Wild Animals

The other day, JC caught some sort of field mouse in the garage. We kept it around for a few days feeding it apple bits and crackers. We finally let it go today. Hopefully, it doesn't return.


We also have been spotting wild boars around the area lately, and we finally got a decent shot of two of them. Looks like a mother and baby.


So, I looked up whether or not hunting them was legal or not, and it turns out that it is legal provided you've got a hunting license ($41.20) and a wild pig tag ($19.70). Also, it's perfectly legal to hunt them on your own property or on public land... I am not exactly sure what counts as public land. Is a county park considered public land? Because, I've definitely seen them in a nearby park.

I've never been hunting before, but it might be an interesting experience to take one down and then bring it over to a butcher or something to obtain useful meat. You'd probably get a ton of pork and bacon from just one of these guys.

Also, it turns out there's some odd rules (in my opinion) on what sorts of weapons you're allowed to use. From the official guidebook from the California Dept. of Fish and Game...

The following methods can be used for hunting wild pigs:

1) rifles and handguns using centerfire cartridges with soft point or expanding bullets;

2) muzzleloading rifles of at least 0.40 caliber;

3) shotguns capable of holding no more than three shells and firing single slugs; and

4) archery equipment and crossbows.

Spears, knives and other methods not specified in Sections 353 and 354 of the hunting regulations are not allowed for hunting wild pigs in California.

I guess I don't quite get why you're not allowed to spear them or use knives, yet you're allowed to shoot them with a gun or utilize archery. Seems strange to me, but maybe there are good reasons for these rules. Then again, I have no idea why anyone would want to try to take on a wild pig with only a knife if they had other alternatives.