Before the "Great Cornfield Massacre" in 1971, a time when CBS axed "Hee Haw" and other rural-themed shows, "Green Acres" was a popular prime-time show. Created by the late, great Paul Henning, who also was responsible for "Petticoat Junction" and "The Beverly Hillbillies," this outdoor show focused on a farmer who truly was out of his element.

Eddie Albert played Oliver Wendell Douglas, a New York City attorney who, along with his beautiful wife Lisa (*Eva Gabor*), pulled up stakes and moved to the sleepy town of Hooterville. With his life-long love of farming, Douglas became a true "gentleman farmer," wearing a long-sleeved shirt and vest while his neighbors worked in overalls and work boots.

A small valley town serviced by an ancient train called "The Cannonball," Hooterville was home to a wide variety of colorful characters, including Mr. Haney (*Pat Buttram*), a salesman who always was willing to make a dishonest buck. Mr. Haney sold Oliver and Lisa his farm, which contained a decaying farmhouse that could not be successfully painted.

At times, it seemed as if the people of the Hooterville Valley actually came from another planet. The Ziffels at a nearby farm, for instance, had a "son" named Arnold, who actually was a television-loving pig. Arnold loved nothing more than to sit in front of the TV watching Westerns.

Though devoted to his farm, Oliver Douglas was notoriously bad at growing things. On the rare occasions that he did have a good apple crop, he had to rent a defective truck to take them to market. On the long journey, the apple prices continued to fall, making the trip less profitable as time went on.

"Green Acres" also was one of those rare sitcoms from the 1960's that showed a married couple sleeping in the same bed. Most episodes ended with Oliver and Lisa talking about the events of the day while they got cozy under the sheets. Lisa also could occasionally see the opening and closing credits of the show, which mystified her husband.

Several seasons of "Green Acres" currently are available for purchase on DVD.

Though they may resemble Arnold, the television-loving pig from the classic sitcom Green Acres, the collared peccary of Arizona is anything but domesticated. Also known as the "Javelina," because of its razor-sharp tusks, this bad-tempered creature does make a great trophy animal for hunters with skill, cunning and patience.

According to the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), the collared peccary is a relatively new addition to their state. This animal evolved in South America before coming north to hang out in the United States.

As the name indicates, the collared peccary has a ring of white fur around its neck, distinguishing it from pigs and hogs. They travel in families or groups, living on a diet that consists of roots, beans and nuts. One of their main sources of nutrition, however, is the prickly pear, which might explain their somewhat nasty disposition.

If you are planning a trip to Arizona to collar a peccary, keep in mind that this game animal likes to hang out near permanent sources of water. DesertUsa.com also reminds peccary hunters that these critters have poor eyesight but really good hearing, so it pays to be patient and quiet during the hunt.

Like a sleeping dog laying the sun, the collared peccary isn't terribly vicious unless it feels threatened by humans or other animals. Since they do hang out in packs if you aren't careful, you could find yourself on the run from an angry group of peccaries (those tusks can leave you with a permanent reminder of your trip).

In Arizona, hunting season for the collared peccary takes place in January and February, starting with archery, and then followed by handgun, muzzleloader and rifle. While going for a trophy, you may want to slip on a pair of Bogs Roper boots. This all-purpose piece of footwear can keep your feet warm and dry in the areas that peccaries prefer.

Arizona does offer ample opportunities to bring home a collared peccary trophy, provided of course, that you don't make a pig of yourself.

Resources:
http://www.osaaventura.com/articles/peccary.htm
http://www.desertusa.com/magnov97/nov_pap/du_collpecc.html
http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/game_javelina.shtml