Wild Pig Newsletter - Vol. 1:2 - Summer 2016

Wild Pig

Newsletter

Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Unit ~ Vol.1:2 ~ Summer 2016 ~ www.feralhogs.tamu.edu

In this issue 3 Urban Wild Pig Video Series

Wild Pig Outreach in Action: Face-to-face Educational Programs By: Mark Tyson, M.S., Extension Associate, Wildlife and Fisheries and Richard Parrish, M.S., County Extension Agent, Leon County, Texas

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” – Albert Einstein.

Providing face-to-face educational programs are just one of the ways the wild

4 Seasonal Spotlight: The Hog Days of Summer 5 Emerging Technology and Innovation in Wild Pig Management

pig team provides research-based information to the public. Programs can be valuable to both landowners and members of the public seeking to learn about wild pigs and their management. Wild pigs have been a problem in Texas for well over 20 years and new, relevant information is often hard to find, especially online.

6 Upcoming Programs

These programs present an opportunity for land managers to receive the latest information on how to remove wild pigs and reduce their damage.

These events provide a chance for landowners to ask questions and get answers right away. Additionally, it is an opportunity for participants to learn from other attendees. Many times, questions generate other questions that lead to (Continued on page 2)

8 Trending Articles and Videos

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension ~ Vol.1:2 2 (Continued from page 1)

people do not attend wild pig workshops just for this

a discussion following the workshop. These

reason. People attend these workshops because they

discussions lead to neighbors working together

are looking for ways to get a better handle on the wild

to effectively manage wild pigs within their

pigs damaging their property and impacting the

community. There is a high value to these

profitability of their operations. They look to AgriLife

collaborations as they can be the early beginnings of

Extension programs as a source of quality information

landowner cooperatives. These co-ops can be

that will provide them the knowledge and skills they

extremely effective at reducing wild pig impacts across

need in order to address issues that are important to

a large area of land.

them.

Face-to-face workshops are designed in such a

Face-to-face wild pig educational programs also

manner as to describe how wild pigs became a problem

help to improve the overall Texas A&M AgriLife

in Texas and explain the economic, environmental, and

Extension program. Participants are asked to complete

health damage they can cause. Reduction techniques

a post-program survey which evaluates the program’s

are discussed, explaining the benefits and drawbacks of

quality and provides the attendees an opportunity to

each. Presentations at these workshops typically take

give constructive feedback. Items such as knowledge

place in the form of a slideshow, however they can also

gained, plans for practice adoption and likelihood to

include hands-on trapping demonstrations. These

recommend AgriLife Extension as a contact for

workshops are also a great way for multiple state and

information on wild pigs are included in the survey.

federal agencies to provide their expertise. Our

This feedback from participants allows Extension

workshops frequently feature speakers from Texas

professionals the opportunity to understand the

Wildlife Services, Texas Animal Health Commission,

benefits of their programming and identify subject

Texas Department of Agriculture and Texas Parks and

areas which need to be improved.

Wildlife Department. By the end of the

Between 2013 and 2015 the wild pig team

workshop, participants have the knowledge and skills

conducted 205 face-to-face workshops (188 were one-

they need to make a decision as to what method(s) of

hour presentations and 17 were four-hour workshops)

wild pig control would best suit individual or

with 10,271 attendees from across the state of Texas.

community needs. Additionally the face-to-face format

Surveyed workshop attendees indicated the knowledge

allows landowners to seek technical assistance from

they received from the programs would result in an

both state and federal professionals.

expected $2,178,278 reduction in wild pig damage in

While offering continuing education units (CEUs)

the upcoming year once practices were implemented.

to private pesticide applicators is a great drawing card

Participants reported the following increases in

for these events, our experience suggests that most

knowledge: wild pig biology-89%, lethal control options-83%, efficient trap/bait techniques-88.2% and types/extent of pig damage-73.6%. Additionally, those surveyed indicated they would adopt an average of 2.5 out of 8 management practices per participant.

Face-to-face educational programs are a great way to reach agricultural producers and the general public with research-based information on wild pigs. These programs help to build a sense of community among local citizens and keeps the AgriLife Extension name in their minds as the source of educational information regarding issues that are important to them.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension ~ Vol.1:2 3

C oC m i ni gn gS oS oo no n om

Part I of this series will explore the growing concern of wild pigs in suburban areas.

Urban Wild Pigs VIDEO SERIES

By: Josh Helcel, Extension Associate, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

As urban sprawl continues to expand the wildland­urban interface, populations of wild pigs are inevitably encroaching upon the urban landscape. Research indicates that interactions between humans and exotic invasive wild pigs can lead to negative impacts including residential damage, vehicle collision, disease transmission and in some instances, attacks on pets or humans. The wild pig team at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service recently collaborated with Texas Wildlife Services on a two part video series to extend knowledge and provide trapping solutions on this emerging issue.

