# Cumberland Island Disappointment



## DelphicSharpShot (Jan 13, 2007)

My father in law and some other guys from the hunting club I'm in got into the quota hog hunt on Cumberland Island, GA this past week.  Between 40+ hunters only 6 hogs were taken during the entire 3 day hunt!  He said that the DNR officers told him that they had paid a guy to come just two weeks prior to the hunt to kill hogs.  According to them, he killed over 700 hogs.  I couldn't believe that the DNR would do that to all the guys who got to go on the hunt .  Why even have the hunt if you're gonna go and pay someone to kill most of the hogs two weeks before it    ?


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## ramsey (Jan 13, 2007)

ttt--------


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## rip18 (Jan 13, 2007)

Not disagreeing with you, but I've got a little different version of the story...

There were 58 hunters - 50 at Plum Orchard & me and 7 more at Brickhill for this last hog hunt.

The DNR didn't do anything.  Cumberland Island National Seashore (and the hunt) is run by the National Park Service.  The Park Service has entered into an ANNUAL interagency agreement (i.e., contract where money changes departments) with the old Animal Damage Control to reduce the hog population.  I believe 700 hogs may have been killed so far this year, NOT two weeks ago, though that may have been the most recent trip.

Feral hogs do a LOT of damage.  According to the regulations WE (the general public through our legislators in Washington DC) ask the Park Service to manage under, they are obligated to reduce or remove the hogs' negative impacts, especially on rare nesting shorebirds and sea turtles.

The conditions for the hunt this past week certainly weren't the best in the world (except for the last day).  I did see more deer than I've seen on a hunt over there though!  I did find plenty of hog sign, I just couldn't put it all together in 3 days - took me 1 day to find 'em, the second day I was close (could hear them), and the third day, I had someone come in on top of me...

It is interesting too that only 6 hogs were killed; I certainly heard PLENTY of shots!  I don't believe that everybody out there was that bad of a shot, which leads me to believe that some of our "hunters" were just recreationally shooting rather than really hunting.   

Just my .02


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## rip18 (Jan 13, 2007)

P.S.  I also KNOW for a fact that not all the "hunters" went hunting every day.  A couple of guys slept in.  A couple of guys hung around camp & cooked.  A couple of guys went fishing... so your estimate of 40 hunters is probably closer to the truth!!!


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## DelphicSharpShot (Jan 13, 2007)

I understand the obligation to deal with the hog population.  That is what this hunt was supposed to be.  They could have waited until after the quota hunt to pay someone to clean them out! It was only two weeks!?


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## Twenty five ought six (Jan 14, 2007)

FWIW, there is a full time employee on Ossabaw who does the same thing for the state.


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## Tiger Rag (Jan 15, 2007)

DelphicSharpShot said:


> I understand the obligation to deal with the hog population.  That is what this hunt was supposed to be.  They could have waited until after the quota hunt to pay someone to clean them out! It was only two weeks!?



I think it is a bit unrealistic for you to assume that they were able to "clean out" the hog population with a single event just before the hunt that you attended.

If it were that easy, there would not be so many resources devoted to hog control on Cumberland, Ossabaw, or any other island.

If one person can kill 700 and 40 hunters kill 6, is there any mystery why they contract with someone when the ultimate goal is reduction in the hog population?


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## HOGDOG76 (Jan 20, 2007)

Tiger Rag said:


> I think it is a bit unrealistic for you to assume that they were able to "clean out" the hog population with a single event just before the hunt that you attended.
> 
> If it were that easy, there would not be so many resources devoted to hog control on Cumberland, Ossabaw, or any other island.
> 
> If one person can kill 700 and 40 hunters kill 6, is there any mystery why they contract with someone when the ultimate goal is reduction in the hog population?



YOU CANNOT COMPARE THE TWO WHEN THAT ONE HAS FREE RANGE OF THE ISLAND, BAITS ,SHOOTS AT NIGHT, IS ALLOWED USE OF A VEHICLE AND RECEIVES A HEFTY SALARY WHILE HUNTERS ARE FORCED TO OBEY THE LAW AND GET IT DONE IN A WEEKEND.DID I MENTION THEY PAY 25 APIECE FOR THE RIGHT TO HUNT HIS SLOPPY SECONDS.WHEN MY TAX MONEY PAYS FOR SOMEBODY TO DO SOMETHING I WOULD DO FOR FREE IT IRKS ME. JUST MY 2 CENTS.


