Three new state forests reopened to hunters - NSW.

[bladeracer]

Attunga State Forest
Barcoongere State Forest
Girilambone State Forest

[womble]

Very good news. And woah unhunted, first in best served

[Pighunter]

how is the pig hunting in NSW forests? I'm considering getting my R Licence to travel down from QLD. Wiped out the pigs at my family farm so onto the next plan.

[womble]

They’re in there but you need dogs with good noses. They hunt them at night. https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/hunting/where-can-i-hunt/night-time-pig-hunting-on-public-land#:~:text=Several%20NSW%20State%20forests%20that,set%20out%20on%20written%20permissions.

They make quite a ruckus if you’re camping within about 50k. The sound carries. Lots of high pitched squealing and yelping and that’s just the bogans

[Pighunter]

They’re in there but you need dogs with good noses. They hunt them at night. https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/hunting/where-can-i-hunt/night-time-pig-hunting-on-public-land#:~:text=Several%20NSW%20State%20forests%20that,set%20out%20on%20written%20permissions.

They make quite a ruckus if you’re camping within about 50k. The sound carries. Lots of high pitched squealing and yelping and that’s just the bogans

Tbh it's a personal preference of mine not to use dogs. Not because I prefer to rely on my keen super hunting skills. But because I think it's cruel to both the dogs and the pig. I prefer to just sit and wait and hope the pigs walk in front of me, or slowly creep around. My sit and wait strategy has netted me a lot of pigs.

I imagine the Forests close to the border are filled with yahoos and bogans though. I think I'd happily travel further in to less hunted forests.

[bigpete]

They’re in there but you need dogs with good noses. They hunt them at night. https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/hunting/where-can-i-hunt/night-time-pig-hunting-on-public-land#:~:text=Several%20NSW%20State%20forests%20that,set%20out%20on%20written%20permissions.

They make quite a ruckus if you’re camping within about 50k. The sound carries. Lots of high pitched squealing and yelping and that’s just the bogans

Tbh it's a personal preference of mine not to use dogs. Not because I prefer to rely on my keen super hunting skills. But because I think it's cruel to both the dogs and the pig.

I wholeheartedly agree

[Pighunter]

I wholeheartedly agree

Not many would. But for me while I blow pest animals away on the weekly. I still respect the fact that they are a living creature. I do my best to ensure that after being shot they live no more than 30 seconds after that. I'm yet to have one live longer than that.

[bladeracer]

Tbh it's a personal preference of mine not to use dogs. Not because I prefer to rely on my keen super hunting skills. But because I think it's cruel to both the dogs and the pig. I prefer to just sit and wait and hope the pigs walk in front of me, or slowly creep around. My sit and wait strategy has netted me a lot of pigs.

I imagine the Forests close to the border are filled with yahoos and bogans though. I think I'd happily travel further in to less hunted forests.

Same. I love dogs too much to send them into dangerous situations, and I respect my quarry too much to have them be chased down by dogs, even ferals.

For me, hunting is a very quiet and peaceful time, alone in the bush. The goal is to drop an animal without it ever being aware I even exist. Bellowing hounds is the precise opposite of that.

[womble]

Well we introduced a feral species and dogs just happen to be the perfect predator to help eradicate them from heavily forested areas.
Dogs are bred specifically for the task and for their drive to do this.they lust for the hunt. Sometimes they get injured.

Sometimes the warthog defeats the lion . Sometimes the gazelle escapes the cheetah. And sometimes nature is cruel and the prey is captured and eaten alive. All is natural.
But the pig does not get eaten alive. It is quickly dispatched. It will bleed out in around 30 seconds if stuck correctly. By comparison to nature perhaps sanitised and merciful.

We wouldn’t have been such a successful species without the symbiotic relationship we had with domesticating dogs for hunting. Their senses of smell and hearing are far superior to ours.

I don’t disagree with it. It’s our heritage. It can be done ethically and I believe there’s acceptable practices legislated.
There are bogans and there is bad behaviour but the same can be said for roo shooters.
Some people are very adept at it and care very well for their dogs. They have armour and gps and they’re not in it for cruelty. Their dogs are quite valuable and valued. They want to dispatch as many pigs as quickly and efficiently as they can.
The dog has to be raised and trained from a pup to only home in on pigs and be proofed against chasing roos or any native animals or attacking livestock.
From pups you have scent in rolled up socks. Fur from various animals. They are only praised and rewarded when they go for the sock with pig in it. Not to mouth any other socks.
It’s a lot of work to run a well skilled pack. I did it when I was much younger. I don’t have any desire for it now. I keep dogs as pets. And they are fat soft dogs that would make terrible hunters.

But I won’t condemn it either. Young people can easily find worse ways to spend their spare time.
In some parts, like the NSW tablelands, it is part of our culture. Pig numbers can really explode there and all efforts to keep their population suppressed are fair.
And the dogs are bred from hunting lines from the the most successful sires and dams. They are fit for the purpose. They have a genuine drive for the work and are at their happiest doing it.
They’re not bred for the show ring. They’re impressive animals with great health and vigour, very hardy and sound temperaments. The bull Arab breed is not kennel club recognised but they are a true Australian breed to be proud of and they also make great pets and companion animals.

So yeah I don’t have a problem with it really, although I don’t agree with people who are cruel in nature finding an outlet in it.

[Pighunter]

Sadly where I'm from in QLD the majority of dog hunters are either psychopaths looking for an outlet, or just bogans who lose multiple dogs a year. I don't disagree with it, I just don't personally do it.
But I have seen actions of some dog hunters (that I wouldn't say on a public forum) that disgust me and caused me to sever my friendship with them.

[womble]

Yes that’s very true also.

Well pigs need a lot of water. So if you pick the right places and times they will need to drink eventually. Best of luck.

[Pighunter]

I've gotta say, after dealing with NSW for the first time when it comes to licencing anything I am very jealous.
It took 11 months for the police in QLD to process my Firearms licence, today I did my accreditation and applied for my NSW Hunting R licence, Within an hour of submitting for the licence it was approved.