A group of local hunters and their prey.

Feral hogs are on the run in Collin County after the three-month “Hog Out” season netted more than 150 of the wild, destructive swine.  Just so you know: these aren’t your run-of-the-mill little piggies.

From October through December, a total of 158 feral hogs were killed by hunting or trapping in Collin County as part of a statewide challenge to reduce their growing population (about 2 million), and lessen the estimated $400 million in damages they wreak on yards, parks, golf courses, rangeland, pastures, and crop fields each year.

“On pasture land or hay meadows, hogs can come in overnight and just go in and root up a big hole,” Dr. Maxwell said.  “A 200-pound-plus adult hog can dig a 3-foot deep crater, four or five feet wide, and just a handful of hogs can tear up a pasture in one night.

“As for crop land, they literally plow through the rows or fresh plantings for the seed,” he said.

Dr. Maxwell, who works out of Collin County’s Texas AgriLife Extension Service, coordinated local efforts and education for the Texas Department of Agriculture challenge, which rewards the most successful counties with grant money to continue their feral hog elimination efforts. His main job was to put local farmers and ranchers in touch with hunters, who are allowed to use noise suppressors and night vision scopes on their prey.

All of the hunting occurred on private land, with specific permission given to hunters by each individual landowner. The “Hog Out” program did not include hunting on U.S. Corps of Engineer land at Lake Lavon.

Training programs by wildlife specialists and game wardens offered participants advice on feral hog habits, hunting and trapping methods, and volunteers at three reporting stations helped document hunting and trapping efforts over the 90-day span.

“This fall’s program really helped us introduce farmers and rancher who are having trouble with feral hogs with those who hunt and trap the animals,” Dr. Maxwell explained. “It’s really worked well, and everyone’s better informed on where problem areas are and what do to about it.”

In its first year participating it the state program, the main area of wild hog kills occurred in the north central part of the county, going east from Weston to the county line, and then south toward Blue Ridge and Farmersville.

For more information on feral hogs, please contact the Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

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