DNR to Kill Hogs and Small Family Farm Incomes

So, if I’m raising Arkansas Razorback or Russian Wild Hogs, I can call them Heritage Breeds and no one can stop me? Are you saying MDA should allow Russian Wild Hogs and then as they escape, they become DNR’s responsibility? Really?

I agree, it would have been smart to have stiffer regulations on the farms that imported and raised hogs for the hunt clubs. About 200 farms are/were doing that. But, I doubt that the government can regulate you because you sell to Hunt Clubs and leave me alone if I tell you I raise them to butcher myself.

I doubt it would be possible to require spay/neuter. That’s an added expense that only is effective at the Hunt Club. Not acceptable for the Breeders of Wild Hogs. I thought if everyone raising Wild Hogs were to implant a microchip, then when they are found on the loose, the owner could be fined to cover some of the eradication costs. But all that does is create more regulation, more cost to farmers and doesn’t stop the problem.

People have imported hundreds of Wild Hogs, bred them, increased their populations a hundred fold and allowed thousands to escape. All to provide a target for someone that won’t hunt, but wants to kill something, cheaply. DNR and MDA have been directed by the Legislature to put a stop to this nonsense.

Domestic pigs could pose a risk if they were to establish breeding populations across the state. They haven’t. Wild Hogs, from imported Wild Hogs have established breeding populations across the state. Some Wild Hogs carry psudorabies, domestic hogs do not.
Feral pig is any pig living off the farm. Wild Hog is a non-domesticated pig, like Razorback or Russian Hog.

Please provide your source:"has employed the largest lobbying firm in Lansing to influence votes."

I agree with you that eliminating wild hogs doesn't mean Dexters will be next. That was a stretch. But saying Mi government is against backyard milk cows is also a big stretch, too. Plus it adds an emotional issue to an already complex emootional Wild Hog issue. You didn't see anything about ferel equalling being raised outside because it isn't there. That is just a part of the stiring the pot misinformation going on by Baker and others.

I'm afraid that while you feel you are doing something noble, you may be making it harder for homesteaders to homestead. If the population of ferel Wild Hogs continues to increase, small farmers won't be able to grow market gardens without the expense of secure fences and guard dogs. We won't be able to keep the pastures growing and the woodlots healthy. These are a damaging pest. I think your concern is mis-directed.
By permitting others to raise Wild Hogs, while we know many escape and continue to breed, you are increasing the odds that other crops will be damaged. Michigan is in the top 5 states for fruit and vegetable production. You want us to risk Michigan's 70 billion dollar Agriculture so some dufus can shoot a Wild Hog? Doesn't seem worth the risk to me.

So the guy got into the Wild Hog business, was given a year's notice to get them sold to a Hunt Club because they were stopping this Invasive Species, but he failed to do that and must sell out of state?

Agriculture, like everything else has Fads. He got in on a Fad. He'll have to get a new Fad. But he should have sold last year when he had the opportunity. The other states are finding out what a problem these pests are.

It is old information, just the deadline is here.

Please provide an example: "The DNR has and will continue to destroy herds of any animal they choose to eliminate."

I think some (many?) already have.

I don't think I understand your question. That was from Baker's website. I believe it was Jill Baker updating last week.

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I think you play with the term "Wild Hogs". If they are wild, the ranchers themselves have no problem with the DNR getting rid of them. The hogs that this particular farmer (Baker) is raising is NOT a wild hog. They are domesticated and behind fences. They are well taken care of and causing no problems. Again, Baker's hogs are not wild.

It's a pretty long stretch on your part to blame me or my article on making things tougher for homesteaders. Since when are opinions off limits to homesteaders? You certainly have no problem voicing what you think.

I believe you intentionally misrepresent the terms "wild hogs" and "feral hogs". As for my analogy with the Dexters..I don't have heritage hogs or any hogs. But if the DNR can do this to those who do..they can do almost anything they deem is proper.

Plenty of homesteaders are fighting with the government over their milk cows and the right to sell it. Dexters are a dual, in some cases triple, use homesteading kind of cattle breed. They did not originate in America. They are being milked. Why wouldn't I worry that if the DNR can pass this hog hurdle, it would certainly give them confidence to go after something I care about?

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Thats a nightly long stretch to think that this hog deal can go over and relate to cattle not oriented in this country. Which there are many many breeds. That is just not going to happen at all. And living in Iowa, not having any hogs, and worrying about something as this in MI. Hmm. There are many other things that are a lot higher on a list to worry about and this is so far at the bottom it is even in the running.

