FC disgusting practices in the Forest of Dean?

Most large wild mammals come into conflict with man in some way. Deer, fox, now boar and the list goes on so why not just appreciate that they are there and go with it as best we can. Hells bells, the Sika destroy my hardwoods up North in a big way but I wouldn't wish them gone so deal with it as best I can.

Of those listed the Wild Boar is by far the most destructive of the lot in monetary terms (cost per animal).

Why would we want to let this population increase when farmers already struggle? Other than we all enjoy shooting them!

I agree we will never get close to the German population but we would not have to for it to have the same effect.
 
I totally agree they need seasonal protection but the FC dont want deer or pigs in their forestry.what ever their spin doctors say.

I think one of the issues might be the row that will kick off if one of the many tourists gets ripped by a boar or someone has a dog killed (I think that's happened already) it won't be good for their PR and the FC will be blamed and maybe get a claim for compensation, I wouldn't be at all surprised if their insurers are behind this.

I was also interested to see that according to the graph one animal shot in January weighed in at about 200kg - that's a mighty boar!!
 
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Of those listed the Wild Boar is by far the most destructive of the lot in monetary terms (cost per animal).

this may be true where crops are targeted by the boar and fences damaged but pigs are smart and if they are hunted and shot at they soon vacate an area. I would agree that a single animal because of it's size may cause considerably more damage than a single animal of another species but not in terms of kilo comparison. Take the same weight of deer ie muntjac and think about it over crops like hazel coppice or cabbages with how much they browse.

'Shoot on sight' is the worst thing you can do since you might shoot one or two lamping say and they're gone or dispersed if you shoot the sow and lamp educated. Alternative feeding and selective culling allows you to better manage the pigs in your area but you certainly can't win shooting them randomly.

Paul K,

CWD injure more dogs that boar but this is always when dogs are runing free off the lead and run down an animal that has no choice but to turn and fight. There has been one fatality from a boar attack to my knowledge in living memory with an elderly German hunter who shot and injured a boar that he pursued into cover where the injured animal turned on him. The boars tusks cut an artery and unfortunately he died. More hunters die from other hunters bullets :rolleyes:

People that respect wildlife never have any problems
 
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You will not get anywhere near a coherent answer to the UK Wild Boar issue until we have a Wild Boar Act (respective Wild Boar Acts).
 
this may be true where crops are targeted by the boar and fences damaged but pigs are smart and if they are hunted and shot at they soon vacate an area. I would agree that a single animal because of it's size may cause considerably more damage than a single animal of another species but not in terms of kilo comparison. Take the same weight of deer ie muntjac and think about it over crops like hazel coppice or cabbages with how much they browse.

'Shoot on sight' is the worst thing you can do since you might shoot one or two lamping say and they're gone or dispersed if you shoot the sow and lamp educated. Alternative feeding and selective culling allows you to better manage the pigs in your area but you certainly can't win shooting them randomly.

Paul K,

CWD injure more dogs that boar but this is always when dogs are runing free off the lead and run down an animal that has no choice but to turn and fight. There has been one fatality from a boar attack to my knowledge in living memory with an elderly German hunter who shot and injured a boar that he pursued into cover where the injured animal turned on him. The boars tusks cut an artery and unfortunately he died. More hunters die from other hunters bullets :rolleyes:

People that respect wildlife never have any problems

I'm sure that's true but the Forest of Dean is heavily populated with tourists (and their dogs) and at the moment some boar/human contact is bound to occur, especially as some of the boar appear tame enough to be hand fed. I'm not saying it will happen as I agree that incidents of boars causing injury or worse are extremely rare but the FC's insurers will not be looking to take any more risk than they have to and might well be behind the cull.

The good news is that the increased pressure will have the effect of making the pigs become much more nocturnal and contact less likely. This has been the case on the NW side of the forest where boar have been shot for about 15 years now.
 
You will not get anywhere near a coherent answer to the UK Wild Boar issue until we have a Wild Boar Act (respective Wild Boar Acts).

Totally agree with you but I suspect it's not going to be forthcoming in the very near future, at least not until DEFRA get their collective head out of the sand - or are they perhaps hoping that the FC can 'dispose' of the problem for them before then?

When you consider the amount of money being ploughed into sanctioned reintroduction projects - Great Bustard, Beaver, etc. - the fact that the boar have done a backdoor DIY job themselves must really grate in some quarters!

Looks like they're here to stay so why not accept the fact and get some decent legislation in place so that everybody knows where they stand - or will they have to paint a couple of black & white stripes along their backs before that happens?
 
While it is easy to critise the fc or their alleged culling practices how many here stop shooting foxes, pigeons and rabbits from cubbing time/nesting time till young are independent?

