Pigs, hunting!

[Ufatz]

While I have been slowly divorcing myself from today's hunting scene and the contemporary interpretation of "fair chase" I was not prepared for what I say today on one of the outdoor channels. I only saw a few minutes of a program I believe was called Heli Hunters or something like that. The two minutes I watched, until I threw my coffee at the wall in outraged disgusts, showed a couple of "sportsmen" flying over some scrub land that I am going to say was likely in Texas. They spotted a half dozen feral pigs or hogs crossing a river and, swooping down with their mighty helicopter they hovered and allowed the gunner to slaughter those pigs, swimming in the water, with a constant spray of shots from two magazines. I was speechless. I was ready to punch somebody, and I haven't done that in years! LOL

Is this what it's all about now guys? Try to find this program and see what effect it has on you.

It sure ruined my day. So...which were the real pigs here? The ones shooting or the ones swimming for their lives.?

[mainbutter]

Crumbums killing invasive, destructive creatures in a less than ethical way.. I won't complain about it, but I don't have to like it.

[mrklean]

There is a fairly simple answer to your question people will do anything to be TV, think of the actual cost to rent and fly a helicopter to shot some pigs, think of the geese in the metro like the hogs down there, they are everywhere so is not like its hard to find them. They do it to get on TV knowing people will watch. Remember that gomer Bear Grylls he drank his own pee, ate bear [PoorWordUsage] to get the berries out of it and other stupid things most survival experts said no one should ever do if they are in that situation, why because people will watch. Thank the dumbing of America for stuff like that.

[pikerliker]

Real nice image for hunters. It's tough to defend our ethics and fair chase with garbage like that on tv. Too bad somebody in control at these channels can't see that. What a joke.

[tacklejunkie]

I think those pigs are more feral and non native. If they are like the wild(feral) hogs in other places of the country, not only are they invasive but highly destructive to native flora and fauna.

IMO, if that is the case, then I feel little sympathy for them and the concept of fair chase than if they were Asian Carp, Ruffes, or any other invasive.

And I don't even hunt

[creepworm]

This is not uncommon. I believe the Texas DNR even does helicopter flights where they shoot hogs. They are extremely destructive critters, and the ranchers would like them gone.

Even the SD GFP does helicopter flights in western SD to thin the population of coyotes. A very long list of landowners sign up for them to fly their land.

It is basically nuisance animal control. However, I agree it does not need to be advertised and put on TV.

[minky]

I wonder if they even went back for the meat?

[mainbutter]

They are extremely destructive critters, and the ranchers would like them gone.

And then there are the ranchers who decide they can make a buck by charging an arm and a leg for a hunt on their land, and choose to NOT eradicate the nuisance, thereby preserving the population and ruining the efforts to keep the population under control or eliminated entirely.. I'm glad they haven't made their way into MN (yet).

[Ufatz]

Well gents, I am quite familiar with the feral pig problem having spent a few winters in TX and enjoying many of the people and places. I also know of the situation regarding the hunting and high fence industry down there. I have hunted since I could walk, not so much recently except for a bird now and then and a duck or two.

But watching that guy sit in the chopper door and literally spray the swimming hogs was a little much for me. It may well be that choppers and heavy duty weapons are needed to control the critters.

But if CBS news gets a copy of that particular episode of the program be prepared for the outrage. The more I think about it the more certain I am that is was called Heli-Hunters or something similar.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

Helicopters have been used for nearly 20 years or more to shoot hogs & yotes in texas. I have a predator hunting video that is dated 2004, and they say on that vid that the guy flying them in one scene has been doing that for ~10 years. It's pest control, nothing more.

[Down2Earth]

I saw this on the Pigman with him and Ted N. Funny how when that episode started Pigman says this is NOT hunting it's eradication of a problem. He also stated how all the meat went to help feed the hungry. So shoot a bunch of bullets, feed the hungry, and help the rancher....I put it on my bucket list as something that looks fun as all get out. Guess I'm just unethical.

[Ufatz]

All the meat goes to the needy/hungry. Anybody here ever tasted that meat. Sit in a chopper and spray the water with your Bushmaster and a couple hi-cap mags for six little pigs.

I get it already with the "eradicate the nuisance" rationale. I'm pleased as punch there are people around who can do that sort of thing without being ashamed or embarrassed about it.

Don't know anything about a Pigman program and just from the title I doubt it would be of much interest to me. As for Ted N. all us gun owners need are more guys like him helping us get the message out!

Blaze away guys.....I've had my say and it just ain't my cup of tea.

[hockeybc69]

Ufatz,

you might not think so highly of Teddy after watching this terribly disturbing video.

[Down2Earth]

Yeah hockey that's the show. Looks like a blast to me. I wonder how much it costs? Good American ingenuity. Get the rancher to pay you to get rid of the pigs and have someone pay to shoot them. Double dipping on both ends. I'll take one home and throw it on the smoker and see how it tastes. I'm sure one of the smaller ones will be nice and tender.

[Ufatz]

Hockey, you misunderstand. I find T.Nugent to be a loathsome cretin. He does more harm with one of his tirades than a dozen do-gooder anti gun soccer moms.

[hockeybc69]

Down2earth,

Do a search on helicopter hog hunts.

First one I found is $1600 for 2 hours. HAAAAAA.

Guess this one wont be on my bucket list. What a blast to try!

[Down2Earth]

Hockey, maybe they have take a kid day for half price.