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Editorial
42 Rumble on the River
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Hard & Fast
52 Pig Dogs
14 Blast from the Past
56 Bloodlines
16 Hunters Trophies
58 Dog Profile
22 Picking the Mob
60 Thumpers
24 In the Wild
64 Dog of a Night
26 What A Trip!
66 What it’s About
32 Get In & Win Competition
68 Keen for More
34 Gear for the Hunter
76 Up the Creek
38 Trading Post/ Lost Dogs
82 Archers Corner
40 F@#kin Bogged
86 Heavy Country ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES CONTACT VIC ATTARD 0401 014 592
WILD BOAR AUSTRALIA DEditor/Publisher: Vic Attard DArt Room: Jacque Attard DContributing Writers:Ted Mitchell,Craig Bloom, Rod Wilson, Roscoe, Matt Hall, Warren Webb, Craig Collie, Sean Holmes, Gary Hall, Kel Salta, Lonnie Brockman, Tony Snell, Sparrow, Bruce Carroll. DAdvertising Enquiries: Contact Vic Attard DMobile: 0401 014 592 DEmail: wildboar@easynet.net.au DMailing Address: PO Box 10126, Mt Pleasant, Mackay, QLD 4740. DACN:091403851 DABN:15091403851 DNo picture or any part of the contents of this publication may be scanned or reproduced in any way without prior written consent from the publisher. Pig hunting is a dangerous sport, Wild Boar Australia accepts no responsibility for any damage and/or injury suffered by readers. Further, the editor/publisher accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of statements or opinions expressed by writers. DPrinted by Graphic Impressions.
Editorial Towards the end of October 2005, I was watching a program about feral pigs on the ABC show 'Landline' called Feral Pigs Moving South. Having a high regard for the show 'Landline', I was very disappointed to the bias approach that the program took, and found the article very one sided in their representation. As the headline suggests, the article reported how feral pigs were moving south into the state of Victoria and into its National Parks. Interviews throughout the broadcast included one local farmer and several National Park rangers and representatives, who described the high number of pigs in these areas and the resulting damage, also giving the opinion that the cause of this so called migration was the direct result of irresponsible hunters releasing pigs into the parks for recreational hunting…and that was it, only one side of the story blaming the hunters. There are a number of reasons why there are high pig numbers in the Victorian Parks, of which the reporter failed to mention. I would like to outline just two… Reason One, pigs have not, all of a sudden, just
bers, every pig caught is one less, that is true, but as
appeared into Victoria, they have been there for
an individual method of pest management it is not the
decades…and how did they get there? Have a look
answer. If the National Park representatives could
at our history, the 'Gold Rush' days where the Chinese
sit down with hunting groups and outline some rules
and European settlers released pigs for food. Like all
and regulations to abide by, the hunter could play an
successful introduced species, these small groups of
incredible role in helping the park rangers. Hunters
pigs over the last thirty to forty years have bred into
would definitely keep numbers down to a controlled
good-sized groups which move about for food.The pigs
level,and provide DPI with blood samples (research
have been in the Vic parks for decades.
material) taken from pigs which are destroyed.
Reason two; the regions surrounding the National
Hunters could supply feed back on the damage they
Parks have been suffering from drought for several
observe out in the field, as well as the movement
years, pigs won't habitat an area in hard drought, their
of pigs through the parks, and which areas they are
smarter than that…they will move to better grounds.
mostly in. With no cost to the government, "Hunters…
Hence, the pig numbers moving into the parks where
our Feral Pest Management Volunteers"!
there is good feed, shelter and water. All of which the
To sum it up, the program reported in a 'one-sided'
'Landline' article failed to mention
manner on a serious problem that gave the hunter a
Reported Strategy:
bad name in the public’s eyes. Incorrect reports like
The show went on to demonstrate the rangers carrying
this do us, ‘’THE HUNTER’’, no justice!
Regards Vic Attard.
out trapping programs in an attempt to reduce numbers in the parks. Trapping itself will not control pig num-
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We had just poured a house slab when my mate Corey said, "Feel like going for a hunt up the pine forest tonight?" Me being me, I said, "Yeah, for sure!" This area we often hunted, high in the hills just out of Nundle, was a haven for big cunning boars, the amount of times you get blown off or your dogs come back covered in holes we often wondered why we kept going back. It was in the middle of winter and we arrived there about 8pm, freezing cold, but with a beautiful light breeze blowing for the dogs. Things were looking good. We had Corey's dog, Ralph, and my old bitch, Tia, on the back as we slowly poked down the tracks. We were just discussing what roads to hit
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headed back to the truck,
was getting a hiding. When I arrived,
when both dogs jumped off and flew
pretty happy with the way the hunt
I saw that he was a decent boar with
into the thick pine. Corey, Reggie and
had started. We jumped in the ute
a couple of inches out of his jaw. He
myself piled out of the Dual Cab and
and drove a good two hours before
had Tia jammed up under a fallen pine
ran like fools about 50 metres into the
the dogs got off again, not a bad jump
tree and was flogging the sh*t out
pine, then stopped to listen. It wasn't
but they came back about 30 minutes
of her. Everytime he lifted his head
long before we heard a couple of yaps
later, we decided it might be a good
he would smash her ribs in and you
come out of my bitch.
idea to drive around that block and try
could hear the wind getting knocked
"That's friggin' miles away!" said
to pick up the pig on the other side.
out of her, but still she hung on. A
Corey.