Part II of this series will address what can be done to reduce the impacts of wild pigs in suburban areas.

For more information about wild pigs, their impacts and how to effectively reduce populations, please visit our website at feralhogs.tamu.edu

featuring

Adam Henry

is an Urban Wildlife Damage Management Biologist with the Texas Wildlife Services Program.

His primary duty location is the DFW Metro­Plex but he services all 61 counties of the Fort Worth District. Henry is also active in educational programs and routinely collaborates with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to provide trapping demonstrations.

Subscribe to our Newsletter by emailing josh.helcel@tamu.edu

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension ~ Vol.1:2 4

Seasonal Spotlight: The Hog Days of Summer By: Josh Helcel, Extension Associate, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

After a mild winter and unusually

each year in Texas alone. The good

wet spring the warmer temperatures,

news for this year is that research

and longer days of summer are

conducted in Texas over a 12 year

finally upon us. However, current

period (1995

early summer conditions are a

damage management” observed the

marked departure from previous

least activity/damage during years

availability decreases. In the

years. Lakes, rivers and other water

with the highest rainfall (Muir and

meantime, consider snaring wild

bodies across Texas are now filled to

McEwen 2007). While

pigs along nighttime travel routes or

capacity and in many cases beyond.

high food resource availability can

targeting wild pigs with nighttime

The land is lush and green nearly

translate into reduced trapping

strategic shooting efforts. The use

everywhere. The abundance of

success, it can also mean reduced

of a variety of strategies will

resources on the landscape certainly

crop damage for producers. The majority of a wild pig’s diet consists

generally serve to increase the

influences the activities of native wildlife, including non-

of vegetation, and with more natural

native wild pigs (Sus scrofa). With

vegetation present, less damage is

Conclusion

so much water and food available,

observed on agricultural crops.

This summer a little patience may

– 2006) on “feral hog

travel patterns. As summer progresses, trapping effectiveness will generally increase as resource

success of any abatement effort.

these animals can now afford to be

go a long way in the success of wild

more selective in their foraging and

pig management efforts such as

are less restricted in their

trapping. Strategies such as strategic

movements. These factors can

shooting, snaring and aerial gunning

potentially lead to increased

may become viable alternatives in

difficulty training pigs to bait for

areas where high resource

trapping efforts. But Texas summers

availability makes bait less

are long, and the months ahead

attractive. Eventually the waters will

remain among the best to enact

Wild Pigs Know How to Beat the

abatement efforts.

Summer Heat As summer temperatures continue to

Rainfall Impacts Wild Pig

increase, wild pigs are biologically

Agricultural Damage

required to find ways to beat the

By early summer Texas agricultural

heat. These animals do not possess

production is in full swing, and each

sweat glands, and this directly

year many producers incur crop loss

impacts their behavior. In order to

and other damages from wild pigs

stay cool wild pigs must wallow,

that target crops. Wild pig rooting

occupy shaded areas, and restrict

behavior, consumption of crops and

their movements. In most cases this

newborn livestock is estimated to

means little daytime activity and

cause at least $52 million in damages

primarily nocturnal feeding and

subside and the heat will dry out the landscape just as it does each year.

By the end of July two things will happen; (1) the Texas summer will inevitably force pigs to access bait and thereby increase the success of trapping efforts and (2) we will all

…

once again be wishing for rain

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension ~ Vol.1:2 5

Emerging Technology and Innovation in Wild Pig Management By: Mark Tyson, Extension Associate, Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Unit, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and Randy M. Smith, District Supervisor, USDA APHIS Wildlife Services

Wild pigs are one of the worst

you a view of the landscape from

technologies to get a closer look.

invasive species plaguing the United

200 miles or more above the earth. A

States today. Their innate ability to

great free mapping tool for Texans

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS):

succeed in varied habitats coupled

can be found at Texas A&M Forest

Getting a Birds Eye View of the

with their extremely high

Service’s Map My Property

Landscape

reproductive output make them a

webpage. Research suggests that the

considerable threat to our nation’s

average farm size in Texas is about

under the Christmas tree is also

natural and agricultural resources.

