February 7, 2014 -- Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany’s Installation and Environment Division officials have planned a hog hunting seminar Tuesday in Building 5500, Room 114 at 5:30 p.m.
The purpose of the seminar is to give hog hunters the skill set needed to be successful, according to Julie Robbins, natural resource manager, Environmental Branch, I & E Div., MCLB Albany.
“Currently, we do not have hogs on base, however if we find signs of them, they are tracked and harvested immediately given their destructive nature,” Robbins said. “We’ve had a lot of people express an interest in hog hunting but do not know where to go.”
According to Robbins, the seminar will consist of hog biology, several guest speakers and a question and answer session.
A U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services representative is scheduled to discuss hog biology, which will include where hogs live, what they eat and why they are considered to be a nuisance.
A spokesperson from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources will discuss public land opportunities, licensing requirements, and where to hunt hogs locally.
Jack Arnett, an experienced hog hunter and integrated electronics systems mechanic work leader at Marine Depot Maintenance Command, will discuss hunting techniques and how to find hogs.
Robbins will also discuss properly processing and storing hog meat and the types of diseases hogs carry.
Unlike deer, which can only be hunted during a certain time period, hogs can be hunted year-round.
Al Belanger, game warden, MCLB Albany, explained the habitat differences between deer and hogs.
“Some of the differences between deer and hogs are that deer stay in a certain area until they feel outside pressure, being hunted, while hogs are very mobile,” Belanger said. “Hogs do not have the same patterns as a deer. They go where the food sources are. Once they eliminate a food source, they are on the move to find another.”
Also, the gestation period for hogs is shorter than deer, according to Belanger. It is not uncommon for hogs to have two litters a year, he said.
“It is important to get people out hog hunting because of the detrimental impact they have on wildlife,” Robbins said. “They will eat turkey eggs, quail eggs, new born fawns and are very destructive to property, in particular to fields used for farming.
“The hog population is dramatically increasing and we need to do something to curtail that,” she said.
According to Robbins, some people think it is acceptable to catch hogs and release them somewhere else, however, this is untrue.
“We will discuss why catching hogs and releasing them in another area is not a good practice and the impact it has and the problems it can cause,” Robbins said.
For more information, call 229-639-9946.