Flintknapper,
Is he small enough to eat?
At one sitting?
Abe, I think your question alludes to the 'myth' that Boar hogs (after reaching a certain size/age) are unfit for table fare. While it is true that the older more dominate males 'can' be less palatable, it has nothing to do with size. ANY mature (older than 18 months) boar is certain to be an active breeder and quite possibly a less desirable prospect for the dinner table (dependent upon conditions).
The production of testosterone, the practice of urinating upon themselves, preputial secretions and how active they are...all contribute.
No doubt, you've heard stories of Feral Boars that 'stink' so badly that few people will touch them, let alone butcher one. While most (boars) do not reach that level it is a fact....they can reach a point where the meat is not considered a good resource or that the handling of the animal is likely to taint/contaminate the meat.
It is not hard to understand why...when you consider some the reasons for it.
As applies to Feral Boars....we can start with the glands (present in every Boar regardless of age/size):
Feral boars have and use a number of types of
scent glands. The primary types of scent glands used by these animals include: metacarpal glands, preorbital glands, preputial gland, and tusk glands. Feral boars also have proctoideal glands, perineal glands, mandibular and rhinarial glands. All of which secrete or produce odorous compounds.
Even if a hog does not suffer from glandular stench, the meat of any hog might not be of good quality IF the animal was not killed quickly or if the animal was 'stressed' for any period of time (read trapped or run by dogs) just prior to death. The reason being...high levels of Adrenaline and Lactic Acid in the muscle tissue.
The point being....any number of things can determine whether or not the animal if fit for consumption, the least of which is age or size.
Lately, on my bike rides well out in the country, I've come across hog remains where they only harvested the hams, and left the rest to rot, kinda sad.
They (who ever they are) didn't bother to skin or gut them, just cut off the hams and left the remains on the side of the road.
My objection here (along with yours) is the dumping of the carcass on the roadside (illegal by the way). As for the other matters, I do not know the circumstances involved, or the intent of the persons involved. Many folks are disturbed at the thought that an ENTIRE carcass is not utilized as a meat resource. Viewed...I suppose as 'wanton' waste.
"Waste" by their definition meaning that humans did not consume it. I would argue that 'nature' does not waste... and makes very good use of the carcass.
The fact that the carcass was neither field dressed or skinned is not unusual with respect to hogs. What might appear to be a reckless waste of meat....is more likely a 'selective' use of the resource. Unless a person wishes to use the rib meat, the neck meat and belly skirt, there is no reason to gut/field dress a hog....except to aid in cooling. The hams, shoulders and tenderloins/backstraps can all be removed without the need to skin the entire animal. Not only does this lessen the chance of meat contamination (when harvested in the field) it is also less exposure to Fleas, Ticks and Hog Lice for the person harvesting the meat.
I've seen this ugly spectacle roughly a half dozen times on different rides in different places off in the ditch/side of country roads.
Yes, I agree that the 'deliberate' disposal of a carcass along any public roadside is a disgraceful and disgusting act.
Not to mention illegal.
Part of me understands this approach as one whose killed, gutted, skinned, and butchered these critters. It's a hard, miserable job, so yeah, harvesting the hams only and perhaps the back straps is understandable. The waste though is painful to witness.
Again, I would argue that it is "Waste", though the general public will in most cases view it the same way. Increasingly our society has become removed from understanding the workings of 'nature' and how the ecosystem operates. When a hog dies out in the woods, the carcass is consumed (quite rapidly I might add), by any number of scavengers, omnivores and insects. Each has its place in the ecosystem and this goes on everyday. First the scavengers consume the largest part of the meat, internal organs and then the edible bones. Various insects consume the remaining flesh and parts of the hide. The hooves, hair, hide and larger bones gradually decompose into nutrients for the soil. That is natures way.
This is the destiny of each wild creature. So the only possible argument does not involve the ultimate use of the carcass, but in the taking of 'life'. If I kill a depredating hog (thus hastening a natural death) and take it off to the woods (to be consumed naturally) is that really 'waste"? I think the answer is 'perhaps'. I think it also depends upon circumstance. I personally define 'waste' to mean that a resource was not utilized to its best effect. "Best Effect" being a matter of circumstance, the totality of which must be considered.
Let me explain: IF there is an immediate human need for the meat resource, the meat is viable, the harvesting and distribution are possible...then YES, failure to do so constitutes waste IMO.
On the other hand: If I kill a hog and can find no one to take it (a common occurrence), is it waste De-facto because wild animals become the beneficiary? Or what if a person only needs a portion of a hog and the rest is consumed by nature, is that 'partial' waste?
Plus, why not simply bury the remains rather than leave the balance of the carcass to stink and create an ugly scene for the public to bear witness to?
Lots of good reasons not to bury, but in the situation you described, I suspect laziness on the part of the actor or lack of a place to bury the carcass are at play.
Burying a large carcass is generally the LAST thing you want to do. Unless the carcass is diseased, then burying or burning are not required and actually results in the 'waste' you seek to avoid. Not only is burying a time consuming and arduous task, it makes for least diverse utilization of the carcass while simultaneously increasing the time of consumption/decomposition.
And to make matters even more complicated....our ever present Government has their hand in the matter too:
https://www.tceq.texas.gov/publications/rg/rg-419.html
The law states the TCEQ be notified by letter when an animal is buried. The letter should "contain your full name and address, the type of animal, and a short description of the location of the farm where the carcass was buried. Information on the anticipated capacity of the burial areas as well as the use of daily and/or final cover should be included, and a map showing the general location of the area would be useful." The letter should be mailed to: Industrial and Hazardous Waste Permits Section, MC-130, TCEQ, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas 78711-3087.
^^^^^^^^^ This applies to Domestic and Exotic Livestock. Feral hogs in recent years have been reclassified as Exotic Livestock. The States way of avoiding ownership and responsibility for them.
Lovely, huh?
Handling hogs this way makes hog killers look like ignoramuses.
"Hog Killers"?
I will have to ask for your definition of 'Hog Killers'?
Of those I can think of:
Hunters interested in harvesting a meat resource.
Sport Hunters interested in obtaining meat and trophy.
Landowners/agents interested in protecting their land, crops and other income producing elements from depredating hogs.
Slob 'hunters' who's only interest is in killing and in fame.
Not sure where you fit me in those categories. I am a landowner with an ongoing Feral Hog problem. I routinely trap, shoot and snare hogs. Most of them are dragged away to be consumed by 'nature' although everyone in the community knows that I (and my neighbors) are happy to donate to anyone in need, if only they will contact us and let us know. I certainly do not dispose of them along the highway.
I try very hard to be a good steward of the land and feel that I have a reasonable understanding and working knowledge of how things 'work' out here in the countryside on the ranch.
I sometimes wonder if folks (particularly city folks) have given proper thought to the things they like to object to or don't understand.
Conversely, maybe we ignorant 'hog killers' can learn something from our more enlightened brethren.
Just thinking out loud again.
