EDITOR:State Reps. Ed McBroom of Vulcan and Sharon Tyler of Niles have introduced legislation to allow for "sporting swine operations" to continue and even expand, while the state DNR is attempting to shut them down and prevent the spread of feral swine throughout the state.
McBroom claims that "sporting swine are not feral swine." That's an oxymoron if I ever heard one. Sporting swine become feral swine when they escape from domestication and return to a wild state - which history has proven is more a matter of when rather than if.
Pigs don't fence well. Eventually they can breach any fence.
Feral swine average 250 pounds for adult males and 150 pounds for adult females, however, they can exceed 700 pounds under optimal conditions.
They are prolific breeders and their populations can rapidly expand.
Once it reaches the breeding age of 7-8 months a female can be responsible for more than 1,000 feral swine within 5 years. Each female can produce 3 litters in a 14 month period.
Feral swine have reached "pandemic" status in many areas such as Texas where there are more than 2 million wild pigs roaming the state.
Feral swine cause extensive damage to the environment, currently estimated at more than $1.5 billion annually to agricultural and forested areas.
They carry and transmit many bacterial diseases which can be transferred to other livestock, wildlife and domestic pets.
In Mississippi, feral pigs have been declared the No. 1 enemy of forests and wildlife. Once established, feral swine populations have proven virtually impossible to eradicate - even through high-tech trapping and hunting with night vision optics.
"Sporting swine" become an invasive species once they escape enclosure. How many more invasive species must we be infested with before we finally say enough is enough?
To say that sporting swine are "an important part of Michigan's hunting and tourism..." as McBroom claims is really stretching the reality of the situation.
Most true "hunters" prefer to pursue wild game under fair chase conditions and guidelines.
To "shoot domestic livestock in a fenced enclosure" as is done in "sporting swine" operations does not meet the definition of "hunting" for the vast majority of us. The few job opportunities and revenue which would be generated from these operations simply does not justify the hazards and risks associated with feral pigs.
Mr. McBroom - please don't do us any favors. If you want to introduce some worthwhile legislation for your constituents, please - go back to the drawing board. The last thing we need is another invasive species roaming our great state. Just say no to sporting swine.
Frank Pierce
Vulcan