In the 'good old days' of Fox Hunting in the UK, the Master of the Hunt was contacted by farmers when they had a serious Fox problem.
Similarly here, the local hunters are contacted by farmers when they become over-run with either Wild Boar or Roe Deer.
My friend, and neighbour, José has recently had trouble with Boar digging up his newish Chestnut plantation. I go through the wood almost every morning with the dogs, and have personally seen the appalling damage they do. But the Chasseurs have yet to come.
I understand that they've received so many requests since the hunting season re-opened, that they simply haven't had the time to get round to everyone's land. It looks as if the Wild Boar population has become completely out of control.
So, until they have a free Sunday, José has erected this classic anti-Boar, two wire, low down, electric fence. The dogs aren't too keen on it, but I expect it'll do the job.
One good side to this over-population, however, is that Wild Boar (which is very good eating) is in plentiful supply. Although why I can never get hold of a free gigot or two baffles me. Come on guys..... just a small one!
N.B. The above are not our local lads; just a picture borrowed from Mr Google. The picture of the fence was taken very early in the morning; hence the dreadful quality.
I blame the education system. If someone took the boars of a certain age to one side and had a word with them about family planning then this sort of thing wouldn't happen.
ReplyDeleteMy worry is that Chinese Whispers will wreak havoc with the message and suddenly wild boor will be on the menu (and I'm getting too old to run).
I have found ancient and massive boar's tusks in the sandy soil near Farnham, from when England had a big population, hundreds of years ago. They are beginning to return through escaped farmed ones now, but ours do not come ready stuffed with chestnuts.
ReplyDeleteHave you eaten them? A friend had a roast Boar gigot recently, and said it was wonderful.
DeleteOh yes - many times. It is very good meat, either roasted as a leg, or diced in a slow casserole with a bottle of white wine. Dark pork.
DeleteThe boars wreaked havoc with the maize crop adjoining our property - it looked like it had been hit by a tornado. At least the local hunters give the wildlife a fighting chance - they must see them coming from miles away with their day-glo caps and tabards.
ReplyDeleteI love wild boar. Do you think the locals would allow a foreigner to shoot across their hallowed turf? Now that would be something wouldn't it? A hunter coming from Africa to Europe in search of game rather than the reverse...
ReplyDeleteI'm sure a 'guest chasseur' would be very welcome, as long as you organised the braai.
DeleteWe often had Sanglier (slowly cooked in red wine) on the menu when I worked in the Alps. And every season at least a couple of hunters were killed too . . . Pastis, wine and guns (and possibly, extra marital affairs) don't mix!
ReplyDeleteAlways a few deaths here in Autumn too, but they're usually caused by fighting over Cèpes.
DeleteWild boar or wild hog as we call them here are absolutly tasty. I have had some grilled, and some in slow cookers(crock pot). Yes, do whatever you have to do to get some. The flavor is wonderful with fruit,(apples, apricots) as a glaze over the meat.
ReplyDeleteWe have them here in Nebraska, more south toward the Kansas border, but we have them, the problem is they are just shot, the meat goes to waste, which I detest.
These critters are exploding in the south, like Texas, and some other southwestern and southeastern states and this is the only way to control them. They are also very dangerous to confront.
Yes, i've eaten wild boar meat. It's excellent, although i've never cooked it myself.
ReplyDeleteLike denimflyz, i too detest when animals are simply shot and left to waste. When i lived in Pennsylvania, i saw countless carcases of deer that had been hit by motor vehicles and left to rot. The vultures loved it, of course, as did many other animals.
I'm surprised your neighbour with the belching smoke hasn't assembled a hunting party.
They are a great problem here in the U.S. as well, especially now with the elections coming up.
ReplyDeleteI hope someone hears your request and delivers unto you some pig meat! I, too, have had it and quite like it. If people are going to kill pests, they should eat them. A good solution, and a tasty one.
ReplyDeleteThere are some people around here who farm wild boar. Very tasty!
ReplyDeleteWild boars are scary looking critters, but at least they are considerate enough to have very tasty meat.
ReplyDeleteYou probably know that wild pigs, as we call them, are an introduced pest here in NZ. Around this neck of the woods (but thankfully not in the Secret Garden) pig-hunting is a competitive sport! And the meat, rather like venison, crayfish (that's lobster to you) and wild salmon is casual currency. Hope a haunch of wild boar finds it way to your table soon!
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