On the heels of a recent resounding win for bear hunting in California, a less-than-stellar wild pig hunting bill is currently with the state’s Senate Appropriations Committee.
According to a letter to the Senate Natural Resources committee signed by 11 California hunting groups, the bill would reduce valuable hunting opportunities, gut vital state-wide conservation funding that supports wildlife and habitat management, remove a source of important wildlife management data, and create a management nightmare for the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW).
Bad Language, Bad Bill
Charles Whitwam, the founder of HOWL, a non-profit, action-oriented online portal dedicated to protecting wildlife and science-based management practices, told Free Range American he recognized the anti-hunting language in the bill right away.
“S.B. 856, as introduced by Sen. Bill Dodd, is a direct lift of a 2018 wild pig bill, authored by Sen. Frank Bigelow, that died in the Senate,” he said. “The original bill included anti-hunting language that Jennifer Fearing lobbied for on behalf of the Humane Society.”
That language was cut from the 2018 bill before the legislation ultimately failed, but it’s now back in Sen. Dodd’s bill:
This bill would also prohibit a person from intentionally or knowingly releasing any hog, boar, pig, or swine to live in a wild or feral state upon public or private land and would prohibit a person from engaging in, sponsoring, or assisting in the operation of a contained hunting preserve, as defined, of wild pig, feral pig, European wild boar, or domestic swine within this state. The bill would also prohibit the use of poison to take exotic game mammals.
Essentially, the bill would make fenced hunts illegal — a move that hunting groups say would hurt parts of the hunting community that should be supported and also set a dangerous legislative precedent.
“These hunts provide an opportunity to many, including our most deserving wounded warriors, those with special needs, the elderly, and youth who are physically unable to handle traditional hunts. For us, this is a ‘slippery slope’ as we can easily see planted upland game bird hunts next on the list,” the group’s letter pointed out.
In California, 52% of the state is public land; of that, 38.3%, or roughly 38.1 million acres, is open to public hunting.
Management, Data, and Revenue Red Flags
Another issue for hunters and wildlife managers pertains to the revenue from wild pig tags that would be lost by replacing them with a wild pig validation.
Current hunting regs require hunters to purchase a tag for every wild pig they kill with no limit on the number of tags purchased or pigs killed. Each resident tag costs $25.92 as of the 2021-2022 season. Non-resident wild pig tags are $86.97 per animal.
Under the new law, hunters would be able to purchase a single validation, akin to the duck stamp, which would allow the hunter to shoot as many wild pigs as they want. The cost would be $15 for residents and $50 for non-residents.
According to HOWL, that would add up to over $1 million in lost revenue, which would directly impact the annual funding available for programs and projects critical to the health of all big game species.
Under current law, property owners must obtain a depredation permit in order to kill nuisance pigs and then report their kills. The new bill would remove those requirements.
Two issues arise from this: a lack of permitting opens the door to the no-holds-barred killing of an indeterminant number of wild pigs and a possible increase in poaching incidents; without harvest numbers, the DFW will have little to no data for implementing science-based management of wild pigs.
It is true that there is no bag limit or daily possession limit on wild pigs, but unchecked hunting of wild animals has never resulted in favorable outcomes; ask the American Bison.
Pouring even more salt in the wound, the new bill would reclassify wild pigs as exotic game mammals, and ask the DFW to create a new management plan for them — something that Whitwam believes is an unreasonable ask.
“The bill requires the DFW to prepare a management plan for wild pigs no later than January of 2024, which is not feasible. Here in California, they’re already working on management plans for deer, black bears, bobcats, and wild sheep. They don’t need to be working on a wild pig management plan at the same time.”
HOWL has organized an action alert for the public to weigh in on the bill.
“If the goals of this legislation are a single validation instead of tag sales, and improved access to depredation hunting for landowners, this legislation needs to be gutted and improved — so it must be stopped in its current form,” the organization’s website says.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to correct an error in the reported acreage of public land available to hunt in California.
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Jc Palmer says
Leave it to politicians in Cal to try N make $ off people trying to protect cropland from wild pigs destroying it! There should B no limit N no license required other than a hunting license to manage these invaders! U should B encouraging not discouraging hunters to reduce numbers!
Robert Snyder says
I have always said that the wild hog is like a gateway drug. What are youth Makes their 1st harvest They will more than likely stay in the sport. Hopefully there will always be enough habitat for all wildlife. South Florida hunter.
Tom mack says
The way I see it we need to reduce the number of hogs, without increasing the price of a tag. This new bill sounds like a move in the right direction, further more you sir sound like a dumb ass, talking about the Buffalo, and wounded warriors, you are blowing smoke, and yes iam a100% disabled VV
Chris Hayes says
I can see a one time a year fee for exotic or invasive species such as a federal duck stamp allowing the taking of exotics, and invasive species by any legal means of hunting and trapping. This would give wildlife officers reasoning to stop the people they find in the woods to check and see if in deed they have the tag that allows them to hunt especially during offseason where any poacher can just say i was hunting hogs is why im hunting these woods? The reasoning to stop a hunter and ask questions would help conservation officers investigations on illegal activity and still add to our conservation funds to continue protecting our natural resources for years to come.
