What a difference 50 years makes in a headline

[user 423]

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/01/us/pigs-san-francisco-california.html

 

[Freelander]

I hit a wild pig on my way to work a few years ago. No major damage the pig bounced down the side of the car and took off.
In some parts of the country they are getting to be a real problem.

 

[Frood]

When I lived in the Bay Area I remember reading an article about someone who lived up near the hills and had problems with swine destroying his lawn. He came home from work one day and there was a a sounder rooting around in his front yard. He had enough, and started waving his arms and shouting at the pigs. The turned on him and started running at him... He had to jump up on the roof of his car and was trapped there for quite a while until they eventually left the area. From what I've heard, wild pigs will eat just about anything.

 

[DannyB1954]

Those who promote protecting all wildlife are the first to call animal control if a large dog is loose near them.
You should have a grizzly bear or pack of wolves at your door, but get this pit bull otta here.
Wild Boar are dangerous and destructive to the environment.
Personally I am way too lazy to hunt, but have nothing against it. Our forefathers had good reason wanting some species to be extinct.

 

[Freelander]

The problem here is these wild boars aren't native. These were boring here years ago and escaped from farms.

 

[Frood]

The problem here is these wild boars aren't native. These were boring here years ago and escaped from farms.

Don't forget the invasive turkeys... No, not joking either. They don't tear up the whole lawn but they #$&*$# and ($*#@ everywhere, and absolutely LOVE to peck the heck out of anything shiny (like hubcaps, path lights, or chrome pipes/exhaust...

 

[user 423]

We have javelinas here in AZ but they don't get very big. They can be aggressive I guess. Where I live now we used to see them occasionally but now we have a couple of dogs roaming the property so they rarely come around.

 

[Malamute]

The invasive European or Russian wild boars are very destructive to all sorts of native animals and habitat, they have been slowly spreading west and north over time, they are in Arizona now in some places, i believe the Az Game and Fish allow hunting them year round with no special tags or permits, probably need a basic hunting license though. Many states and areas hit hard by the wild boars actively encourage hunting in any way possible to reduce or eliminate them. Its one species I have little personal affinity or sympathy for, Im far more sympathetic to native species. Im not really much of a hunter any more, but have no problem with the shoot on sight concept for the wild boars.

Lots of reading on the matter, heres a brief bit by Smithsonian.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smar...nd-resilient-theyre-also-spreading-180973824/

 

[vanbrat]

We have bunnies and deer and coyotes... The bunnies are escaped domestics (thousands of the buggers) and the deer tear up the fruit trees and gardens, the coyotes should be happy with both of those but nooooo they are after chickens and small dogs and some packs have been known to take out the bigger dogs too. So glad there are not now any pigs and the turkeys seem to have gone someplace else. I love the wild animals too but ........

 

[Cammalu]

Don't forget the invasive turkeys... No, not joking either. They don't tear up the whole lawn but they #$&*$# and ($*#@ everywhere, and absolutely LOVE to peck the heck out of anything shiny (like hubcaps, path lights, or chrome pipes/exhaust...

The turkey is a native species. Not considered invasive.

 

[Frood]

The turkey is a native species. Not considered invasive.

It's not native to the SF Bay Area... They are descendants of introduced animals by fish and game back in the 1950's as game fowl, or also possibly descendants of escaped farm birds.

Generally they aren't as destructive or dangerous as swine, so are typically overlooked.

 

[Catalyst1]

We have bunnies and deer and coyotes... The bunnies are escaped domestics (thousands of the buggers) and the deer tear up the fruit trees and gardens, the coyotes should be happy with both of those but nooooo they are after chickens and small dogs and some packs have been known to take out the bigger dogs too. So glad there are not now any pigs and the turkeys seem to have gone someplace else. I love the wild animals too but ........

You need to introduce another species--Llama--to guard all of the livestock. Coyotes won't mess with Llamas. Don't know if that would help your deer problem though.

 

[BelgianPup]

Dogs vs coyotes...

Here in Western WA, we have been having problems with increasing numbers of coyotes, with lots of missing dogs and cats. Yesterday, I had yet another conversation with a dumb-chit neighbor about how he was dead-certain-sure that his Pittie could handle any coyote.

I didn't come right out -- exactly -- and tell him he was an idiot, but maybe he picked up on it.

Coyotes tend to mostly hunt in packs. Maybe you only see one, but there are others nearby. If they see a Pitbull, or Rottie, or German Shepherd, or Doberman, that dog becomes prey.

