Quote:HOME RANGE AND HABITAT USE OF FERAL PIGS (Sus scrofa) ON LOWNDES
COUNTY WMA, ALABAMA
WESSON D. GASTON, Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences
602 Duncan Dr., Auburn, AL 36849.
JAMES B. ARMSTRONG, Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences
602 Duncan Dr., Auburn, AL 36849.
WENDY M. ARJO, NWRC Olympia Field Station 9730-B Lathrop Industrial Dr.,
Olympia, WA 98512.
H. LEE STRIBLING, Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences 602
Duncan Dr., Auburn, AL 36849.
ABSTRACT: This study was conducted on Lowndes County Wildlife Management Area
(WMA), Alabama to assess the survival, home ranges, and habitat preferences of feral
pigs during high and low hunting pressure seasons. For the study, two six-month seasons
were defined (high pressure hunting or low pressure hunting) based on the number of
hunters that entered the woods on the WMA. We collared twenty-four pigs to determine
home range and habitat use from 1 February 2005-31 January 2006 on Lowndes County
WMA. Seventeen collared pigs had an average home range of 403.6 + 65.6 ha in the low
pressure season, and 11 pigs had an average home range of 278.6 + 64.5 ha during the
high pressure season. Season had a significant effect on home range size (P = 0.039) and
core range size (P = 0.018). The test for group effect randomization indicated that the
pigs did not choose their habitats (home range or core range) randomly (P < 0.0001).
The type of season had a significant effect on habitat use (P = 0.027). Sex (P = 0.062)
and age (P = 0.84) did not have any significant effects on pig habitat preference. During
the low pressure season, the collared pigs preferred wetland and shrub/scrub habitats;
whereas, they preferred pine forests and shrub/scrub habitats during the high pressure
season.
KEY WORDS: feral pig, home range, habitat use, humans, hunting pressure
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Home Range and Habitat Use of Feral Hogs in Alabama
For those not familiar with hectares, there is 2.47 acres per hectare. So the low pressure home range was 995 acres and the high pressure home range was 687 acres in this particular study.
Quote:This could be attributed to
high hunter pressure causing the pigs to
decrease their home range in an attempt
to avoid the hunters. The pigs would
stay in impenetrable thickets to avoid
detection by hunters during the day and
would venture out to nearby food plots
at night to feed before returning to the
thickets.
The amount of pressure in each
season proved to be a significant
influence on the sizes of the feral pigs’
home ranges. Their home ranges were
larger during the low pressure season
when compared to the high pressure
season. The pigs seemed to tighten up
their movements and seek out areas of
refuge away from human presence;
Somewhat surprising to me, in this particular study the home range size of boars and sows was almost identical in both the high and low pressure seasons.