I dont understand all the details, but any law the prohibits any responsible animal husbandry it just wrong.

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Wow..you are so special. I can't tell ya how much I've learned from your responses on this thread. Thank you .. thank you.

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There are two threads going on this topic on HT. Feel free to review it. Then go to the DNR website and see what they are really doing.

Sadly, hundreds of folks have not been responsible husbandrymen. hundreds of Wild Hogs have been allowed to escape into the woods, fields, pastures and lawns of others.

So, for very little benifit, supplying Hunt Clubs with a cheap shoot, the citizens of this state face increasing damage to our natural resources.

This isn't a law against responsible animal husbandry, it is a law against raising an animal that has shown itself to be very difficult to keep in an enclosure/fence, for a limited benifit of a few inept hunters.

When this all shakes out, people will see that sombody's woolly pigs aren't the target of a government gone mad killing spree. But, in the mean time, it is fun to pretend.

My opinion hasnt changed. Any person who is containing their animals should be exempt. Problem people should be dealt with. People who arent a problem should be left alone.

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No, I think I'm clear on Wild Hogs. Feral hogs are hogs on the loose, either Razorbacks or Duroc. Wild Hogs are Russian Wild Hogs, eurasia Wild Hogs, Razorbacks and a bunch of never domesticated, non-commercial hogs. This isn't meant to include commercial breeds from a hundred years ago, those are Heritage breeds. But, with that said, if you are crossing any breed with Wild Hogs, plan a BBQ, 'cause those hogs are not going to be allowed in MI.

You try to paint a pictture of the government going after Wild Hogs and then they'll go after cattle. There just aren't any dots to connect to your belief.

DNR isn't out to limit homesteader options and once the Russian Wild Hogs are gone they are going after your Dexters and then your children.

Hunt Clubs haven't been responsable. They generally have many miles of deer fence and haven't been able to contain those Wild Hog species. So, that business practice has proven to pose a danger to MI natural resorces and has been shut down. All were given a chance to complets all their hunts to get rid of these pests.

People that are raising Wild Hogs for the hunt clubs were notified all along the way. Most have allowed hogs to escape from their fenced areas.

It is very difficult to keep Wild Hogs inside a fence. Once they escape, it has been difficult to prevent breeding polulations from forming in the wild.

To wait until the Wild Hogs have escaped, then try to do something is a plan that has proven not to work. Once the Wild Hogs are on the loose, how do you insure who the owner is? Second and third generation? How are you going to document that a raiser of Razorbacks did or didn't have a few escape? How are you going to get enough money from the owner of escaped Russian Wild Hogs to cover the years of eradication efforts it takes? I resent the introduction of this invasive hog into this state and the cost in lost crop yield and forest land distruction.

You just can not tell someone that as long as they keep their Wild hogs in their fence that they can raise them, after seeing nearly all of the 200+ Wild Hog and Hunt Clubs lost their Wild Hogs.

IMHO the DNR isn't after Baker's hogs and that Baker is a kook. But when that is proven, the frenzy will have passed.

Well,I don't know of anywhere in Iowa or Michigan that wild herds of feral cows are destroying native forests, native wildlife habitat or crops of farmers. That is where this issue started.

Dunno about native wildlife and forests, but aren't the farmers' crops the farmers' responsibility?

It is legal to shoot an unfenced pig wherever it is found. Given that this is the case, I don't really see that farmers need any more government intervention in protecting their investment. Once the government is out of the way, why should they have to do anything else?

The same thing goes if you are worried about pseudo-rabies in your CAFO - you are free to shoot any feral hogs you find in your swine barn.

Maybe I'm just being too conservative and anti-nanny-state....

You expect the government to regulate the waste from a CAFO so they don't damage nearby property and streams aand shut them down if it does, but when people import an invassive animal that "spills " out onto the property of others, you expect the violated person to correct the problem?

What if a factory was polluting the air and i told you that you could have all the clean air you want, but you have to eliminate the factory's polution first? Crazy?

Raising Wild Hogs has created problems that run far into the future. Controling the current breeding populations that have already escaped from these Exotic Wild Hog breeding operations is costing taxpayer's money. Allowing them to continue is good money after bad.

I guess if there were a requirement that created an absoloutely escape-proof containment, I'd reconsider. But the reality is that no one raising Wild Hogs for sport would make such an investment in security.

I would expect everyone to take care of their own affairs.

1: Require tagging/tatooing for *all* swine.
2: Kill any untagged swine as "feral."
3: Hold the owner for any tagged swine killed off property financially liable.

Killing domestic hogs will do nothing to control feral populations.