Several states across the country have a problem with a growing population of free-running, feral pigs, but none know the issue so well as Texas. The state has the largest population of the wild hogs in the country, with some towns experiencing issues like torn up yards and even having fears about children’s safety. But farmers bothered by the hogs in the state might consider a bit of military technology to tackle their 1.5 million-plus hog problem.
WFAA-TV’s Jim Douglas went to Louisiana to check out a hog-hunting drone being commissioned by farmers there.
The “Dehogaflier,” as it’s called by its creators, is not armed like some military drones (although its creators do contract with the Defense Department on other projects), but more simply is equipped with a thermal camera that is used to direct a shotgun-wielding hunter to his target.
The Dehogaflier has slowly made headlines within the last few years. Earlier this year, Modern Farmer did a write-up on the technology and its creators, engineers Cy Brown and James Palmer:
Every weekend, Brown and Palmer send their drone buzzing around a piece of farm property. When they spot a pig on the live video feed, Palmer — a crack shot — uses a rifle with a night vision scope to kill it clean. It’s sleek, fast, reliable – and not what you’d call sporting.
But killing pigs is no sport, if you ask Brown. It’s extermination, plain and simple. “There’s no concept of fair chase when it comes to pigs, no sense of conservation,” he said.
“If you’ve got roaches in your house, you don’t leave the eggs behind because they’re poor innocent eggs,” said Brown. “You kill them all.” Read more….
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