The dogs were really keen, getting
25kg dog, ringing wet, against 80 odd
With that we started the long trek
off every so often but not picking
kilos of 'very p*ssed off' mountain
through the thick blackberries that
up on his scent. As we rounded the
boar, the pressure was on. I rushed in
choked the undergrowth of the pine
next corner the dogs flew off again.
and drove the knife deep in his throat
trees. It seemed like an hour had
This time we knew they were serious,
and one under his arm just for good
passed before we reached the dogs.
Ralph went in one direction and Tia in
measure. We dragged him out and
When we finally got there they had a
the other, flat out like a cat on a hot tin
got Tia out from under the tree. The
half decent sow about 45kg well under
roof! Only a short time passed before
old girl was wounded from head to
control. We knocked her over and
we heard the big hit up, it sounded
tail, one in particular that stretched
like a decent boar and the yelps that
from her nipples to her backbone. We
followed gave the same indication.
threw the pig on the back and headed
Corey and Reggie were on the scene first, and as I
home to get Tia to a vet. You have to admire the strength of
neared the boys I
these mountain boars, and when you
could
can pull one up with an old favourite dog, it's like winning a Gold Medal at the Olympics.
hear that Tia
The pig went 83kg clean, with Tia receiving a lot of stitching and not being the same since, I wonder who got who!
Story & Photos by Lonnie Brockman, Ciarns, QLD.
wba
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R E T S U B DOG
amps ising the sw ru c I d n a rk found Ma in Cape York t n u h t h ig n Sandy. A , Muss and s b ra A ll u B with my two ent when in his Hilux without incid s e tr e m ilo k five elled about ed was a We had trav at we assum h w g in w llo d a dingo fo some Mark notice amp. After w s a f o e g d ee ing along th d combrumby, walk good one an a d n a ig p it was a we decided d high deliberation into the hea d e v o m e h , as lose the gap ir way menced to c ey made the th d n a t n e c on the s put the dogs reeds. We the reeds. im first, straight into e bitch hit h th d n a g in ere com knew they w battle The big fella to hear. The e lik s u f o e t non that yelp tha Mark to followed by alled out to c d n a s d e to the re s I headed in a e rc e fi s a w n. s the bring his gu move toward to d e u n ti n o the water I c nI Stepping into getting, whe re e w s g o d at my e flogging th est sounds of th metres of ch 5 2 s s ro c a ve to wade t I would ha a ndbag' th d e lis a re aware of 'Ha ry e v s a w I dark. water in the get over deep swamp e decision to th e d a m t u b n in the area et this concentratio pright and g u y ta s to lf g myse dogs. Willin to assist my e boar, d to throw th te p m e tt a I ch and ad an ear ea hand, Both dogs h d give me a n a e m o c ld ou out that he w to swim. I Mark yelled t know how o n id d e h s ck at him, a ck him I laughed ba ater, so I stu w p e e -d e e n the k g him out of couldn't dra
. over quickly
hecked e ute, and c th to y a w g e lon him back th at We dragged He wasn't th . s k n a fl ir e rips up th th received e may the dogs, bo not long or h re e w s k s tu ky his 5kg and luc big, about 5 itch. ted for my b n u o c ll wba c a e v a h t. Tony Sne a th r e ft a g n t hunti o more nigh There was n
there.
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Don’t Wake the N EIGH
BOURS
I went to stay at my Brother Dick's place, about 100k m from Tamworth couple of days an , for a few weeks d I noticed some . I was there a pig diggings from his front window, enough it was, an so I went to check th d it seemed fairly em out. Sure fresh. The next morning I was up just befo re sun-up and I lo oked out the win house, along with dow and I saw th a few good sized e neighbours pigs. I said to D ick that we will ta down in the mor ke his old retired pig ning and try and dog, Emma, get one of the cu nn in g bu ggers. It was ab of bed and by th out 3:30am whe e time we pulled n we got out ourselves away fro m th e log fire and go frost. We walke t ready it was 4:00 d about 100m fro am. Monster m the house whi ch w as about 50 metres and Emma was from the neighbou off. We saw six rs house good sized pigs w ith a half flat dolphin to tail. She went st rch, and Emma w raight pst the sm as hot on their all pigs which wer e ar ound the 60kg m boar in his front ark and pulled up yard. the biggest It was the quicke st and easiest bo ar with one dog we have ever ca Home in bed by ught. 5:00am. wba
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