Wild Boar population.
- Thread starter vasalord
- Start date
meles meles
Active Member
Not sure about official statistics, but we have seen a trio of them foraging in the woods near Goole, Yorkshire, just off the M18.
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/BritishWildBoarOrganisation/?ref=bookmarks might be of interest
paul k
Well-Known Member
Have a look here for information on sightings. Estimates of numbers are always going to be hit and miss given that they are often nocturnal. At one time DEFRA were estimating the Forest of Dean population at about 60 when I saw over 30 in one night on one side of the forest and was shown a photo taken about the same time on the other side of the forest with another 30+ in it, so there were 60 plus in just two locations with virtually the whole of the forest not counted. There are probably 500 - 600 in the forest, surrounding areas and over the river in Monmouthshire although the FC are culling them quite hard at the moment.
Wild Boar in Britain
Having looked at the page it seems not have been updated recently so may not answer your question.
Wild Boar in Britain
Having looked at the page it seems not have been updated recently so may not answer your question.
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Bavarianbrit
Well-Known Member
We shot one in the Berlin area with 10 small unborn in it so the math is very clear that in 20 years they will be a real problem in the UL if it is ignored by Defra.
Martin
Martin
paul k
Well-Known Member
Thats quite a big litter but all UK boar originate from farms and a domestic pig was often crossed in to increase litter sizes. The Forest of Dean population is of mixed origin with the first release near Ross on Wye being of large East European origin but the second release near Staunton was of different origin and maybe had some domestic pig influence. The two populations have almost certainly intermingled by now so larger than average litter sizes might be a feature. It's not really DEFRA that will do anything as their role is mostly research and advisory, although they have been playing with contraception. Where the boar are in Forestry Commission (NRW in Wales) forests they are culling quite hard with the stated objective of preventing further expansion.
timbrayford
Well-Known Member
I understand that the wild boar in Dorset are a pure wild strain.
atb Tim
atb Tim
Bavarianbrit
Well-Known Member
I just assumed that Defra would be the agency.
If farmers think only short term about making money from shooters it will IMO backfire.
They should be hard controlled now.
Texas is also suffering an explosive expansion of the population.
Martin
If farmers think only short term about making money from shooters it will IMO backfire.
They should be hard controlled now.
Texas is also suffering an explosive expansion of the population.
Martin
timbrayford
Well-Known Member
Wild Boar are native to the UK despite being absent for hundreds of years, the feral hogs in Texas are non-natives. Surely the UK's Boar and the environment would both benefit from a properly conceived management plan and appropriate close seasons rather than some random attempt at eradication by the public authorities.
atb Tim
Orion
Well-Known Member
Totally agree with the highlighted section of your quote above. If that is put into place then I suspect management would then devolve to the local level in much the same way as deer.
paul k
Well-Known Member
I agree, they're too well established in some areas for eradication to be a viable option, although I guess in some areas they might be more vulnerable to pressure. The best thing that could happen is that a sensible close season be introduced, at least for females, and they are managed as the game resource that they undoubtedly are.
timbrayford
Well-Known Member
I agree, perhaps the best way forward would be to amend the Deer Act to encompass Wild Boar as well.
atb Tim
levigsp
Well-Known Member
I think you were refering to me?
Well if so I posted this map in good faith, its what the EA use and a lot of other governing bodies and date as below;
| Datasets | 851 |
| Species records | 110,147,766 |
| Updated Dictionary | 20th March 2015 |
[TD="colspan: 2"] Request Better Access [/TD]
thomas
Well-Known Member
I am not sure anyone has a clue as to the true population. I would say the population is probably larger than any 'official' figures. Last year I shot 35, with very (and I mean very) selective shooting, males and juveniles, I could have easily doubled that number. Within a 20 mile radius of my patch, I know a landowner who shot over 100 last year, several stalkers who shot 30 + and there's plenty of others in the 15+ range. That's pushing towards 300 boar within a relatively small area and I'm not seeing any less this year.
I don't think the FC include for any boar not shot by them or for boar not within their boundaries in any surveys carried out. I am not aware they even ask the question of local shooters.
I don't think the FC include for any boar not shot by them or for boar not within their boundaries in any surveys carried out. I am not aware they even ask the question of local shooters.
Orion
Well-Known Member
Yes, but I was intending a degree of humour, so hopefully no offence taken as none intended.
If government bodies are using that info to base current strategies on then it's no wonder they are unable to see what kind of problem in the making they are facing. As an example, if you look at my region of the country then there appear to be no sightings/poulations west of a line from the Solent to Bristol. Compare this to the, (even somewhat out of date), information on the British Wild Boar website for verified sightings in Wiltshire, Dorset, Somerset, Devon & Cornwall - including an 'escape' in 2006 of some 100 boar from East Anstey!
http://www.britishwildboar.org.uk/index.htm?map2.html
I totally agree with thomas that nobody has a handle on how many are actually at large, even the supposedly 'monitored' populations such as the Forest of Dean. If DEFRA and other agencies continue to bury their collective heads in the sand in the hope that boar are going to go away thanks to the year-on-year increasing culling of the FC, then they are very sadly mistaken.
I believe that legislation to regulate shooting/culling of boar, (seasons, minimum firearms requirements, etc.), is long overdue and there should be collaborative efforts made to manage them as per DMGs. It's not too late but the authorities need to get their backsides in gear because the boar are not going away.
I don't think that site's much more up to date is it ?
8x57
Distinguished Member
Unfortunately it doesn't look like this site http://www.britishwildboar.org.uk/index.htm?map2.html has been updated in relation to my local area recently either.
I did see a map produced by the deer initiative some time ago that showed very much wider distribution of the wild boar population but at the time I was very sceptical of the accuracy of that map as it related to my local area. Since then I have recently been informed by a fellow SD site member of some local sightings and I now believe that the DI distribution map may be far more accurate than I first thought.
I also understand that the Welsh Assembly Government is presently reviewing wildlife legislation and may even be considering the introduction of new legislation that could possibly include closed seasons for wild boar in Wales.
I did see a map produced by the deer initiative some time ago that showed very much wider distribution of the wild boar population but at the time I was very sceptical of the accuracy of that map as it related to my local area. Since then I have recently been informed by a fellow SD site member of some local sightings and I now believe that the DI distribution map may be far more accurate than I first thought.
I also understand that the Welsh Assembly Government is presently reviewing wildlife legislation and may even be considering the introduction of new legislation that could possibly include closed seasons for wild boar in Wales.
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