A few mornings back I went to take my dog for her morning constitutional. We are ensconced over in Whisper Creek not far from the fence that separates us from the highway. I noticed that something had dug up the yard around my Jeep. After further investigation and much discussion with my neighbor Bill we surmised that I had been visited by a wild pig. They like to dig up the yard and root, well for roots.

Did you know that there are over 1 million feral swine in Florida and they can be found in all 67 counties? Explorer Hernando de Soto brought them to Florida in the 1500s and they soon broke out into freedom and pig fun. They now cause millions of dollars in damage to farmland and can carry pathogens that can make people and animals sick.

Actually, the other day on our way to Moore Haven we came across a group of pigs (called a sounder) right by the side of the highway. There were a couple of momma pigs and maybe around 10 babies with a big old boar watching over his hoard. They were grazing by the side of the road and seemed oblivious as we drove by. They seem to be everywhere. Did any of you notice that black pig that met its demise right by the highway near the bridge?

The thing that bothered me about that pig being in my yard was that it created a field of mud from what had formerly been a fine and well groomed lawn. The oder of the pig also interested my springer and she spent the better part of the day trying to understand what type of animal had been in HER yard and wondered if it would consider being her best friend.

The next morning I got up at predawn and hid in the little gazebo behind my camper. We had a tin can of popcorn left over from Christmas and I used that as nourishment as I sat in the dark on my stake out. Sure enough that little pig came back to root around some more. Angry about my fine lawn being turning into mud I hurled the now empty tin popcorn can at it and bounced it off its little piggy head. At once startled and upset it jumped and ran off into the morning mist squealing its little pig head off.

Well one would hope that would be the end of the story but as I sat in the camper enjoying my morning coffee and reading the paper I heard a knock on the door. I was surprised to find one of Hendry County's finest officers waiting for me outside. As I stepped out he lowered his head a little, looked at me with squinting eyes and said, “Did you rough up a little pig this morning? I’m going to have to issue you a citation for animal cruelty.” Now no one was around during my confrontation with the pig so I asked the officer, “How do you know it was me?”

He said “The pig squealed.”