Hog & Predator Control
The benefits of using a helicopter for hog and predator control are endless. A helicopter allows you to efficiently dispatch any unwanted vermin that are negatively affecting your land or wildlife propagation.
Feral hogs are an extremely destructive species that can devastate native habitat and farmland. There are millions of these introduced animals roaming Texas. In 2006 Billy Higginbotham of the Texas Extension Cooperative was quoted by ABC as saying that “There are only two types of landowners in the state of Texas—those that have feral hogs and those that are about to have feral hogs”. There are several major advantages to culling hogs using a helicopter. According to an article by Gary Littauer titled “Control Techniques for Feral Hogs”, these advantages include that “(1) it is very selective since only target animals are taken, (2) a depredation or damage problem can be stopped in a short period of time, and (3) large numbers of hogs can be removed in a short period of time”. Although it costs more per hour to use a helicopter, you can efficiently remove many more hogs in a short period of time rather than using other methods such as dogs and traps that are ongoing processes, taking months and years to achieve similar results.
Another useful tool we offer that can be used in conjunction with aerial culling is the “Judas” method. This process involves catching and radio collaring several pigs and then releasing them so that they can lead you to other pigs. The Judas program reduces the amount of time it takes to find pigs, and is helpful when trying to eradicate the last few animals in an area.
Predator control, namely coyotes, is also an extremely important factor in a successful ranching operation, particularly for wildlife. Coyotes have been known to severely impact axis deer and blackbuck antelope populations, and whitetail deer fawns are thought to be a main food source. As with hog depredation, aerial culling of coyotes is much more efficient than other methods.