FERAL HOGS
Feral hogs wallow to stay cool and reduce parasite infestation, but their wallowing damages streams and reduces water quality.
Another area of concern is the potential for wild hogs to serve as reservoirs for many diseases and parasites that may affect native wildlife, livestock, and people. Hogs have been known to carry dozens of such pathogens, including cholera, psuedorabies, brucellosis, tuberculosis, salmonellosis, anthrax, ticks, fleas, lice, and various flukes and worms. Although not considered a serious threat to people, millions of dollars are spent each year to keep livestock safe from such problems.
Finally, hogs can be dangerous. Although feral hogs prefer to run and escape danger, if injured, cornered, or with young they can become aggressive, move with great speed, and cause serious injury.
Managing Feral Hogs
In good habitat, it is unlikely that any amount of hunting or other population control will eradicate feral hog populations, but it may be possible to limit further population expansion by using a combination of methods on a sustained basis. Feral hog control methods include hunting, various trapping methods, shooting, and exclusion.
Trapping may be more successful at controlling hog numbers than hunting, especially when the animals are nocturnally active. Shooting at night may be an effective control measure when hunting and other human activity stimulate hogs to become nocturnal, and trapping is ineffective. Spotlights with red filters and night vision optics are valuable aids when using this method.
