Snorting, slashing and digging, some two million porcine predators are rampaging across the state, Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, told his fellow lawmakers Wednesday, warning some are even venturing into urban areas.
Although landowners have the right to shoot feral hogs on their property, Fraser wants Texans to have the right to organize hunting trips and shoot them from helicopters.
Once-domestic hogs, now feral, they root up pasture land, tear down fences, destroy crops and occasionally endanger people. Studies show they do some $400 million worth of damage a year.
The Senate voted 29-2 to support Fraser's bill. Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville, was the only one to speak up on behalf of the hogs. He said he understood the problem but had concerns about the hunting notion.
Interestingly, Fraser's bill is labeled “relating to the taking of certain feral hogs and coyotes.” No one spoke up for the lowly coyote, perhaps because they worried about incurring the wrath of a certain gun-toting jogger, whose own coyote encounter is well known. Gov. Rick Perry will now sign the bill.
Interestingly, Fraser's bill is labeled “relating to the taking of certain feral hogs and coyotes.” No one spoke up for the lowly coyote, perhaps because they worried about incurring the wrath of a certain gun-toting jogger, whose own coyote encounter is well known. Gov. Rick Perry will now sign the bill.
No comments:
Post a Comment