Why are Warthog Hunting Prices Increasing?

[TStone]

And so it reinforces a call I’ve made before. As stated in a post above, guys are prepared to give up the meat as long as they can experience the excitement of the hunt. So why don’t farmers use that sense of energy, that drive, that call of the wild to their benefit and invert the process?A way to do that may be to use the pig as bait. I gather farmers don’t really want the pigs except for the financial draw especially that of the international market. So why not “bait” it out to local hunters?

We tried something similar. We need meat, and a lot of that is warthog, to supply a breeding project for endangered predators. What we did, was allow local hunters to shoot warthog for free, once they had hunted the animals they had booked. While a PH normally accompanies hunters, we waived this with the free pigs as a PH cost money (or can do other work during this time). So the hunters ended up going out with a guide, often an inexperienced guide, just to keep them from getting lost.

We thought that this was a great idea, the hunter get free hunting experience and we had time for other work. What a fuck up that turned out to be. Usually responsible hunters turned into maniacs, wounding animals and not following up. Trying head shots and running shots and shooting at ranges they would never try if they were paying.

After a season we stopped it and went back to hunting everything, not payed for, ourselves or letting international hunters, who don't take the meat anyway, pay for doing the job. I still let some local hunters, whom I guide, shoot animals for free but only if I'm present and it is someone whom I trust. I have, sadly, reached the conclusion that the majority of hunters only behave in an ethical manner when they are paying for animals.

[CorditeCrazy]

We tried something similar. We need meat, and a lot of that is warthog, to supply a breeding project for endangered predators. What we did, was allow local hunters to shoot warthog for free, once they had hunted the animals they had booked. While a PH normally accompanies hunters, we waived this with the free pigs as a PH cost money (or can do other work during this time). So the hunters ended up going out with a guide, often an inexperienced guide, just to keep them from getting lost.

We thought that this was a great idea, the hunter get free hunting experience and we had time for other work. What a fuck up that turned out to be. Usually responsible hunters turned into maniacs, wounding animals and not following up. Trying head shots and running shots and shooting at ranges they would never try if they were paying.

After a season we stopped it and went back to hunting everything, not payed for, ourselves or letting international hunters, who don't take the meat anyway, pay for doing the job. I still let some local hunters, whom I guide, shoot animals for free but only if I'm present and it is someone whom I trust. I have, sadly, reached the conclusion that the majority of hunters only behave in an ethical manner when they are paying for animals.

Seems like a case of teenagers who have never been allowed a beer when at home and now suddenly have the freedom to buy booze.

[treeman]

I strongly believe that many hunters are our hunting's worst enemies. There are just so many hunters that are in theory magic kinda guys, all year round friends and nice guys - but when they get to the farm it’s a " here's nobody here, no one will know kind of rush" yea that’s fine at the after hunt piss up and within the sleeping quarters confines, but the wide open spaces freedom just blow's some guys away.
I cannot recall (because it’s not 2 or 3 or 10 times) I have been told "Ag man it’s just a w/hog, its vermin - I am doing the farmer a favour" Almost to the word every time.
Same with baboons dassie and monkey.

The same thing happened with springbuck when they were still cheap, "ag it doesn’t matter they cheap" -” Hey, who's paying for the buck, you?"” precisely so don't tell me what to do"

Then people still want to argue we must change law's to allow SLR hunting.
Yes it should be legal, but it just cannot be, because people are people and the past usually "is" a good indicator of the future.

[CorditeCrazy]

Tree these guys are going Vos with bolt guns, adding SLR’s into the mix isn’t changing anything.

[johannvdg]

I am a firm believer of the old adage that if it pays, it stays so I'm all for value to be added to warthog and I'm also glad that their numbers have increased over the last 30 to 40 years, actually think back 40 years and you will remember that many shot impala for free back then as well.

What the true value of it should be, the market will determine over time, I think it is the perfect animal to hunt on properties where a cost is calculated on carcass weight, as mentioned earlier in the thread, there is a massive difference in meat quality between a young animal weighing in the 20 to 25 kg range and an old boar that is heading to 100kgs, but that is for the farmers to figure out for themselves.

Sure there are additional regulatory requirements to adhere to when hunting warthog, but it is not that difficult to adhere to and many farmers have registered to be able to give you the necessary permit to take home your bacon, without any hassle.

I personally like hunting warthog, as they are great animals to walk and stalk, for those that are so inclined, but can also be successfully hunted by still hunting if you put in the effort or if you just want some meat, without the hunting experience, you can also just jump in the bakkie and drive to the likely places and go and shoot one.

We tried something similar. We need meat, and a lot of that is warthog, to supply a breeding project for endangered predators. What we did, was allow local hunters to shoot warthog for free, once they had hunted the animals they had booked. While a PH normally accompanies hunters, we waived this with the free pigs as a PH cost money (or can do other work during this time). So the hunters ended up going out with a guide, often an inexperienced guide, just to keep them from getting lost.

We thought that this was a great idea, the hunter get free hunting experience and we had time for other work. What a fuck up that turned out to be. Usually responsible hunters turned into maniacs, wounding animals and not following up. Trying head shots and running shots and shooting at ranges they would never try if they were paying.

After a season we stopped it and went back to hunting everything, not payed for, ourselves or letting international hunters, who don't take the meat anyway, pay for doing the job. I still let some local hunters, whom I guide, shoot animals for free but only if I'm present and it is someone whom I trust. I have, sadly, reached the conclusion that the majority of hunters only behave in an ethical manner when they are paying for animals.

