Bon Appétit From The Congaree Member Steven Fiamengo
are extremely good eating. All the usual domestic pig cuts are available, except bacon. Feral hog meat, simi- lar to deer and elk, is lean and bacon is not available because of lack of fat. Beef fat often is added to pork hamburger and sausage to keep the meat stuck together. Steaks from the hams of the hog are especially tasty – like super large pork chops. Feral hog populations
U
are at an all-time high in the United States. Natural repro- ductive rates versus natural mortality easily can result in a 50 percent increase in popula- tion per year. Both distribution and densities are increasing; feral swine are found in 24 states: primarily the Southeast, California and Hawaii. New populations have been reported in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, and Oregon. In this article we report on hunting opportunities around
the Congaree National Park of South Carolina and the risk of feral hog associated brucellosis. We will not touch on other less common feral hog diseases of interest: pseudorabies, classical swine fever, African swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease, Circovirus, influenza virus, Trichinosis and Toxo- plasmosis. The Congaree National Park preserves the largest tract
of old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the United States. It is located in the Midlands of South Carolina and encompasses 22,000 acres. The lush trees growing in this flood plain forest are some of the tallest in the eastern United States; it forms one of the highest natural canopies remaining in the world. The Congaree River flows through the park and provides the year round dampness and flooding with every rain. Seventy percent of the park is designated wilderness area. National parks do not allow hunting; however, areas surrounding the Congaree, provide unparalleled opportunity for varmint hunting success year round. The park acts as a reservoir of feral hogs, bobcats and to a lesser extent coyotes and raccoons. Squirrels abound. Feral hogs do a substantial amount of rooting and wallowing, causing damage to food plots and forest land which contributes to soil erosion and stream siltation. When there are many hogs, large acreages are rooted up and substantial amounts of forage consumed. They compete with native wildlife for food items, including acorns. Rooting activity thoroughly plows the earth to the depth of 6 to 10 inches. If you have never seen it, believe me, it is impressive. This behavior seriously disturbs native plant communities and affects survivability of some plant species.
nlike many var- mints, feral hogs
Rooting can destroy small plant communities, such as ferns. Hogs are efficient predators and have an acute sense of smell. They will eat anything they can catch in- cluding reptiles, amphibians, fawns and bird eggs. They also eat carrion. Because of the thick
vegetation deer are allowed to be hunted over bait and with dogs in the Midlands and Lowlands of South Caro- lina. Similarly, feral hogs are also taken over bait or with dogs. With the burgeon- ing hog population in the Midlands, feral hogs often
are available for harvesting during the deer season, which extends from August 15 through December 31. Deer limits are generous, allowing no limit on antlered deer and four does on private land per season. This also allows areas that are baited for deer to serve as feral hog hunting sites year round. In addition, night hunting is allowed for feral hogs over bait or by spot lighting (headlamp) similar to raccoon hunting in South Carolina. While riding along forestry roads on ATVs or the (ubiquitous Southern) golf cart, one must disembark before shooting. Feral pigs may be taken at night only with handguns or shotguns without scopes. Both the CDC and USDA have reported on the incidence
and symptoms of brucellosis in hunters associated with feral hog hunting. Swine brucellosis is caused by bacteria that are very similar to the organisms that cause brucellosis in cattle and both are public health concerns. Swine brucellosis, which is a sexually transmitted disease (STD), causes abortions in sows and infertility in boars. It is transmitted in reproductive discharges, particularly the afterbirth, from infected sows or in semen from infected boars. Infected swine are carriers for life; brucellosis does not kill the carrier and they show no outright symptoms. Therefore, all feral swine should be considered car- riers. Detection in swine is through blood tests and there is no effective treatment. Historically, brucellosis from Brucella Suis infection occurred among workers in swine slaughterhouses. Because of USDA eradication programs, this risk has become a relative nonissue. Currently, swine associated brucellosis is predominately caused by exposure to infected feral hogs. In the area around the Congaree, one in four hogs is infected; again, all hogs must be treated as if they are infected. Swine brucellosis does not affect the edibility of the meat. Did I say that feral pigs taste good? Brucellosis in humans is often called undulant fever.
Initially, it may mimic an acute viral syndrome. Symptoms, which usually occur within a week of exposure, include the
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