From now until spring green-up is one of the best times of the year to control wild pigs, according to a Texas AgriLife Extension Service expert.One factor is that hungry wild

Because of the large amount of cover afforded by forest and brush in many parts of Texas, trapping and shooting are the most effective control options for wild pigs, aka feral hogs, according to Dr. Billy Higginbotham, Texas AgriLife Extension Service fisheries and wildlife specialist. (Texas AgriLife Extension Service photo by Dr. Billy Higginbotham)

pigs are on the move and more likely to be out in the open to forage for food this time of year, said Dr. Billy Higginbotham, AgriLife Extension fisheries and wildlife specialist, Overton.

Wild pigs, aka feral hogs, browse wooded areas, graze pastures and root up planted crops for food, Higginbotham said. They also scavenge and raid deer-feeder sites. From January through spring green-up, many of these food sources are not as available.

“Native foods such as acorns disappear as winter wears on, and many deer hunters do not continue to supplement their deer population after hunting season,” Higginbotham said. “As a result, the wild pigs will be increasingly on the move and more susceptible to baiting as they search for food.”

Another reason to step up control efforts of wild pigs this time of year has to do with the animals’ breeding behavior, he said.

“Wild pigs are one of the most prolific large mammals in the world,” Higginbotham said.

According to a 2011 study, the average age of a sow having her first litter is about 13 months, he said. Mature sows will have an average of 1.5 litters per year, and the average litter size is 5.6 piglets.

“Though sows can have litters any month of the year, there always seems to be a peak in farrowing during the early spring,” Higginbotham said. “This is an added incentive for landowners to strike as soon as possible before even more pigs hit the ground.”

Landowners have the choice of several control methods for wild pigs. These include trapping, snaring, dogging and shooting, both aerially and on the ground, he said. But because of the large amount of cover afforded by forest and brush in many parts of Texas, trapping and shooting remain the most effective options for landowners in such areas.

Equipped with motion sensors, automatic game cameras record not only the size of a sounder (family group) but also the time and date of their activity. (Texas AgriLife Extension Service photo courtesy of Dr. Billy Higginbotham)

“A 2011 survey of 700 landowners in 139 Texas counties by AgriLife Extension detailed the frequency of control method utilized,” Higginbotham said. “Of  36,664 wild pigs removed in 2010 by survey respondents, 57 percent were removed through trapping and 24 percent via aerial and landowner shooting. Hunting was responsible for removing another 11 percent of the pigs taken. Catch dogs removed 6 percent of the total while 2 percent were removed through the use of snares.”

Higginbotham has detailed information on designing wild-pig traps at http://feralhogs.tamu.edu. Though design is important, there’s more to successfully controlling hogs than just buying or building a good trap, he said.

“Trapping is a process — not an event,” Higginbotham said. “That process includes training the pigs to bait, determining the size of trap based on the size of the sounder (family group), training the pigs to become accustomed to the trap’s presence and to regularly enter the trap with the gate secured open. Then and only then should the trap be set to actually catch the pigs.”

Higginbotham noted that the most difficult pig to trap is one that has been “almost” caught, but got away because of poor trap design or planning. Mature pigs, especially boars, also learn to be wary of traps when they see other members of their sounder are caught. So it’s important to catch as many as possible with one setting of the trap.

He also recommended using a remote-sensing camera, available from sporting-good retailers, to determine the size and feeding habits of pigs before constructing the trap. The cameras are designed to operate automatically at suspected pig haunts. They are tripped by motion detectors with pig activity and take digital photos, marking the time in the process. Setting these cameras and interpreting the results are also outlined on the wild pig control website, he said.

“Landowners remain the first line of defense because Texas is 95 percent privately owned land,” Higginbotham said. “We are not going to eradicate wild pig populations with the current legal control methods, but research has clearly demonstrated that the economic impact wild pigs have on agricultural operations can be significantly reduced by the control methods we do have.”

