Syracuse.com - Update on wild boar shot in downtown Utica by city police early last month

[HuntingNY-News]

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It could have come from a local breeding population of wild boar in the north Cortland, southern Onondaga area -- but that's unlikely, said a spokesman from the U.S.D.A.'s Wildlife Services.

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<p>Early last month, a wild boar was shot in East Utica by city police officers.</p>

<p>Sgt. Steve Hauck said the pig became aggressive toward the officers and they had to shoot and kill the 170-pound animal.</p>

<p>“I’ve never seen anything like this in my time here,” said Hauck, according to a story in the Utica Observer Dispatch. “It’s pretty crazy.”</p>

<p>The boar’s carcass was turned over to a state Department of Environmental Conservation officer and later a blood sample was taken by a U.S. Department of Agriculture staffer to test for diseases.</p>

<p>Shortly after, Steve Lakeman, the environmental conservation officer who handled the carcass, took it to the Oneida County Solid Waste facility to be disposed. The source of the boar, Lakeman said late last week, is still “undetermined and under investigation.” </p>

<p>Initially, there was some speculation that the Utica boar might have come from the nearest, wild breeding population, which is on the border of Onondaga and Cortland counties – the result of escapees from a local hunting preserve more than a decade ago.</p>

<p>Anything is possible, but that’s probably not the source of the Utica boar, according to Allan Gosser, assistant state director for the U.S. D. A.’s Wildlife Services.</p>

<p>“More likely, it came from a nearby (private hunting preserve),” Gosser said. “This one had no ear tags and was definitely of Eurasian descent. It had no domestic characteristics.”</p>

<p>According to the DEC’s 2012-2013 hunting guide, feral swine are not native to this state “and are a harmful and destructive invasive species.” They come for several sources.</p>

<p>Feral swine can initially be regular pigs that have been turned loose by their owners. Another source is Eurasian wild boar that have escaped from private hunting preserves, or intentionally introduced by those who’d like to hunt them in this state. In some cases, there’s hybrid offspring out there of the domestic and wild animals.</p>

<p>Feral swine, which can have razor-sharp tusks and grow to more than 400 pounds, compete with deer and turkeys for food, eat the eggs of native bird species and have been known to destroy crops and kill and eat young livestock. They also carry several diseases that can be transmitted to livestock or humans and can cause all sorts of environmental damage.</p>

<p>At this point, the DEC is “currently reviewing strategies “ for preventing the establishment and spread of these animals, according to the DEC hunting guide. All that’s needed to hunt them is a small game license. They can be baited and taken year-round, night or day. There’s no bag limit.</p>

<p>Seen a wild boar or feral pig? Call the DEC’s Cortland office at 1-607-753-3095, Extension 247 or email <a href="mailto:[email protected]. state.ny.us">[email protected]. state.ny.us</a>.<br /></p>

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog