wildhogs

[CrumbSnatcher]

watching a show on discovery called pigbomb. is abbeville GA. anywhere near the trail? i think its central georgia? the wild pigs are crossbreeding and getting bigger and meaner every year. the population is out of control all over the world. the biggest ones being in central russia. in 99' i saw a pitcure of a 500lb. one, caught just outside the smokies and wieghed with a forklight/scale. anyone ever run one across one on the trail?

[skinewmexico]

Feral hogs are out of control everywhere. Just a matter of time until they gang up on someone. And also just a matter of time until predators catch up to the food supply. Hogs will probably be the real reason every carries on the AT some day.

[aaronthebugbuffet]

Last spring I did a 75 mile loop in The Smokies. I saw so many I stopped counting. A lot of piglets too. They were really tearing up the place.

[Doughnut]

Abbeville is no where near the trail. it's in south central GA. There are a few hog hunting farms there, they raise the pigs for sportsman.

If you saw the "Hogzilla" episode on Discovery or the National Geographic special, that's near Abbeville.

DoughNut

[CrumbSnatcher]

they are trying to figure out if the american wild hogs are cross breeding with a species from europe. some of the wild boars in russia are as big as 700lbs. which would mean the hogzilla factor is true and will get alot worse. the show had a bunch of hunters with dogs trying to capture pigs so they could get hair samples for testing. if you get a chance try to catch the show on discovery PIGBOMB.

[Frick Frack]

We saw a pack of them on our sobo when we were in GA...they were around Poplar Stamp somewhere. I have seen boar in GSMNP but these were HUGE in comparison. They were tall, muscular and very dark colored. They paid no attention to us until I opened my camera case and the noise caused them to stair at us for almost a minute (seemed like forever) then one of them clicked his jaws and they all ran off. They were very intimidating. The trail was torn up immensely where we saw them.

[CrumbSnatcher]

yeah the boars are a totally different ballgame than the little piggies. they tryed to capture one on the show on a motion detector camera. but all they seen on the photos were the eyes of one slightly in the distance(in the dark,with the eyes glowing in the dark) and the eyes were 4 ft. off the ground. i've heard even the bears don't mess with the boars! in the show it shows a bunch of dogs being attacked and bitten by the boars.

[mikec]

Back in the 90's the AT Companion warned about them in the Smokies. I never saw one. I did see a History channel documentary where someone got gored by one. They defend themselves with their tusks. If they gore you on your leg and cut an artery in the backcountry, you're a goner.

[Newb]

fortunately, they can't climb. If one is coming after you get up a tree asap. Even shimmying up just a few feet can save you.

[MintakaCat]

I've seen them in the GSMNP as far back as 35 years ago in Cades Cove. Easy to see them in those fields around sunset.

[4eyedbuzzard]

.357 + BBQ grill = problem solved

[ASUGrad]

People in Giles County have been releasing farm hogs into the wild around Dismal Falls. There is no season on hogs in Va so they can hunt them anytime they wish.

[1azarus]

so how high do ya have to hang a hammock -- that would be to avoid the horns....

[Spogatz]

Just pull out a bottle of BBQ sauce and they will run away....

[chelko]

I spoke with a wildlife management ranger in the smokies last fall and he said they have an ongoing effort to hunt the hogs and try to eliminate them from the park because of the damage they do to the trails and surrounding forest floor. I asked why if the hunting was going on do we never hear gun shots while hiking. He explained that they use a 30 caliber rifle that shoots a large 180grain bullet at a velocity slower than the speed of sound so as not to disturb park visitors or other wildlife. Found it interesting for what its worth.

[bigmac_in]

I spoke with a wildlife management ranger in the smokies last fall and he said they have an ongoing effort to hunt the hogs and try to eliminate them from the park because of the damage they do to the trails and surrounding forest floor. I asked why if the hunting was going on do we never hear gun shots while hiking. He explained that they use a 30 caliber rifle that shoots a large 180grain bullet at a velocity slower than the speed of sound so as not to disturb park visitors or other wildlife. Found it interesting for what its worth.

I call BS on the bullet story. . .

[drastic_quench]

.357 + BBQ grill = problem solved

Better cook the hell out of it. Wild hogs have a very high rate of trichinosis.

[SloHiker]

I call BS on the bullet story. . .

Plausible story actually .... you'd be surprised how much "wildlife management" is conducted by various public officials right under your nose - especially in urban areas where it is politically incorrect to "cull" anything that might offend someone.

The sub-sonic ammo trick only does away with the "crack" of the bullet as it breaks the sound barrier -which is the part you hear from long distance. Some urban culling operations routinely use suppressed firearms, as well.

[Gray Blazer]

No, my ex-wife lives in Gainesville, FL.

[Pedaling Fool]

I spoke with a wildlife management ranger in the smokies last fall and he said they have an ongoing effort to hunt the hogs and try to eliminate them from the park because of the damage they do to the trails and surrounding forest floor....

Makes you wonder, if we can cause the extinction of so many animals, why can't we do the same with the hog?