Read more: Local, State, Politics, Outdoors, Tourism, Greg Johnson, Bear Mountain Lodge, Wild Russian Boar, DNR, Wild Boar, Hog Hunting, Department of Natural Resources
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NEGAUNEE TOWNSHIP -- Greg Johnson is a geological engineer with a passion that turned into a project--wild boar hunting. About a decade ago, the Michigan Tech grad turned a vast Negaunee Township property into Bear Mountain Lodge, a massive hog-hunting reserve.
"We hunt wild boar," said Johnson. "We import Russian boar into the United States so you don't have to go to Bulgaria, Turkey or some third world nation in the Soviet Union; so you can come right up to the U.P., explore the wilderness and discover wild boar hunting right here in the USA."
Johnson's boar country is 211 acres of completely fenced in hunting estate. He says he's never had a boar escape his grounds.
But the DNR has gone hog wild over a growing feral swine problem in Michigan. They believe many of the reported wild pigs are escapees from more than 60 separate hunting grounds around the state.
"When the public reports these animals that are feral or on the loose, they tend to be within a proximity to some of these hunting facilities that house these animals," said DNR wildlife biologist, Terry McFadden.
The DNR says wild boar can be destructive to indigenous plants and animals. Officials consider it an invasive species.
"They can be destructive to habitat," McFadden added. "We do not want these animals at large, impacting habitat on state land."
The DNR has given the state legislature until July 8 to come up with a law to regulate these wild boar, otherwise the hunting lodges will be forced to close.
Enter U.P. House Representative Ed McBroom. He says he's just the guy to write up the regulation bill.
"This legislation is to take operations that provide the hunting opportunities for pig species and provide a regulatory structure for them so they can stay in business and avoid this order that's going to make them illegal," said McBroom.
The U.P. representative says protecting private hunting lodges protects the U.P. economy.
"They're bringing in sportsmen from around the world," McBroom said. "Over 90 percent of their business is actually out of the state of Michigan. They're brining in a tremendous amount of dollars into our area."
McBroom also claims that swine in hunting lodges are not feral hogs; they're farm animals, and if done properly, they're kept safely in a secure environment. He hopes his new, written legislation protects both hunting lodges and the natural habitat with new regulations.
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