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Photos by Jessica Goode
May 15, 2019
Wild hog catch anything but boar-ing
Complaints and investigations filed by both sides after record year for attendance and fundraising
By Jessica Goode
The Bandera Prophet
A cultural showdown between a Bandera tradition and urban ideology may have left a few scars, but both the Bandera Wranglers and PETA are still standing. A new deal has been struck, even if there are a few wrinkles left to be ironed out. Formerly known as the Bandera Bacon Bash formerly known as the Wild Hog Explosion, the spring fundraiser generated an historic amount of controversy - and money.
“We did raise quite a bit of money,” Bandera Wranglers Sergeant at Arms Jerad Wilcox said.
The Wranglers picked up the reins of the Wild Hog Explosion’s 17th year after sponsor Warriors Heart, a support facility for veterans and first responders, left the arena in response to pressure from certain animal rights groups that claimed the handling and treatment of wild hogs was inhumane.
“A lot of threats were made to local businesses,” Wilcox, a 16-year Marine veteran, said. “[Warriors Heart] thought their priority was to take care of first responders and veterans, and that’s difficult to do with so much controversy around you.”
Thinking two weeks was not enough time to get a sponsor, the Board of Directors for the Bandera Library - the Explosion’s primary beneficiary - voted in March to call off the event. Throwing a Hail Mary, Event Coordinator Genie Strickland approached the Bandera Wranglers and asked if they would be able to take it on.
“She said sponsors and booth vendors had already paid, and those funds went to paying for the venue,” Wilcox said. “If it was cancelled, those who paid may not have received money back.”
After working out some formalities, including changing the name of the event to the Bacon Bash, the Warriors began the task of damage control before going full steam ahead and planning the final details of the event.
“I can say without a doubt that I have run into numerous people in town who said they'd never been to this event before,” Wilcox said. “But just because of the controversy surrounding it, a lot of our guests made the time and made the point of coming.”
Wilcox said they bought 1,500 wrist bands, expecting to sell about 1,000 based on past record. He said they ran out before 1 p.m. In a serendipitous turn of events, more than $20,000 was raised and donated to the Bandera County Boys and Girls Club.
“It was a phenomenal figure after going through what he had to go through to make it happen,” Strickland said. “It’s the biggest crowd we’ve ever had.”
Protestors did arrive and stand with picket signs at the entrance of Mansfield Park. Law enforcement was posted near the gate, and no issues were reported.
“I respect the protestors, I respect their opinion but personally I don’t have the same opinion. I respect that they have the right to protest in this country,” Wilcox said. “I really wish they would come in and educate themselves. We’re not talking about your normal pot belly pig or farm swine that you would raise for slaughter or food. We’re talking about wild boar.”
Despite the extensive and expensive damage wild boar cause, Wilcox said the animals are not abused or mishandled, and came from a stock contractor who traps wild hogs year round.
“While they’re with us, they’re treated like athletes. We’re not messing with them. We’re not pulling their tails or torturing them. Each was only used for one event. When you see the handlers in the ring holding them by their back legs, that’s the safest way for the handler and the animal,” Wilcox said. “These events derived from pig farmers just like rodeo events that wanted to increase their skills and pass them on to their children.”
In addition to the Boys and Girls Club, the Wranglers also support other charitable entities, including St. Jude and A Soldier’s Child Foundation. Last month, the non-profit hosted 15 families at the Flying L Water Park.
INVESTIGATIONS LAUNCHED
Last week, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), with animal rights group Unparalleled Suffering, filed an injunction against the Bandera Wranglers with the governor’s office. Wilcox said an investigator with the Texas Animal Health Commission spoke with him.
“They have filed against us in every avenue they can,” Wilcox said. “Their big concern is they don’t want hogs getting moved around from geographical area to geographical area spreading disease. The hogs we used were from Bandera County, used in Bandera County and returned to the ranch.”
Wilcox said the Wranglers would work closely with the commission next year to make sure all necessary permits are filed and they are in compliance.
Also, the Wranglers received a Cease and Desist for the name Bacon Bash, because it was “confusingly similar to another one in Texas.” Wilcox said Bacon Bash Texas, a separate and unrelated non-profit in Cranfills Gap, has received threats from protestors who mistakenly associated them with the Bandera event.
“We feel really bad about this, protestors and people against this are not doing complete research,” Wilcox said. “They have been disrupted substantially and we don’t want to hurt someone else’s business. We immediately complied and are looking for a name that we can trademark.”
