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submitted 8 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

An exploding population of hard-to-eradicate "super pigs" in Canada is threatening to spill south of the border, and northern states like Minnesota, North Dakota and Montana are taking steps to stop the invasion.

In Canada, the wild pigs roaming Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba pose a new threat. They are often crossbreeds that combine the survival skills of wild Eurasian boars with the size and high fertility of domestic swine to create a "super pig" that's spreading out of control.

Ryan Brook, a professor at the University of Saskatchewan and one of Canada's leading authorities on the problem, calls feral swine, "the most invasive animal on the planet" and "an ecological train wreck."

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[-] mctoasterson@reddthat.com 34 points 8 months ago

Just declare open season and no bag limit on pigs in all northern states. I guarantee you all the Bubbas and outdoorsmen will take care of it.

[-] Cianalas@lemmy.world 23 points 8 months ago

They're not able to keep up with the breeding in Texas, and there's even helicopter tours where you can try and wipe out whole herds at a time.

[-] TopRamenBinLaden@sh.itjust.works 9 points 8 months ago

I have seen this in Louisiana, too. They will use helicopters(I even saw one mounted with a light machine gun) and gun down hundreds at a time. It still isn't enough, and they have a lot of Bubbas down there hunting them in one way or another.

[-] Cranakis@lemmy.one 8 points 8 months ago

To your point, I ran across this video of an eradication attempt. Insane numbers being killed but they keep coming.

[-] ItsMeSpez@lemmy.world 21 points 8 months ago

This is already the case in Saskatchewan and it hasn't managed to curb the population.

[-] OrteilGenou@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago

Right, under Canadian gun laws, so they're plinking them with bolt action .308s

Wait til SuperPork wanders into AR country...

[-] shalafi@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Actually, some states ban hunting with AR-15's because the round isn't deadly enough for a clean kill.

My smart-assed comparison:

https://imgur.com/a/kolUESz

But to be fair, if you want to engage multiple targets, the AR is far more controllable.

[-] ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 20 points 8 months ago

In many states it is, not just northern. Iirc Texas will pay you to take an AR into a field and take out as many as you can. People even organize hunts from helicopters hunting herds like they should have Fortunate Son playing (no full auto though just ARs and typically BYOAR and ammo iirc.)

[-] DragonTypeWyvern@literature.cafe 7 points 8 months ago

These are super pigs, we'll need an upgrade.

AR-15-2 when?

[-] ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 8 months ago

Well, you'd just increase the calibre. AR-10, technically a predecessor.

[-] DragonTypeWyvern@literature.cafe 3 points 8 months ago

It's actually pretty easy to find AR-15s in larger calibers, modular design for the win I guess.

For example, with a little bit of work you can have them fire these fellas

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/.50_Beowulf

Okay, actually a lot of work, including probably having to do your own reloading, but still.

[-] ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

For sure but I'd still take .308 over one of those proprietary calibers. Or 6.5 grendel if I can't pick .308.

[-] DragonTypeWyvern@literature.cafe 1 points 8 months ago

But you can find AR-15s in .308!

[-] ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Well you'd need an AR-10 lower, upper, BCG, dust cover, barrel, barrel nut, handguard, bolt catch, gas block, buffer weight, lpk, mag catch (unless DPMS AR-10, they fit the AR-15 mag catch), and muzzle device, making it an AR-10.

The triggers, hammers, stocks, grips, tubes, mag rel buttons, and safties are interchangable though, yes.

[-] afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world 0 points 8 months ago

How!? Why!? It's meat. There shouldn't be a surplus of meat.

[-] ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 8 months ago

Guns, invasive, and well they breed in surplus so talk to the boars.

[-] afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

I am just shocked. The South is pretty freaken good at authentic BBQ and they have a wild boar problem. Can't you guys just like eat them all?

[-] ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 8 months ago

I mean it isn't like none get eaten, just not all of them. It isn't just regular hunting, it's basically an Emu War but instead of the Aus military it's militias of angry farmers tired of hogs tearing up their crops.

[-] Cianalas@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

They reach maturity fast, are basically always fertile, short gestational periods, and have large litters. It's like trying to eradicate mice/rats by shooting them.

this post was submitted on 24 Nov 2023
401 points (98.8% liked)

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