Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Serious Deer Talk Forum Coosa WMA

I am basing this partially on the fact that Jager-Pro was one of Chuck Syke's main sponsors and Jager-Pro's initiative, as stated on their website, is:



So, it looks like that we are headed towards 'Pay for Control' instead of Hunting.

It is the most effective way to get ride of hogs.

What areas have been eradicated?

All the 'news' is that they are spreading like the plague.
BUT, you have a couple of companies claiming success in complete eradication!!!
(And the same people are making both claims!! LMAO)

I agree that trapping catches a lot of pigs, shoats and nursing sows. Heck. it is VERY effective at that!
But, it is only ONE of the tools that is required to control, or reduce, a hog herd. It takes a year-round, multi-faceted effort to do that.

And, I do not agree that we should pay a private company to control hogs on Public land while hunters are refused the Right to hunt them!

Here is one of my major complaints on Coosa WMA. The wardens hardly ever man the check stations. Lots of animals slip through those gates. The rules state that you are not supposed to leave the management area without recording your kill. How do boat hunters do this? How many of them do you think drive back to the check station to record their kill? Not many if any.

I would love to see hunters get to hunt pigs in the summer months as well. I would MUCH rather shoot them with Night Vision that building traps. Building traps and catching hogs is hard work! But the truth is hunters CANT take enough hogs of WMAs to make a difference like trapping can! I dont hunt WMAs , but would hunt if a permit for NV hunting was an option. Trapping hogs is most productive, so thats what the state will most likly do in the future. I think 90% of people want hogs eradicated from this state. How do we make this happen? I dont know.

Really??

Which WMA's allow full-access to hunters and hunters with dogs and are the population not being controlled on?

It's like this.

Coosa Biologist: "The hog population is getting out of control out here!"

Hunter: "What's going to be done about it?"

Biologist: "We added a special 10 day hog only hunt. That should take care of it."

Some folks say money is holding them back. It doesn't cost much money to let the folks hunt hogs in the summer. Some say that won't help. It sure won't hurt. They just lock the gates in the summer and give the pigs free reign to reproduce and destroy fields.

Hunters will NEVER be able to take care of the hog problem! The only effective way to get ride of pigs is trapping. HogWild, i trap pigs and i hunt them with Night Vision. I have hunted them with Night Vision in three differnet states. I LOVE killing hogs with Night Vision, but it will NEVER be as effective as trapping. I think that Coosa WMA would be better of hiring a pro trapper or a pro hog dog hunter to fix the problem. Hunting them will not make enough of a differnce. If money is a concern for the state, then maybe they could take bids. I do agree with the fact that the gates should be open to hunt WMAs for hogs in the summer. It cant hurt anything to kill afew hogs right? I just dont see it being as good as trapping!

Like I said, trapping IS effective!!!

BUT, why 'HIRE' a professional?

Why not have a lotto style drawing for trapping permits for interested parties? Make them good for 3 months and that gives more people an opportunity to trap some good eating. Heck, it is OUR money that funds the State! And, you can say it is Pittman Robertson or whatever other excuse you have....BUT, the simple Truth is all of it, licenses included, are simply taxes that WE as Sportsman pay! Heck, I don't have a problem with it.....I just don't think that I should be forced to pay for something and then told that I cannot utilize it.

Why is the Politically-Correct answer to every problem. 'Throw money at it'??

Nobody is asking for more Rights!!!!! Simply lightened Restrictions!

I can agree 100% with the lotto syle drawing! On the other hand whats the big deal with the SMALL money we pay for a license. In general alabama ia one of the LOWEST prices for licenses around, but yet some people still compain? No one is forcing you to buy a hunting license. No one is forcing you to buy or hunt on a WMA correct? The state can not please everyone i get that. In an idea world we could set-up some type of hunting season/ schedual for hog hunting in the summer time. As far as "why hire a proffessional" why not? A professional will get the job done , where hunting will not! I wish there was a way to do both. I live 2 hrs from Coosa WMA and 1 3/4 hours from Bankhead . But i would pay a fee to NV hunt hogs if it was avalible. Lightened Restricions would be great, i agree full with you. But what is more cost effecent than trapping? Sure you can say let people hunt on WMAs for the 20 dollar licence they have already payed for. The proplem is you will need more GW to patrol the WMAs in summer time= more money payed out buy the state. What if its more cost effective to pay 50 dollars per caught pig. Your only paying 20 dollars or so for a WMA permit, its not like thats a lot of money? I agree that letting people hunt for 3 months would be good, but not as effetive as trapping. Some where in the middle is a sulotion that will work for the good of everyone involved. I just dont know " what/ or where that might be"?

