I have seen versions of this claim from various European sources, but I have never found any scientific basis for it the "dominant sow" determining what other females breed and when. Maybe I didn't check the right sources? Anybody have any knowledge of dominant sows controlling the breeding of other sows?

Real interesting OP, wouldn't have known or assumed that, thanks for sharing.

interesting concept, not sure whether true or not for our over bearing feral population. I try to line up several in a row to remove as many as possible with one shot, they scatter quickly and might not return for a few days / weeks.

I have read the very same thing about wart hogs in Africa.

I have been thinking about this for a day now.

And I think that the problem is the European sources are looking at pure "Russian" wild boars, and what we have here are Feral Hogs, that are a mixture of some transplanted Russian Wild Boars and mostly escaped or released domestic hogs.

So the real Russian Wild Boars, it may be that the dominant female somehow controls the cycle of the other females in her sounder, similar to how a wolf pack operates where only the alpha male and female breed. And just like how feral dogs will breed all the time and don't behave like wolves, our feral hogs do to.

So I'm gonna keep shooting whatever hogs I can, and If I see the big female I'll keep shooting them first, because often the little ones will come back around.

For instance:

Yeah, but the trouble for feral or wild hogs is actually finding any sort of actual documentary sources for the claims. All the biology and hog papers I read simply say females of age are polyestrus and go into heat every 18-24 days if unbred. No mention in any of these sources about a dominant sow controlling breeding behavior in wild, feral, or domestic hogs. I am not saying it isn't possible, but the only claims I see for this come from non-scientific sources, despite the fact that hog breeding behavior has been studied extensively. Factors such as water, forage, and weather patterns are documented to have an impact on hog reproductive rates, but nothing gets mentioned about dominant sows that I have found anywhere.

The animal rights activists have been saying this about any animal they don't want you hunting. Particularly coyotes.

The whole idea has been debunked so many times by real science and biology, that these silly claims have less credibility every time they come up.

I know from experience that when most of a large sounder is killed at the same time, there are varying degrees or pregnancy and offspring in them. That's a fact. Some are about to pop with piglets, some are halfway through the gestation period, while others are early gestation.. and still others have varying piglet sizes by their side.

The cold, hard truth of the matter is that dead animals don't reproduce. Period.

We can argue the effectiveness of hunting on the overall population, and that is a valid debate. But this ploy by the anti-hunters with these narratives such as this, and the coyote one (which incidentally, is a verbatim copy) need to be denied and dispelled when we encounter them.

Recognize propaganda when you see it, folks.

We're not worried about sounders, boars or piglets. If we can get them into the traps great or if we can put a bullet in them better (more sporting for the kids). We kill one and three more show up, we're losing the battle. High fence, low fence, net fence, no fence it doesn't matter they find a way to dig under if you have the groceries for your deer..... just sayin'

We put our gunner up in the bird every other week last fall and he tallied 260 at last count (Christmas week) and we still had them on camera going into January.

Big difference in depredation extermination and managing for sport.


Europe is managing for sport. You think they do heli hunts in Europe…… no they but on cosplay outfits and do “noble” drives.

It’s physically impossible for a sow to prevent another sow from coming into heat unless the dominate sow can perform a hysterectomy.


A male can keep another male from physically breeding but that doesent mean the lesser male is not viable.

That sounds like some pseudo science there

The only pigs I don't shoot are the occasional spotted ones. I can track sounders that way. Other than that, pretty hard to shoot a "wrong" pig.

All pigs are the right one to shoot.

You ever lived in a house full of Girls? Not sure I’d argue science but they seem to all hit at once.

Regardless its irrelevant because they cycle some many times year with up to three litters, then toss in of how quickly young sows hit breeding age(as in months)

Truth.

Ask a girl that shares a house while in college with 3 others. But, we're talking about pigs here.

That’s exactly my point. They all hit at once. The most assertive and best looking one doesn’t keep the other ones from starting their cycle.

The best looking one would most likely get laid first, diminishing the chances of the others getting hit. In my scenario anyway.

Yep, the off season has begun.........

Had to do something, this place is dying.

If there is a bore they are all getting bred. That’s why I always shoot sows.

Hmmmm

One day I’m gonna get a big boar mounted w its mouth open

I think that’s a Cajun thing but I still want just one

First couple that line up

^^^This^^.

And I always start with the biggest or most paranoid sow in the group. Eliminate the older and wiser - especially if they're actively feeding at the time. The younger ones will return to the food sources quicker in the following days after being shot at vs an older wiser pig.

^^THIS^^

Yep, they may be some biological selection, but until proven to me, I will continue shooting big sows first, then the next target of opportunity.

I had a sounder start showing up a few weeks ago - no mature sows or boars, but all young...maybe half 20 - 30 pounds and the rest piglets from 10-20 pounds. I have trapped or shot 8 from the group so far. Predators may have gotten some of the smaller ones, and now seem to have put enough pressure on them that they have either moved on or simply changed their patterns.

Even though they are young, best to clear them out as much as possible before they mature and start reproducing. Just these 8, once breeder age, would make HUNDREDS of offspring in the next generation. Bottom line, there is no way to eradicate them but every one of them eliminated does make an impact...even if it is a tiny fraction of a fraction.