MISSOULA, Mont.—Trophy whitetail entries from 2011 hunting seasons are beginning to pour into Boone and Crockett Club headquarters. But while the sporting world waits to see which states are hot—or not—producers of giant bucks, North America’s overall robust trend in whitetail entries is a story for all conservationists to celebrate.

B&C historical records show that trophy whitetails are up 400 percent over the past 30 years.

“It’s worth remembering where America’s favorite big-game species stood not so long ago—at the brink of extinction,” said Ben Wallace, Club president. “In 1900, less than 500,000 whitetails remained. But habitat programs, research, science-based management, regulations and enforcement, all led and funded by hunters, brought this game animal back to extraordinary levels. Today there are more than 32 million whitetails!”

The Boone and Crockett system of scoring big-game trophies originated in 1906 as a means of recording details on species thought to be disappearing. Over time, these records evolved as an effective way to track the success or failure of conservation efforts.

As North America’s whitetail herd has grown, numbers of big bucks also have risen.

For the period 1980-1985, hunters entered 617 trophy whitetails into Boone and Crockett records.

For the period 2005-2010, the total jumped to 3,090, an increase of 400 percent.

During this 30-year span, many states and provinces saw percentage gains much greater than the continental average (see data below). For example, trophy whitetail entries from Wisconsin have risen 857 percent. In Illinois, the increase is 896 percent. Ontario went from a single entry to a whopping 41—a 4,000 percent gain!

Six states and provinces had zero entries in 1980-1985. For 2005-2010, they combined for 48.

Boone and Crockett offers two premier ways to trace and detail historic conservation developments, not just with whitetails but many other species as well.

A book, “Records of North American Big Game,” offers detailed tabular listings for trophies in 38 different categories of game. Each entry includes the all-time entry score, date harvested, location of kill, hunter and owner names, and selected measurements. At 768 pages, the book retails for $49.95.

A searchable online database, called “Trophy Search,” is another exceptional resource. By buying an annual subscription, users can sort B&C archival data in infinite ways to identify national as well as local trends. An annual subscription is $50.

Boone and Crockett Club Associates receive discounts on both items. Order online at www.boone-crockett.org or by calling 888-840-4868.

The list below includes state-by-state rankings for whitetail entries during the period 2005-2010, plus comparative data from 1980-1985.

B&C Trophy Whitetail Production, 2005-2010
(Typical and non-typical trophies combined)