One coyote runs out to catch the dog's attention, and then it takes off. The dog follows the coyote, the rest of the coyote pack follows the dog. They close in, one of the coyotes is able to hamstring him, and the dog is down. They rip out his throat and have dinner.

Never, ever, believe a guy who tells you that your larger, supposedly aggressive breed of dog can take on a "single" 30 lb coyote and win.

 

[vanbrat]

Dogs vs coyotes...

Here in Western WA, we have been having problems with increasing numbers of coyotes, with lots of missing dogs and cats. Yesterday, I had yet another conversation with a dumb-chit neighbor about how he was dead-certain-sure that his Pittie could handle any coyote.

I didn't come right out -- exactly -- and tell him he was an idiot, but maybe he picked up on it.

Coyotes tend to mostly hunt in packs. Maybe you only see one, but there are others nearby. If they see a Pitbull, or Rottie, or German Shepherd, or Doberman, that dog becomes prey.

One coyote runs out to catch the dog's attention, and then it takes off. The dog follows the coyote, the rest of the coyote pack follows the dog. They close in, one of the coyotes is able to hamstring him, and the dog is down. They rip out his throat and have dinner.

Never, ever, believe a guy who tells you that your larger, supposedly aggressive breed of dog can take on a "single" 30 lb coyote and win.

The pack in our neighborhood has taken out a BIG pittie, a big mastif, and has gotten to our swiss mountain dog. Our mountain dog got away by hiding under and on the neighbor's porch. All three of these dogs are 100 + lb dogs known to be tough as nails. The pittie was out with it's owner who was doing target practice with his hand gun. Broad daylight people close and everything. Still attacked. The mastif was aging but still going strong and had a big brother that was 1/4 wolf... the wolf dog lived but..... Do not mess with a pack of coyotes.... We warn visitors with dogs DO NOT let your dogs out after dark alone or loose. We have neighbors with lamas and such... they do a good job, also had neighbors with peacocks. Those loud things kept everything away, but then we had to hear those $%^& things all day and night.

 

[Frood]

The pack in our neighborhood has taken out a BIG pittie, a big mastif, and has gotten to our swiss mountain dog. Our mountain dog got away by hiding under and on the neighbor's porch. All three of these dogs are 100 + lb dogs known to be tough as nails. The pittie was out with it's owner who was doing target practice with his hand gun. Broad daylight people close and everything. Still attacked. The mastif was aging but still going strong and had a big brother that was 1/4 wolf... the wolf dog lived but..... Do not mess with a pack of coyotes.... We warn visitors with dogs DO NOT let your dogs out after dark alone or loose. We have neighbors with lamas and such... they do a good job, also had neighbors with peacocks. Those loud things kept everything away, but then we had to hear those $%^& things all day and night.

Sounds like something caused a coyote boom... or maybe sprawl has just really encroached into their territory and they don't have anywhere left to run? I've encountered big packs of coyotes, and generally they look for easier prey unless they are sick, starving, or have no other choice. They may be able to take down bigger animals, but they are also opportunistic and, typically, very shy so they will take the easiest option (especially one that doesn't look like it can fight back). Having neighbors that, out of misguided sense of kindness, put out food and water for the wild animals doesn't help.

 

[vanbrat]

When I say "Our neighborhood" our neighborhood is on the edge of several hundred acres of wild woods and trails. It is a great place for long woodland walks and such but also wild critters. And there was a boom as in ups and downs in nature. We had a boom in bunnies then a boom in Coyotes and then a virus took out a bunch of the domestic wild mix bunnies and now the coyotes need to eat something so chickens and other small domestics are in more danger. And yep not so wise townies come over and leave out food for the "poor" hungry deer, bunnies, and racoons. Usually someone sets them straight after awhile...

 

[Frood]

Is it legal to cull coyotes in your area? It doesn't sound like the nicest thing in the world but with how much humans @#$% with the environment now we should also take responsibility for TRYING to keep things in balance...

 

[user 32232]

In good ol' Californy, you are SUPPOSED to have a hunting license to cull coyote.
https://www.coyotehunting101.com/coyote-hunting-regulations/

 

[BelgianPup]

From what I've read and heard, it is legal to shoot any coyote that is a threat to your pets or livestock, AS LONG AS IT IS LEGAL TO FIRE A GUN IN THAT AREA.