JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – While the Missouri Feral Hog Elimination Partnership (the Partnership) encourages private landowners to work together on trapping efforts to eliminate feral hogs, federal and state officials assure landowners feral hog hunting closures and opportunistic take regulations thankfully do not apply to private lands YET.

The Mark Twain National Forest District Ranger moved forward with prohibiting the hunting of feral hogs on public land in the Mark Twain National Forest (MTNF) in December to allow trapping of hogs to be more effective. With the District Ranger’s unilateral, and unsupervised closure of feral hog hunting in MTNF, they also announced the allowance of opportunistic take of feral hogs in the MTNF during all deer and turkey hunting seasons.

Some public land agencies closed feral hog hunting in 2016, including the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) claiming the ineffectiveness of recreational hog hunting at eliminating feral hog populations. We’re all familiar with the agency’s history of “creating” outcomes not possible in the real world. It may be the reason 40 people were recently removed from their positions and replaced. (Bird Study & Forced Conservation)

Missouri claims other states have seen similar issues with recreational hog hunting. At Fort Riley Military Installation, researchers from Kansas State University found that cage traps proved to be their most effective method of controlling a feral swine population only due to firearms regulations on a military base. They also found that public hunting of feral swine proved unsuccessful at eliminating feral hogs without the ability to use a firearm.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission claims large-scale trapping as the most effective and economical means currently available to reduce feral swine populations. We welcome the MDC and Arkansas to explain how $135 an hour crew is more cost effective than a $0.48 bullet and a hunter working for free. The state claims sport hunting of feral hogs has been more hindrance than benefit to swine removal.

In Kentucky, lawsuits created the inability of recreational hunting to control or suppress population growth among wild pigs led Kentucky to use an adaptive science -based approach which includes trapping, aerial removal, and selective shooting. Hard science still hasn’t informed the limited intellectual range of K Street, Washington lobbyists who sue to fund their own operations in the false name of protecting wildlife.

Missouri claims Tennessee attempted to control feral swine populations using no bag limits on hunting.  Missouri claims that during this period of unlimited hunting the wild hog population expanded the most. Kentucky has no idea what the hell Missouri talking about according to sources in Kentucky Fish & Game.

Shortly after the MTNF announcement, the Conservation Commission wasted no time demanding MDC propose regulation changes identical to the District Ranger Order to ensure consistency of feral hog regulations on USFS and MDC managed lands. The Commission initially approved the proposed regulation at its January 2020 commission meeting.

The changes would allow hunters with the proper unfilled deer or turkey hunting permit to take feral hogs during all deer and turkey hunting seasons and will include a formal public comment period on the rule making. This of course means you will have your benefit of a bargain denied in order to participate. That means leaving your tag and freezer unfilled.

Comments may be made on any proposed regulation at https://mdc.mo.gov/about-regulations/wildlife-code-missouri/proposed-regulation-changes.

The Commission will consider public comments at the May 2020 Commission meeting and if approved the regulation would go into effect August 31, in time for the 2020 fall deer and turkey seasons. The USFS announcement is effective immediately fully consistent with a District Ranger Order and NOT an agency order. Agency regulations are ALWAYS set to be come effective Jan 1, consistent with laws that were actually voted on by Congress.

Opportunistic take refers to takings that result from, but are not the purpose of, carrying out an otherwise lawful activity. A highly subjective term which leaves enforcement subject to pressures of agency leaders. In this case, it allows for opportunistically taking a feral hog while in pursuit of deer or turkey during the appropriate hunting seasons. Be very clear that any excuse will be used to deny you behaved lawfully. This is a continuing trope with agencies that are openly hostile toward hunters. One wonders just HOW much graft is involved.

“Opportunistic take will allow a hunter the opportunity to harvest a feral hog if they see one while hunting,” said Aaron Jeffries, a MDC Deputy Director. “During the hunting seasons there tends to be a lot of activity on public lands and trapping can be more difficult.”

Jeffries added that MDC has heard some feedback that landowners are unsure about what they can do on private land regarding feral hogs.

Landowners are unsure given the agency’s long history of selectively enforcing rules and just plain making them up in other cases. There’s no shortage of claims, lawsuits, and direct video evidence of this conduct. So let’s just not even attempt to deny it’s a thing.

“Feral hogs are not wildlife, they’re a nuisance animal and landowners can certainly defend their land against feral hogs, by using any means possible,” said Jeffries.  “However, we hope landowners will work with the Partnership to strategically trap and eliminate whole sounders of feral hogs.” (Read as be careful what you resist because funding or use permits might not be approved)

Conservation officials urge trapping because shooting into a group of feral hogs, called a sounder, is claimed to disperse the hogs in various directions. Even if feral hogs return to a bait site hours or days later where other hogs had been shot, the likelihood of being able to shoot the entire sounder is reduced. Shooting near trapping operations disturbs the hogs and they soon learn that when they come to bait they will be shot. This results to ineffective trapping efforts and can require traps to be moved to a new location.

Every hog hunter in Texas can comfortably call bullshit on that with a few hundred thousand video examples.

The Partnership’s operational plan is currently in action, providing additional trappers and resources on private and public land around MNTF, by reallocating staff from their regular duties to assist with the feral hog elimination effort. This brings us back to the 48 cent bullet and a free hunter.

Currently, the Conservation Commission is providing $1.8 million in funding to USDA for trapping services, and local MDC staff contribute more than 25,000 hours annually towards elimination efforts on private and public land. Other agencies are contributing staff and resources that will step up the effort to fight the battle against feral hogs. The new plan calls for rotating 150 MDC staff in parts of the Ozarks to speed up elimination efforts. But hey, it’s not like Missouri genuinely needs the efforts of those workers on their hired tasks.

It’s just a couple of boomer rubes…..

It’s not like their vote or tax dollars matter…..

For more information about the MTNF closure and incidental take regulation go to http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/mtnf/feralswine. For information about MDC’s regulatory process, go to https://mdc.mo.gov/about-us/about-regulations. To report feral hog sightings, request help in eliminating feral hogs on private land, or learn more about feral hogs, go to www.mdc.mo.gov/feralhog.