On the increase, Alabama’s wild hogs are also wily By Emmett Burnett
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action.” As a last resort, ernando Desoto their hunter becomes the and company hunted. loved ham. In “Most wild animals fact, pork was so beleave hogs alone,” says loved in the 1500s, when Hainds. “Unfortunately, Spanish armies marched dogs never learn. I’ve seen through the New World, hounds attack, and it is the entourage included brutal – for the hounds.” legions of pigs from the When dogs assail a threehomeland. But many to five-foot long, three-feet European swine escaped tall razor-tusked boar, the into American forests. For five centuries they Wild boars can be hunted year-round in Alabama. pig is angry. The dog is filleted. As Hainds omihave gone hog wild. Photo courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Alabama’s feral swine nously notes, “A boar can have roots from Desoto’s Spanish invasion. And just as the and will rip an attacker to shreds in minutes.” If you’re close Spaniard attempted to conquer everything in his path, so enough to see its teeth, be afraid, be very afraid. do his pigs. “They will eat anything and eat it often,” says A wild hog’s protruding tusks are continuously growScot Duncan, associate professor of biology at Birmingham- ing, self-sharpening, and three to five inches long. In attack Southern College. “Feral swine are omnivorous, just like mode the 200- to 450-pound boar lowers its head, charges us.” It adores acorns but also eats fruit, vegetation, garbage, and gouges upwards. Sows have smaller tusks, seldom used lizards, turtles, bugs, bird eggs, and will suck down a snake as weapons. But she will charge, bite and fight to the death like a strand of spaghetti. to protect her babies. “A voracious appetite makes it extremely destructive,” the As if assault with a deadly snout isn’t enough, the arprofessor adds. “Wild hogs destroy beneficial plants, causing mored oinker carries diseases, like tuberculosis, anthrax, a disruption of native trees and forests. By eating so much pseudorabies and brucellosis. All are transmittable to huvegetation, hogs cause serious land erosion problems.” mans. Just ask our Native Americans. But eating is not a pig’s only pastime. Wild hogs love love. “Five hundred years ago, Desoto wrote of vast numbers of Their breeding season is on days ending in Y. Indians roaming our forests (many of whom he massacred). They are sexually mature at 6 months. The happy, albeit But about a century later, others came to these shores and ugly, couple’s litter ranges from four to 14. Do the math; in saw little sign of these people,” Duncan says. “The prevailing five years a pair of pigs can become thousands. “We are see- theory, which I believe to be true, is that Desoto’s release of ing increases in populations where they have never been in hogs introduced diseases carried by the animals. Indians large numbers before,” notes Duncan. “I’ve seen wild hogs had no immune system to fight it. Tribal populations were decimated by some estimates of up to 90 percent.” in metro Birmingham.” That’s why in Alabama wild hogs can be hunted yearTypically, free-range porkers prefer low-lying areas near water. But they adjust quickly. “They are one of few ani- round and shot until you run out of ammo. You can trap mals that learn from your mistakes,” says Andalusia’s Mark them, but if you release it from the cage you may be put in J. Hainds, author of “Year of the Pig.” If you shoot at one one. Trap and release is against Alabama state law. And why and miss, it won’t be visible the next time. They learn who would you want to? Wild swine tastes fine. “My family is six generations of hog farmers,” notes to fear and adjust accordingly. Hog wild becomes hog savvy. Pigs on game reserves walk around almost as freely as if Hainds. “There is no comparison to the superior flavor of a in a petting zoo. They know it is safe. But pigs near hunting free roaming, acorn-fed wild pig to that of a domesticated camps are as elusive as Bigfoot. “They travel in small groups, one. It has very little grease and is much healthier.” Wild usually sows and piglets,” Hainds continues. “Wild hogs hogs may be deemed a nuisance, but one man’s pest is ancommunicate with each other and know how to take evasive other man’s bacon. A 28 APRIL April 2013
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