1. Wisconsin, 383 entries (1980-1985 rank 3rd, 40 entries)
2. Illinois, 299 entries (1980-1985 rank 6th, 30 entries)
3. Iowa, 224 entries (1980-1985 rank 2nd, 59 entries)
4. Ohio, 215 entries (1980-1985 rank 14th, 16 entries)
5. Missouri, 214 entries (1980-1985 rank 9th (tie), 25 entries)
6. Kentucky, 199 entries (1980-1985 rank 9th (tie), 25 entries)
7. Indiana, 195 entries (1980-1985 rank 16th, 14 entries)
8. Kansas, 181 entries (1980-1985 rank 4th, 35 entries)
9. Minnesota, 172 entries (1980-1985 rank 1st, 76 entries)
10. Saskatchewan, 147 entries (1980-1985 rank 7th (tie), 27 entries)
11. Texas, 132 entries (1980-1985 rank 12th, 19 entries)
12. Alberta, 115 entries (1980-1985 rank 7th (tie), 27 entries)
13. Nebraska, 78 entries (1980-1985 rank 18th (tie), 12 entries)
14. Oklahoma, 48 entries (1980-1985 rank 22nd (tie), 7 entries)
15. Ontario, 41 entries (1980-1985 rank 42nd (tie), 1 entry)
16. Arkansas, 40 entries (1980-1985 rank 34th (tie), 3 entries)
17 (tie). Michigan, 39 entries (1980-1985 rank 17th, 13 entries)
17 (tie). Mississippi, 39 entries (1980-1985 rank 18th, 12 entries)
19. North Dakota, 31 entries (1980-1985 rank 31st (tie), 4 entries)
20. Pennsylvania, 26 entries (1980-1985 rank 45th (tie), 0 entries)
21. New York, 25 entries (1980-1985 rank 28th (tie), 5 entries)
22. South Dakota, 24 entries (1980-1985 rank 20th (tie), 8 entries)
23 (tie). Georgia, 23 entries (1980-1985 rank 5th, 31 entries)
23 (tie). Maryland, 23 entries (1980-1985 rank 28th (tie), 5 entries)
25 (tie). British Columbia, 19 entries (1980-1985 rank 24th (tie), 6 entries)
25 (tie). Maine, 19 entries (1980-1985 rank 11th, 20 entries)
27. Virginia, 17 entries (1980-1985 rank 22nd (tie), 7 entries)
28. Tennessee, 15 entries (1980-1985 rank 20th, 8 entries)
29. Colorado, 13 entries (1980-1985 rank 42nd (tie), 1 entry)
30. Idaho, 11 entries (1980-1985 rank 24th (tie), 6 entries)
31 (tie). Massachusetts, 8 entries (1980-1985 rank 45th (tie), 0 entries)
31 (tie). Quebec, 8 entries (1980-1985 rank 45th (tie), 0 entries)
33. Delaware, 7 entries (1980-1985 rank 42nd (tie), 1 entry)
34 (tie). Louisiana, 6 entries (1980-1985 rank 28th (tie), 5 entries)
34 (tie). Manitoba, 6 entries (1980-1985 rank 15th, 15 entries)
34 (tie). Washington, 6 entries (1980-1985 rank 31st (tie), 4 entries)
37 (tie). Montana, 5 entries (1980-1985 rank 13th, 17 entries)
37 (tie). Alabama, 5 entries (1980-1985 rank 34th (tie), 3 entries)
37 (tie). North Carolina, 5 entries (1980-1985 34th (tie), 3 entries)
40 (tie). Connecticut, 4 entries (1980-1985 rank 38th (tie), 2 entries)
40 (tie). New Hampshire, 4 entries (1980-1985 rank 38th (tie), 2 entries)
42 (tie). New Jersey, 3 entries (1980-1985 rank 45th (tie), 0 entries)
42 (tie). New Brunswick, 3 entries (1980-1985 rank 24th (tie), 6 entries)
42 (tie). West Virginia, 3 entries (1980-1985 rank 34th (tie), 3 entries)
45 (tie). Mexico, 2 entries (1980-1985 rank 24th (tie), 6 entries)
45 (tie). Wyoming, 2 entries (1980-1985 rank 38th (tie), 2 entries)
45 (tie). South Carolina, 2 entries (1980-1985 rank 45th (tie), 0 entries)
45 (tie). Nova Scotia, 2 entries (1980-1985 rank 31st (tie), 4 entries)
49 (tie). Oregon, 1 entry (1980-1985 rank 38th (tie), 2 entries)
49 (tie). Rhode Island, 1 entry (1980-1985 rank 45th (tie), 0 entries)

About the Boone and Crockett Club
Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, the Boone and Crockett Club promotes guardianship and visionary management of big game and associated wildlife in North America. The Club maintains the highest standards of fair-chase sportsmanship and habitat stewardship. Member accomplishments include enlarging and protecting Yellowstone and establishing Glacier and Denali national parks, founding the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and National Wildlife Refuge System, fostering the Pittman-Robertson and Lacey Acts, creating the Federal Duck Stamp program, and developing the cornerstones of modern game laws. The Boone and Crockett Club is headquartered in Missoula, Mont. For details, visit www.boone-crockett.org.

DALLAS--Today's economic jungle could prove to be fertile habitat for America's hunters.

Several trends suggest the hunting industry--with its $66 billion in economic impacts--appears relatively resilient to recent downturns, but the upcoming Dallas Safari Club (DSC) convention and expo offers the nation's first real peek at the economic health of hunting in 2012.

Always the first major hunting show of the year in the U.S., the event is set for Jan. 5-8 at the Dallas Convention Center.

