I HAVE been following with interest the articles and letters on the boar problem.

Anyone living in the real world must accept a significant number must be culled to achieve a stable and acceptable number.

Research carried out on behalf of the Forestry states the number must be reduced by 50.6 per cent per annum to achieve a stable population. This figure includes natural deaths and those killed by accidents.

If there are 1,500 boar in the Forest you can work out what this means. Culling by Forestry marksmen will never achieve this.

The answer is mass trapping where a whole sounder is caught in one go using a trap such as the Boar Buster (Google it)

The animals can be tunnelled out of the trap and dealt with one by one.

This is a short-term solution and once the numbers are down the trap can be used to hold them while contraceptive darts are applied.

The main objection to darting is that the darts may be retained in the boar and then picked up by children.

With the trap all darts can be retrieved before the boar are released.

I did meet a dart contraceptive expert who show­ed us the darts and explained their development.

I was convinced this method of contraception is the long-term solution.

A further issue is the problem of boar spreading out of the Forest – they can swim.

Pig farmers are very worried about this. In Texas they started in the south-eastern corner of the state and are now are a serious problem in the whole state.

The good doctor talks about precious lawns. I wonder if he suffers at all?

I had a nice view from my Valley Road bungalow lounge window of a nice area of tended grass.

The bungalow had direct access to a piece of council-owned woodland occupied by boar and a not-very-pleasant cattle fence has been constructed.

I was then ridiculed by a Boar Solutions member because I could not stop them coming up the drive – that is now in hand.

I was also accused of having a lawn fetish by another member and called an animal killer by another – so goodbye Boar Solutions.

As a member of Boar Solutions I did meet Mark Harper and although he was sympathetic he probably has no power and influence.

Now when I drive along Valley Road I almost weep at the state of it.

The boar lovers who would not harm a hair on their ugly heads claim they are just innocent animals and should be given free rein.

I am not a boar hater but everything in its place.

Boar Solutions was useful as a talking shop and publicising group but I believe it has been superceded by the councillors’ group.

Hopefully they have more power and influence than Boar Solutions. They have discussed penning (either in or out ).

Being a frequent walker in Abbots Wood, I believe this would be an ideal area for penning in. It could sustain a large number of boar.

– Stan Bosher, Buckshaft.