Agricultural News
Managing Wild Hog Damage Workshop Scheduled
Fri, 25 Jan 2013 15:37:16 CST
With an estimated population of nearly a half million in the state, feral hogs are in every corner of Oklahoma.
They root around, looking for food, leaving farmers and ranchers with a mess and more than a small hole in their pocketbooks. Teaming with The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation and the Mississippi University Extension Service, the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service is hosting a day-long workshop to provide landowners with information about "Managing Wild Hog Damage."
"This workshop is for anyone who is having issues with feral hogs doing damage on their property and is looking for some solutions," said Dwayne Elmore, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension wildlife specialist. "With such a high number of hogs in the state, we get many reports and calls about the damage they are doing."
Hogs can leave areas with large wallows, causing massive soil disturbances and erosion problems. Some of the topics to be covered at the meeting are feral swine diseases, parasites and potential implications to humans and domestic livestock.
The Ag Building at the Osage County Fairgrounds, 320 Skyline Drive, Pawhuska, will be the host venue for the event slated Feb. 15 from 9a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants will learn wild hog control techniques, biology and ecology as well as become versed in the status of hogs in Oklahoma.
"Getting an understanding of what these animals actually are is important," Elmore said. "We will also be discussing wild hog trapping techniques, trap designs and removal methods."
Experts will be on hand to compare different types of traps, laws governing the control of wild hogs and the role USDA Wildlife Services plays in control.
"At 1:40 p.m. we are going to have some demonstrations on trapping techniques," Elmore said. "I hope we have a lot of people attend, and I think we will given the nasty track record of these animals."
Registration is due by Feb. 8. There is no fee for registering and lunch is provided. For more information, contact Elmore at 405-744-9636 or email at Dwayne.elmore@okstate.edu.
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