Alexandra Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 We live in the country and I really enjoy taking my dogs out walking. I try to go every day. Yesterday I came across a wild hog that had been killed by a vehicle. It was on the side of the road. It looked to me to weigh 300-400 or more pounds. At first I thought it was a mid-sized cow that had died. Huge. How worried should I be walking in what is now apparently wild hog territory? Are they shy, reclusive wall-flowers or mad, aggressive things? This area has not had them in the past - but they are here now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katemary63 Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Wild hogs are VERY dangerous IF you are out at night and happen upon one or it is cornered. Other then that, don't worry about it. We have 160 partially bordered by a river. The other side of the river is wild and uninhabited. We have a terrible wild hog problem and somtimes see herds of up to 30 at a time. They live and reproduce on the other side of the river and come over to our farm to feed and tear up our hay fields. You will not come across a wild hog during the day. If you are out at night in open country, you are fine. They are VERY flighty. If they see you coming, they high-tail it out of there speedy like! The problem is if you are in the woods and surprise one or if you are hunting them and you corner one. My son was jumped by a wild hog that was hiding behind a tree. It was in the middle of the night. When DS got too close to the tree, ( he didn't know the hog was there) the hog felt threatened and attacked him. He had to fight the hog off with the butt of his rifle. He now only goes out on the farm at night with his hand gun. This hog was about 400 lbs. and could have killed him. I don't mean to scare you though, I spend hours each day on our farm, even hiking in the woods ( with no weapon ) and have NEVER seen a wild hog during the day. It just doesn't happen. I wouldn't worry about it at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Our last two homes have been in areas with large wild hog populations. They have never been a problem (to people or pets.) We generally see them at night - driving home. The few times we have seen them during the day, they quickly run the other direction - into the woods. We used to have outside cats and our area has several dogs, as far as I am aware none have ever been bothered by hogs. They do have a tendency to break into the cow pastures which is a hassle for the owners. Our biggest concern is hitting one with the car at night. A neighbor nearly totaled his truck hitting a wild hog at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 We have them around here, too. And we have seen them in the day. About 2 weeks ago, something startled a bunch (herd?) of them and 20+ went running across our pastures and road. The worst problem would be being in their way. Oh, and hunters. (This could be what stirred up that bunch here.) We haven't figured out why the hogs are hunted, though. The hunters we've seen don't process the hogs for consumption. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KLynnTX Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Alexandra, My fil hunts hogs a lot!! He says you usually never see one during the day. The ones he gets are right at dusk, right before dark. He says that if you see one, they'll run the other way, unless it's cornered, or unless it's a mama pig, with babies to protect. Y'all have probably always had them in your area, it's just they stay pretty well hidden. He doesn't eat them. There are a couple of reasons he hunts them. (Besides the fact that he enjoys it). Hogs are destructive. For example, they leave big holes in coastal fields, where they've been rooting around. Then, when the fertilizer trucks come in, they hit those holes, and it tears the arm things off those trucks. Also, when anything gets overpopulated, like deer or hogs, they are more susceptible to disease. I've seen them in the daytime around here, but not many times. It is pretty unusual. Two different times they were trying so hard to get back to the brushy area they came from, and there was a fence in the way. I wouldn't be afraid to go on walks. It's probably no big deal unless you find a mama. Then, find a tree or something!!! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelli in TN Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 We generally see them at night - driving home. . Kelli gets a mental picture of a frazzled, exhausted hog with his neck tie loosened up, driving home after a long day at the office. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Kelli gets a mental picture of a frazzled, exhausted hog with his neck tie loosened up, driving home after a long day at the office. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexandra Posted April 9, 2009 Author Share Posted April 9, 2009 Kelli gets a mental picture of a frazzled, exhausted hog with his neck tie loosened up, driving home after a long day at the office. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texascamps Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 We have them around here, too. And we have seen them in the day. About 2 weeks ago, something startled a bunch (herd?) of them and 20+ went running across our pastures and road. The worst problem would be being in their way. Oh, and hunters. (This could be what stirred up that bunch here.) We haven't figured out why the hogs are hunted, though. The hunters we've seen don't process the hogs for consumption. Someone else mentioned this but Hogs are destructive and can create dangerous holes for grazing cattle or horses, and someone else mentioned tractor traps they create. They can also bully other animals. Mama Hogs are especially dangerous. They are actually very tasty. The wild hogs my husband has processed have been fantastic, even when we are field dressing them, you can smell the aroma of maple sausage from their meat. I wouldn't want to run into one though.....one of these days I think I might get a taser for when we are out hiking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katemary63 Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Hogs destroy the river bank, tear up our hay fields and compete with indigenous species. They are considered a severe problem by our fish and game people and we are urged to help controle numbers. It is against the law to breed and/ or release them although people do.:glare: Most of the wild hogs are a combination of "razorback" type wild hogs bred with ferel domestic hogs. They are extremely prolific and hardy. I hate these little buggers! People around here do eat them although the younger, smaller ones are better tasting. I think a 400 lb boar would be a bit gamey. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen sn Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 q Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen sn Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Someone else mentioned this but Hogs are destructive and can create dangerous holes for grazing cattle or horses, and someone else mentioned tractor traps they create. They can also bully other animals. Mama Hogs are especially dangerous. They are actually very tasty. The wild hogs my husband has processed have been fantastic, even when we are field dressing them, you can smell the aroma of maple sausage from their meat. I wouldn't want to run into one though.....one of these days I think I might get a taser for when we are out hiking. I imagine in this economy we're gonna start to see more and more people getting their own meat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWSJ Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Wasn't (the insane) Lancelot fighting a huge wild boar with a club, when King Arthur came upon him? Lancelot ran away into the forest. But, later he almost died from his wounds. He had to be healed with the Holy Grail. If Lancelot couldn't handle one of these creatures, then I'd think most would have trouble... :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choirfarm Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 You will not come across a wild hog during the day. If you are out at night in open country, you are fine. They are VERY flighty. If they see you coming, they high-tail it out of there speedy like! I don't mean to scare you though, I spend hours each day on our farm, even hiking in the woods ( with no weapon ) and have NEVER seen a wild hog during the day. It just doesn't happen. I wouldn't worry about it at all. Well, this isn't true, well at least where I live. I live on 50 acres and have ONLY come across them in the day and they are not flighty at all. They just stand there and stare at me. So I carefully back away. We have tons of them here in rural Texas, unfortunately. They are so destructive!! We went in the woods one time and I was reading Old Yeller aloud to them and we got to the wild hog part and my boys made me go back to the house. It scared them so badly. Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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