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## Tiger Rag (Jan 21, 2007)

HOGDOG76 said:


> YOU CANNOT COMPARE THE TWO WHEN THAT ONE HAS FREE RANGE OF THE ISLAND, BAITS ,SHOOTS AT NIGHT, IS ALLOWED USE OF A VEHICLE AND RECEIVES A HEFTY SALARY WHILE HUNTERS ARE FORCED TO OBEY THE LAW AND GET IT DONE IN A WEEKEND.DID I MENTION THEY PAY 25 APIECE FOR THE RIGHT TO HUNT HIS SLOPPY SECONDS.WHEN MY TAX MONEY PAYS FOR SOMEBODY TO DO SOMETHING I WOULD DO FOR FREE IT IRKS ME. JUST MY 2 CENTS.



Your point is well taken and there is no way that you can argue against what you say.  

I have seen enough of your posts on here to realize that you are a level headed guy.  Therefore, I assume that deep down, you realize why hog control operations on barrier islands are performed as they are.  With all of the ins and outs of managing these islands and the demand for multiple uses, there is just not an option for opening them up for year round hunting by anyone that wants to.  And if a government agency were to hand pick the ones that they wanted out there doing the control for free, it would open up an entirely different set of problems.

With contract personnel,  wildlife biologists, and other wildlife professionals conducting the cotrol effort (outside of hunting), you have a level of accountability that you could not achieve through public hunting alone.

Every effort should be made to provide hunter opportunity and enjoyment as a component of a hog control operation.  These agencies are mandated to manage the islands in an ecologically sound manner (by the taxpayers as well) and the control of hogs with methods beyond hunting is essential.

While everyone may realize that 6 months a year hunting with dogs would put a huge dent in a hog population, you just can't turn anyone that wants to hunt them loose on these islands with a mix of public and private land and a variety of user groups.


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## Public Land Prowler (Jan 21, 2007)

That is kind of messed up.Bout like the time the GW's shocked up catfish before a catfish tournament at the altamaha.Illegal method for us..legal for them.


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## MIG (Jan 23, 2007)

Public Land Prowler said:


> That is kind of messed up.Bout like the time the GW's shocked up catfish before a catfish tournament at the altamaha.Illegal method for us..legal for them.



You use the term "GW" very loosely here.  GWs (LEOs) don't conduct such activities.  Fisheries management personnel (non LE), yes.  GWs, no.  At any rate, that's what they get paid to do - manage the fisheries in the best interest of the resource, not some small group of anglers who have decided to have a "tournament".  Perhaps they should have called and gained permission to do their job?  As for shocking, it's a tool commonly employed by fisheries personnel across the country to capture fish for management purposes, not to fill a cooler for a fish fry at Bubba's or to win some prize in a weekend tournament.


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## DelphicSharpShot (Jan 23, 2007)

Tiger Rag said:


> Every effort should be made to provide hunter opportunity and enjoyment as a component of a hog control operation.  These agencies are mandated to manage the islands in an ecologically sound manner (by the taxpayers as well) and the control of hogs with methods beyond hunting is essential.



I understand that control of the hog population is essential!!! I really do!  My complaint though is that they could have waited another two weeks to pay someone to do what others would do for free.  I UNDERSTAND that this cannot be done year round!  But the quota hunt had been setup for many months and there were a lot of hunter that were robbed of a chance to take a hog that, as HOGDOG76 pointed out, they paid to do.  I am all for managing the hog population, but don't tell the public that they get a long awaited chance to go on a great hog hunt and then pay someone to screw them over two weeks before they get their chance!


