I’m really not looking to take any new jabs at the foolishness that became the Discovery Channel’s “Hogs Gone Wild”, but I’ve been giving some thought to that sort of thing again. I got an email from Holly (NorCal Cazadora)earlier today, and I guess the good people at A&E have been trying to get her to post up some promotional content for their program, “American Hogger” . Here’s a snip from the show’s website:
Each episode of “American Hoggers” follows legendary hog hunter Jerry Campbell, 64, his level-headed son, Robert, 28, and firecracker daughter, Krystal, 23, as they respond to those threatened by feral hogs. Located in the heart of Texas, the family dedicates itself to the front lines – riding horseback, driving a custom-rigged Jeep, using highly trained dogs with GPS tracking systems and employing good old-fashioned know-how to help those endangered by these destructive beasts. Clad in chaps and cowboy boots, the family sets out in each episode to square off against these extremely intelligent animals that are terrorizing helpless landowners.
I just don’t get it. Is this really what it takes to get the message about wild hogs across to the American public? And what message, anyway? Hyperbolic bullshit.
I remember when producers first started to see that the wild hog explosion might actually equate to viewers. They began calling around, even to some bloggers like myself, looking for characters and stories. In some foolish, naive dream, I actually had hope that the Hog Bomb might get some valuable press, exposing the problem and exploring solutions… the Real problem, and some Real solutions. What we got instead was:
As you may know, these ferocious hogs can be deadly to humans and animals alike, and can destroy acres of precious farmland in just one night!
Just a note to the folks who write this crap… the whitetail deer has been responsible for far more human deaths in the US than wild hogs ever dreamed of. In fact, as far as I know, feral hogs have never killed anyone in the US.
I spent some time last week with some guys who are working on solving the real problem. The guys at Jager Pro Hog Control are in the front lines of the wild hog invasion, at least in a fair-sized swath of Georgia (and now Florida). They work hard, with real military precision. And it looks like they’re making some impacts.
Where are the television cameras for these guys? It’s not like there isn’t some excitement. The night shooting with thermal imaging gear is exciting, and carries a pretty high level of “coolness”. The videos they’re posting on YouTube draw thousands of hits, often from non-hunters, with a surprising number of positive comments. Even better, one might think, is that the night vision video removes some of the graphic nature of the carnage, and like much of the military news video, makes it more palatable for the average viewer.
What’s more, Jager Pro CEO, Rod Pinktson is one of the most knowledgeable people I’ve ever met when it comes to hogs. His knowledge isn’t just from books or theory either, but from first-hand observation. He can talk at great length about everything from habits to effective management strategies. If you want to know why some strategies work while others don’t, he can probably tell you. Best of all, he doesn’t rely on legend and myth to tell the story of wild hogs and the very real threat they present to agricultural interests. He can show you what they’re doing, and what he’s doing to resolve it.
And then there’s the trapping… Pinkston and crew have taken the time to develop a practical strategy for trapping hogs, and have proven that it works. The approach challenges the status quo of hog management, but when they can show that they are catching entire sounders instead of a handful of juveniles, it’s obvious that the status quo needs to be challenged. There’s a great conflict there, though, if I were pitching a television show. Maybe it’s not as dramatic as father and son screaming matches, but it’s real, and the outcome may well determine the future of hog control policies across the country.
There is nothing Real about what’s being sold as “Reality Television.” Sure, it appears to be selling advertising. To be honest, I’ve talked to a lot of non-hunters who appear to really enjoy shows like Hogs Gone Wild and The Hog Bomb. They think they’re learning something… and that’s what probably bothers me more than anything else. In a recent conversation, a non-hunter defended the programs on the grounds that they are, at least, putting feral hogs in a national spotlight. Maybe, but if they’re going to shine the light on these animals, I’d prefer that they do so with truth and logic rather than fear-mongering and misinformation. I would think that most people would prefer that as well.
But then, I may be falling into the trap of over-estimating “most people” once again.
Phillip Loughlin
On the one hand I should be happy that we’ve got all these TV producers interested in showing hog hunting as a virtue. It’s nice not to be vilified, and, quite honestly, I’ve heard from several women who want to start hunting and the first thing they say they want to hunt is pigs. They’ve gotten the “invasive” message.
Unfortunately, they also tend to think that hunting hogs is extremely dangerous, which I then have to correct. It’s only dangerous if you choose a method that requires hand-to-hand combat with them. Personally, I prefer a rifle.