I dinae really agree with culling and leaving dependents but i am also a hypicrate(see above);), but i also dinae ken first hand the area or the situation in the forest of dean with the boar population and damage caused to the forestry and surrounding area. But if rising which by al accounts it is they need to be shooting more sows and young ones. Also all the rangers be they fc or otherwise that i know always have the best interest off the animals and there beats in mind, i doubt they would be going out off the way to shoot lactating sows. (is a heavily pregant sow any different than shooting a muntie doe, althou it may not be to everyones tatse)

Also to say that agriculture is a tiny industry and that boar shoting will generate more income and jobs in the future:confused:
Think about how many people are employed as farm workers, contractors, engineers, fencers, agri dealers, markets, slaughter houses. Sorry but there is no way all those people will get jobs in boar related industries.

Boar like many other introduced species are unfortanately here to stay, i wish we could turn the clock back and contain some off them a bit better. Many might appreciate a new species to their area and a new taste in the freezer, but most off our native wildlife won't and most are struggling to keep ther populations stable as it is
 
If I can add the Aussie experience. Boar are a extremely hard animal to totally exterminate. Englands country is good and fertile so good boar country. Here in Oz they range incounty from Alpine to tropicalforestto arid landsand everywhere in between.

Out here they shot, dogged, trapped and poisoned yet they still prevail. They are tough, intelligent animals and do readily adapt to pressure placed on them. They will go nocturnal if pressured.

Attacks on people are very rare, attack on hunters maybe a couple a year.

As to the damage they cause well they destroy crops overnight in some areas. They root up grazing country, but it often comes back better than it was although with weeds alot of the time.

But the big difference here is they are feral. Over there they are native. So they need to be managed and maybe part of that strategy is the re-introduction of the wolf.

Whatever you blokes do dont degenerate into a bitch fight amonst hunters. Have a consolidated view and maintain them as part of your countries heritage and in turn be part of that by having a part game Animal Management through boar hunting.
 
Lots of differing views on this post and some strong views. I for one voted for a season to be applied to Wild Boar, but that did not happen and its open season.

One of the main reasons Boar are such a problem with the FC is that in many instances the Boar seek the sanctuary in FC woodland as its dark, quiet and in many cases is so infrequently shot that they feel safe, and generally they have surrounding farmland to feed on. Also their numbers are also dependant on the beech mast and acorn crop and in many cases FC woodland also supplies this as well, so their numbers grow quickly.

The conflict is when they enter farmland and cause massive damage. I think i am right in saying that in Germany and some other European countries the farmer is paid compensation which is taken from the hunting fees of local hunters?

If the FC and some other landowners released more land to be managed by deer stalkers and did not apply unreasonable rules and beurocracy there could be the basis for sound management and a form of repayment for Boar damage.

But that will take some organising, and we do not have the infrastructure within our system for that!! or the inclination to carry it out.
 
Totally agree with you but I suspect it's not going to be forthcoming in the very near future, at least not until DEFRA get their collective head out of the sand - or are they perhaps hoping that the FC can 'dispose' of the problem for them before then?

When you consider the amount of money being ploughed into sanctioned reintroduction projects - Great Bustard, Beaver, etc. - the fact that the boar have done a backdoor DIY job themselves must really grate in some quarters!

Looks like they're here to stay so why not accept the fact and get some decent legislation in place so that everybody knows where they stand - or will they have to paint a couple of black & white stripes along their backs before that happens?

Too much sense being spoken here. It'll therefore never happen.
 
Emotive subject.
I can only comment on Forest of Dean and Herefordshire areas.
Alot of things/actions by people/organisations have contributed to the population explosion of Boar in the U.K.
There were a hell of a lot of time and money on studying/surveys to find out what problem was and how many were around, and while this was going on the boar were breeding at a great rate of knots, maybe more than they would of done before they became extinct, as they had plenty of cover, and with the large arable cropping (well in Herefordshire) they had an abundance of food, and that is all they needed, good cover and available food supply.
The idea of bait stations to catch, tag and release the boar, wasn`t a great succees, as alot of boar, worked out it was easy food and they let you out in the morning, some boar were actually trapped quite a few times.
Some of the Forest Rangers actually liked to see them around and wouldn`t shoot them unless they became a big problem and had to be shot.
When people criticise people for shooting females, youngsters, big old males, matriarch sows or whatever, just remember that alot of people were shooting them for farmers/landowners to prevent crop damage.(as I was)
As for numbers, well, I don`t care what surveys, tagging, counting or whatever other means people use for spending taxpayers money, I will wager, there is no-one in Forestry commision or DEFRA or any other quango who actually has any idea whatsoever of the boar population in the U.K.
I have seen sows with 4 or 5 youngster at foot and I have seen sows with 12+ and I have seen sows with youngsters in January so the "breeding season" didn`t seem to me to be set time of year.
When some of the original guesstimate population figures came out iirc forest of dean was approx 50 and Ross on Wye area was approx 30, the very night that figure came out, I saw 27 in one area of the main farm I looked after, and 7 at the other end of the farm, perhaps all the boar came there that night visiting?:rolleyes: and going on my records of what I shot, clients and friends shot by that time, there must have been a hell of alot of boar in the area originally:cool:
I know this may sound a bit off to some people, but I think when it was a "new" thing to see boar in the U.K and it was difficult to get boar on your ticket, and god forbid if you asked for boar, an open cert and a large calibre I think more management was done.
I have said this before, but when I was hunting them, my first cosideration was to the farmer, then myself/client/friends, then to the boar.
I`ve been away from it all for a while now, but still keep in touch with hunters in the area and I can`t see them ever being erradicated, they are too established now, and there are some very very big,old pigs being shot which means they are surviving and breeding still ( I wish I could post the picture I have got of a REALY BIG pig shot in Herefordshire recently,makes few of mine and Waynes big one look like weaners !!!!:eek::eek:
 
