Wild Hogs Making a Mess at Eden State Gardens!

I hike in the state forest trails in Seagrove nearly daily. I see tracks of Bobcat and Coyote all over the place and the other day I saw a dead coyote being fed on by vultures. I love nature and there is plenty here. I have been looking for snakes on and off the main trails but have yet to see any. I love photographing wildlife. I hope we can always find ways to co-exist with nature, but I know that is rare, especially when conflict occurs. The Western Diamondback Rattlesnake is nearly always killed when seen and subsequently this beautiful creature has been pushed to the brink.

Sorry for rambling, but I love nature. But it is definatley important to know the dangers, so thanks for starting this post.

One last hog update. yesterday, I took a few Daisy girl scouts on a little hike on Eden's nature trail. We didn't see any hogs. We DID see crazy squirrels, racoon, possum, and deer tracks, a huge spider, cool mushrooms, owl and coyote poop, and now, thanks to Kate, the other girls know all about Skunkapes. Unfortunately, I don't think I can find merit badges for Skunkapes or poop- the 2 most popular topics.

There were many trees tied with colored tape- big huge healthy looking trees tied with blue, others with yellow, pink, and green. Does anyone know the color significance, or if there some sort of project going on in the woods at Eden?

If you were traipsing in the woods between Eden and 395, south of and parallel to Gilmore Rd, the flags may have represented the proposed route of the new road from 395 to Eden. Friends of Eden is supposed to go through and flag trees / features that must not be disturbed.

Could Hogs at Eden be an adverse affect of urban sprawl? Could the answer to fighting back against nature's liberation of domesticated property really be a weenie roast?

yes and yes.

5th gen, any relation to 6th gen? just wondering.

We are going over today for a walk, and we will conduct hog surveillance while we are there.;-)

Does anybody know if we are allowed to take dogs to Eden? I have looked all over the website and can't find a mention of a dog rule. We thought we should take a fearless boar hunting hounds with us for protection.

http://www.floridastateparks.org/information/faq.cfm

[FONT=Verdana, Arial]<B>

[FONT=Verdana, Arial]Are pets allowed in Florida State Parks? What are your rules and regulations?[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial]Pets are permitted in all areas subject to the following restrictions:[/FONT]
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• [FONT=Verdana, Arial]All pets must be confined, leashed, or otherwise under the physical control of a person at all times. Leashes may not exceed six feet in length.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Arial]Pets must be well behaved at all times. Pets must be confined in the owner's camping unit during designated quiet hours. Unconfined pets may not be left unattended for more than 30 minutes and must be leashed.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Arial]Pet owners shall pick up after their pets and properly dispose of all pet droppings in trash receptacles.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Arial]Pets, which are noisy, vicious, dangerous, disturbing or intimidating to other persons, and pets, which damage park resources, are considered to be nuisances and will not be permitted to remain in the park.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Arial]Areas of the park designated as prohibited for pets have been determined as such based on park natural and cultural resources, primary recreational activities, camper and pet health and safety, geographical location and layout of camping areas, and the ability to provide a quality recreational experience for all visitors.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Arial]Domestic breeds of dogs, cats and other fur-bearing pets, (except service dogs and non-human primates of the genus Cebus, which are trained and registered for assisting the physically impaired,) shall be excluded from food-service areas, designated camping areas, cabins, bathing and swimming areas including land and water portions, park buildings, playgrounds, and other designated areas. View the general pet policy.
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Kurt, thank so much for sharing that. I had tried to find it and was not successful. We will be down with our lab and she loves a new walk and we are very responsible pet walkers and would want to know the local restrictions.

What the heck is a "non-human primate of the genus Cebus"?

"Registered service animals" couldn't have covered all the possible scenarios? We had to get specific about which monkeys are and are not allowed?

Wasn't aware there were humans outside the "homo" genus, but I'm so glad Florida's parks are prepared just in case!

Here's the deal.

Took the dogs to Eden, on leash.

