Feral pigs in Michigan: State senator pushes for outright ban
Sen. Rick Jones wants feral swine out of Michigan.
Today in Lansing, he introduced plans to make a state administrative ban on the wild pigs a law, MLive.com reported.
A Washtenaw County resident snapped this shot of a wild hog. Feral pigs were declared invasive in the summer of 2010.
MDNRE photo
The DNR set a July 8 deadline for lawmakers to come up with a solution, AnnArbor.com reported in March. Currently, the Legislature could decide to regulate, rather than totally ban, the animals.
Jones' proposal would make the invasive species order a state law, an idea applauded today by state agriculture leaders.
“Feral swine are the most serious invasive species threat Michigan faces today, and demands a serious response. Sen. Rick Jones deserves credit for putting Michigan jobs and Michigan’s future ahead of an invasive species,” said Sam Hines, executive vice president of the Michigan Pork Producers Association, in a statement.
The wild pigs can carry diseases that infect livestock, and cause damage to crops and habitat, according to the MLive article.
A shooting preserve in northern Washtenaw County is one of at least 50 statewide offering boar hunts. County residents reported two feral pig sightings and two kills in 2010. The sightings and kills occurred in Bridgewater and Saline, Lodi and Pittsfield townships.
Past AnnArbor.com coverage:
Comments
Bob Bethune
Wed, Jun 15, 2011 : 12:26 p.m.
The way this story is written, and the way the headline is written in particular, is an amazingly stupid performance. As others have commented, it makes it sound as if we will be taking pigs to court, serving them with warrants, posting signs for them, etc. What is actually happening is clearly stated on Senator Jones' web page at the link given in the article. The senator has introduced legislation that will prevent hunting preserves from keeping this kind of pig for preserve hunting by designating them as an invasive species. The invasive species designation apparently would accomplish that, though nobody's making clear just how that works. This would be a very good thing. If you read up on the level of crop destruction that occurs in areas where feral pigs have become well-established, you'll find it's horrendous. You'll also find that once pigs become established, they're impossible to eradicate. The worst infestations I know of are in Texas, where, despite extensive hunting and control programs, the feral pig population continues to grow.
hermhawk
Wed, Jun 15, 2011 : 11:41 a.m.
Feral pigs, like Asian carp, are a menace to life and need to be removed.
David Briegel
Wed, Jun 15, 2011 : 2:35 a.m.
Pig roasts anyone? Ham, bacon and pork chops?
Basic Bob
Wed, Jun 15, 2011 : 2:20 a.m.
Mmmmmm. bacon.
Gramma
Wed, Jun 15, 2011 : 12:54 a.m.
Since feral pigs, by definition, have no owners, who would be prosecuted? Would the pigs face felony or misdemeanor charges? Would they need to build a special section at the county jail to house them while they awaited trial? It would certainly give new meaning to the jail being called the "Hogback Hotel."
xmo
Tue, Jun 14, 2011 : 8:24 p.m.
Why are they calling them an "invasive species" when they are simply "Undocumented Swine".
ralph
Tue, Jun 14, 2011 : 8:24 p.m.
In other news, feral pigs have proposed declaring state senators a nuisance.
scan
Tue, Jun 14, 2011 : 8:04 p.m.
It's already legal to kill them in any way on sight. Regulating hunting would not eliminate them. A ban is necessary. Canned hunts are for wieners anyway.
Jimmy McNulty
Wed, Jun 15, 2011 : 1:09 p.m.
Ahhh, so that's where Rep. Wiener has been hiding out- on a canned pig hunt safari.
ralph
Tue, Jun 14, 2011 : 8:25 p.m.
The Wiener hunt is in NY and Washington, DC. Try the politics section.
Ricebrnr
Tue, Jun 14, 2011 : 7:59 p.m.
Sure hope the invading pigs read the signs at the borders and turn back..
EyeHeartA2
Tue, Jun 14, 2011 : 7:22 p.m.
When pigs are outlawed, only outlaws will have pigs.
free
Tue, Jun 14, 2011 : 7:15 p.m.
Are they going to arrest the pigs as "illegal aliens?" They can lock them up in one of the empty prisons we spent millions of dollars building.
Craig Lounsbury
Tue, Jun 14, 2011 : 6:34 p.m.
I'd rather he banned mosquito's