Emotive subject.
I can only comment on Forest of Dean and Herefordshire areas.
Alot of things/actions by people/organisations have contributed to the population explosion of Boar in the U.K.
There were a hell of a lot of time and money on studying/surveys to find out what problem was and how many were around, and while this was going on the boar were breeding at a great rate of knots, maybe more than they would of done before they became extinct, as they had plenty of cover, and with the large arable cropping (well in Herefordshire) they had an abundance of food, and that is all they needed, good cover and available food supply.
The idea of bait stations to catch, tag and release the boar, wasn`t a great succees, as alot of boar, worked out it was easy food and they let you out in the morning, some boar were actually trapped quite a few times.
Some of the Forest Rangers actually liked to see them around and wouldn`t shoot them unless they became a big problem and had to be shot.
When people criticise people for shooting females, youngsters, big old males, matriarch sows or whatever, just remember that alot of people were shooting them for farmers/landowners to prevent crop damage.(as I was)
As for numbers, well, I don`t care what surveys, tagging, counting or whatever other means people use for spending taxpayers money, I will wager, there is no-one in Forestry commision or DEFRA or any other quango who actually has any idea whatsoever of the boar population in the U.K.
I have seen sows with 4 or 5 youngster at foot and I have seen sows with 12+ and I have seen sows with youngsters in January so the "breeding season" didn`t seem to me to be set time of year.
When some of the original guesstimate population figures came out iirc forest of dean was approx 50 and Ross on Wye area was approx 30, the very night that figure came out, I saw 27 in one area of the main farm I looked after, and 7 at the other end of the farm, perhaps all the boar came there that night visiting?:rolleyes: and going on my records of what I shot, clients and friends shot by that time, there must have been a hell of alot of boar in the area originally:cool:
I know this may sound a bit off to some people, but I think when it was a "new" thing to see boar in the U.K and it was difficult to get boar on your ticket, and god forbid if you asked for boar, an open cert and a large calibre I think more management was done.
I have said this before, but when I was hunting them, my first cosideration was to the farmer, then myself/client/friends, then to the boar.
I`ve been away from it all for a while now, but still keep in touch with hunters in the area and I can`t see them ever being erradicated, they are too established now, and there are some very very big,old pigs being shot which means they are surviving and breeding still ( I wish I could post the picture I have got of a REALY BIG pig shot in Herefordshire recently,makes few of mine and Waynes big one look like weaners !!!!:eek::eek:

John,

I don't know if its the occasion you are referring to but about that time I think I was out with you one night and we saw over 30 in two fields and I have a photograph taken about the same time right over on the other side of the forest with 34 in it (including piglets) and at the time DEFRA were estimating the overall FoD population at about 50 :lol:

I think you're right, the FC and DEFRA have no real idea on the number of pigs at large, in the forest area they have spread down the Wye Valley on both sides and were reported at least as far down as Tintern on the Welsh side by early 2010 so goodness knows how many there are in the FoD/Wye Valley area as a whole. There was one shot near Ross last year that weighed 240kg, was the one that you have a photo of bigger?
 
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Yeh that's cool, shoot them out if it's a must but with a bit of seasonal consideration for welfare or is that thrown out the window because of an excuse??? This is not anti orientated DD but every hunter has a welfare responsibility and... Put your hand up now if you're morally ok with shooting sows with dependant young then???

Sorry if that's blunt but that's what you need to be cool with. Maybe I'm just a softy then who should keep quiet so long as everyone else pretends that's fine and dandy :confused:

This post started as a question not a statement :-|

My point is your link is to an Anti site, from what I read they dont want any of the pigs shot so their for that type of anti site has an agenda ant cant be trusted so it is not worth debating it's content unless these details are known to be fact from a trusted source. No I dont agree with culling animals with dependants.

Dave
 
With no close seasons on Wild Boar are there any areas in Britain which held Wild Boar but are now shot out??
basil.
 
I know dave but I was only interested in the cull graph not the wider garb, I was blown away when I digested the info. If we take his side of the story and the FC side of it if they have one, then somewhere in the middle is the truth. That graph though that tells a story itself :evil:. I would feel much better if the FC came forward with different info but they keep the boar control scheme all very hush hush or do they??

Don't mean to shake the cage howler monkey style but I'm pretty unhappy about what the graph suggests.
 
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