The following schedule is from the 72nd Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies which was held October 21-24, 2018 in Mobile, Alabama.
AUTHORS: Nancy Sandoval, Brian L. Williams, Stephen S. Ditchkoff – School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University
ABSTRACT: Population surveys and removal efforts for wild pigs (Sus scrofa) have traditionally used a food-based attractant. However, some situations or locations where these activities may take place may not be conducive to the logistical challenges associated with storing or hauling large quantities of bait. Scent-based lures are lighter and easier to store than baits, and may negate some of these logistical challenges. Our goal was to examine the efficacy of a urine-based lure for attracting wild pigs to and retaining them at camera sites. We compared the initial arrival time and feeding bout length among boars, sounders, and juveniles at sites with a urine lure, whole corn, and a combination of the urine lure and whole corn during June and July 2017 on Lowndes Wildlife Management Area, Alabama. Our results suggest sex/age class and treatment had no significant effect on initial arrival time, but feeding bout length tended to be shorter at sites with urine only. These data suggest that urine-based lures may be appropriate for initial population assessments where quick attraction to a site may be desired, but a food-based attractant is more suitable for retaining wild pigs at sites long enough for removal efforts or detailed population surveys.
