|
|
Post by cyclist on Nov 7, 2024 8:44:47 GMT -5
Hogs have been in Florida for about 500 years. That’s a long time. We’ve never scientifically observed Florida without hogs. Whatever plants and animal eggs they’re eating now, they were also eating in 1800. Yes, but the population was a fraction of what it is now....thus the damage was exponentially less. |
|
|
|
Post by bullfrog on Nov 7, 2024 9:01:38 GMT -5
Hogs have been in Florida for about 500 years. That’s a long time. We’ve never scientifically observed Florida without hogs. Whatever plants and animal eggs they’re eating now, they were also eating in 1800. Yes, but the population was a fraction of what it is now....thus the damage was exponentially less. That is true. Or at least their range was constricted. They were very confined for centuries, then broke out the last 50 years. That in and of itself is a mystery to me. What kept them managed for centuries? Panthers? |
|
|
|
Post by JS84 on Nov 7, 2024 9:05:41 GMT -5
That's a good question BF
|
|
|
|
Post by cyclist on Nov 7, 2024 9:06:34 GMT -5
Yes, but the population was a fraction of what it is now....thus the damage was exponentially less. That is true. Or at least their range was constricted. They were very confined for centuries, then broke out the last 50 years. That in and of itself is a mystery to me. What kept them managed for centuries? Panthers? Yes, predators are a factor as well. But it takes species a while to spread into new territory.
Current U.S. Distribution
Feral swine have been reported in at least 35 states. Their population is estimated at over 6 million and is rapidly expanding. Range expansion over the last few decades is due to a variety of factors including their adaptability to a variety of climates and conditions, translocation by humans, and a lack of natural predators.
|
|
|
|
Post by bullfrog on Nov 7, 2024 9:21:14 GMT -5
That is true. Or at least their range was constricted. They were very confined for centuries, then broke out the last 50 years. That in and of itself is a mystery to me. What kept them managed for centuries? Panthers? Yes, predators are a factor as well. But it takes species a while to spread into new territory.
Current U.S. Distribution
Feral swine have been reported in at least 35 states. Their population is estimated at over 6 million and is rapidly expanding. Range expansion over the last few decades is due to a variety of factors including their adaptability to a variety of climates and conditions, translocation by humans, and a lack of natural predators.
Its got to be more than just taking a while to adapt. They sat for centuries confined on the Florida peninsula. Then after the 1950s they exploded northward into the wider SE. Something changed within a decade or so. Genetically, they were always a blend of European wild boar and the Crackers’ free-range swine. Did their genetics change in the 1950s thereabouts? |
|
|
|
Post by JS84 on Nov 7, 2024 9:43:46 GMT -5
What about habitat loss? The Federal Aid Highway Act was signed in 56; could be a significant contributing factor.
|
|
|
|
Post by cyclist on Nov 7, 2024 9:45:57 GMT -5
Yes, predators are a factor as well. But it takes species a while to spread into new territory.
Current U.S. Distribution
Feral swine have been reported in at least 35 states. Their population is estimated at over 6 million and is rapidly expanding. Range expansion over the last few decades is due to a variety of factors including their adaptability to a variety of climates and conditions, translocation by humans, and a lack of natural predators.
Its got to be more than just taking a while to adapt. They sat for centuries confined on the Florida peninsula. Then after the 1950s they exploded northward into the wider SE. Something changed within a decade or so. Genetically, they were always a blend of European wild boar and the Crackers’ free-range swine. Did their genetics change in the 1950s thereabouts? That is a interesting and potentially likely concept. Many of our really bad invasive plants sat for a century before they exploded to become a real nuisance. Climate change causing them to expand north? For pigs it could be adaptation to disease ,brucilossis maybe?
We do know that the state made is illegal to transport hogs to natural areas for a reason.I am sure many hunting leases and pay to hunt places brought in hogs and spread them around.
|
|
|
|
Post by cyclist on Nov 7, 2024 9:47:16 GMT -5
What about habitat loss? The Federal Aid Highway Act was signed in 56; could be a significant contributing factor. Yep, and more people spread out in formerly wild places are seeing pigs that may have gone unnoticed before.
