In an effort to reduce Florida’s feral pig population, the wild pig hunt is enlisting some unusual help this year. Children!
The Southwest Florida Management District has selected 20 children to participate in the yearly hunt. A state-wide contest was held for children in Florida. In order to be selected, the children were required to submit an essay about why they wanted to be involved in the pig hunt. Although there were 24 spots available for the youngsters, only 20 children entered the state-wide contest. According to St. Petersburg Times, all those who entered will be allowed to participate.
The young hunters must be accompanied by an adult and their weapons must remain unloaded and carried by the adult until they arrive at the state reserve in Manatee County. Orange vests will be donated by the American Disability Adventures group and volunteers will act as guides. Besides learning about hunting, the free program will also get children involved in outdoor activities! Edward W. Chance Reserve’s Gilly Creek Tract will be closed to the public during the youth hunt, which will take place on October 17th and October 24th, 2009.
Hog Wild
Feral pigs, Sus scrofa, are not native to Florida. It is believed the animals were brought over by Spanish explorers in the 1500s. Hernando DeSoto brought wild boars with him when he came to Florida in 1539. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, feral pigs are listed as one of the 100 World’s worst invasive pests, it is estimated that nearly 500,000 wild pigs live in Florida and 4 million roam the United States.
While acorns are their food of choice, the pigs eat just about anything including young and injured livestock and other animals. Wild pigs can cause significant damage to forests, crops and livestock. Wild hogs can weigh between 100 and 200 pounds and can be aggressive if cornered or injured. They can run up to 30 miles per hour and are said to be good swimmers. Wild pigs can live up to 25 years.
Wild boar photo Makro Freak
May be unusual to you…Plenty of folks that do not live in big cities including children, hunt feral hogs…
BTW this hunt has been going on since 2006 in Florida.
Feral Hogs are an extreme problem in many other places around the world, Turkey has a huge feral hog problem, since they do not hunt them for the most part, they are forbidden to consume them.
Once a sow reaches breeding age at 7 or 8 months of age they can be responsible for 1,000 plus feral swine in a 5 year period.
more info here
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2285925/hunting_and_kidsflorida_children_invited.html
Feral pigs are a problem – especially if it’s pissed with you – definitely a job for adults; not children – especially when you consider hunters innate ability to shoot each other.
In America, ever year, 30,000 people die of gunshot wounds. Nearly 17,000 people in America get murdered every year. 85% of the world’s serial killers are here in America. We spend $150 billion a year on the complications of gunshot wounds-yearly. And you are teaching 8 year olds animal cruelty-though the law says it is okay to shoot pigs (which are more intelligent than dogs), hogs rarely die right away when shot. The scream in agony and sound *very* human because it hurts; they run and bleed to death. Is this what you want to teach your children? ARE YOU SERIOUS??
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/reprint/30/2/257.pdf
The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 30:257–65, 2002
“A history of animal cruelty during childhood was significantly associated with APD [Antisocial Personality Disorder], antisocial personality traits, and polysubstance abuse. Mental retardation, psychotic disorders, and alcohol abuse showed no such association.”
“One of the most dangerous things that can happen to a child is to kill or torture an animal and get away with it,” Margaret Meade, Anthropologist.
Finally, should one of these children get hurt-and hunting accidents DO occur-the State will be held liable due to sponsoring this insane program. I’m sure lawyers are licking their chops at this moment for this opportunity to earn millions and get national attention.
I think it’s very sad parents would teach this to their kids, and even sadder that a government would encourage it.
are we still this barbaric???
when someone sees a problem with animals the first idea is to run for the guns and start shooting??
such a small mind and un-evolved thinking here.
There are so many other humane ways to deal with over population….this Kenny Barker has got to go!!!
The world doesn’t need another alpha male who wants to kill everything in sight.
Luke Thomas—Go eat you Mcdonalds and hug all the trees you want to. My kids will shoot animals and kill fish!! Your sissy tree hugging ways make me want to puke. thank you
You should see all the insurance claims that are paid to farmers due to damage done to crops by wild hogs and collisions with vehicles. Its becoming such a problem some farmers have even been paying 75$ for every hog killed on their property.