What do you guys think of this......
01-04-2008, 06:33 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Allegheny County, Pa
Posts: 39
What do you guys think of this......
GAME COMMISSION BEGINS DRAFTING REGULATIONS FOR WILD BOARS
HARRISBURG - In response to a recent state Supreme Court ruling, Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today directed staff to begin developing regulations to allow the incidental taking of wild boars during certain hunting seasons. The draft regulations are expected to be ready for the Board of Game Commissioners to consider as part of its Jan. 29 meeting agenda.
"On Dec. 27, a Supreme Court ruling, in effect, classified wild boars as 'protected mammals,'" Roe said. "Prior to the court's ruling, the Game Commission had no regulatory oversight or authority for wild boars. Now, we are seeking to clarify and appropriately regulate the protection of wild boars that was put in place by the court."
Roe stressed that wild boars are not native to the Commonwealth and are classified as an invasive species by the Pennsylvania Invasive Species Council.
"Wild boars found in the state are either domestic pigs, Eurasian wild boars, descendants of European and Asian hogs, or hybrids of these species that have escaped or been released," Roe said. "They should not be confused with the javelina, or collared peccary, which is native to the southwestern and southern U.S. and northern Mexico.
"Wild boars may weigh more than 400 pounds and are very prolific; they can produce litters of 8 to 12 young and can have two litters per year. They are extremely destructive to crops, wildlife habitat and the environment, and they are a danger to wildlife and domestic animals and a threat to the pork industry, especially since they are carriers of diseases and parasites that can infect livestock, wildlife and humans."
Roe noted that wild boars root and wallow, which destroys wildlife habitats. Destruction includes erosion along waterways and wetlands and the loss of native plants. Additionally, wild boars compete for food with deer, bears, turkeys, squirrels and many other birds and mammals. They are predators of small mammals and deer fawns as well as ground-nesting birds such as turkeys, ovenbirds and grouse including their nests and young.
Breeding populations are believed to currently exist in only Bedford and Cambria counties, where pregnant females and young have recently been seen and killed. Damage caused by feral hogs to wildlife, habitat and property has been reported in the southwest, southcentral and northeast regions of the state. Two additional counties, Montgomery and Warren, have unconfirmed sightings of young and/or pregnant sows.
While no feral hogs in Pennsylvania have tested positive for any infectious diseases as yet, feral hogs are known to carry 18 viral diseases, 10 of which can infect people; and 10 bacterial diseases, all of which cause disease in humans. Feral hogs are reservoirs for numerous parasites that can affect people, pets, livestock or wildlife.
As wild boars were not considered "wildlife" prior to the court's ruling, Roe said that hunters had been permitted to take them without regard to state hunting laws or regulations. However, with the ruling in place, wild boars are protected and may not be killed until the Game Commission takes action to implement a regulation to allow such action.
Roe also noted that the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania Pork Producers Council are sponsoring research in Pennsylvania. The Wildlife Services Division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania Game Commission are collaborating to trap wild boars and collect blood and tissue samples. Wild boars captured as part of these surveillance programs are not returned to the wild, they are humanely dispatched.
A Pennsylvania task force also has been established to locate feral hog populations and help address the concerns caused by their presence. The task force consists of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the PennAg Industry Association, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Penn State University, the Pennsylvania Audubon Society and the Pennsylvania Pork Producers Council
HARRISBURG - In response to a recent state Supreme Court ruling, Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today directed staff to begin developing regulations to allow the incidental taking of wild boars during certain hunting seasons. The draft regulations are expected to be ready for the Board of Game Commissioners to consider as part of its Jan. 29 meeting agenda.
"On Dec. 27, a Supreme Court ruling, in effect, classified wild boars as 'protected mammals,'" Roe said. "Prior to the court's ruling, the Game Commission had no regulatory oversight or authority for wild boars. Now, we are seeking to clarify and appropriately regulate the protection of wild boars that was put in place by the court."
Roe stressed that wild boars are not native to the Commonwealth and are classified as an invasive species by the Pennsylvania Invasive Species Council.
"Wild boars found in the state are either domestic pigs, Eurasian wild boars, descendants of European and Asian hogs, or hybrids of these species that have escaped or been released," Roe said. "They should not be confused with the javelina, or collared peccary, which is native to the southwestern and southern U.S. and northern Mexico.
"Wild boars may weigh more than 400 pounds and are very prolific; they can produce litters of 8 to 12 young and can have two litters per year. They are extremely destructive to crops, wildlife habitat and the environment, and they are a danger to wildlife and domestic animals and a threat to the pork industry, especially since they are carriers of diseases and parasites that can infect livestock, wildlife and humans."
