DEC Report on Hogs and Cormorants

[bpb]

Here is another file. Note the lack of federal funding.. Actually IMO we have a lack of support from the Feds. They need to allow sportsmen to shoot cormorants since the Feds are not managing these predator birds in sufficient numbers for co-existence of all species.

End BPB comment

From Fred Neff,

Per my request, Justin Gansowski forwarded his presentation to the NYSCC at the Fall Conference.  It's attached.  In case you are not aware of it, central NY (Region 7) is in the middle of both of these issues.  There may be feral swine in a lot of places in NY (check the attachment), but Cortland County is "ground zero" for the really big problems at present.  Also, Oneida Lake has been "ground zero" for cormorant control.[/size]

Regarding cormorants, pay particular attention to the slide that shows the contents of just ONE cormorant.  Here's the thing (as I've stated previously) - using figures provided by the DEC, my estimates show that, at their peak, cormorants were eating 45 TONS of fish from Oneida each year.  Now, take a look at the stomach contents on that slide.  Now try to imagine how many of those size fish that it would take to get to 45 TONS.  If any of you want to know how I reached that number, let me know.  I'm that sure of it!

The worst part of all of this is that one of the members of the Cormorant Task Force (for Oneida Lake) that I served on, who was a "birder" type, stated emphatically that, "you are making the cormorant the scapegoat for the decline of the fishery in Oneida Lake because of you are fishing it out".  Yeah, right!  All ended well and the controls worked.  They're even working now, due to the volunteer efforts of sportsmen working with DEC to harass the birds this year because a certain Congressman neglected to get the funding this year (and also 2011 if I'm hearing right).

I will be forwarding some additional photos from Justin that will emphasize just what one cormorant can eat.

Fred

feral_swine_and_cormorant_presentation.pdf

[Doc]

Pretty scary stuf ..... eh?

[sits in trees]

i'ts kinda like eating fatty foods, you know it's not good for you but you just like it, i feel the same way about hogs in NY, i'de luv seeing them around my property.

[nyslowhand]

Yeah, just one and shoot it t try the meat!

But once they are here there is no turning back.

There here to stay! You thought stray cats were bad!!!

"Feral hogs are capable of breeding at six months of age but eight to ten months is normal, provided there is good nutrition. Under poor habitat conditions, sows have been known to eat their young. Gestation is around 115 days with an average litter size of four to six, but under good conditions may have ten to twelve young. While capable of producing two litters per year, research has shown the majority of sows have only one per year."

"REPRODUCTION OF FERAL SWINE: Once a sow reaches breeding age at 7 or 8 months of age they can be responsible for 1,000 plus feral swine in a 5 year period."

[Lawdwaz]

I saw the damage hogs can do while deer hunting in Alabama in 2008 and 2009.  You DON'T want them on your property!

[bpb]

You thought stray cats were bad!!!

LOL not with hogs around

[outdoorstom]

The last thing I want to see around here are hogs. They totally destroy crops, food plots, etc. Once they're here, it's just about impossible to get rid of them. They won't leave your property until they run out of food there.

[gutpile]

I know there are places where outfitters cater to deer hunters. But if they spot a hog instruct the client to shoot it on the spot no charge.

[Doc]

One thing of interest on that presentation that was linked at the bottom of the original post was on page 22 there was a map of wild boar sightings in NYS. It appears that every county along our border with PA has sightings. Does that mean that PA is infested with them?

Judging from all the sightings in NY, it appears that they are here already, and perhaps in breeding populations. Maybe it is not just a theoretical problem anymore, buy a reality.

Doc

[gutpile]

Doc unfortunately you are right feral hogs are here. Last year four were sighted in Alleghany State Park. I've heard rumors that claim they were all killed by hunters. But you know rumors. And even if four were killed the question becomes just because only four were sighted doesn't mean that there were only four there how many weren't seen? I don't know how many hunters I've talked to that think it would be great to have pigs to hunt. I try and tell them what a disaster pigs would be but they say not with good management. Problem is good management is eradication and once established that's impossible. I then tell these guys go ask the landowner/farmer where you hunt what they think of having wild pigs on their land.

Most people don't understand that wild pigs are like zebra mussels they have no predators in the wild except man. Even wolves won't take on a wild pig.

[Mr VJP]

Science must trump emotion every time, where wildlife management is concerned.

The statement by the Onieda Lake commissioner that the lake was being fished out, should have been challenged to produce the documentary evidence.  If none was forthcoming, the commissioner should have been ignored from that day forward and ultimately removed from the board.

[TH41]

One thing of interest on that presentation that was linked at the bottom of the original post was on page 22 there was a map of wild boar sightings in NYS. It appears that every county along our border with PA has sightings. Does that mean that PA is infested with them?

Judging from all the sightings in NY, it appears that they are here already, and perhaps in breeding populations. Maybe it is not just a theoretical problem anymore, buy a reality.

Doc

Down near Wysox,Pa and Rome Pa. I guess they have been established there for quite sometime. Guys I know who hunt and live there,have shot some. Now NY, from what I was told. Has had small pockets of them, going on its 2nd or 3rd year??. That is why there are probably more and more sightings. And I wouldn't doubt one bit some are northern Pa transients. I have a bad feeling they may become much more common soon. I'm not sure how serious the state is taking this infestation. You hear and read about them trying to nip this in the butt. But who knows we will see?? I guess Pa is making an effort to locate them and erradicate them. I'm not far from the pa border,where I hunt in 3 counties.Basically 5 to 15 minutes in all 3. Havent heard anything about them in these areas yet. And I have definitely been asking around.

[sits in trees]

i do admit i'm not an expert on the pig thing but other than a couple of states down south, Georgia for one i really don't hear nothing anywhere else, yea we have the horror stories about how fast they breed and what they will do to our deer population but where are the real stats on this, and i'm not just talking about all the scary story stuff we hear for whatever reason from whatever person????

heck we are mankind the most advanced species on this little planet, we can and have controlled the rat population in New York City!!!! are you all telling me we can't control and maintain a reasonable hog population in our state?? i can tell you on thing, i will do my part in hog population control if needed. i probably shouldnt admit this but when the first one shows up on one of my trail cams i'll feel like a kid on Christmas.

i think this pig thing could lead to longer seasons and more hunting..

[PREDATE]

I've hunted them a few times up around cortland. I too wouldn't mind getting a shot at one, but I don't like to think of a statewide population of them because of the resources(food) that they will take from our native species. I think that if they did become very populus that hunting them would catch on quite a bit and hopefully keep them in check.

[jasons75]

Here in Fl it's open season year round on 'em no limits! From what I gather its been like that for years.

I personally never seen em but I have seen the damage that even small groups cause!

I was looking at the DEC's web site and didn't see anything about hogs.