The pig bomb is likely a perfect storm of all the factors we have mentioned.
|
|
|
|
Post by nuthinfancy on Nov 7, 2024 13:02:48 GMT -5
Its got to be more than just taking a while to adapt. They sat for centuries confined on the Florida peninsula. Then after the 1950s they exploded northward into the wider SE. Something changed within a decade or so. Genetically, they were always a blend of European wild boar and the Crackers’ free-range swine. Did their genetics change in the 1950s thereabouts? That is a interesting and potentially likely concept. Many of our really bad invasive plants sat for a century before they exploded to become a real nuisance. Climate change causing them to expand north? For pigs it could be adaptation to disease ,brucilossis maybe?
We do know that the state made is illegal to transport hogs to natural areas for a reason.I am sure many hunting leases and pay to hunt places brought in hogs and spread them around.
People definitely move some hogs around. I believe Kentucky has outlawed hog hunting to control their spread into the state. Seems counterintuitive but I guess they are getting rid of any incentive for people to introduce hogs. The issue is that leaves all hog eradication up to state agents. Not sure I agree with that but the premise is interesting |
|
|
|
Post by altuck on Nov 7, 2024 14:22:47 GMT -5
Hogs and cattle were introduced by Spanish explorers centuries ago.
Populations were controlled by screwworms (the fly would lay eggs in the umbilical cord of newborn and the worms would kill the newborn)
In the mid 1950s the Florida Cattlemen's Association convinced the Florida legislature
and the federal government to fund " the screwworm eradication program"
The plan was to sterilize male Flys and release them by airplane.
The science worked very well and even today is used in Central America (funded by USA tax dollars) to prevent migration from South America.
Besides the benefit to the cattle industry, it allowed the growth of the deer herd and hog population.
That is the primary reason in my opinion.
And yes, I am old enough to remember treating newborn calves and pig's umbilical cords.
|
|
|
|
Post by cyclist on Nov 7, 2024 14:43:22 GMT -5
Super interesting, thanks for sharing, that issue certainly was not on my radar!
|
|
|
|
Post by JS84 on Nov 7, 2024 17:14:44 GMT -5
That's quite interesting. Downstream effects from another program; how often does that happen dohhh  |
|
|
|
Post by 6thgen on Nov 8, 2024 10:44:09 GMT -5
I have also heard from the old timers that the wild hogs were breeding with domesticated hogs and that was a part of their increase in numbers. The screwworm eradication is likely the largest part of it though.
|
|
|
|
Post by tampaspicer on Nov 8, 2024 11:09:49 GMT -5
Don't forget about all the hog claims in North Florida back in the day. They expedited the population.
|
|
|
|
Post by altuck on Nov 8, 2024 11:40:10 GMT -5
When I was a kid farmers paid SJPC, grazing rights for cattle $1.00 per head per year and hogs 50 cents per year.
Marked them by notching/cutting the ear.
When the state bought Aucilla River WMA the farmers had a year to roundup their stock.
Cows were caught and hauled to market. Hogs were left alone
The first year Aucilla opened there was like a thousand head of hogs killed. There are still plenty.
I remember sitting in the Monticello Stockyard watching old men with broad brim hats unloading wild cows.
One old man saying "y'all xcuse my cows, they aint never been to town before"
|
|
|
|
Post by wayvis on Nov 8, 2024 16:46:03 GMT -5
One thing that I see that has caused hog population to increase over the past 30 or so years is all the deer leases. Most hunter on these leases are deer hunters and most will no shot a hog while deer hunting. These hogs are well feed (corn) and populate quickly and virtually go un-hunted.
|
|
|
|
Post by altuck on Nov 8, 2024 17:34:23 GMT -5
I agree wayvis, we have a lease at Fanlew in Jefferson County. Across SR59 from Aucilla WMA. We had about hunted the hogs out.
Timber company clear cut whole thing. Deer have gone nocturnal but seeing more hogs (on camera)
|
|
|
|
Post by louis357mag on Nov 10, 2024 11:41:03 GMT -5
I think that people riding through the woods dressed like pinatas scattered them.
|
|