Wilcox said the Wranglers flipped the table recently and launched their own investigation. He said an individual made “very specific threats” against members of the Wranglers on the internet.
“We brought that up to law enforcement, just in case that person decides to more than just talk on the internet,” Wilcox said. “We don’t know if there’s a direct relationship with any animal rights activist groups, or if they just read stuff online.”
“We did raise quite a bit of money,” Bandera Wranglers Sergeant at Arms Jerad Wilcox said.
The Wranglers picked up the reins of the Wild Hog Explosion’s 17th year after sponsor Warriors Heart, a support facility for veterans and first responders, left the arena in response to pressure from certain animal rights groups that claimed the handling and treatment of wild hogs was inhumane.
“A lot of threats were made to local businesses,” Wilcox, a 16-year Marine veteran, said. “[Warriors Heart] thought their priority was to take care of first responders and veterans, and that’s difficult to do with so much controversy around you.”
Thinking two weeks was not enough time to get a sponsor, the Board of Directors for the Bandera Library - the Explosion’s primary beneficiary - voted in March to call off the event. Throwing a Hail Mary, Event Coordinator Genie Strickland approached the Bandera Wranglers and asked if they would be able to take it on.
“She said sponsors and booth vendors had already paid, and those funds went to paying for the venue,” Wilcox said. “If it was cancelled, those who paid may not have received money back.”
After working out some formalities, including changing the name of the event to the Bacon Bash, the Warriors began the task of damage control before going full steam ahead and planning the final details of the event.
“I can say without a doubt that I have run into numerous people in town who said they'd never been to this event before,” Wilcox said. “But just because of the controversy surrounding it, a lot of our guests made the time and made the point of coming.”
Wilcox said they bought 1,500 wrist bands, expecting to sell about 1,000 based on past record. He said they ran out before 1 p.m. In a serendipitous turn of events, more than $20,000 was raised and donated to the Bandera County Boys and Girls Club.
“It was a phenomenal figure after going through what he had to go through to make it happen,” Strickland said. “It’s the biggest crowd we’ve ever had.”
Protestors did arrive and stand with picket signs at the entrance of Mansfield Park. Law enforcement was posted near the gate, and no issues were reported.
“I respect the protestors, I respect their opinion but personally I don’t have the same opinion. I respect that they have the right to protest in this country,” Wilcox said. “I really wish they would come in and educate themselves. We’re not talking about your normal pot belly pig or farm swine that you would raise for slaughter or food. We’re talking about wild boar.”
Despite the extensive and expensive damage wild boar cause, Wilcox said the animals are not abused or mishandled, and came from a stock contractor who traps wild hogs year round.
“While they’re with us, they’re treated like athletes. We’re not messing with them. We’re not pulling their tails or torturing them. Each was only used for one event. When you see the handlers in the ring holding them by their back legs, that’s the safest way for the handler and the animal,” Wilcox said. “These events derived from pig farmers just like rodeo events that wanted to increase their skills and pass them on to their children.”
In addition to the Boys and Girls Club, the Wranglers also support other charitable entities, including St. Jude and A Soldier’s Child Foundation. Last month, the non-profit hosted 15 families at the Flying L Water Park.
INVESTIGATIONS LAUNCHED
Last week, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), with animal rights group Unparalleled Suffering, filed an injunction against the Bandera Wranglers with the governor’s office. Wilcox said an investigator with the Texas Animal Health Commission spoke with him.
“They have filed against us in every avenue they can,” Wilcox said. “Their big concern is they don’t want hogs getting moved around from geographical area to geographical area spreading disease. The hogs we used were from Bandera County, used in Bandera County and returned to the ranch.”
Wilcox said the Wranglers would work closely with the commission next year to make sure all necessary permits are filed and they are in compliance.
Also, the Wranglers received a Cease and Desist for the name Bacon Bash, because it was “confusingly similar to another one in Texas.” Wilcox said Bacon Bash Texas, a separate and unrelated non-profit in Cranfills Gap, has received threats from protestors who mistakenly associated them with the Bandera event.
“We feel really bad about this, protestors and people against this are not doing complete research,” Wilcox said. “They have been disrupted substantially and we don’t want to hurt someone else’s business. We immediately complied and are looking for a name that we can trademark.”
Wilcox said the Wranglers flipped the table recently and launched their own investigation. He said an individual made “very specific threats” against members of the Wranglers on the internet.
“We brought that up to law enforcement, just in case that person decides to more than just talk on the internet,” Wilcox said. “We don’t know if there’s a direct relationship with any animal rights activist groups, or if they just read stuff online.”