan Brook and you'll find some science on it.
You can find his Facebook page here with a map: https://www.facebook.com/WildPigResearch/
Re: Feral Pigs---Fact or Unicorn?
Seen photos of 1 big porker and one smaller one both shot out west off hwy 20 by Riske creek.talked to the rancher and his wife who saw the dead porkers in the lucky hunters truck..the pigs were off a ranch who while experiecing financial issues turned some loose..I did see some tracks while checking the area..was first time I was introduced to pigloos....
Not sure if any survive out there..
I believe there are other examples of escapes..or turned loose
Srupp
Re: Feral Pigs---Fact or Unicorn?
I know a guy who has pictures of a couple of them in the middle of nowhere that he got somewhere around Quesnel while he was working.
Coyotes are pretty hard on piglets, especially in the winter as pigs tend to make trails in the snow and won't get off of them if the snow gets deep.
Re: Feral Pigs---Fact or Unicorn?
If you have Facebook you can view this map.
https://www.facebook.com/WildPigRese...12752685486954
Unfortunately they don't have a website, just a Facebook page from all I can tell but lots of info.
https://www.facebook.com/WildPigResearch
Re: Feral Pigs---Fact or Unicorn?
My Buddy Tad (Member Tadploe here) ran into a couple of them a few years back.
He shot one of them.
I made it into Polish Hunter Sausage, and it was fantastic grits!
Cheers,
Nog
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Feral Pigs---Fact or Unicorn?
Believe you do not want any kind of established feral swine population in Canada. I live in the Southeast the US and they destroy land. They are very efficient feeders, like a vacuum cleaner with four legs. Their rooting damages golf courses, lawns and farmers crops. They are able to start breeding at sows are able to start breeding at 6 months and can have 2 litters a year, which average about 5-8 piglets. So it doesn't take them long to get the population numbers up. We have a very prevalent coyote population here too and really don't see any real impact on the pig population. I hunt them year round, they do not pattern well. They are very nocturnal, out of the 1500 or so trail camera pictures I probably have less than a dozen during daylight. The best way to try and keep their numbers in check is to trap them using corral style traps.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/attach...tid=8331&stc=1