It is illegal to hunt wild boar in Alberta

[10x]

It is illegal to hunt wild boar in Alberta on crown land. The claim is that wild boar populations apparently increase faster when there is hunting pressure.
Sad thing is that wild boar populations increase faster when there is habitat with few limiting factors. Hunting has very little to do with increases.
The reality is that dead pigs do not breed. The more pigs that die and are eaten, the fewer are left to breed.

https://www.alberta.ca/wild-boar-in-alberta

 

[new]

That seems bass ackwards

 

[Redneck Hippy]

Man, I sure hope they bring in some “professional hunters” in helicopters with silencer equipped AR-15’s again!
That would be awesome!!!

 

[Suther]

Hunting has very little to do with increases.
The reality is that dead pigs do not breed. The more pigs that die and are eaten, the fewer are left

That would be true if slob Hunters didn't do dumb #### like transport them to new areas and purposely leave some alive to ensure they have pigs to hunt next year.

Plus attempting to kill pigs may not DIRECTLY increase numbers, but it does a few other things that lead to increased numbers: dispersion, turning them more nocturnal, and giving them a greater fear of humans, all of which make controlling populations harder.

 

[Suther]

That seems bass ackwards

At face value it does, but this is one of those situations where 1) hunters can't get it done (look at the South, no bag limits, hunting at night, suppressors, and yet numbers are still climbing); and 2) a small group of hunters make really bad decisions with regards to pigs - they didn't walk from Texas to Pennsylvania, someone drove them.


If pigs get established then hopefully hunting seasons will become a thing, but until then allowing hunting is detrimental to the goal of keeping them from becoming established in the first place.

 

[Rman]

Well... give it enough time and there will be a club created to protect them. They can harmonize with the "wild" horses.
Folks in Subarus will be out feeding them fawning about how majestic they are.
R.

 

[Rman]

At face value it does, but this is one of those situations where 1) hunters can't get it done (look at the South, no bag limits, hunting at night, suppressors, and yet numbers are still climbing); and 2) a small group of hunters make really bad decisions with regards to pigs - they didn't walk from Texas to Pennsylvania, someone drove them.


If pigs get established then hopefully hunting seasons will become a thing, but until then allowing hunting is detrimental to the goal of keeping them from becoming established in the first place.

How is killing something detrimental to it becoming established? That's usually a fairly good solution?
R.

 

[Suther]

How is killing something detrimental to it becoming established? That's usually a fairly good solution?
R.

Hunters don't want their target species to be eradicated though. If hunting works then the USA wouldn't be swimming in them.

You need to look at it from a population perspective, not an individual animal perspective. Otherwise you're likely to draw conclusions that only apply at the individual level, and that's not what's important when discussing something like the establishment of a population in a new landscape.


Coyotes are another example where the population effects of hunting can be counter-intuitive if you only think about the individual level effects.

 

[Hand Skills]

Sounds like rhetoric straight out of Ontario.

I think the biologists have a point - the claim is that hunting pressure fractures pods and causes stress, so by hunting not only are we educating them and turning them nocturnal, we are supercharging the reproductive drive.

Most effective means of control is baiting and trapping. Better chance of trapping the whole pod jf they are uneducated.

It'll be interesting to see what kind of control strategies are actually implemented, that's for sure

 

[I Dont Care About You]

Man, I sure hope they bring in some “professional hunters” in helicopters with silencer equipped AR-15’s again!
That would be awesome!!!

I'm going down to Texas in April to do just that. Trip of a lifetime.

 

[Rman]

Not sure what you're trying to say? Regardless of the perspective, killing everything, or as much of a population as possible makes it more difficult to establish.
Are you suggesting that Alberta hunters will move boar from one area to another? The link posted says that is against the law.
Any introduced species that is detrimental to a native species should be eliminated. Even "wild" horses.
Surely the average Alberta hunter would rather have a healthy native game population instead of an introduced species?

R.