We have never tried 'in the middle'.
But, we are being told that it won't work without even trying!!!

And, I am NOT complaining about 'paying'.

It is simply another case of a Govt agency thinking that we work for them instead of the other dang way around, By God!!!

I think we should try" in the middle". Why not seperate the 3 months with a permit system? 1 month for day time and night time hog hunters. 1 month for dog hog hunters. 1 month for the professional trapper/ or highest bidder at say 50 per pig caught? The first 2 months of permitted dog and stalk hunter COULD pay for the professional= if needed to clean up the hog problem. Sounds simple to me. I fully agree that doing something or trying is better than doing nothing, 100%. Some type of system needs to be worked out NOW!

If it is a cost-effective alternative, why should Recreational Rights 'pay' for it?

Who is gonna pay me, the hunter?

And, if you are considering $50 per hog/pig caught.....where the heck do I sign up to be a 'professional' with dogs? In 30 days on many of the WMA's, I would come out quite nicely at that rate!!!

Right now, if I only work my 'scheduled' work hours, I average 42 hours/week at work. And, I still manage to catch 200 - 300 hogs per Summer just casually huinting and training dogs.(you could say year, but that is not truly representative since I do not hunt during deer/turkey seasons).

Why not? Everyone would benifit from that scenrio, would they not? The people who want to stalk, Night Vision hunt, or dog hunt would have 2 months to play. Then with the money from their PERMITS , you could hire a professional. The proffessional that makes the BEST bid= be it a hog trapper or dog hog hunter gets the job. Last Nightvision hunting i did i got 75 per hog, we got 13 in two nights. 50-75 dollars is a fair price. Doesnt matter if hog is trapped,shot with Night Vision, or killed with a sharp Knife and a pack of dogs! I would so 50 dollars is the true average price. If can catch the hogs better that a pro trapper then i say= let HogWild have the WMA job if he bid the lowest on the contract. I can honestly say that I would not mind paying for a permit to Night Vision hunt, then having the money i payed go to you to trap or catch the hogs with dogs. I think this would be a win-win situation for hunters. 2 months of hunting in WMAs for them, THEN hire a professional to clean up all the hogs at 50 dollars each, with the money made from 2 months of PERMITED payed hunting. Thats sound like a good deal doesnt it?

Not really to me.....

Because, even if 'I' am the one doing the hunting; the Public is still being prohibited from the same Right.

Laws/Rules/Regulations have been mis-construed that they are somehow intended to GIVE people more Rights/Privileges. That is NOT true!!! They take them away, plain and simple!

We the state cant make everyone happy can they? I dont see the problem with my suggestion. You have 2 months of permitted hunts, then you take that money and pay a professional to catch the hogs for 1 month. Seams like a win-win situation to me? I dont see who you are " taking them away from anyone"? No one will force anyone to buy a license, a WMA license, or A special hog hunting permit. Too many people feel it their Rights/Privilege to hunt the way they want too. Point is we need to do something to combat the hog problem. I dont have the answer, just like you, i have thoughts and opions. But i do AGREE that we need to do something.

My opinion is that the hog population needs controlling. No question about it!!
And, I think that PRIVATE landowners should have the Right to manage them any way they want to.

But, lands that are designated as PUBLIC should exhaust all possible opportunities of allowing the PUBLIC to control them through hunting/trapping methods before even considering giving into Special Interests and PAYING companies/individuals to trap/shoot them! Especially when, although effective at reduction, there exists NO proven record of eradication by utilizing these methods.

Sounds like whoever leases this land will need to kill a bunch of hogs. I just heard that a large section of this WMA was NOT going to be open to the public next year. It was going to be leased to hunting clubs.

I just want wild hogs to go extinct. Don't care how, who, or what.