Feral hogs are so destructive
they have been declared fair game and are spreading across Michigan.

---

HERE PIGGY!!:
Open Season on Wild Boar Rooting in Most Michigan Counties

Highest Concentration of Feral Pigs is in Midland County, DNR Reports

September 16, 2012
By: Dave Rogers

Growing them is illegal, but hunting them is encouraged.

"Them" is feral pigs, wild boars.

A ban on raising wild boars took effect on April 1 in Michigan to deal with the state's growing invasion.

Under the ban, game ranches in Michigan can no longer possess wild boars. Many wild boars escape from game ranches, and go on to damage crops, carry disease and pose harm to humans and other animals. The hogs have been spotted in 72 of Michigan's 83 counties, reports the DNR.

In fact the tri-county area of Midland, Bay and Saginaw is the center of boar activity, with 31 sightings or kills last year (see map below). Midland led the state with six sightings and 15 kills in 2011.

The state has declared open season on the destructive wild pigs and you can hunt them anytime with just about any weapon.

There is currently a year-round open season on wild boars in Michigan. A person with any type of valid license or a concealed pistol permit may take a hog on public property. Michigan is even considering putting up a bounty for taking the boars.

In just a few years, after a few pigs escaped from a farm in Midland County, Michigan has gone hog wild.

But enough with the swine analogies.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) reports that, like other Midwestern states, Michigan is experiencing a growing problem with feral or wild swine.

"Thirty years ago, there were no feral swine sightings reported in Michigan. By the end of 2011, more than 340 feral swine had been spotted in 72 of Michigan's 83 counties, and 286 have been reported killed.

A sow can have two litters a year of four to six piglets. Based on their prolific breeding practices, it is estimated that feral swine in Michigan currently could number between 1,000 and 3,000.

Feral swine are a problem for two main reasons - they can host many parasites and diseases that threaten humans, domestic livestock and wildlife; and they can cause extensive damage to forests, agricultural lands and Michigan's water resources.

Voluntary inspections continue to protect Michigan farms, natural resources against invasive swine. On April 17 and 18, 2012, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources conducted six inspections of properties that in the past may have possessed swine that are prohibited in Michigan. The compliance inspections were conducted with the full consent of the property owners. Each of the properties was found to be free of prohibited swine.

The inspections were the most recent action taken by the DNR to enforce a December 2010 Invasive Species Order declaring a particular species of swine prohibited in Michigan. To date the department has conducted a total of 18 voluntary compliance inspections to enforce the Invasive Species Order. All the inspections were conducted on game ranches and breeding facilities.

"A Pickup Load of Pigs," The Feral Swine Pandemic Video, made available by the Mississippi State University Extension Service, addresses the issue of wild pigs as a nuisance species of growing concern. The film discusses the biology, behavior and distribution of wild pigs, and the damage and threats they present to native wildlife, agriculture, forestry and public health in the United States.

Some conservationist groups believe that there are no benefits to having the hogs around besides sport hunting.

"We should think of these things not as game animals but as 300-pound cockroaches," said Pat Rusz, Director of Wildlife Programs at the Michigan Wildlife Conservancy.

Game ranchers of course, argue the ban will hurt their business.

###