 

[Suther]

Not sure what you're trying to say? Regardless of the perspective, killing everything, or as much of a population as possible makes it more difficult to establish.
Are you suggesting that Alberta hunters will move boar from one area to another? The link posted says that is against the law.
Any introduced species that is detrimental to a native species should be eliminated. Even "wild" horses.
Surely the average Alberta hunter would rather have a healthy native game population instead of an introduced species?

R.

The problem is 95% of hunters could agree with you, and that remaining 5% will #### it up for everyone else.

Are you suggesting you've never seen another hunter break the law? Cause I sure have...


What I'm trying to say is your logic is flawed and you're not looking at the big picture. Big picture, allowing hunting causes more problems then it solves.


Let me ask you this: a hunter finds a group of pigs. He kills one, and sees at least 3 more take off.
Does the hunter:
A) tell everyone so a bunch of people go to that location and kill all the pigs.
B) shut the #### up and keep his little pig honey hole to himself.

In my personal experience talking to a few people that claim to have killed pigs in Alberta and Sask, it is ALWAYS the second option. If you use the search on here you aught to be able to find some examples of it.

 

[I Dont Care About You]

Any introduced species that is detrimental to a native species should be eliminated. Even "wild" horses.

How are wild horses detrimental to native species?

The number of wild horses in Alberta is tiny in comparison to native ungulates.

 

[Rman]

The problem is 95% of hunters could agree with you, and that remaining 5% will #### it up for everyone else.

Are you suggesting you've never seen another hunter break the law? Cause I sure have...


What I'm trying to say is your logic is flawed and you're not looking at the big picture. Big picture, allowing hunting causes more problems then it solves.

To encourage the establishment of an invasive species because of perceived or possible criminal activity should seem fairly silly?
Criminals do criminal things. Punishing law abiding citizens because of that leads to legislation that doesn't make any sense? Look at our current state surrounding firearms? There has been no reduction in crime.
Big picture?
Are you not suggesting that not allowing hunting is the best option, because hunters will help spread the population?
Or is what you are saying more along this line?
"the claim is that hunting pressure fractures pods and causes stress, so by hunting not only are we educating them and turning them nocturnal, we are supercharging the reproductive drive.
Most effective means of control is baiting and trapping. Better chance of trapping the whole pod jf they are uneducated.
It'll be interesting to see what kind of control strategies are actually implemented, that's for sure"
Because that sure sounds a lot like "We are from the Government, don't worry, we'll take care of it" No?

R.

 

[Rman]

How are wild horses detrimental to native species?

The number of wild horses in Alberta is tiny in comparison to native ungulates.

Every single thing a feral horse eats is meant for something that belongs. Horses don't. They aren't native, and they sure as hell aren't wild. They are feral. Exactly the same as the pigs.

R.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

I predict cronyism within government and a lucrative contract to someone's best buddy or family member.

 

[Rman]

Let me ask you this: a hunter finds a group of pigs. He kills one, and sees at least 3 more take off.
Does the hunter:
A) tell everyone so a bunch of people go to that location and kill all the pigs.
B) shut the #### up and keep his little pig honey hole to himself.

In my personal experience talking to a few people that claim to have killed pigs in Alberta and Sask, it is ALWAYS the second option. If you use the search on here you aught to be able to find some examples of it.

Yeah... it does seem to be an Alberta and Sask thing. Probably the lack of crown land?
In my personal experience, rural BC folks wouldn't just tell you where they are, they'd offer to take you there as well.

R.

 

[Rman]

I predict cronyism within government and a lucrative contract to someone's best buddy or family member.

Similar to a $7 million dollar bill to cull some ostriches?

R.

 

[boxhitch]

It is illegal to hunt wild boar in Alberta on crown land.

then there must still be lots of opportunity
for those few that want to actually get out and do it

 

[inthehizzy]

Ontario made the six wild boar farms cull their livestock for fear of them breaking loose and reproducing in the wild.
I buy regularly from Hans and Marianne from Trillium Meadows Red Deer & Wild Boar Farm out of Vankleek Hill (near Higginsons & Beau’s Brewery). Was able to get some of the last of his boar meat before he had to switch to heritage pork (red wattle).

Was always a fun trip to Vankleek Hill….I’d road trip to pick up bullets (and powder), boar and beer all in one go!