The reliability of the event as an economic indicator may be strengthened by its location. Texas leads the nation in number of hunters (1.1 million), annual retail sales from hunting ($2.3 billion) overall economic impact from hunting ($4.1 billion), and jobs supported by hunting (47,000).

DSC's annual convention and expo is open to the public. A record 32,000 attended in 2011 and officials expect another strong showing in 2012.

"Our event--and the funds it generates for conservation--have both enjoyed significant growth in recent years, and our upcoming show looks to be the biggest yet," said Ben Carter, DSC executive director. "In a time when many organizations, businesses and even entire industries are doing their best to just ride out the bad economy, we're actually trying to limit our growth to a manageable pace."

In the final weeks of event preparation, DSC had confirmed a record 800 exhibitors with a record 400 more relegated to a waiting list.

"We're emphasizing quality, variety and hospitality rather than the size of our event. These days, that's a luxury. A very good problem to have," added Carter.

While some might contend that such growth is occurring in spite of the economy, studies show participation in hunting--and related consumer spending on hunting licenses, gear and trips--may actually be increasing because of the downturn.

Supporting studies, trends and news include:

1. Hunting license sales rose by 3.5 percent in states used as an index by a hunting industry trade association, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, in 2009. More info:

http://www.nssf.org/newsroom/releases/show.cfm?PR=020110-hunting.cfm&;path=2010

2. Researchers in 2008 found a correlation between hunting participation and new housing starts. In down economies when more carpenters, electricians and other tradespeople are out of work, more hunting licenses are sold. More info:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09361/1023706-358.stm
3. A recent look at the buying habits of sportsmen in 2011 showed that purchases of hunting and fishing equipment remained steady or improved slightly from the previous year. More info:

http://www.southwickassociates.com/news/sportsmen-purchases-remain-steady/

4. If hunting were a corporation, it would rank in the top 20 percent of the Fortune 500 list of America's largest companies, slightly ahead of such global giants as General Dynamics and Coca-Cola, based on a 2007 report. Includes state-by-state economic facts based on the most current federal data:

http://www.southwickassociates.com/portfolio-view/u-s-2007-hunting-in-america/

5. The 2011 DSC convention and expo set several records for size metrics and generated brisk sales for many exhibitors. More info:

http://www.biggame.org/index.php?option=com_content&;task=view&id=188&Itemid=200

For 2012, the DSC event will feature a record 425,000 square feet of sporting attractions, taxidermy displays and exhibits by outfitters and professional hunters from around the world, gun makers, optics and gear companies, artists, jewelers, clothiers, furriers and many others from across the outdoor industry. Highlights also will include seminars, entertainers, dog-training demonstrations and even a special appearance by 2011 National Hunting and Fishing Day honorary chairman T. Boone Pickens.

Daily admission is $20 per person. Multi-day discount packages are available.

Expo hours are Thurs., Jan. 5, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Fri., Jan. 6, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Sat., Jan. 7, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Sun., Jan. 8, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The DSC convention and expo is the largest annual fundraiser to support the organization's conservation, education and hunter advocacy initiatives. DSC spent a record $784,000 on mission-related programs in 2011, and more than $2.8 million over the past five years, for habitat protection and management, wildlife restoration and research, youth learning programs, and promoting hunter interests and benefits to conservation worldwide.

Historically, about 36 percent of DSC grants are used for projects in Texas.

In 2013, the American Custom Gunmakers Guild will relocate its annual exhibition to Dallas to be held in conjunction with the DSC convention and expo.

While the DSC seminars and expo hall are open daily to the public, full convention registrants can also enjoy evening events such gala banquets, celebrity speakers, awards, entertainment and auctions for world-class hunts, firearms and more. Most evening events will be held at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Dallas.

For registration and more information, visit www.biggame.org.

Sponsors for the 2012 DSC convention and expo include Orion Versus, Sports Afield, Midway USA, Trijicon, Lone Star Conversions, Hunting Consortium, Hornady, Tanzania Adventures, Bad Boy Buggies, Yamaha Motors, Capital Farm Credit, The Wildlife Gallery, Ruger, Blaser, Cabela's, Sovereign Bank and RBC Wealth.

