Friday, February 27, 2009

Shooting Pigs from Choppers?

The Vicksburg Post had and article about the great state of Texas that may let hunters shoot pigs from choppers. A state lawmaker is proposing to allow ordinary Texans with rifles and shotguns to shoot the voracious, tusked animal from helicopters. For years, ranchers in the Lone Star State have hired professional hunters in choppers to thin the hogs’ fast-multiplying ranks. Now the state wants to bring more firepower to the task by issuing permits to sportsmen. The bill has not yet been assigned to a committee, and its chances of becoming law are uncertain. But if approved, the program could be the first of its kind in the nation. Some other states, like Gov. Sarah Palin’s Alaska, allow aerial shooting, but only to control predators such as wolves.
An estimated 2 million wild hogs are causing $52 million a year in crop damage in Texas, according to agricultural experts. Pigs that they are, they eat just about anything including the carcasses of their own brethren and tramples crops.

The pasture-wrecking porkers are causing trouble well beyond farms. Authorities in Texas are reporting an increase in collisions between hogs and cars, while golf courses and suburbs are increasing finding turf uprooted by hogs.

With that said, here in Mississippi we need to eradicate these hogs that are at the famous Christmas Place Plantation and Hunting Club right now. This weekend Bob and I have been invited by Rex to come up and help shoot these porky critters. Hopefully, we will make a good shot as Phillip did on his weekend hog hunt at the Tejon Ranch in California. Do we need to hire a chopper? What do you think?


Phillip pictured here with his sow after a shot in the forehead at 10 feet! Congrats Phillip!

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5 comments:

  1. CDGardens10:00 AM

    Those hogs just seem to adapt to any kind of conditions.

    I know there are some hogs at Christmas Place that have Marian's and Bob's written on their sides.

    Have fun! ;)

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  2. SimplyOutdoors2:49 PM

    I think if the problem is that bigger, and you can afford to hunt out of a chopper, than so be it.

    Or we could just send you, Bob, Rex, and Phillip down there to take care of the problem.

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  3. Anonymous10:38 AM

    I have never hunted hogs before but, I can certainly understand the need to thin them out. What I don't understand is what's the difference between hunting them on the ground compared to hunting them from the air.

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  4. Long Ridge Deer Camp2:51 PM

    We don't have that many up here in the North, some Russian Boars, but not many. There is an open season on them, but we could never find them by 'copter under this canaoy. I've never hunted them but it soes sound fun...Jack

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  5. deerslayer9:47 AM

    Marian; hog hunting at the Christmas Place Plantation with Rex could actually be alot of fun. It seems as though hogs are becoming a problem everywhere. Here in Tennessee we are urged to shoot as many as we can to help thin them out. I've never hunted them but it sounds like fun and I may take that up this year instead of deer hunting. Good luck to everyone at the hog hunt at Christmas Place Plantation.

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Have a Blessed day and please come back! :)