New control program expects to lower the feral hog population for Texas landowners

The Texas Department of Agriculture recently awarded Texas AgriLife Extension Service $1 million for the agency's new “Texas Feral Hog Control Program: Moving Towards A Long-Term Abatement Strategy.”

Texas is home to more than 2 million feral hogs, the largest feral hog population in the United States, and their numbers continue to increase due to high reproductive potential and the lack of natural predators.

Feral hogs wreak havoc on property, livestock, crops and pastures across the state and frustrate landowners because of their destructive nature. In fact, the Extension Service estimates the statewide annual economic damage caused by feral hogs is close to $52 million. The 80th Legislature directed this $1 million in funding following a $500,000 pilot project funded by the 79th Legislature. The pilot program was administered by Texas AgriLife Extension Service and Texas Tech University through a TDA grant in 2006-07 and did provide technical assistance to landowners at three sites, and promote educational events for other landowners statewide. The pilot project succeeded in removing more than 3,000 feral hogs, saving landowners and agricultural producers nearly $3 million in losses.