In the early 1950s during the drought the jackrabbits were the problem. The landowners got together and had rabbit drives. Part of them would gather at one end of pasture with loaded shotguns and clubs. The others would line up and literally drive the jacks towards the others. This would go on for an entire weekend, covering literally dozens of pastures by just one groups of the landowners and their relatives and friends.

After you ran out of rabbits you went along with your club and killed any that were still moving or crying. Then basically left them were they laid, the coyotes had a lot of feasts that summer without any work. But then occasionally a coyote made a mistake and became a part of the shoot, as did a few bobcats.

This was the only solution the farmers and ranchers had of getting rid of the jacks, they were literally eating up the pastures so that the cattle were having to be fed.

Grain acreage was being demolished by the same jacks. At night, they would gather in pickups and night hunt the jacks in the grain fields. It was nothing to see 5 or more pickups with 3 or more shooters in each chasing jacks around the fields.

It worked on jackrabbit population, maybe it would work on the feral hog population.

And you aint bout to walk in a line for more than 20yrds of woods were im at... choppers cant even see the pigs from above if they stay in the bed and wait for dark.. also other than wide open counties a lot of east tx places were properties are split up into 20-60acrs for most the county your not about to do anything with a helicopter safely/legally and make a dent in the population

One way that would help would be to start a contest like the west Texas big bobcat contest (or the jackrabbit or coyote contests). It would have to be based on total number of pigs and unlimited on size. You could have categories on method of kill but that's all.

There would be semi loads of dead pigs show up. That cat contest has severely reduced the number of yotes and foxes on many ranches. The money is so good you have hunters "protecting" a few pocket ranches that they can still find big cats and enough yotes and foxes on.

You all complaining about people not taking their responsibility of hog eradication seriously need to sit back and realize that probably half of the texas countryside is owned by city dwellers who don't live on the land, and the number is likely more than half. So you gonna argue that you can't own land unless you take eradication of hogs seriously and pay more money for professional hog killers to come on your property while you aren't there and "take care" of the hogs...as if that even works.

Guys, there is a hog issue, some people see it as a problem some people see it as an opportunity, some people see it as a fun time. The real problem lies in the fact that there are people on here trying to tell other people what they need to do on their land. NO, this isn't Russia where someone can tell you what to do. Its the USA. We are free to run our land the way we want, and if that involves using the "pig problem" as a commercial venture then so be it, if it means using it for fun hobby then so be it, if it means trying to be a farmer and having to deal with the hog issue then so be it. Each profession has financial responsibilities and that just happens to be one of yours that you can't force everyone else to conform to.

Would be like me saying I don't want to pay for the cost of my medical liability insurance so everyone needs to do exactly what I say when it comes to healthcare and not sue me when you get sick...lets see how that goes for two seconds...anyone smoke or drink or overweight on this forum?

Catch my drift?

There have been hog hunting tournaments for a long time now. Never seen a semi-load, but I've seen some 28 foot gooseneck loads.

Like I aid before, hogs are like coyotes. The day of eradicating them is long gone. Back 30 or so years ago when you could use 1080 in collars and in baits that did not lower the coyote population. You could kill every hog off a 1000 acres but if the neighbors did nothing you would still have a butt load of hogs the next day. The only thing you can do is try to keep them off your place. That means having good net wire fences to start. Then you have to patrol it and put a snare in every hole they make under it. Take out every hog you catch and replace the snare. Shoot every one you see. Mothers ,fathers and all the babies. Do this and you will not solve the problem but will lessen it some.

Where I hunt, coyotes have not been eradicated, but I've yet to see a single one. Never seen any sign nor heard a single howl. The sheep ranchers are absolute hell on coyotes, and it's had an impressive effect on them. The properties are in large tracts, which makes a big difference, but the ranchers take the issue very seriously, and it works.

Where I hunt, coyotes have not been eradicated, but I've yet to see a single one. Never seen any sign nor heard a single howl. The sheep ranchers are absolute hell on coyotes, and it's had an impressive effect on them. The properties are in large tracts, which makes a big difference, but the ranchers take the issue very seriously, and it works.

I've read tales of ranchers that if one saw a coyote neighbors phones began ringing. Then it was like a wildland fire, everyone drop what your doing and come help. Yeah, they take it serious where you hunt. Lots of sheep roaming around.

And because of what they've done, that country has deer like fleas on a dogs back.

right on. it will take farmers, ranchers & all other land owner to take the problem head on, be hunting, trapping ect, BUT face it that will never happen, 80% of the time when I approach a land owner about coyotes (explaining how coyote affect fawn population) I get the same answer "I don't have a problem with coyotes"

right on. it will take farmers, ranchers & all other land owner to take the problem head on, be hunting, trapping ect, BUT face it that will never happen, 80% of the time when I approach a land owner about hogs (explaining how hogs affect fawn population) I get the same answer "I don't have a problem with hogs"

just read a post in the photo link, op say wish he had pigs to shoot on his new lease, this is why the problem will not be fixed.

Exactly. I've had guys turn down my big lake ranch because it's pig free.

Exactly. I've had guys turn down my big lake ranch because it's pig free.

Yep. However one feels about pigs, that's why they got started, are everywhere, and won't go away. Many non-landowners don't care about the havoc they wreak, they just want something to shoot year round.