Texas May Let Hunters Shoot Pigs From Choppers

This method of hunting is rather difficult to enforce.

“You’re not going to have some bubba up there going, `Pass me a beer and ammo’ and hunting some hogs,” the legislator said. “We certainly want to do it right.”

Many are concerned that the temptation to shoot other animals by some who might engage in this “sport” might be hard to resist. It would be out of the reach of most people because of the expense involved to operate the helicopter.

Texas May Let Hunters Shoot Pigs From Choppers.
AP article on Huffington Post

Wild pigs are not native to North America, they were brought to Texas by Spanish explorers some 300 or more years ago. There have been issues with a more virulent form of brucellosis found in pigs, Brucella suis, which is a potential bioweapon. This is why Brucella abortis is classified as a potential bioweapon and the reason why the Department of Homeland Security escorts bison to slaughter.

Wild hogs also cause a lot of resource and crop damage and as many know, most of Texas is private property with little public hunting opportunity.  There are numerous other non-native species in Texas which were brought in for the pleasure of hunters.

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Addition  by Ralph Maughan on Feb. 23-

Ken C. posted this article. I want to add that I think folks might notice that feral hogs harbor the most dangerous kind of brucellosis. Where are the livestock associations that bemoan the brucellosis in Yellowstone area elk and bison?

Hunters are abiding by lead bullet bans in condor country

Maybe Condors Can Survive Afterall

As many recall there was a vigorous discussion here last week about the possibility of reestablishing California Condors to the Columbia Basin and Hells Canyon based on historical accounts and recent biological evidence.

One of the issues brought up in the discussion was the lead bullet issue. When game is shot using lead bullets the bullets disintegrate and leave small fragments that are consumed by humans leading to health problems. This is also the case with condors which scavenge gut piles left by hunters or carcasses of animals that died from their wounds and weren’t retrieved by the hunters.

It appears that hunters are using lead to a lesser degree in condor country. Is that a possibility in more reactionary parts of the country like Idaho?

Hunters are abiding by lead bullet bans in condor country
Rocky Barker, Idaho Statesman.