Advertisement This wasn’t just any ordinary pig. It was one of the famed feral pigs that we’ve been hearing so much about, but few people have ever seen. The populations of these pigs have been growing and spreading. I would have said five years ago the pigs were mainly known to exist in the Star Valley and Bell Center areas of Crawford County. Now we have reproducing populations in central Vernon County.
The feral pigs are a menace. They will uproot freshly-planted crops and also eat those that are ripening. They also carry diseases and don’t mind mixing and mingling with domestic pigs. These pigs can grow to 500 pounds-plus. Also, they’re agile, hopping fences and running with considerable speed.
The fellows who are in the photo with the pig on the front page just happened to stop for a few seconds and were nice enough to allow me to get a photo of them in the background, to give the picture some scale. By no means were these the only four people I saw there. There were different people there when I arrived and more coming when I left. Little did they, or I, know how interested people would be in the story.
The La Crosse Tribune picked up the photo and story for its online and print editions. Then The Associated Press picked up the story. It ran in Sunday’s Chicago Tribune.
The feral pigs are going to continue to cause problems and their populations will grow. Trapping them in any numbers is difficult. They’re extremely elusive and hard to hunt.
In Texas, the wild pig population exceeds two million and the Texas AgriLife Extension Service estimates the hogs cause $50 million in damage each year.
An Associated Press story on Monday said that researchers are looking for a birth control chemical that can be used to stop population growth of the hogs, but it’s at least five years in the future.
As for our pig story, on Tuesday a television station in Houston, Texas, picked it up.
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There’s just not enough going on this weekend...
First the Woden Thor Medieval Festival is going on at the Viroqua Wild West Days grounds. Then during the weekend the Driftless Jazz Festival is happening at Main Street Station. Then on Saturday afternoon the VHS Class of 2008 will graduate.
In addition to all of this, every community in the area will be holding its Memorial Day services on Monday.
I’m just hoping for good weather. We are certainly entitled to a good long stretch of favorable conditions.
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I tip my cap to those working at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery on Saturday as the hatchery hosted its fifth-annual Kid’s Fishing Day.
A number of employees of Fish and Wildlife agencies and volunteers came together to give about 150 kids an opportunity to haul in some nice rainbow trout.
While there is a difference between “fishing” and “catching,” the hatchery’s event gives all of the kids a great opportunity to “catch” and keep five fish. Everybody has a chance at success.
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It’s 53 degrees, there are 25 mile per hour wind gusts and some guy in shorts and flip flops walks past you eating a piece of lefse... Must be Syttende Mai in Westby.
Sunday’s sunny parade lasted a full two hours. It’s a great parade, but if you want to go, you better invest some time... Time to park, time to walk, time to wait, time to watch, time to leave, time to wait, time to finally, somehow, make it out of Westby...
Syttende Mai is a great draw because it is the “kickoff” event for the parade season. Once spring comes people want to sit outside not wearing a parka, and it seems like Syttende Mai is the first outdoor festival of the year when that can happen.
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I’m really thankful I’m not a fan of “American Idol.” I just can’t imagine investing that much of my life in a karaoke contest.
One things for sure, some people really love it.
Of course, I’m obsessed with sci-fi, video games, football, radio shows and “The Family Guy,” so what does that say about me?
You can email Matt Johnson at matt.johnson@lee.net.
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