A few weeks ago, we posted HERE about feral hogs that had come through. There was no further evidence of them but now that things have greened up from the rains, we think they might be back.
When we were out there this weekend, we saw this:
Several areas in the yard where the grass had been rooted up and damaged. Then we looked around back and saw this:
One of the raised beds (this is the pomegranate) had been dug up and another one nearby had been messed with too. The trailcam didn't catch them but 2nd Family said they had some feral hogs in their yard a few days ago but their dogs were barking and scared them off.
We have the fishing line around the orchard area to keep the deer out and it's worked great so far. Deer brush up against it and get spooked and after a couple of times, they just avoid the area. We've gone two years now with no leaves or branches nibbled on but I had the levels at about waist high and higher (to make using the small mower easier). But I didn't think about anything lower and smaller getting in.
So I decided to put two rows of lines around the "lower" part of the fruit tree area. Hopefully it will work the same way for them. They had 17 beds to get into and they only did this one and part of another so maybe there was nothing interesting and they moved on.
That's not good. In a way you got by pretty luck. Damage to your yard could had been so much worse.
ReplyDeleteFemale feral hogs may have as many as 10 to 13 piglets per litter. Drought
and food shortages can delay breeding and reduce the number of piglets
born, but feral hog populations recover quickly when conditions improve.
With adequate nutrition, a feral hog population can double in 4
months.
They will kill small farm animals, but they prefer dense vegetation that conceals them and protects them from temperature extremes. Only a poor habitat and extremely arid conditions seems to limit their distribution. Hogs usually concentrate where food is plentiful.
They may rest during the day in dense,
shady areas and move at night to more
open areas for food and water.
Hopefully they have moved on and won't come back.
Wow, those are some crazy stats. I'm still worried about them when I get to mowing and am in the more rural denser parts of the property. Hopefully they'll move on and be scared of the mower.
DeleteThey are taking over our country! Need a feed they live that contains permanent birth control meds. TN has a really bad problems in certain areas.
ReplyDeleteA birth control feed, I never thought of that. Yeah, we've heard about TN, I think AR has some big problems too. Hope they leave you alone.
DeleteThat definitely looks like hog damage in your yard. Did they hurt the tree in the raised beds that they invaded?
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived in the country, I had a 6-foot chain link fence around my backyard. It kept out the coyotes and everything else that roamed the area. It could be something you might consider around your orchard.
no, it was more the bark mulch moved around but I guess they didn't find anything. I don't know, we'll have to see what happens. 2nd Man said we might need more fencing, especially when we relocate the garden.
DeleteThe hogs will come back since there is nothing for them to be scared of. They could tear up a lot of your yard in one night. While here we have a bigger problem, a hurricane cat 4 is supposed to come in right in the area I live in. My kids are coming to put plywood over my windows later today. They are helping other people now.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid of that. They seem like not much scares them. Gosh, we've been thinking of you guys and of course, as I type this, I hope you are already evacuating or getting ready to leave. The latest forecast tonight is scary. We're keeping you all in our thoughts. From one Hurricane prone city to another, hang in there and be safe. Check in when you can.
DeleteDid they do damage to the tree? Maybe you need a halloween display that says trick or treat in order to scare the hogs off. What do those scary displays say?
ReplyDeleteno tree damage, thankfully. they didn't get deep down, almost like they were looking for good stuff but didn't find any. I never thought about one of those talking displays, or something that moves with motion. Hmm.... :-)
DeleteNope, you'll be wanting an electric fence.
ReplyDeleteDeer are low enough on the food chain to be scared and nervous about something they can't see touching them so the invisible line works on them.
Hogs, especially wild ones, not so much. They aren't scared of predators like deer are. They are smart and curious, very curious. When the invisible line touches them, they might run off until they figure out nothing is happening. No pain, nothing trying to run them off or eat them. Then they'll turn to trying to figure out what's there, and rip it down. And I'd wager it will happen within minutes of them first touching it. I can remember when Dad had pigs, they'd touch the electric fence once, and come back to investigate very soon after. Not many needed a 2nd zap though.
Here on our little farm North of Coleman, TX the weather, rain and temps are such that slugs are active and have begun the process of burroughing down to metamorph into the giant moths they really are. The problem with that is that the hogs will not be far behind. I don't know if they hear them or smell them but they rut down to eat them and leave our fields in a mess. That and the dogs dug them up and bring them inside the house. So, be aware, the hogs are just waiting for the meal to be served.
ReplyDelete