Pub patrons hunt pigs

Monday, June 9, 2008

© The Cairns Post

THE Far North today has 165 fewer feral pigs destroying farms and rainforest.

A convoy of utes carting the carcasses pulled into the Peeramon Hotel yesterday for the weigh-in of the third annual pig hunt.

View Pig Hunt Picture Gallery

More than 130 people took part in the event but it was team Rat Attack that destroyed more than 1000kg of pigs to take out the aggregate award.

The biggest boar killed weighed in at 107kg, while the biggest sow was 71kg.

Kirsten Geraghty took out the Babe and Boar award for her 73kg kill, while Tate Coughlan, 3, was named the youngest hunter.

Organiser Alana Battle said the hunt aimed to raise money for the cyclone-damaged hotel and gave the hunters a chance to do their bit to help out the region’s farmers and natural environment.

Ms Battle said she hoped the hunt put a dent in the $1 billion damage bill caused by feral pigs.

"Some teams went across the Tablelands to the west and down the coast," Ms Battle said.

"And some teams didn’t come back with anything at all."

The event coincided with the pub’s 100th birthday celebration.

http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2008/06/09/4445_local-news.html