I don't think it's a free thing, I think it's that if they are not properly supervised, they only care about their own gratification, they only behave in an acceptable way because it is forced on them, not because they are responsible and ethical hunters by nature.

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[Kola]

We tried something similar. We need meat, and a lot of that is warthog, to supply a breeding project for endangered predators. What we did, was allow local hunters to shoot warthog for free, once they had hunted the animals they had booked. While a PH normally accompanies hunters, we waived this with the free pigs as a PH cost money (or can do other work during this time). So the hunters ended up going out with a guide, often an inexperienced guide, just to keep them from getting lost.

We thought that this was a great idea, the hunter get free hunting experience and we had time for other work. What a fuck up that turned out to be. Usually responsible hunters turned into maniacs, wounding animals and not following up. Trying head shots and running shots and shooting at ranges they would never try if they were paying.

After a season we stopped it and went back to hunting everything, not payed for, ourselves or letting international hunters, who don't take the meat anyway, pay for doing the job. I still let some local hunters, whom I guide, shoot animals for free but only if I'm present and it is someone whom I trust. I have, sadly, reached the conclusion that the majority of hunters only behave in an ethical manner when they are paying for animals.

This is sadly true, and shows in normal working life in just about any industry.
Many people only see value in anything aligned with what they pay for it.

[treeman]

Tree these guys are going Vos with bolt guns, adding SLR’s into the mix isn’t changing anything.

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Just the efficiency of the going Vos !
You keep saying this?, why do we need SLR's if bolt actions are just as fast efficient and big magged?
Since using a SLR is not going to change anything, why not just make all SLR shaped rifles bolt action (same thing, same speed of firing etc). We can scrap the SLR rifle class licence since bolt actions are same thing.

[gertjie87]

I see all the comments about the warthog. Pest animal. Not a roasting animal. Price increases. Swine flu.....

And although I always stated that I would like to harvest one someday, I have to add:- Mentioned above is a lot of baggage.

And so it reinforces a call I’ve made before. As stated in a post above, guys are prepared to give up the meat as long as they can experience the excitement of the hunt. So why don’t farmers use that sense of energy, that drive, that call of the wild to their benefit and invert the process?

A way to do that may be to use the pig as bait. I gather farmers don’t really want the pigs except for the financial draw especially that of the international market. So why not “bait” it out to local hunters?

You shoot 1, 2 or 3 (I don’t know) Impala, shoot a warthog free. You shoot a Kudu of “X” horn length, shoot a warthog free. These are rudimentary examples, I know but you get the point.
In that way the pig becomes a ” hunting “ drawcard and the farmers continue earning finances with the sale of prime venison.

Now I’m no brain surgeon so I know I’m not the first person to think of this. So why isn’t it happening or why is it that I am not seeing it happen?


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Because there is not a shortage of hunters rather a shortage of animals to be hunted. What you suggest would be great if you did not mention to fully book your timeslots. Supply and demand supply is smaller than demand

[Adoons]

We do have warthog on the farm. I don't treat them as pests anymore. As stated earlier the lands are fenced out. Before erecting fences they were shot on sight as the numbers increased dramatically when there are a good food source. They come in from far and wide. In some way they phone up their friends from miles away to tell them about the mealies that are ripening here. That was not sustainable as you cannot kill all and they keep on coming. These days the 3-4 groups on the farm are the only ones present. It seems that some sort of equilibrium has been found with regards to numbers and available grazing. Lone boars or groups of 2-5 boars tend to come and go. They then sometimes stay and make a nuisance of themselves especially during winter by making themselves at home in the cribs for winter fodder and lick for the cattle. They climb and lay down inside the feeding troughs and chase away the cattle. "It is my food you cow, bugger off." These selfish pigs get shot.

So what I actually want to get to in line of this thread are friends and their attitude towards my warthogs. Most of them, when organizing a visit will ask, as it should be, if they may bring a rifle or two to the farm to shoot a bit on the shooting range. The answer is yes. I enjoy that and learn a lot from the "city dwellers" with rifles. They are more technologically advanced than myself and I enjoy seeing what they have and do etc. These friends are good ones, and if it does so happen that there are need to control some piggies I will hand them the opportunity and it will be greatly appreciated.

Then there are (were??) the others that don't visit anymore though. When phoning for arrangements the second will be: "Are the pigs a problem currently. Can we help you with them." The answer is always no, even if help are needed. These are the guys that have showed up previously with rifles not sighted in and want to shoot the pigs. "My rifle is not sighted properly, but its ok, its only a pig." (Yes, that you are not paying for dumb ass.) Or, "I am sommer going to shoot with military ammo from my .223 or .308. DOn't want to waste good ammo on pigs." Or, "Junior, bring the .22, maybe you can also have a go." Lets just say these friends were not keepers.

To conclude, according my experience, there certainly are people that just want to shoot at pigs thinking that all ethics can be left at home and no humanity needs to be taking with to the hunting fields. If I were a game farm owner, no matter what, I would also charge for warthog. Even if it were just "meat price" of say R 20/kg or something, but there would be a price. If they were hunted ethically and the whole hunt went good with a hunting group behaving I would maybe then when the account is made up leave the pig or two out of the pricing. Or not...?

[treeman]

nicely explained Adoons