Feral swine are present in Nebraska, though they are not established as widespread, permanent populations like those found in many southern United States. These animals, often called wild hogs or wild pigs, are feral swine—descendants of domestic pigs that escaped captivity and adapted to the wild. The state maintains an aggressive policy aimed at the complete eradication of these invasive animals. Their presence is generally transient or highly localized, representing a constant threat of establishment.
Current Status and Geographical Presence
Nebraska’s primary goal is to remain a “feral swine free” state, which means actively preventing the formation of established, reproducing populations. Sightings and confirmed removals often occur in areas bordering states with dense populations, such as the southern and southeastern regions adjacent to Kansas and Missouri. These border areas act as corridors for movement, which occasionally brings small groups of feral swine into Nebraska territory.
The presence of these animals is not typically the result of natural migration from the southern United States but rather from escaped domestic livestock or, less frequently, illegal transportation and release for hunting purposes. Confirmed presences have been noted in counties across the state, including Harlan, Valley, Nance, and Seward. This indicates that the threat is geographically dispersed and often tied to localized incidents, rather than widespread colonization.
This transient status means that the herds, known as sounders, are usually small and quickly targeted for removal before they can reproduce and establish permanent ranges. The sporadic nature of the sightings requires constant surveillance to catch these small groups before their high reproductive rate leads to rapid population growth. Feral swine are capable of surviving harsh Nebraska winters, making their immediate removal a priority once they are detected.
The Environmental and Economic Impact
The destructive behavior of feral swine poses a significant threat to Nebraska’s agricultural landscape and natural ecosystems. Economically, their rooting behavior causes substantial harm by turning over soil in search of food, destroying planted crops like corn and soybeans. Beyond crop loss, they damage hay fields and infrastructure such as fences and irrigation equipment, leading to costly repairs for producers.
Environmentally, the animals’ rooting creates significant soil disturbance, which increases erosion, particularly along vulnerable areas like stream and river banks. This activity degrades water quality by increasing sediment runoff into waterways and introducing contaminants. The rooting also disrupts native plant communities, creating disturbed soil that is easily colonized by invasive plant species.
Feral swine also present a serious biosecurity risk to Nebraska’s livestock industry, particularly the swine and cattle sectors. They are known carriers of numerous diseases, including pseudorabies and swine brucellosis, which can be transmitted to domestic hogs and other livestock. Pseudorabies, while not transmissible to humans, is fatal to hogs and other mammals, posing an immense economic threat to pork producers if it were to re-enter the domestic herd.
Swine brucellosis is a bacterial disease that can cause reproductive issues in livestock and is transmissible to humans through contact with infected tissues, making it a public health concern. The animals also prey on small livestock and compete directly with native wildlife for food resources.
State Management and Eradication Efforts
Nebraska’s official strategy is one of total eradication, managed collaboratively by state and federal agencies. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) works closely with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) Wildlife Services program to locate and remove the animals. This coordinated approach focuses resources on eliminating entire groups rather than simply controlling their numbers.
The primary methods used for removal are surveillance and trapping, which are the most effective way to eliminate entire sounders. Specialized box traps or corral traps are deployed in areas of confirmed activity, often using remote monitoring to ensure the whole group is captured at once. Aerial control is also utilized in certain circumstances to quickly remove animals from remote or inaccessible locations.
A cornerstone of the state’s eradication policy is the prohibition of recreational hunting of feral swine. State law makes it illegal to hunt, wound, or kill feral swine for sport or pleasure, a measure intended to prevent the scattering of sounders. Scattering a group creates smaller, harder-to-track units that can quickly re-establish themselves and reproduce, making complete removal nearly impossible.
Instead of hunting, the law authorizes the NGPC and its designated agents, including landowners, to destroy any feral swine found. Landowners are strongly encouraged to report any sightings immediately to the NGPC or USDA Wildlife Services, allowing professional teams to implement the specialized eradication protocols. This unified, non-recreational effort is the state’s defense against widespread establishment.