How Texas farmers and hunters deal with invasive wild pigs that are destroying thousands of acres of sugar beets, corn, and other crops
Hello all friend !. Can you imagine, that wild boars have caused $50 million in damage to the sugar beet and corn industries in Texas alone? In this episode, we explore the drastic measures Texans are taking to combat this nightmare. Tune in now to discover the secrets behind this never-ending war!
The first wild boar hunt in Texas was held with more than 15,000 hunters participating in the Texas Wild Boar Challenge.
Although hunting is considered a popular recreational activity, it has become a serious threat to the agricultural industry.
During intense hunts, hunters have often lost the opportunity to knock down wild boars.
This causes them to panic and rush through the fence of the hunting area. They directly attack sugar beet and corn fields, causing serious damage.
Across Texas’ vast agricultural fields, farmers are facing tens of millions of dollars in losses.
Crop quality and yields have plummeted, leaving many farmers without a harvest. In some areas, farmers have resorted to using drones to monitor the area at night, finding colonies of 30 to 50.
This dire trend has been going on for the past five years, and each year the situation gets worse.
The main clue is the deep footprints of the animals weighing more than 200 pounds found throughout the fields.
Farmers have seen an increase in collisions with harvesting machines, with more than 150 incidents.
In response to the escalating tensions, Texas authorities have urgently organized an intensive training course for hunters, which will take place just before the hunting season in November.
They will be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to handle dangerous situations and the best wild boar hunting strategies to prevent mistakes that have occurred in the past.
Texas authorities have implemented drone hunting of wild boars due to its effectiveness in rapidly reducing the wild boar population.
With the ability to reach difficult terrain, drones are effective in eliminating wild boars. Hunters are allowed to spend an average of 20-30 hours flying each hunting season to complete the mission.
To participate, hunters must meet strict standards that include completing safety training and understanding wildlife management.
During the hunting season, hunters often use thermal binoculars, a special tool that detects the body temperature of wild boars, helping hunters easily identify targets in the dark.
These binoculars are also equipped with infrared filtering technology, which helps increase accuracy even in bad weather conditions.
In Texas, hunters aged 18 and older can legally participate in night hunting. Due to the special nature of this activity, hunters must have a hunting license with at least 2 years of experience.
Nighttime is when wild boars are most active, especially during the hunting months from November to January of the following year. The number of wild boars knocked down often reaches more than 3,000.
There are many areas where wild boar hunting is allowed without restrictions. However, hunting is more stringent in areas such as the hill country and high elevations such as the Big Bend Ranch, especially when using off-road vehicles.
Hunters should read the specifics carefully and stay current on the latest regulations.
Some Texas Parks and Wildlife Department information warns that hunting with an off-road vehicle in rough terrain can be problematic.
Areas such as the hills of West Texas or the Trans-Pecos can be especially dangerous if hunters are not careful when navigating steep slopes.
In addition, this type of trap is the most widely used in the Hill Country district and has been in operation since 1995 with long-term use.
Each time the trap is set, the hunter can catch at least 15 to 20 wild boars. However, in each hunt, the hunter must strictly follow hunting ethics.
If they violate the law, they will be severely punished to prevent excessive damage to the environment and avoid illegal hunting.
Here are some wild boar hunting moments that happened in Texas. We will update more wild boar hunting information in the following episodes.
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