Roe noted that wild boars root and wallow, which destroys wildlife habitats. Destruction includes erosion along waterways and wetlands and the loss of native plants. Additionally, wild boars compete for food with deer, bears, turkeys, squirrels and many other birds and mammals. They are predators of small mammals and deer fawns as well as ground-nesting birds such as turkeys, ovenbirds and grouse including their nests and young.
Breeding populations are believed to currently exist in only Bedford and Cambria counties, where pregnant females and young have recently been seen and killed. Damage caused by feral hogs to wildlife, habitat and property has been reported in the southwest, southcentral and northeast regions of the state. Two additional counties, Montgomery and Warren, have unconfirmed sightings of young and/or pregnant sows.
While no feral hogs in Pennsylvania have tested positive for any infectious diseases as yet, feral hogs are known to carry 18 viral diseases, 10 of which can infect people; and 10 bacterial diseases, all of which cause disease in humans. Feral hogs are reservoirs for numerous parasites that can affect people, pets, livestock or wildlife.
As wild boars were not considered "wildlife" prior to the court's ruling, Roe said that hunters had been permitted to take them without regard to state hunting laws or regulations. However, with the ruling in place, wild boars are protected and may not be killed until the Game Commission takes action to implement a regulation to allow such action.
Roe also noted that the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania Pork Producers Council are sponsoring research in Pennsylvania. The Wildlife Services Division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania Game Commission are collaborating to trap wild boars and collect blood and tissue samples. Wild boars captured as part of these surveillance programs are not returned to the wild, they are humanely dispatched.
A Pennsylvania task force also has been established to locate feral hog populations and help address the concerns caused by their presence. The task force consists of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the PennAg Industry Association, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Penn State University, the Pennsylvania Audubon Society and the Pennsylvania Pork Producers Council
01-04-2008, 08:52 PM
#2
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 321
RE: What do you guys think of this......
The Game Commission puts out a couple of hogs.
The locals shoot a couple of those hogs and runs their mouths.
The Game Commission says we have enough to have a season and to make bag limits and sell a special license.
It kind of reminds me of back in the day when they started bear season and spring gobbler season and Muzzleloader season.
The first couple of years, they let you hunt for free. After that it cost you as much as the regular license.
They ought to have a license for coyote hunters also.
They brought the Bobcat back to Pennsylvania and now they have a season and a special license.
Anything to make a BUCK!
What I want to know is when are they going to start stocking deer in Warren County? I would like to see a couple up there again!
The locals shoot a couple of those hogs and runs their mouths.
The Game Commission says we have enough to have a season and to make bag limits and sell a special license.
It kind of reminds me of back in the day when they started bear season and spring gobbler season and Muzzleloader season.
The first couple of years, they let you hunt for free. After that it cost you as much as the regular license.
They ought to have a license for coyote hunters also.
They brought the Bobcat back to Pennsylvania and now they have a season and a special license.
Anything to make a BUCK!
What I want to know is when are they going to start stocking deer in Warren County? I would like to see a couple up there again!
01-05-2008, 10:17 AM
#6
Typical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: PA
Posts: 522
RE: What do you guys think of this......
Yep. The game commission no doubt conspired with the PA Supreme Court so they could sell feral hog tags. Yep.
Would've known a bit more about it, but musta had my tinfoil cap on the day they sent out the thought control message to the justices on the Supreme Court?
You guys do realize that anti-hunting forces were the ones that dragged this issue before the Supreme Court as part of their campaign to rid PA of "hunting preserves", right?
Would've known a bit more about it, but musta had my tinfoil cap on the day they sent out the thought control message to the justices on the Supreme Court?
You guys do realize that anti-hunting forces were the ones that dragged this issue before the Supreme Court as part of their campaign to rid PA of "hunting preserves", right?
01-06-2008, 02:40 PM
#7
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SW PA USA
Posts: 7,220
RE: What do you guys think of this......
FYI Rifleman,
Bobcats never left and no one brought them back. they were considered varmints till the early 70's when the PGC decided their numbers were too few and they became fully protected. recently it was decided that the population could support some harvest. Dont want to spend the money on a license? DONT BUY ONE!
Bobcats never left and no one brought them back. they were considered varmints till the early 70's when the PGC decided their numbers were too few and they became fully protected. recently it was decided that the population could support some harvest. Dont want to spend the money on a license? DONT BUY ONE!
