TracksWapiti
FNG
My last three bear hunts in a row all of them in East Tennessee Cherokee NF Bear Zone 3 were cut short due to hound/hog related incidents with multiple hounds wounded by hogs
It seems TWRA is leaning exclusively on hunters to solve the hog problem in East Tennessee, but it’s not working. I do not know how hunters can affectively eradicate them without night hunting. The drainages they bed down in during the day are all but impossible to access
Here is the email I sent to TWRA and I got a kickback saying the Public Comment Period opens December 15 at which point they will read such emails:
“Would TWRA consider allowing night hunting wild hogs on public land? I've had all of my bear hunts in Bear Zone 3 cut short by hog-related incidents. I know the TWRA website encourages bear hunters to take as many hogs as they can, but this is very difficult to do since they are more nocturnal than other game animals it seems
I have also seen multiple wounded hounds on these hunts that were all wounded by hogs. Doesn't seem fair to the dogs or to the bear hunters like me that have their hunts cut short by hogs. Most bears will tree until the hunter shows up to shoot it but hogs do not and present a danger to these dogs if the hunter is not timely in catching up to his/her hounds
If TWRA sees hunters as the solution to the hog problem in the Cherokee NF, then we will need permission to hunt them effectively like some other states do. This would require hunting them at night to have any significant impact on their population growth in my opinion. Otherwise, they will continue to proliferate unchecked with the harmful impact on the ecosystem destroying habitat and consuming hard mast the deer and bears subsist on
I'm happy to write up a formal letter if that is helpful but figured this email was the place to start
Thank you for the successful trapping efforts by TWRA to clean up the hog problem in Middle TN and I hope it can start taking positive action toward solving the hog problem in Bear Zone 3 soon
I am at your service as a backpack hunter that is passionate about bear and deer conservation and protecting hunting dogs from harm as well”
This last hunt I carried a wounded hound 4 miles back to the trailhead where her owners were waiting for her. She had a sucking chest wound and one hind leg was so torn up she couldn’t walk
The ridge I found her on was obliterated with hog sign. All the acorns devoured and the forest floor rooted up
The dark hound is a second dog that was also wounded from the same hunting party. He followed us limping on three legs and eventually peeled off the trail. I told his owners where I last saw him, and hopefully they recovered him
Saw zero fresh bear sign in the 22 miles and 2,500’ elevation gain I covered in two days
It seems TWRA is leaning exclusively on hunters to solve the hog problem in East Tennessee, but it’s not working. I do not know how hunters can affectively eradicate them without night hunting. The drainages they bed down in during the day are all but impossible to access
Here is the email I sent to TWRA and I got a kickback saying the Public Comment Period opens December 15 at which point they will read such emails:
“Would TWRA consider allowing night hunting wild hogs on public land? I've had all of my bear hunts in Bear Zone 3 cut short by hog-related incidents. I know the TWRA website encourages bear hunters to take as many hogs as they can, but this is very difficult to do since they are more nocturnal than other game animals it seems
I have also seen multiple wounded hounds on these hunts that were all wounded by hogs. Doesn't seem fair to the dogs or to the bear hunters like me that have their hunts cut short by hogs. Most bears will tree until the hunter shows up to shoot it but hogs do not and present a danger to these dogs if the hunter is not timely in catching up to his/her hounds
If TWRA sees hunters as the solution to the hog problem in the Cherokee NF, then we will need permission to hunt them effectively like some other states do. This would require hunting them at night to have any significant impact on their population growth in my opinion. Otherwise, they will continue to proliferate unchecked with the harmful impact on the ecosystem destroying habitat and consuming hard mast the deer and bears subsist on
I'm happy to write up a formal letter if that is helpful but figured this email was the place to start
Thank you for the successful trapping efforts by TWRA to clean up the hog problem in Middle TN and I hope it can start taking positive action toward solving the hog problem in Bear Zone 3 soon
I am at your service as a backpack hunter that is passionate about bear and deer conservation and protecting hunting dogs from harm as well”
This last hunt I carried a wounded hound 4 miles back to the trailhead where her owners were waiting for her. She had a sucking chest wound and one hind leg was so torn up she couldn’t walk
The ridge I found her on was obliterated with hog sign. All the acorns devoured and the forest floor rooted up
The dark hound is a second dog that was also wounded from the same hunting party. He followed us limping on three legs and eventually peeled off the trail. I told his owners where I last saw him, and hopefully they recovered him
Saw zero fresh bear sign in the 22 miles and 2,500’ elevation gain I covered in two days
Attachments
Last edited:
