Is there any introduced species that would be a step back in time hunt with trad. ML?

[Dale Lilly]

How about an introduced species with a native weapon? Say.....hogs with a lance or spear?

Being done in Texas and Oklahoma. Dale

 

[vintovka]

SE PA here. Wild pheasants virtually disappeared from here decades ago. Weirdly, it was overnight. One season you had birds. The next season your best dog could not find one. And still when you think you saw one, you don't know if it's a renegade farmed bird.

Happened very, very fast in CAlif too. It Started with removing the 'checks" in the rice fields and rumor has it they started using a new chemicals to boost yields. Wildlife experts say it damaged eggs. I-5 running thru valley used to be littered with dead birds hit by cars and used to see dozens running around just on other side of fence. Now nothing, not one! Jerks will say it was lead shot meanwhile they eat rice laden with chemicals.

 

[Sparkitoff]

Well, Nilgai was 1920’s.....maybe

 

[Robby]

One specie I wish they had introduced here in New York decades ago is the European Red Dear. Biologists say genetically it is the same as an elk, even though it doesn't take a trained eye to tell them apart, but you know science. Elk used to be native here, no, NY is not one big city, but an invasive specie of European nematode has made it near impossible for elk to thrive, but obviously Red Deer must have some kind of immunity, cuz Europe and England are loaded with them. Whitetails are able to filter out the nematode at the brain blood barrier, elk and moose are not, and though we do have moose, they are not doing as wall as they should be, and when they get them we hear stories in the news about weird moose antics. Plenty of land here for Red Deer to thrive.
Robby

 

[Einsiedler]

Nilgai in Texas?
Irish

Killed several. Was just talking to son yesterday may try for one this spring with ML. We’ve seen extraordinary amount on Kenedy co. Ranch we hunt.

 

[Einsiedler]

On a historical note;

Spanish Govenor Alonzo de Leon upon their arrival of what remained of LaSalle’s fort on Garcitas creek, (circa 1690), mentioned in his official journal, " the only thing here that seemed to flourish were the settler’s hogs". Apparently they were having quit the time on the creek.

Also, Noah Smithwick (circa 1832) does mention hunting the hogs that had become wild along the Brazos river bottom above the settlement of San Felipe.

The Johnson massacre in Llano county, circa 1863 also stated that one of the women taken captive by Comanches after their raid on the Oxford settlement area on Sandy Creek, was found staked to the ground and partially consumed by the hogs that ranged the area. This was from Wilbargers, Indian Depredations of Texas.

 

[Ames]

Though not big game.....Nutria.

The nutria (Myocastor coypus), a large, semi-aquatic rodent native to South America, was originally brought to the United States in 1889 for its fur. When the nutria fur market collapsed in the 1940s, thousands of nutria escaped or were released into the wild by ranchers who could no longer afford to feed and house them.

 

[Einsiedler]

While there were exceptions like Caesar Kleberg’s nilgai in the 20’s for example, I believe the real push in Texas on exotics happened when Finn Aaggard left Kenya in what, 1963ish?? I seem to remember reading about him and Charles Schreiner (Charlie III) getting together and getting all manner of exotics imported to the YO Ranch up at Mountain Home Tx. Aaggard fet the areas was so much like places in Africa it was worth a go. Anyone else ever read or hear that?

I know back in the day Mr. Aaggard frequented the LGS where I worked (Austin Tx) in early 80’s, but I never really got to visit with him much. However he was great friends with one of my hunting pards who was the local gunsmith in Llano Tx. He had many stories.