Topic: Giant Hog

[Stuart]

Thanks, Eric.

What ever happened to "catch and release?"

[Johnm]

Thanks for the link, Eric.  Ugh, that dude is ugly as blue mud.

[Stuart]

We like to joke about them, but like all invasive species, they're no laughing matter.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/28/us/hunting-ranches-resist-efforts-to-curb-feral-swine.html?hp&_r=0

[Mr.OMuck]

This article just makes me think we should outlaw hunting rifles too. I find the whole Idea of "hunting ranches" absolutely repugnant.
Here's something I wrote in a facebook discussion that pertains.
"While people are straining nerves , budgets and imaginations in an attempt to ascertain whether or not there is intelligent life "somewhere in the universe" we are surrounded by it here on Earth and by a million languages which we are too undeveloped to recognize as such. The literature of the birds will one day astound us. The epics of the ants will rival Homer. The wisdom of the ruminants will humble us and the nose of the canid will unravel every medical mystery."


And then there's this:
A German Shepherd went to a Western Union telegram office, took out a blank form and wrote:
"Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof."
The clerk examined the paper and politely told the dog, "There are only nine words here. You could send another "Woof" for the same price."
"But," the dog replied, "That would make no sense at all."

[Stuart]

More feral hog news:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/23/opinion/bruni-malicious-but-delicious.html

[Kokomo O]

My bad. I read this article with great interest on the day of publication, and simply forgot the high level of interest in feral hogs here on this country blues and ragtime guitar internet forum. I now realize that I did a great disservice by failing to post a link. I'll try not to let it happen again.

[Gumbo]

I now realize that I did a great disservice by failing to post a link.

Oink!!

[Stuart]

... the high level of interest in feral hogs here on this country blues and ragtime guitar internet forum...

I think you meant to say, "...the high level of interest in country blues and ragtime here on this giant / feral hog internet forum..."

[Norfolk Slim]

The thread that just won't die!

Mmmmm Bacon.

 

[thickpete]

Nothing strange about craving pigmeat!

[alyoung]

Big pigs go world-wide....

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10885580

The text probably requires a little explanation. The hunting method is back-to-basics. The two hunters went out with their four dogs and armed with bayonet-style knives. No guns. Once the dogs bailed up the pig, the hunters went in with their knives to "stick" it -- stab it to death. Needless to say, the pig takes a dim view of this, so it's a bit fraught for all involved. (Bear Grylls has been to New Zealand... but he's regarded here as a bit of a softie.) 

[Kokomo O]

OK, so I too crave pigmeat, but I didn't realize I was supposed to report on reports of wild pigmeat. Like I said, I won't screw up again.

That story from NZ is pretty amazing. I've actually been to Wairarapa, but didn't go on a wild boar hunt. Kinda glad about that.

[Rivers]

The language in the NZ article cracked me up, having lived there for a long time (24 years). Took me right back.

I heard a couple of hair raising stories from folks encountering big angry pigs out in the NZ bush, one of them was a mother protecting her piglets.

Carrying a bayonet sounds like a good idea, but a big ass shotgun might be better if you're not exactly Rambo.

Grilled wild pork is delicious, I have to say.

[Kokomo O]

Grilled wild pork is delicious, I have to say.

Well, now, that's exactly why you would crave pigmeat, ain't it? Unless of course you're referring to some other kind of pigmeat.

[Rivers]

I had some diving friends in NZ who ran a fishing boat out of Houhoura, Northland. They had some jet black feral hogs and naturally they got to eat a lot of fish guts, heads, tails, fins and so on.

The pork tasted fishy and generally disgusting. A heavy wood smoke would probably have fixed it.