About Dallas Safari Club (DSC)
Desert bighorns on an unbroken landscape, stalking Cape buffalo in heavy brush, students discovering conservation. DSC works to guarantee a future for all these and much more. An independent organization since 1982, DSC has become an international leader in conserving wildlife and wilderness lands, educating youth and the general public, and promoting and protecting the rights and interests of hunters worldwide. Get involved at www.biggame.org.

Most Texas hunters will do almost anything to increase their odds for a better hunting season. Many will spend countless hours afield and many others will spend countless dollars on every deer getting gadget imaginable. Others will do both. If you're looking for an educated way to improve your odds and also save you both time and money, follow this link to breeding dates  for Texas white-tailed deer.

Please bare with us as we prepare Hunting & Fishing for viewing

Dry Conditions Could Boost Dove Hunting Prospects
7/25/2011

Dry conditions don’t necessarily equate to bad dove hunting, wildlife biologists with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department suggest. An extended drought across much of Texas could be beneficial for dove hunters as birds will have to rely upon limited resources.

Water, especially in close proximity to dove feeding areas, should be at a premium heading into the Sept. 1 dove season opener.

“Dove hunting over a water source should be excellent," said Corey Mason, TPWD dove program leader. "Additionally, dove may be concentrated on food sources, so if you can find a stand of sunflower, goat weed, etc., hunting should be productive. Native food sources are going to be more important this year because agricultural crops aren’t as good as years past."

Biologists say the drought will have some impacts on dove populations, with the greatest being on juveniles.  However, they do not expect significant impacts to what hunters will see this fall.  Texas boasts fall dove populations in excess of 40 million birds and its 300,000 dove hunters harvest about 6 million birds annually or roughly 30 percent of all doves taken in the United States.

Texas dove season in the North and Central Dove Zones will run from Thursday, Sept. 1 through Sunday, Oct. 23 and reopen Friday, Dec. 23 through Sunday, Jan. 8, with a 15-bird daily bag and not more than two white-tipped doves.

The South Zone dove season will run Friday, Sept. 23 through Sunday, Oct. 30, reopening Friday, Dec. 23 through Monday, Jan. 23 with a 15-bird daily bag and not more than two white-tipped doves.

The Special  White-winged Dove Area will open to white-winged dove afternoon-only (noon to sunset) hunting the first two full weekends in September running from Sept. 3-4 and 10-11 and reopen when the regular South Zone season begins on Friday, Sept. 23 through Sunday, Oct. 30 and again from Friday , Dec. 23 through Thursday, Jan. 19. The Special White-winged Dove Area season takes four of the allowable 70 days, so when the regular season opens, this area must close four days earlier than the rest of the South Zone. During the early two weekends, the daily bag limit is 15 birds, to include not more than four mourning doves and 2 white-tipped doves. Once the general season opens, the aggregate bag limit will be 15.

Dove hunting also has a major economic impact, contributing more than $300 million to the state economy, according to published reports.

Dove hunting provides an entry into the sport of hunting because it is relatively economical and accessible. Through its Public Hunting Program, TPWD offers affordable access to quality hunting experiences with the purchase of a $48 Annual Public Hunting (APH) Permit.

Permit holders have access to more than 100 hunting units leased from private landowners specifically for dove and small game. A new online map feature allows for “virtual scouting” of these areas. By clicking on the locator points, you can follow links to detailed aerial maps with highlighted boundaries and links to information pages from the APH information map booklet.  A downloadable Google Earth file (.kml) is also available that contains all the boundary information along with links to the corresponding APH map booklet pages.

Hunters are reminded that in addition to a valid Texas hunting license, a state Migratory Game Bird Stamp, and certification in the Harvest Information Program (HIP) is required. HIP certification is offered when you buy your license and involves responding to a few simple questions about your migratory game bird harvest during the previous season. Hunting licenses expire annually on Aug. 31.

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