Senate Approves "Pork Chopper" Bill

The newest competitive sport coming to Texas just might be pork choppering.

Today, the Senate approved a bill that would allow landowners with feral hogs to sell helicopter seats to hunters who want to help them get rid of the destructive animals on their property.

State Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, said there are more than 2 million feral hogs across the state. They used to be mostly a problem for rural landowners, but now urban dwellers are dealing with the scourge. "We’re having these hogs come in and tear up backyards and endanger the lives of young children," he said.

It's already legal in Texas to shoot feral hogs and coyotes from helicopters. But it's an expensive endeavor. Fraser said his bill would allow landowners to bring a revenue stream by selling seats on the helicopters to hunters who want to come help them exterminate the hogs on their property.

State Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville, said he opposed the bill because he doesn't want to see a new sport in Texas that involves shooting hogs from helicopters. "You're just coming in there and shooting them at random," Lucio said.