A report from along the Canada/U.S. border in North Central Montana has made us aware of a large invasion force waiting for the perfect time to strike and make their way south. For the last two years the federal government has been patrolling the border via helicopter and airplane searching for these terrorists that are bound and determined to invade the Rocky Mountain front.
Russian hybrid boars have been expanding their range in Saskatchewan and other provinces for the last 25 years. They were first brought to Saskatchewan and raised for high fenced hunting but they escaped and bred with domestic pigs to create hairy hybrids that flourish in the harsh northern regions of the world.
Studies have shown that they have been growing at a rate of 9% a year in Canada and the U.S. has feared their expansion to the south as they are considered ecological trainwrecks. FWP is trying to do all they can to keep them out of the state and the hogs carry a full eradication classification, the Senate even passed a bill to help maintain a wild boar free state. The bill carries a minimum $2000 fine if you are caught, transporting, importing, possessing or having anything to do with feral swine.
It’s been proven that hunting does little to prevent the spread of these porcine plunderers. They are crafty, are most active during the night and hide very easily. Not only do they cause enormous crop damage across the U.S. every year, they can allegedly carry up to 89 different parasites and diseases that can be transferred to other animals. Its appears it is inevitable that these wild pigs will make their way into Montana at some point, it’s just a matter of time.
So how will this affect big game hunting in Montana? No one knows yet but, hey, maybe wild bacon will keep the plethora of grizzly bears, wolves and coyotes busy and take some stress off of our big game herds. I’d be ok with that! What do you think?
10 comments
Fake news. I’ve lived and hunted on the Alberta/Montana border all my life and never once seen a wild hog.
Shaun, May be but I have hunted the same area in Texas for years and the only time I see feral pigs is when they are the specific target. Prolific, intelligent and destructive. For yet folks up there I hope it’s fake news
Google it!
In Texas we have found that swine multiply exponentially faster than either animal or human predators can kill them. Sows give birth to 5 litters every 2 years and litters frequently number over 10. They are amazing and not in a good way
No night hunting. Bounty program discontinued even in the face of evidence of effectiveness. Loss of hunters and capable outdoorsman by overwhelming regulation.
I highly doubt this will be the same problem is MT.
Most of our southeastern predators fail to impact swine. The sows will fiercely protect the young so coyotes, even black bears don’t really slow the spread. Their most effective wild predators on swine are bobcats which limits predation to piglets. Effectiveness is due to their ability to get up out of the sows reach with small piglets. Hope you don’t get the swine problem!
BUILD-THAT-WALL!! Oh wait…
Now THAT’S FUNNY!