It has been an extremely busy week, but I thought I would throw this story up (pardon the source, Anita…heh).

Texas lawmakers are proposing a new medium for controlling the ongoing problem caused by the destructive wild hogs that roam the ranches of South Texas.  Closer to home, my family has a ranch outside of Yoakum.  I would estimate that it is nearly impossible to peacefully drive a 4×4 truck through four of the hay meadows (comprising of about 30-40% of the total acreage).

*Senor Swine

From late evening into the wee hours of the morning, these hogs roam from one pasture to another, “rooting” for food.  In their wake, they leave a field of pot-holes that are several feet wide and six or more inches deep (makes for a really smooth ride).  Don’t even think about driving through those fields if rain has recently fallen.  In that situation, a four-wheel drive truck is only good for getting a person stuck further from civilization.

Over the last twenty years, we have tried everything from driving around at night with spotlights looking for these suckers, to trapping them with a sour mash of corn (yum).  If the methods can be controlled, maybe helicopters ARE a better solution, albeit a more costly one.

From a consumption viewpoint, old, wild boars and sows tend to be less than tasty—sometimes being downright stinky.  Occasionally though, we run across a young pig that hasn’t developed that characteristic wild gamey-ness.  Indeed, that is some good eatin’.

More to come.

*Photo linked from its respective flickr page.