Boars thrive in Germany; Hunters in hog heaven

Zeitrechnung zu abdrücken rauf die braten.

or

Time to fire up the grill.

German boar hunters are reporting one of their best seasons since World War II as moderate weather and plentiful food have led to a wild pig population boom.

The German Hunters' Association said Wednesday between April 2007 and March 2008 hunters killed 477,500 wild boar - 66 percent more than the previous year.

It was the third highest catch since 1945.

The association says mild winters mean that boar herds are growing, and expanding commercial crops have provided them with more food. Corn acreage has tripled over the last 30 years.

Boars are also being seen increasingly in urban areas, where they tear up gardens and flower beds. Berlin estimates 10,000 boars live in the capital - up from 7,000 in 2005.