Caught 4 small feral hogs at a time, this morning

[Eagle1]

I'm right over by Cherryville and we haven't seen any. Thankful for that. My tractor tire fixer in Bixby said he gave up waiting for the MDC and just shoots 'em.

We did not have until 2 years ago but then they were around for 6 months or so. I got them to move on after that, but they'll be back. My little dogs chasing them off help a lot, just like coyotes.

 

[Eagle1]

An M-16 is a .223. The AR10 can also come in .223.

To get more of the hogs, you need more hunters, provided they know what they are doing. If you fear the hog, get in a tree stand. Haven't heard of hogs that climb well.

Can't per MDC legally, not scared but not a fan of them bothering me when I'm hunting squirrel or deer. We have the orange army invade every fall but they make too much noise out in the woods.

 

[Fixastuff]

The AR10 can also come in .223.

That "might" be possible but I've never seen one in .223. Why would you take the effort to do this?

 

[jaxs]

I have comments on op's trap after which I have comments on feral hog control in general. I don't mean to beat you up,more so help you catch more hogs. The boar in your trap is 100% domestic that hasn't been free for long. A hog that size born in the wild would go berserk when anyone approached and run through your trap like a screen door. Some smaller ones in first video are possibly offspring of boar in second vid and the sow was probably domestic blood as well. The Hampshire influence would be gone by the second generation if interbred with Eurasian blood. What that tells us is someone is releasing hogs and should be prosecuted or whipped.
I would suggest building a strong pen at least 16'x8' with root gates or saloon gates. First gate entering a 4'x8' section and a secouund gate from there into main pen. Your present trap could be improved by putting a board or plywood along bottom to make it easier for hogs to lift gate and enter after it has closed.
To do meaningful control requires cooperation of everyone in a large area. 25 sq miles at minimum, larger is better. Sounders travel and might tear a field up in one night then be gone for weeks before hitting same or adjoining field again. For that reason a Facebook page or bulletin board in a public place is a lot of help. Every time the sounder is seen,time and place is posted so that trappers know when they are heading their direction to bait traps. Time.place and number trapped is posted as well. County Commissioners and state authorities should be lobbied to pass ordinances forbidding transportation of live or release of feral hogs. An ordinance should forbid release of domestic or imported hogs into free range.
Where a guy has a small place and no community cooperation, chasing them off with dogs is more effective and easier than trapping.

 

[Eagle1]

MO MDC is not learning from TX. They are convinced that their trappers will eradicate the hogs. Despite not being able to even get to wild places around here. So far they are catching less than 10% (or something like that), TX says if you don't kill 90% your population grows....
Missouri Feral Hog Density

 

[Eagle1]

That "might" be possible but I've never seen one in .223. Why would you take the effort to do this?

Might build a 10 one of these day but I have a 308 and several other 30 cal or better. I was toying with a 350 but prefer my Marlin in 35 Rem. Maybe a 450 bushmaster upper.... who knows.

 

[Eagle1]

I'm right over by Cherryville and we haven't seen any. Thankful for that. My tractor tire fixer in Bixby said he gave up waiting for the MDC and just shoots 'em.

Well your not far, just made a couple trips hauling some hay down Cherryville road. Always love the sign on AA "pavement ends" even so it is sorta kinda paved between the holes.
I live on gravel and the county grades maybe once a year, twice if it floods real bad.
From what I see the hogs live hanging in thick woods and brush along the creeks and come out at night to feed. Once they get pressure they move on for a spell.

 

[jkk04]

I have comments on op's trap after which I have comments on feral hog control in general. I don't mean to beat you up,more so help you catch more hogs. The boar in your trap is 100% domestic that hasn't been free for long. A hog that size born in the wild would go berserk when anyone approached and run through your trap like a screen door. Some smaller ones in first video are possibly offspring of boar in second vid and the sow was probably domestic blood as well. The Hampshire influence would be gone by the second generation if interbred with Eurasian blood. What that tells us is someone is releasing hogs and should be prosecuted or whipped.
I would suggest building a strong pen at least 16'x8' with root gates or saloon gates. First gate entering a 4'x8' section and a secouund gate from there into main pen. Your present trap could be improved by putting a board or plywood along bottom to make it easier for hogs to lift gate and enter after it has closed.
To do meaningful control requires cooperation of everyone in a large area. 25 sq miles at minimum, larger is better. Sounders travel and might tear a field up in one night then be gone for weeks before hitting same or adjoining field again. For that reason a Facebook page or bulletin board in a public place is a lot of help. Every time the sounder is seen,time and place is posted so that trappers know when they are heading their direction to bait traps. Time.place and number trapped is posted as well. County Commissioners and state authorities should be lobbied to pass ordinances forbidding transportation of live or release of feral hogs. An ordinance should forbid release of domestic or imported hogs into free range.
Where a guy has a small place and no community cooperation, chasing them off with dogs is more effective and easier than trapping.

The building a strong pen at least 16'x8' with root gates trap could be a matter of surrounding neighborhoods.

I don't think I can make it by myself.

I will contact all my neighbors to know what is going on with feral hogs around this area.

Thank you for your suggestions.

 

[jaxs]

You did a fine job welding the trap and no doubt can build the gates and everything else is 16' panels tied to tee post driven into ground. I see it as only fair neighbors chip in to buy material and those that can't afford to chip in can pound posts and tie panels.

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

You actually get winter in Northern California, right? I would think the hogs would hate that.
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Studying the biology and some history of feral pigs says so much of the population has some degree of Eurasian Wild Boar, Russian boar, that they can indeed thrive in cold climates..
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is hunting with guns effective, or even permitted ? I know that they have been thinking about this problem / solution for years.
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Yes and no it seems... Again studying the efforts of trappers in the US south saying shooting will many times split up a sounder of hogs into smaller groups that form there own sounders.. Like said typical sounders seem to range from 10 - 30 animals..

Hogs have been in southern Alberta for a while now and they did not want you to shoot pigs as there effort was geared towards trapping, elimination of the whole sounder at once.. My brother in law in northern Alberta does custom plant, harvest, feed lot cleaning work.. He says he sees a lot of hogs now.. That area has a bounty on hogs shot and turned in...

Scardychicken.... If there are feral hogs in BC I would expect it to be the lowest of the lower mainland.. ?? Also, yes, my red neck, Cajun, swamp savage Gulf coast cousins say it is VERY good eating... But at times they are not very picky what they cook up.... Best not to question what is in the pot at times.. Maybe that is why they use so much hot sauce... eh...