Feral hogs (Sus scrofa) are one of the most destructive invasive species facing Texas landowners. These animals, a mix of domestic pig descendants and Eurasian wild boar, have established a massive population across the state, currently estimated at 2.6 million. This population severely impacts the environment and agriculture, causing significant economic damage, with agricultural losses in Texas alone estimated at $52 million annually. Controlling these rapidly reproducing animals requires a multi-faceted approach combining legal knowledge, strategic removal, and property protection.
Legal Status and Regulations for Control in Texas
Feral hogs hold a unique legal status in Texas, classified as “exotic livestock” and an unprotected nuisance species, rather than game animals. This classification provides landowners and their agents considerable freedom in managing the population on private property. Since 2019, a hunting license is no longer required for any person to hunt feral hogs on private land with the landowner’s consent.
There is no closed season or bag limit for feral hogs in Texas, allowing removal by various legal methods at any time. Methods often restricted for game species, such as hunting at night with artificial lights or shooting from a vehicle, are permissible on private property. Landowners engaging in trapping or snaring should still consider acquiring a valid hunting license to avoid potential issues if non-target game animals are inadvertently captured.
While most common poisons remain illegal, a specific warfarin-based toxicant, Kaput Feral Hog Bait, has been registered for use in Texas. This product causes lethal internal hemorrhaging and is highly restricted. It may only be purchased and deployed by licensed pesticide applicators.
Effective Population Reduction Through Trapping
Trapping is widely considered the most effective method for reducing feral hog populations, especially when targeting entire sounders, which are the family groups. Small box traps are generally ineffective, as they typically only catch one or two individuals, causing the remaining, highly intelligent hogs to become “trap-shy.” The preferred equipment is the large, rigid-panel corral trap, which is designed to hold an entire sounder simultaneously.
The process of “pre-baiting” is the single most important element of a successful trapping operation and must be executed for one to two weeks before setting the gate. This involves placing large quantities of bait, such as soured corn or commercial attractants, directly in the trap with the gate secured open. Pre-baiting conditions every hog in the sounder to routinely enter and exit the enclosure for food, which is necessary for a mass capture.
Remote-activated trapping systems, often using cellular technology, further maximize capture rates by allowing the trapper to monitor the trap via a camera feed. The trap gate, such as a root gate, is only triggered once the remote observer confirms the entire sounder, including the dominant sow, is inside the enclosure. Capturing the entire sounder is critical because even a single survivor can learn to identify and avoid traps, making future control efforts significantly more difficult.
Active Hunting and Shooting Strategies
While recreational hunting is popular, it is generally ineffective for population management and can even be counterproductive to long-term control efforts. When hunters shoot only a few hogs from a sounder, the surviving members scatter, become warier of humans, and often switch to a completely nocturnal pattern. This behavioral change makes them more difficult to trap or target in the future.
Targeted shooting, however, remains a necessary component for immediate control and removing solitary male hogs. Night hunting is the most effective active method, as feral hogs are predominantly active during cooler, darker hours. Using modern thermal or night vision optics is highly effective and is legal on private land in Texas, allowing for precise shots at longer ranges.
Stand hunting over established bait or water sources is a common technique that capitalizes on a hog’s routine movement patterns. For any shooting effort, quick and humane dispatch requires precise shot placement to the head or neck area. When hunting is employed as part of a control program, it should focus on removing as many individuals as possible per incident to avoid simply educating the sounder.
Damage Prevention and Exclusion Techniques
For protecting small, high-value areas like gardens, orchards, or feed stations, exclusion fencing is the most reliable defense against rooting damage. Feral hogs rarely jump fences but are highly motivated to push under them, so any successful barrier must address the ground level. High-tensile wire mesh fences provide a strong physical barrier that is durable enough to withstand consistent pressure.
The addition of electric fencing creates a psychological barrier that is highly effective. A low, single strand of electrified wire should be placed on the outside of an existing fence, set no more than six to ten inches above the ground to deter rooting. This wire must be powered by a low-impedance charger capable of delivering at least 5,000 volts to ensure a memorable shock.
A more robust exclusion method involves burying the bottom edge of the wire mesh or adding a low electrified wire that is buried or very close to the soil. Removing dense, low-hanging cover near sensitive areas can also make the habitat less appealing to hogs, forcing them to move elsewhere. Fencing is a preventative measure that works best when implemented alongside active removal efforts.