AGFC considers tweaking rules about feral hogs
LITTLE ROCK Legions of Arkansans stand and cheer lustily for Razorbacks. Those are the two-legged athletic type. The wild hogs with four legs are a different matter.
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Thursday began steps toward combating a growing number of feral hogs in all areas of the state. Some of them, AGFC's wildlife biologists say, are the products of illegal releases of auction-bought hogs.
These are turned loose then hunted with the aid of hogs. "Arkansas wild hog hunts" are even sold through the Internet.
These illicit releases of hogs are often on national forests and wildlife management areas in the state, and this is where AGFC officials are seeking to adjust and strengthen rules.
Doyle Shook, wildlife management chief for AGFC, gave the commissioners the proposed new rules and clarifications of existing rules for hogs on WMAs. One proposal is to increase the violation points assessed for a conviction on a charge of releasing hogs on wildlife management areas. This would be raised to 30 points, meaning automatic revocation of hunting privileges in Arkansas for three years.
Another proposal is anyone attempting to kill a hog on a management area must have a hunting license.
Some of the rule adjustments are about how hogs can be hunted on WMAs outside of seasons which allow the use of centerfire rifles. Enforcement officers tell of encounters with hunters carrying "deer rifles" outside deer season and claiming to be hunting hogs.
Shook said, "Feral swine populations are increasing across the state, both in numbers of animals and in distribution. In particular, feral swine are posing significant problems on the agency's wildlife management areas, causing widespread habitat damage and destruction."
The commissioners will take action on the feral hog proposals at their June 18 meeting, which will be at Fort Smith
In other action Tuesday, the commissioners:
Approved a swap of 80 acres of land in Jefferson County with the Rainwater family, which owns land on three sides of an isolated tract of AGFC land. This tract was obtained by forfeiture of taxes in 1939. The AGFC will receive a tract adjoining Bayou Meto WMA.
Authorized the rebuilding of two miles of gravel road leading to Mallard Lake and Big Lake WMA in Mississippi County near Manila. The project will cost about $110,000, with the money coming from Marine Fuel Tax sources. This is money from state taxes paid on fuel used in boats.
Heard a proposal from Shook for allowing the taking of one doe by deer hunters in the holiday season in Deer Zones 2 and 3.
Heard a report from Brad Miller, the new AGFC deer program coordinator, that preliminary statistics show hunters took 169,953 deer in the 22007-2008 hunting season, an increase of about 3 percent over the previous year.