No feral hogs in MT, but a few questions

[MTGomer]

In this article; http://missoulian.com/lifestyles/re...cle_604f0e3b-bcda-5d9f-814b-02f4756d7ec3.html

It states "The 2015 Montana Legislature apparently agreed, passing a proactive bill to outlaw sport shooting of hogs to keep people from seeing them as a game species, according to Nick Gevock, conservation director for the Montana Wildlife Federation. North Dakota has a similar law.

"The bill was very carefully crafted," Gevock said.

Senate Bill 100 set a minimum fine of $2,000 for anyone who is caught transporting, importing or possessing feral swine, as well as anyone feeding or trapping, hunting or profiting from the release of wild hogs. Landowners can kill the pigs on their property if they pose an "immediate threat of harm to a person or property."


We don't want pigs, but we don't want anybody to shoot one either?
Surely there's some logical reason behind this, but I'm not seeing it. I understand why we wouldn't want it commercialized to where they held a value to continue their existence like game species, but to not be able to kill a hog.....?

Less importantly, how does the Musselshel flow from south to north into Ft. Peck, yet have a tributary come from Canada to Sako?

 

[Nameless Range]

In this article; http://missoulian.com/lifestyles/re...cle_604f0e3b-bcda-5d9f-814b-02f4756d7ec3.html

It states "The 2015 Montana Legislature apparently agreed, passing a proactive bill to outlaw sport shooting of hogs to keep people from seeing them as a game species, according to Nick Gevock, conservation director for the Montana Wildlife Federation. North Dakota has a similar law.

"The bill was very carefully crafted," Gevock said.

Senate Bill 100 set a minimum fine of $2,000 for anyone who is caught transporting, importing or possessing feral swine, as well as anyone feeding or trapping, hunting or profiting from the release of wild hogs. Landowners can kill the pigs on their property if they pose an "immediate threat of harm to a person or property."


We don't want pigs, but we don't want anybody to shoot one either?
Surely there's some logical reason behind this, but I'm not seeing it. I understand why we wouldn't want it commercialized to where they held a value to continue their existence like game species, but to not be able to kill a hog.....?

Less importantly, how does the Musselshell flow from south to north into Ft. Peck, yet have a tributary come from Canada to Sako?

I think the idea was to preempt any attempts of commercializing hog hunting in MT. If we ever did get hogs here maybe they could change it?

I wonder if the Musselshell flows north due to uplift cause by the terminus of large ice sheets that came south during the last ice age. I know the Missouri's original course was the valley now occupied by the Milk River until the ice sheets pushed it down during the Wisconsin Glacial advance. Maybe some geologists on here.

 

[belly-deep]

Apparently the reporter has never looked at a map.

 

[MTGomer]

I know the Missouri's original course was the valley now occupied by the Milk River until the ice sheets pushed it down during the Wisconsin Glacial advance.

Learn something new everyday.

 

[MLaird]

I'm assuming they meant the Milk River.

I didn't realize that there were feral hogs in Sask., kinda surprises me. I had just assumed it was a problem in the south.

 

[vanish]

They didn't want people intentionally releasing hogs to create a supply for hog hunting.

 

[1_pointer]

They didn't want people intentionally releasing hogs to create a supply for hog hunting.

This is my take on it and why the Hoosier state has a similar law in place.

 

[propane_cooker]

They didn't want people intentionally releasing hogs to create a supply for hog hunting.

Precisely why they made the rule. As stated in the article there are feral hogs in Canada. We even have a reporting site (just run by a guy who wants to do it).
http://wildboarcanada.ca/#sthash.be91jQeg.dpbs

As it also states in the article our population is somewhat unusual. There was a big farming diversification wave that swept across the Canadian prairies in the 80's and 90's due to the low grain and cattle prices. People looked to stay viable and diversified by getting bison, elk, lamas, alpacas, ostrich, emus, and Eurasian wild boar. As it turns out there wasn't as much demand for the products from these animals as was originally thought. Wild boar were farmed for their meat, I don't believe that they were ever really apart of fenced hunting operations if that's what the article is referring to as a "game farm". In the article it states that they were purposely let go which is probably true in very few cases. The vast majority of our population is the result of escapes from the farms.

Here in Manitoba they are somewhat of a problem in localized areas. We certainly don't have an invasion like parts of the U.S. They are considered a non-game animal across the Prairies which allows us to hunt them pretty much wherever, whenever and however we want. I have never seen one.

 

[Schaaf]

I know the Missouri's original course was the valley now occupied by the Milk River until the ice sheets pushed it down during the Wisconsin Glacial advance. Maybe some geologists on here.

Yep. There have been papers that dove into how the Missouri used to flow into the Hudson Bay and was pushed down into its current position and joining with the Yellowstone.

 

[antlerradar]

Yep. There have been papers that dove into how the Missouri used to flow into the Hudson Bay and was pushed down into its current position and joining with the Yellowstone.

This is what I remember form my Geology Class at MSU.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Yep. Law was about discouraging people from importing them as alternative livestock, removing a path to citizenship if they illegally immigrate to MT and removing any market for them for those who would want to charge for them ala Texas.

It's a good law.

 

[bobbydean]

Outside looking in.

Law looks like it is a preventative to land owners releasing hogs to create a market. Couple of posters have alluded to the same think.

 

[RobG]

They didn't want people intentionally releasing hogs to create a supply for hog hunting.

If I remember correctly, they also wanted to get ahead of private "high fence hunting" type operations that might bring them in here only to escape into the wild.

Related question: Aren't these feral pigs just decedents from escaped domestic pigs?

 

[Ben Lamb]

If I remember correctly, they also wanted to get ahead of private "high fence hunting" type operations that might bring them in here only to escape into the wild.

Related question: Aren't these feral pigs just decedents from escaped domestic pigs?

We've outlawed high fence hunting in MT.

However, that won't stop some bucket biologist from thinking it'd be awesome to have hogs in Montana and just let a few loose on their ranch, or a buddy's place or even on public land.

Some of the feral hogs are descendants of domestics that escaped, others are descendants of boar that were used for captive hunting operations in the south & elsewhere.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Outside looking in.

Law looks like it is a preventative to land owners releasing hogs to create a market. Couple of posters have alluded to the same think.

Landowners and everyone. I don't think that the idea was to single out landowners per se, but to ensure that nobody would have a pass to introduce them.

 

[Nameless Range]

From when mammoths, not hogs, roamed the countryside.

 

[Southern Elk]

All I know is we don't want hogs here. We've fought them all of my life in Mississippi. They are hard to get rid of once they get here and they destroy everything.

 

[RobG]

We've outlawed high fence hunting in MT.

That's why I said "type." I just remember some concern that idiots with big properties might start sport hunting them on their private property.

 

[Ben Lamb]

That's why I said "type." I just remember some concern that idiots with big properties might start sport hunting them on their private property.

Got it.

Be more clear.

 

[alwayshunting]

North Dakota put a similar law in place after a few small populations were found in the state. From what I remember there were some hogs found along the northern border in the Turtle Mountains (not actual mountains). There was also a small herd found on public land in western ND. I believe they have successfully eradicated them. The originals posters question was common when the ND law first happened.