525 acres, yet wild pig home ranges

making its mark in the field of aerial

With population estimates reported

can vary between 500 and 1500 acres

surveillance and wild pig

in the millions, the sheer number of

or more (Figure 1). Having an idea of

management. Commonly called

wild pigs in Texas make for quite a

the landscape around your piece of

“Drones,” the sizes of these

challenge. However, the rapid

Texas will help to better understand

unmanned systems range from palm-

proliferation of technology and

how wild pigs utilize the area as a

sized toys to the large plane-sized

innovation brings about many

whole. Habitats associated with

military aircraft. Currently there are

promising tools and techniques in the

water, known as riparian habitats, are

universities and private companies

war on wild pigs.

often selected by wild pigs. Using

using larger fixed-wing UASs in

aerial images you can quickly assess

agriculture that do everything from

are, you are nowhere compared to

how preferred habitats relate to your

crop spraying to using high

where you can go.”

piece of Texas. Once you have

definition thermal cameras that can

identified these preferred habitats

pick out low nutrients or even insect

“It does not matter where you

– Bob Proctor

We can all stand to improve our techniques and tactics in the realm of wild pig management. In harnessing

One of the most popular

“toys”

you can use other emerging (Continued on page 6)

the power of technology we have the opportunity to innovatively employ new tactics on the landscape. Here are a few ideas on integrating technology into your current wild pig management efforts.

Online Mapping Tools: Gaining a Landscape Scale Perspective Understanding the lay of the land can be a challenge to some landholders, but it can be a valuable tool in effectively managing wild pigs. A variety of free online mapping tools are available to give

Figure 1. Wild pig home ranges typically overlap multiple landholdings

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension ~ Vol.1:2 6 to pick-up heat signatures in low-

field of activity.

light and could even allow them to

allows the flexibility to recover

damage. These systems are capable

fly at night, though FAA is expected

photos from the secondary box or

of staying airborne for several hours.

to set rules to limit these UASs to

with Wi-Fi, to directly send the

daytime flying and visual line of

photos to the pickup or ATV. The

sight.

benefit here is allows minimum

(Continued from Page 5)

On the consumer side, many UASs cost $500 to $2500, weigh under four pounds, are capable of carrying

Flight time for these light-weight

This technology

disturbance of the target area but

high definition cameras, and can

UASs is usually less than 30 minutes

still gives relative closeness to the

reach heights over 500 feet and

per battery charge. For a landowner,

site, if a visual inspection is

travel up to several miles away from

that 30 minutes can mean covering a

required. On the down side, the

the transmitter. Most of the UASs in

lot of acreage from the air that will

constant Wi-Fi connection can have

save on unnecessary walking or

an impact on the battery life of these

driving.

cameras. Using a solar panel with

these categories transcend

“toys” and

fall into a category of use targeted by novice hobbyists up to professional

rechargeable batteries can extend

cinematographers. The Federal

Wi-Fi, Radio Signal and Cellular

Aviation Administration (FAA)

Enabled Trail Cameras:

regulates the airspace of the United

Monitoring Wild Pigs on Your

into the farther category is a trail

States and regulates use of UASs

Terms

camera that can send photos via a

Please review

Trail cameras are an absolute

https://www.faa.gov/uas/ for the

necessity for wild pig managers.

latest rules about using UASs.

These tools are an ever-observant

What use can aerial camera

eye, watching every move wild pigs

platforms give an individual

make in the monitoring area.

interested in wild pig management?

Traditional trail cameras require the

Like the aerial mapping programs,

user to manually access the camera’s

they give a bird’s eye view of the

memory card to view or download

land. This is beneficial when

the captured images. This can be a

searching for and surveying damage

real setback for land managers,

caused by wild pigs. Many times

especially those who do not live on

this damage occurs in the middle of

the property being managed.

a crop, away from the bordering

Technological advances in trail

roads, out of sight from ground

cameras allow for both a local and

observers, but not from high above.

remote solution to access data stored

These UASs, when attached with a

on cameras. The transmission range

live view camera that transmits

for these devices could be classified

instantly to the receiver, commonly

as far, farther and farthest.

called first-person view or FPV,

In the far category, several trail

allows the operator see as though

cameras are equipped with Wi-Fi

looking out a cockpit. With this

capability that

view, it is also possible to actually

allows access to stored data from a

see and follow wild pigs. In

distance of usually 100 ft. or less.

addition, as technology advances, the

Some devices actually

use of thermal cameras on these

transmit photos to a secondary

UASs will likely allow the camera

hidden box away from the camera’s

the operating time.

Another option which would fall

(Continued on page 7)

Upcoming Programs 6­30­16: Erath County Wild Pig Program (2 Hr) 7­11­16: Hays County Wild Pig Control Update (1 Hr) 7­12­16: Blanco County Wild Pig Program (1 Hr) Josh Helcel josh.helcel@tamu.edu (512) 554­3785

Tell us how we can help you.

