June 1 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT
New Berlin, Wis. –(Ammoland.com)- Feral hogs have had a leg up in the battleground state of Texas causing billions of dollars of property, and life, damage. Now, Texans have the good guys on their side – and they have a helicopter.
Patrol Texas farms and ranches with owners/operators Craig Meier and Terrell Coleman as they take to the air in the premiere of a first-of-its-kind mini-series: Heli-Hunter, exclusively on Sportsman Channel, Sunday, June 1 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT. The four-episode series in June also will feature encore telecasts on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET following the breakout hit, Saving Private K-9.
Watch a sneak peek of the series here: http://www.thesportsmanchannel.com/shows/heli-hunter
“Heli-Hunter will highlight this very real problem Texans face and show that hunting is a part of the solution,” said Graig Hale, vice president of business development of Sportsman Channel. “Sportsman Channel has never strayed from broadcasting authentic content – from airing the first wolf hunt in the lower 48 to now showing hunting from the skies – this program is for real, American sportsmen and women.”
As the hog population continues to grow in Texas to an estimated five million feral pigs, Meier and Coleman realize traditional hunting methods will never be enough to keep up with the growth in population. Recent studies show that seven out of 10 feral hogs must be eradicated in order to simply maintain the current population. Using a helicopter to flush the pigs out of hiding gives hunters an advantage and allows the opportunity to eradicate thousands of pigs each year.
“Controlling the feral hog population from the skies is the best way to safely and effectively manage their numbers,” said Meier, host and co-owner of Heli-Hunter. “Educating the public and proving that drastic eradication efforts are necessary is our primary goal and we will shock the world when we expose the sheer numbers and damage these animals are capable of.”
Each week viewers will get a first-hand look at the damage these hogs cause and the struggles that go along with this ongoing battle of man vs. pig.In 2010, the Texas Agrilife Extension Service estimated overall damage from feral hogs in the State of Texas to be near $550 million annually. And although these animals need to be eradicated, Heli-Hunter does everything possible to collect them for consumption. Through their partnership with “Hogs for a Cause,” they process and distributed more than 25,000 pounds of sausage to needy families last winter season.
“I’ve worked with Craig and Terrell for many years and eradicated countless hogs utilizing their services. Let’s be clear – this is not hunting – it’s eradicating an invasive species from the air,” said Brian “Pigman” Quaca, host of Pigman: The Series on Sportsman Channel. “You’ve seen me do it countless times on my Pigman: The Series show and you’ll see me continue to do it as it’s the most effective way to curb the hog problem in Texas.”
In the premiere episode, the local sheriff’s department contacts Heli-Hunter to help exterminate the hogs from a particular area where there have been several accidents on the roadway. Craig and Terrell put together a plan of attack and start hunting the area immediately. They are successful in thinning out the herd, however, one stubborn landowner is not willing to cooperate with their efforts.
“In reality, we are just harvesting a renewable resource and feeding the needy while protecting farmers, ranchers, and highways from a non-indigenous, invasive species that multiplies at an exponential rate. I know in my heart that we are doing the right thing here, and can’t wait to prove it,” said Meier.
See how it plays out each week exclusively on Sportsman Channel, Sundays at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT and again on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Learn more about Heli-Hunter at http://helihunter.com and on Facebook at http://facebook.com/HeliHunter
About Sportsman Channel: Launched in 2003, Sportsman Channel/Sportsman HD is the only television and digital media company fully devoted to honoring a lifestyle that is celebrated by millions of Americans. The leader in outdoor television, Sportsman Channel delivers entertaining and informative programming that embraces outdoor adventure, hunting and fishing, and reveals it through unique, surprising and authentic storytelling. Sportsman Channel embraces the attitude of “Red, Wild & Blue America” – where the American Spirit and Great Outdoors are celebrated in equal measure. The network also is dedicated to promoting our nation’s military heroes and veterans, as well as providing a voice for conservation throughout the United States. Sportsman Channel reaches more than 36 million U.S. television households. Stay connected to Sportsman Channel online at www.thesportsmanchannel.com; Facebook, (facebook.com/sportsmanchannel); Twitter (twitter.com/SPORTSMANchnl and twitter.com/SportsmanPR) and YouTube (youtube.com/TheSportsmanChannel).