Barry Pate says
It says no daily bag limit in this article witch is untrue California has a 1 wild hog per day limit last time I looked?
Brian says
From the sound of the legislation, they have been bought by China (yet again) as they are the monopolistic owner of the pork industry in the US. Just go to Texas and get paid by farmers to harvest wild hogs, while the population explodes and destroys the perfectly landscaped lawns and landscapes these legislators spend thousands of dollars on each year. In just a couple years, their filibuster of hunters rights will be revoked by the rampant insurance claims will flood en masse; or just consider your next vote wisely. Just a concerned citizen from NC ‘s opinion.
LEIGH BERNHARDT says
Are you f*****g insane? It’s ot acute cuddly little pig. It’s ferocious and deadly to humans. Not to mention farm land and native wildlife. They breed like rabbits can have as many as 16 piglets 3 times a year. Boar would just as soon cut you down with their tusks as smell you. And they will eat a body, human or otherwise completely gone. Even the teeth. This the crazy thing I’ve heard in a long time.
God help you with your ignorance. Your gonna wind up getting people killed. Why dont you make it your mission in life to go and hug those wirey bastards. Your change your tune real quick.
Bob Green says
Fenced hunts are unsportsmanlike no matter if they are old or handicap. My uncle is paralyzed from the waist down and still hunts fine. He uses his dogs and a special quad he had customized. Me I think hunting is one tradition that needs to go away,at least fishing let’s you release your catch
Scott C Dobson says
While I usually think California is out of line and out of touch when it comes to the realities of land (and people) management, some of this makes sense to me. Reducing hunting opportunities is always bad for hunters and management budgets, which is usually bad for wildlife. Ending fenced hog hunting makes zero sense, but there should be an unlimited kill of hogs, maybe even bounties: they are invasive, destructive and dangerous. They do not deserve management protections along side native wildlife. They are not to be conflated with bison! They SHOULD be eradicated. Have fun, hunt safely!
David Middleton says
They should round up every wild hog in US and send it to California but after the multiply so much they will become a nuisance like they are everywhere else
Steven says
When wild pigs get as bad there as they are in Texas They will be begging people to kill them instead of charging people to kill them! They destroy everything and reproduce faster than you can kill them. The only management program is to let them be killed on sight!
Pete Skarda says
I’m not sure I understand this statement: “Considering that only 38.3% of the state (less than 100,000 acres) is open to public hunting, shutting down private operations will affect the entire hunting community.” There are 104,765,440 acres (163,696 sq miles) of land in the state of California, 38.3% of that is 40,125,163 acres. 40 million acres. California ranks second in the nation behind only Alaska with total amount of National Forest lands with 20.73 million acres. There are over 15 million acres of BLM land in California. I’m not supporting the pig hunting bill, I just take exception with the above statement. Thanks!
Pete
J.M. Gann says
Wild hogs should be eradicated
Dan Laintz says
The state of California is over 100 million acres.
Stating that 100,000 acres represents ~ 38% of the state is WRONG.
Brian says
California for many years had a wild pig tag system that consists of a five (5) stamp (tag) booklet for $5.00 bucks. There was no reporting requirement for animals taken. Then the state saw pig hunting as a source of revenue and did away with the booklet and increased the cost for a single tag. Wild pig is an invasive animal and adaptable to many environments. For instance the central coast redwood forest. Where the state sent in state licensed Trappers to eradicate the pigs in the area. I had hunting rights on private land in the area so I saw first hand California State sanctioned wholesale killing of the entire wild pig population in the area in the name of environmentalism. The current legislation is poorly written and another nail in the coffin for California big game hunting.
Trent says
Not sure that feral hogs need a science based management plan. They are feral, and if they are causing so much economic damage a one time validation tag for unlimited hogs makes sense. The purpose would be to encourage the reduction of the population. Hopefully at the least cost to the hunter. Here in Texas the management plan is to eliminate feral hogs. The feral hog problem here is still growing and does not look to be going away anytime soon. Hogs are some tough resilient criters.
Gail says
I think it’s disgusting! I am so tired of the attitude that everthing should be murdered for someone else’s pleasure! How about the majority of us who just want to see them left alone and enjoy them in the Wild! Shouldnt WE have a VOICE! And the comment regarding canned hunts for the disabled and too young is ludicrist! Just disgusting! I hope the bill passes!
Scott Clemons says
Please leave well enough alone! Wild pigs must be managed like any other game animal. Based on science!
Benjamin R. Baker JR says
38 percent of California is open to public hunting? Why are you bitching?
Dogman197 says
Come to Texas and hunt all of the nasty bastards you want-for free. But do us a favor, go back when your done.