HuntingNet.com Forums - Released black tails?

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ORIGINAL: R.S.B.

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ORIGINAL: BTBowhunter

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ORIGINAL: R.S.B.

Even if they do get out they are still someone’s property. So, even though shooting them wouldn’t be a violation of the game law it would still be punishable under the crimes code.

That doesn’t mean there is no punishment for releasing them, allowing them to escape or allowing them to roam free though. It is unlawful to allow them to be free so if exotics do get free we generally allow them a short period of time to capture them. If they fail to capture them then we have the responsibility of protecting the wildlife from the threat of any potential disease or harm from domesticated exotic wildlife. When the situation is warranted authorized Officers will remove the threat by either lethal or non-lethal means.

The public is not authorized to use lethal means unless otherwise directed by either Legislative or Commission regulatory action.

R.S. Bodenhorn

How does this square with all recent press regarding thePGCposition concerning the unlimited killing of hogs? If I recall correctly, the perception exists that any "wild" hog is fair and legal game. How would it be handled if the hogs just escaped from a preserve and the hunter didn't know ? I also can remember a few years back, an article stating that some escaped rams were legal game. Is the law different for different escaped exotics?

In the cases you are talking about no one is claiming ownership or trying to recover their property. In those cases when it is deemed in the best interest of the native wildlife either the agency will remove the offending exotic or announce that hunters my kill them as opportunity presents.

The point I am attempting to make is that a person can find them selves in a lot of trouble and paying a high cost if they just take it upon themselves to kill an exotic animal when they see one in the wild. The best policy is to report it to the authorities and then be guided by their advice.

R.S. Bodenhorn

Thanks for pointing that out. I know that I, for one, had the perception, based on past media coverage, that escaped exotics were considered fair game. I'd bet that there are a lot of folks out there who have the same idea based on the recent press about all the escaped hogs.