We walked. We were not attacked by hogs.

Nobody pooped, therefore no cleanup.

It was fun.

Went home.

The end.

Here's the deal.

Took the dogs to Eden, on leash.

We walked. We were not attacked by hogs.

Nobody pooped, therefore no cleanup.

It was fun.

Went home.

The end.

that is truly amazing. seriously. dogs love to do a big stinky just for the heck of it whenever you take them anywhere outside of their own little yard. right when they find just the right spot, in the great wide open, front and center, close to people so they can have a proper audience.

Per a news story in the Sun, the hogs may have been placed in Eden deliberately!

http://www.waltonsun.com/news/pigs_729___article.html/park_carlisle.html

yes and yes.

5th gen, any relation to 6th gen? just wondering.

No kin to 6thGen. I will confess however, when trying to come up with a name for the blogisphere, I caught a glimpse of his name and it helped to inspire me.

Well, you know, maybe if we hadnt build on their land, or run them off of the property that they were living comfortably on, then we wouldn't have this problem. I'm no tree huggin person, but its sad when people are amazed when they see wildlife around here, and they think it is some sort of problem. I swear to you, if we don't bother them, they have nbo reason to bother us. However, it is very true that if youy do confront one of the pigs, especially the boars, because they are most territorial, you better hope you can run faster than it or your friend, because they can mess you up good.

just so you know we didnt build on their land those hogs arent native to this area or even the us they came over from europe in the early 1900's and are considered a nusance.

just so you know we didnt build on their land those hogs arent native to this area or even the us they came over from europe in the early 1900's and are considered a nusance.

WOW... way to chime in kinda late on a thread. Most folks on this board know the history of hogs/pigs in this area. The more we develop, the more we see of them. They have been in this area, just about as long, if not longer, than white Anglo-Saxon humans. There is documentation of them in the area when Grayton Beach was first inhabited.
P.S. punctuation is your friend.

has anyone seen the show on discovery (i think) on the wild hog epidemic? what a destructive little creature. and they multiply like crazy.

Florida is famous for swamps, alligators and the everglades. Another animal that calls Florida home is the wild hog. Second only to Texas, Florida has a hog population that is estimated at more than 500,000, with hogs in every county. The large population can be harmful on crops, soil and vegetation. Hog hunting in Florida plays an important role in controlling the population growth of wild hogs.

History
Hogs are traced back to 1539, when settlers moved to Florida. The settlers would often let the hogs roam free and eventually hogs would release into the wild. In a short time, the hogs would turn feral--or wild--and quickly reproduce. As a result of the hog population, Florida declared wild hogs a game animal in 1956, allowing them to be hunted.

Significance
The nature of hogs to forage and wallow can be destructive and harmful to natural habitats and vegetation. The Southwest Florida Water Management District calls hogs "invasive, exotic species." Hogs in Florida may carry a bacterial disease that is infectious to humans called brucellosis. To avoid infection, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission suggest wearing latex or rubber gloves when handling any part of a wild hog.

Regulations
There are very few regulations in place for hog hunting in Florida. Hog hunting is allowed year-round with no bag limits, size limits or licenses required. To hunt on private property, the landowner must give permission. Hogs may also be hunted at night using a hog light.

Wildlife Management Areas
Florida offers some excellent public land opportunities for hog hunting. The wildlife management areas (WMA) allow hog hunting but may also require a special license or permit. Most permits at the WMAs are on a limited quota, which means they are available until they are sold out. These permits may be purchased online through the Florida online hunting license issuing system. Look at areas with the highest population density of hogs to the north and west of Lake Okeechobee. Possible WMAs include Crew or Rocky Glades.



Read more: Hog Hunting in Florida | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6118254_hog-hunting-florida.html#ixzz1Yxq4Na00

Hop, do you have a hog hunt planned???

Do you have private land and a hog problem? Call me!

The Arkiehawg clan is at it again? Sooieee!