My dogs have been barking a lot lately. I know that part of it has been a little skunk that wants to make it's home under my deck and house. But another reason for their barking, I believe, has been the wild pigs.

The other night I heard pigs making the way up the gully below and at the back of my house. I couldn't see them, just heard them. Very strange sounds along with the grunting pig noises we are used to.

Last night the dogs were at it again. I had already been out whacking the deck with a stick trying to persuade the skunk to leave, not too successfully either....when I heard other strange vocalizations along the drive and lots of movement in the dry grass.

I came through the house and out the front door with my flashlight (must get a better flashlight with brighter beam) and braved my way to my car where I heard the sounds from the other side. The pigs made there way along the side of my drive and then across the end of the drive to where my little garden tubs are. At the outer edge of the flashlight beam I could see pigs crossing my yard....maybe four or five of them, although I could hear a lot more than that going through the buck brush. They made their way across the yard and down to the drive on the other side of my house and headed to the other end of my property.

I was so excited! I came in and did a Good Search (search engine like Google)  of wild pigs in Tollhouse and found that they migrated or were introduced to Burrough Valley in 1980.

This afternoon I noticed that my yard seemed to have been kind of dug up....kind of like when cows or horses spend a lot of time in an area and leave hoof holes in the ground. I also found some areas where little trails had been made....now I know that this was pig snouts rooting and making a little path looking for acorns ...a favored food source.

I don't know if pig hunting is a sport in this area and I certainly hope not!

http://www.sibr.com/mammals/M176.html