Pig hunting is one of the most adrenalin inducing hunts you can do. If you’re keen to learn more about the wild pig infestation we have here in Australia you should check out either the most recently article from Pet Smart or the Feral Pigs website, which has a lot of great information.

“Feral pigs are a major pest that continue to pose a significant threat to Australia’s $65 billion agricultural industry, destroying crops and pastures, spreading weeds and disease, and preying on livestock. Feral pigs also cause serious damage to the natural environment.”

The commercial harvesting of feral pigs for export has generated income into regional communities since the early 1980s, although there has been considerable variation in the export volume and value. The value of the industry has ranged from $50 million to $10 million annually over several years between 1980 to 2010.

In recent years the industry has suffered a significant decline to see trade values slip to under $3 million per annum. This has been exacerbated by:

• An increase in competition from alternative suppliers in overseas markets
• The economic viability of commercial harvesting being limited to a selection of regions due to the logistics and cost of harvesting pigs over large areas
• Limited and sporadic supply of fresh carcasses of acceptable quality to processing facilities
• A reduction in the number of accredited hunters, which has made it difficult to meet offshore demand and maintain market share
• A change in consumer preferences