The Boars are back !!

[skauwt]

well finally after about 700 years some wild boar have been released into the ancient caledonian woodland
finally man is doing his bit to bring back some of scotlands lost species and perhaps help out its ecosystem a bit more
i persoanly think this is great
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/...ds/8370348.stm

[Jock Scot]

well finally after about 700 years some wild boar have been released into the ancient caledonian woodland
finally man is doing his bit to bring back some of scotlands lost species and perhaps help out its ecosystem a bit more
i persoanly think this is great
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/...ds/8370348.stm

Er well, not quite.We have had a population of wild boar for the last ten years or so.Where they came from, I know not, but these wary animals are breeding happily and do on occasion provide us with some sumptuous meat.

[skauwt]

Er well, not quite.We have had a population of wild boar for the last ten years or so.Where they came from, I know not, but these wary animals are breeding happily and do on occasion provide us with some sumptuous meat.

http://www.scottishwildboar.co.uk/ hardly wild if they are reared for meat then

[Jock Scot]

http://www.scottishwildboar.co.uk/ hardly wild if they are reared for meat then

You misunderstand. These animals are as wild as wild can be. They are free to roam wherever they wish.As I say, they roamed their way here some ten years ago,from where we don't know, but for all I know the wild boar may never have been extinct in Scotland------who knows? I certainly don't!We do shoot one if we get the chance,which is rare!The usual way of seeing them ,we have found, is at night with night sights, they are not shot at night though as the risk of wounding is too great.

[Bugbear]

Er well, not quite.We have had a population of wild boar for the last ten years or so.Where they came from, I know not, but these wary animals are breeding happily and do on occasion provide us with some sumptuous meat.

All right, someone has to ask. How do Scots cook their wild boar?

[Jock Scot]

All right, someone has to ask. How do Scots cook their wild boar?

Ted wild boar is not available to most Scots.It would not be available to me,normally,but I am lucky enough to have a bit of ground where they have decided to take up residence!

We (not me!) cook the joints just like you would cook any pork and as some one pointed out, wild boar sausages and wild boar burgers are delicious and we have found that they go down well at bbq's.

[Bugbear]

Ted wild boar is not available to most Scots.It would not be available to me,normally,but I am lucky enough to have a bit of ground where they have decided to take up residence!

We (not me!) cook the joints just like you would cook any pork and as some one pointed out, wild boar sausages and wild boar burgers are delicious and we have found that they go down well at bbq's.

I see.

Over here in the South West, it depends which culture one is from, but they do find their way into sausages and burgers. I've seen a few on a spit over an open fire, too.

There's a bunch of them over in Texas.

[Galician]

They might not be "reared." Simply introduced into a region and allowed to live and breed naturally, then caught/hunted(?). I think that would qualify them as wild.

[HarborSpringsPiper]

It will be interesting to see how this works out. Every ecosystem is different and subject to change overtime. Re-introductions of elk and wolves in different places in the US have been pretty successful but some groups consider them pests.

I guess wild boars were introduced to the US in the 1500's, not having been native here. I think they are pretty much considered an invasive species (i.e. - pest) everywhere they roam. I know in Michigan they can be shot anytime without license as they are very destructive to agricultural lands and forest also.

I don't know if these are the same type of feral pigs being re-introduced in Scotland that we have in the US, but I was surprised that the article described them as "shy and gentle". I have no personal experience with them here but stories I have heard have suggested they are quite aggressive.

--------------------------

Seems there in different places in Britain now. http://www.britishwildboar.org.uk/

[skauwt]

wild or not either way it'll be good for that ancient wood if only more regions started programs like that to regenerate the landscape to what it was before the sheep cattle and deer where given free run of the lands for the sake of a few quid
it must be some sight jock ,thinking back though i dont think Ive ever seen a boar one of those things i intend to change if i ever get up north for a wee bit of family tree hunting and sight seeing