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## HOGDOG76 (Jan 23, 2007)

Tiger Rag said:


> Your point is well taken and there is no way that you can argue against what you say.
> 
> I have seen enough of your posts on here to realize that you are a level headed guy.  Therefore, I assume that deep down, you realize why hog control operations on barrier islands are performed as they are.  With all of the ins and outs of managing these islands and the demand for multiple uses, there is just not an option for opening them up for year round hunting by anyone that wants to.  And if a government agency were to hand pick the ones that they wanted out there doing the control for free, it would open up an entirely different set of problems.
> 
> ...



I AGREE WITH YOU THAT A FREE FOR ALL WOULD BE A DEFINATE MISTAKE BUT FLORIDA IS ALREADY SUCCESSFULLY ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE WITH THE USE OF SPECIAL USE OR RECREATION PERMITS ON SOME WMA'S. A SET NUMBER OF PERMITS ARE SOLD  TO THE PUBLIC ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS. THIS ALLOWS THE AREA TO STAY OPEN FOR THE WHOLE HUNTING SEASON WHILE CONTROLLING PRESSURE AND DISTURBANCES TO NONHUNTERS. IT ALSO GENERATES A HEFTY SUM(I PAID 400 FOR MY LAST ONE). I CONCEDE THE MIX OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTY IS AN ISSUE BUT ONE THAT YOU FACE USING ANY METHOD. AS FAR AS THEIR GOAL BEING THE PRESERVATION OF THE ISLANDS ECOLOGY I DONT BUY IT.  I HAVE PERSONALLY SEEN THE DESTRUCTION DONE BY THE ISLANDS FERAL HORSES AND THE PIGS COULDNT COMPETE ON THEIR BEST DAY.THEY RUIN THE MARSH GRASS FLATS THROUGH OVERGRAZING OR THEIR HOOVES , NOT SURE WHICH BUT IF YOU GO THERE LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE B/N THE ONES THEY CAN AND CANNOT REACH.YET YOU HEAR NO CALL TO SHOOT THEM ON SIGHT. THE PIGS DO DISTURB TURTLE NESTS . HOW BOUT A HORSE SEASON AND WE JUST CALL IT EVEN?


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## MIG (Jan 23, 2007)

HOGDOG76 said:


> I AGREE WITH YOU THAT A FREE FOR ALL WOULD BE A DEFINATE MISTAKE BUT FLORIDA IS ALREADY SUCCESSFULLY ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE WITH THE USE OF SPECIAL USE OR RECREATION PERMITS ON SOME WMA'S. A SET NUMBER OF PERMITS ARE SOLD  TO THE PUBLIC ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS. THIS ALLOWS THE AREA TO STAY OPEN FOR THE WHOLE HUNTING SEASON WHILE CONTROLLING PRESSURE AND DISTURBANCES TO NONHUNTERS. IT ALSO GENERATES A HEFTY SUM(I PAID 400 FOR MY LAST ONE). I CONCEDE THE MIX OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTY IS AN ISSUE BUT ONE THAT YOU FACE USING ANY METHOD. AS FAR AS THEIR GOAL BEING THE PRESERVATION OF THE ISLANDS ECOLOGY I DONT BUY IT.  I HAVE PERSONALLY SEEN THE DESTRUCTION DONE BY THE ISLANDS FERAL HORSES AND THE PIGS COULDNT COMPETE ON THEIR BEST DAY.THEY RUIN THE MARSH GRASS FLATS THROUGH OVERGRAZING OR THEIR HOOVES , NOT SURE WHICH BUT IF YOU GO THERE LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE B/N THE ONES THEY CAN AND CANNOT REACH.YET YOU HEAR NO CALL TO SHOOT THEM ON SIGHT. THE PIGS DO DISTURB TURTLE NESTS . HOW BOUT A HORSE SEASON AND WE JUST CALL IT EVEN?



The issue with horses, besides what you have stated, is that the general public feels differently about them, and I doubt lethal control would be a viable option.  Hogs, however, aren't as cute and cuddly - unless you're another hog


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## Tiger Rag (Jan 24, 2007)

HOGDOG76 said:


> HOW BOUT A HORSE SEASON AND WE JUST CALL IT EVEN?





That would even things out.


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## Curtis (Jan 27, 2007)

Boy, I haven't had wild horse meat in years!  I'll go.


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