RANT Pt 2
When hogs "really" became a problem, yes, ranchers, farmers and land owners were ecstatic to have hunters come in and reduce the pig population.
When Skeeter and Bud had a hot spot to hunt hogs for free, they took Willie and Joe Bob.
Willie and Joe Bob went back next week with 4 of their pals.
First thing you know, Farmer Brown is finding toothless, snuff dipping, red neck hog slayers all over his farm.
He's finding his fences cut, crops rutted by ATV's and 4WD's. Livestock injured or killed. Gates left open. Litter. Trees cut down. Impromptu fire pits and camp sites, etc, etc, etc!
Suddenly, allowing free hunting to get rid of hogs was costing more than the hog damage! 🤯
That's not to mention the suits filed by ne'er-do-well hunters (?) 'cause a bull stepped on his best "hawg dawg" and other idiotic BS suits.
SO....if you want to complain about the cost of a pig hunt, think about what it costs the landowner!
Sure, you're responsible, but he doesn't know that. You could just be another Skeeter or Possum.
Deer leases in Ok and Tx now often come with a liability release and a property damage clause.
You don't want to pay to kill a hog?
The landowner doesn't want to have to sell his land to cover legal expenses due to your stupidity.
That gate swings both ways!
Most of these places are charging exorbitant prices for these hunts. I mean there are so many farmers whining about their wild hog problems yet they are charging a fortune to hunt on their lands. I’m beginning to think the farmers make more money from the hog hunting than from the farming. Interesting, no?
bgcatty, please read the above. I raise registered Black Angus. I had a high school kid that liked hunting hogs so I let him have at it. Then he wanted to bring a buddy out with him but he would be the only one hunting. He would come out only when my wife was there and I was out of town working. She was in poor health and would never check on them. Then I find a young calf dead right in the area he was hunting and he said he had shot at a pig but missed. I figured he or his buddy shot the calf. He started leaving trash in the blinds and wouldn't keep things clean. He put a couple of stands up and then wanted to know if he could Turkey hunt to which I replied NO and to get the stands out. This was about a month before season. He hadn't removed the stands and was wanting to wait until season started to remove them. I changed locks on the gates, removed his stands, and took them and dropped them at his house. His Mom calls me and tries to jump me out because her son can't come hunting any more. I told her I was going to lease out the land for Turkey season (which I didn't do) and I didn't want him out there. She kept on and I finally told her the her son could hunt as long as he could pay $500.00 for a weekend Turkey hunt for one bird. He couldn't and I told Mom he was no longer welcome and to stay out.
This is some of the crap you get into when you do something nice for folks. It just isn't worth it.
Jim