Educational Programs Technical Assistance Educational Resources

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension ~ Vol.1:2 7 (Continued from Page 6)

marketing the use of remotely

trap components for years, the latest

triggered traps. These devices

is a trap that utilizes panels and pins.

radio signal. Some of these systems

utilize switches that receive a

have been reported to transmit

wireless signal to activate an

trailer when it is folded up. When

images up to 1 mile away. The key

electronic lock or solenoid.

on site, the panels are swung into

to maximizing distance is making

Depending on the type of switch,

The whole thing serves as the

place and pinned to adjacent panels.

sure the line of sight between the

the triggering signal can be from 100

transmitter and receiver is

feet away with a key fob, or with a

into panels and work just as any of

unobstructed. Areas with hills and

computer keyboard, or cell phone

the other panels. It is possible to

uneven terrain will reduce the

from across the country. In

build the trap in a variety of shapes.

system’s ability to transmit photos.

suburban areas, it is possible to

This can be a great option for farm

connect these devices to a home Wi-

frame remain as part of the trap

and ranch owners, allowing for wild

Fi network and use internet cameras

design and may even incorporate an

pig monitoring from the comfort of

to monitor. In more remote areas, it

access door for the operator.

their home. This option will usually

will be necessary to pair the trapping

require a tall directional antenna.

device with a cellular camera. There

traditional means or can be paired

are trap designs that can drop a net

with the remote activated devices

or a large suspended metal trap.

mentioned previously. These trap

The final option, which falls into the farthest category, is cellular enabled cameras. These cameras

There are other designs that simply

The trap's guillotine doors are built

The wheels, tongue, and trailer

Triggering the gates can be through

designs benefit the mobile wild pig

utilize the cellular network to

release the door to shut and can be

trapper. They allow the user to

transmit photos. Using this

adapted to various trap designs. The

trailer the whole trap and set up on

technology you can receive real-time

benefit of using this type of trap is

site, by one individual, in about an

images from the field. There are a

that you have the ability, through the

hour.

variety of models available that are

camera’s pictures, to watch the wild

tailored to operate on the network of

pigs enter into the trap. You can

us to do a job more efficiently, may

a particular cellular service provider.

then send the trigger signal for the

be arguable, depending on the job

These cameras offer absentee

doors to close anytime you want.

we are doing. In the field of wild

landowners the flexibility to monitor

The devices will run on 12-24 volt

pig management, new technology

wild pig management efforts without

batteries and may require solar

becomes another tool in the tool-

the physical constraints of other

chargers to help maintain the

box. Does he that has the most

models. With convenience comes

batteries. Like the trail cameras,

tools make for the better worker?

cost, these camera systems require a

there will be cost associated with the

No, but having the right tool at the

service charge based on the amount

cellular data plans. It is possible to

right time, and one that makes your

of data and duration of service.

build these devices as a DIY project,

job easier is always welcome.

However, not having to drive an 80

but the builder can expect to spend at

mile round trip to check your

least $600 on materials.

cameras can be quite beneficial for the nominal fees involved.

All-in-One Trapping Units:

One of the latest technologies to

Trapping Devices: Armchair

hit the wild pig trapping market is

Trapping

the all-in-one trailered trap. While

A number of companies are

When combating one of the worst invasive species out there, we need all the help we can get.

Mobile Trapping Remotely Operated or Automated

Whether new technology allows

most people involved with pig trapping have been trailering their

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension ~ Vol.1:2 8

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Trending

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Check out our

Management App

Articles:

available at http://wild-wonderings.blogspot.com/

High Tech Hog Trapping learn to use technology like game cameras and remote triggers for hog trapping (click to view)

The Best Choice for a Corral Trap Gate presents a comparison of typical corral trap gates and suggests which style is most effective. (click to view)

Read Our

DIY Hog Traps

BLOG

guides you through the process of building several types of hog traps (click to view)

Find Our Educational Resources

Videos:

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Online Courses

This publication was developed by the Enhancing Feral Hog Management Project, with funding support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through a Clean Water Act §319(h) Nonpoint Source grant administered by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board. Additional funding was contributed by the San Antonio River Authority.

available at https://www.youtube.com/user/WFSCAgriLife/playlists

Texas Invaders: Feral Hogs highlights feral hog impacts and presents resources available for assistance in abating feral hog damage in Texas.. (click to view)

Shooting Techniques for Wild Pigs learn about the daytime and night time shooting techniques used in management. (click to view)

W E N

Can Wild Pigs Jump? learn about jumping abilities of wild pigs and panel height recommendation for trapping efforts. (click to view)