Feral hogs (wild pigs)

About

Invasive wild pigs weighing about 75 to 250 pounds, now living in more than 30 states, with about 6 million animals nationwide. They root up lawns, gardens and crops, and their damage in the United States costs at least $3.4 billion a year.

Spotting it

Damage

Large patches of torn-up turf and overturned soil where pigs dig with their snouts, muddy wallows in wet spots in warm months, mud rubs on trees and posts, hoof tracks near water, and scat that looks like dog droppings.

How to find it early

Check in the morning for freshly rooted ground, especially near springs, ponds, creeks and woods.

When

Year-round.

Life cycle

Females usually first breed at 6 to 10 months old. A sow can have 2 litters of 4 to 12 piglets every 12 to 15 months, and sows and their young travel together in family groups called sounders.

What to do, gentlest first

Start at the top. Sprays are a last step; always read and follow the product label.

1. Strong fencing Barrier

   Hog panel (cattle panel) fence on steel T-posts was the most effective barrier in Texas tests. Electric fence cut pig crossings by about half; a Hawaii guide suggests strands at 8, 18 and 28 inches, 12.5-gauge galvanized wire, and a charger of at least 5,000 volts.

   Electric fences are not 100 percent effective. Post signs so children and visitors know the fence is live.

2. Get expert help; rules apply Trap

   Trapping works, but handling and disposing of pigs is the hard part, so most gardeners should call USDA Wildlife Services (1-866-4-USDA-WS), their state wildlife agency or the county Extension office. Never move live pigs to a new area. Georgia requires a Department of Agriculture permit to trap and transport live hogs, moving them is illegal in Texas, and in California you need a depredation permit from the Department of Fish and Wildlife or must report a pig taken while damaging property by the next working day.

   Wild pigs can carry at least 30 diseases, and UC IPM says 20 of them can spread to people. Never handle a wild pig, live or dead, with bare hands. Trapping and relocating wildlife is regulated by state law, and the rules differ from state to state. Check with your state wildlife agency or your county Extension office before you set a trap.

3. No repellents or poisons Repellent

   UC IPM reports no effective repellents and no toxicants registered for wild pigs anywhere in the United States, and this guide does not recommend poisons.

Pressure by region

USDA says about 6 million feral swine live in more than 31 states, and 12 states have wiped them out since 2014. Texas has an estimated 2.6 million, in every county but El Paso as of 2019; California has them in 56 of its 58 counties; and in Hawaii they are a serious problem on vegetable farms. Georgia also has feral swine (UGA Extension). Other ratings are estimates, so check USDA's current map for your state. Alaska is rated absent: pigs released on Marmot Island in 1984 were gone by 1998 (University of Alaska Fairbanks). Report pigs in a new area to USDA Wildlife Services at 1-866-4-USDA-WS, or to your state department of agriculture or wildlife agency.

Ratings come from extension sources where available; some are estimates, as noted above.