This digital collection includes presentations given at the 8th International Wildlife Ranching Symposium held in 2014 for the symposium theme: Wild and Feral Pigs.
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Browsing Wild and Feral Pigs by Author "Caudell, Joe N., speaker"
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014-09) Caudell, Joe N., speaker; Welch, Katelyn, speaker; Dowell, Emily, speaker; Higginbotham, Billy, moderator; International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, producer
Wild hogs (Sus scrofa) are an invasive, exotic species that have spread through much of the US through anthropogenic means. Many states have laws and regulations with the intent of reducing the illegal importation, introduction, and establishment of wild swine populations. However, in many cases, these laws have been ineffectual for stopping the anthropogenic spread of wild swine. To assess the risk for moving wild hogs, we examined various wild hog-related laws throughout the US and assessed the potential reward for their illegal movement. We found that fines ranged from 0 to > $10,000, with the mean minimum fine of $497 a mean maximum fine of $2578. The average number of years in jail for the release or possession of wild hogs was .65 years. The mean cost of a single-day hunting trip was $500; however, this varied widely among states. In many cases, the potential rewards for releasing wild hogs far outweighed the monetary risk from getting caught. States with few or no wild hogs and weak laws and/or fine are at a substantial risk for the illegal importation of wild hogs. In many cases, the risk of getting caught and having to pay a low fine is far outweighed by the money and opportunity costs saved by being able to hunt hogs in their own state. To reduce the potential for the spread of wild hogs, agencies should concentrate on increasing monetary fines or increasing the perceptions that this illegal activity will be successfully prosecuted.
