A bill with real pork

Feral pigs aren’t a major problem in Oregon.

Not yet.

But wild swine, which reproduce with disturbing rapidity, have the ability to wreak havoc on the state, including its valuable farm and ranch ground.

“They can tear up crops and rangelands overnight,” said Rick Boatner, invasive species coordinator for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

We’d like to keep it that way. And a bill that the Legislature is considering would help not only to keep swine from spreading, but perhaps rid the state of the pests altogether.

House Bill 2221 would make it illegal for anyone to charge a fee for hunting feral pigs, or for a hunter to pay a fee to pursue the animals.

At least a few private landowners have charged hunters to shoot feral pigs, according to ODFW.

The bill, which Gov. Ted Kulongoski introduced on behalf of the ODFW, also makes it a crime for private landowners to “knowingly allow” feral pigs to roam on their property.

(This doesn’t mean every landowner who has a wild pig stray onto their property could be charged with a crime.)

Potential penalties include a year in jail, $7,250 in fines, and the loss of hunting privileges for two years.

Although fee hunting might seem like a good way to bolster the economy and kill wild pigs, the practice also gives private property owners an incentive to ensure there’s a healthy population of pigs.

We much prefer HB 2221’s approach. It gives property owners an incentive to get rid of feral pigs.

And since you don’t need a tag to hunt the animals, it shouldn’t be hard to find people willing to do the hard work.

Especially if there’s fresh ham to be had.