Wild Hogs
Wild hogs, also known as feral swine or wild pigs, are a large species of pig common in the wild in certain parts of the United States. They are primarily found in the Southern area of the country, but are found in California and also have a limited presence in the Midwest. If you are facing a wild hog problem on your property, please call Wildlife X Team® at (817) 431-3007 today for full-service wild hog removal and trapping!
Are Wild Hogs Dangerous?
You might be wondering "what kind of damage do wild hogs cause?" The major issues with wild hogs is the impact they have on agriculture, their aggression toward humans, and the diseases they can transmit to humans. Believe it or not, wild hogs are also responsible for a number of vehicular accidents on the road every year. Learn more about wild hog problems below.
Wild Hogs Attacking Humans
Though they typically attack when they feel threatened, provoked, or hurt, occurrences of attacks are not incredibly common. However, wild hogs are capable of wounding humans with their razor-sharp tusks, which are actually teeth. Both genders of wild hogs utilize their tusks for defense, with a stabbing, slashing, or biting motion.
Wild Hog Diseases
As a wildlife animal, the wild hog is host to a number of infectious illnesses including toxoplasmosis, tularemia, swine flu, hepatitis E, leptospirosis, and more.
Wild Hog Crop Damage
A USDA study reported that feral swine are responsible for up to $1.5 billion in damage to crops each year in the US.
About Wild Hogs
What Do Wild Hogs Look Like?
- Feral pigs can weigh up to 700 lbs.
- They look similar to a regular hog but are typically thinner and hairier.
- Their tusks are prominent, protruding from their bottom jaw.
- Feral pigs generally breed year-round; litters range from one to seven, averaging two per sow. An average of one to three suckling pigs usually accompanies brood sows. The heat period is only about 48 hours in duration and the average gestation period is 115 days.
Where Do Wild Hogs Like to Live?
- Also referred to as feral pigs, wild hogs in Texas descended from introductions of European wild hogs for sporting purposes, and from escaped domestic swine that have established feral populations. European wild hogs have several distinguishing characteristics that set them apart from domestic or feral hogs. European wild hogs and feral hogs interbreed readily, with traits of European wild hogs apparently being dominant.
- Feral pigs have established sizeable, free-ranging populations in various places on the Rio Grande and Coastal Plains, as well as the wooded country of eastern Texas.
- Good feral hog habitat in timbered areas consists of diverse forests with some openings. During hot summer months, “wallows,” or depressions dug in the mud by feral hogs, are much in evidence near marshes or standing water, such as along roadside ditches.
What Do Wild Hogs Eat?
- On the Texas coast, feral pigs eat a variety of items, including fruits, mushrooms, invertebrates, and roots, depending on the season. Herbage eaten by feral pigs includes water hyssop, pennywort, frog fruit, spade leaf, onion, and various grasses while important roots used for food include bulrush, cattail, flatsedges, and spiked edges.
- Feral pigs can have detectable influences on wildlife and plant communities as well as domestic crops and livestock. Feral pigs also compete, to some degree, with several species of wildlife for certain foods, particularly domestic crops and feed grains.
Getting Rid of Wild Hogs
Wild hogs are game animals, and many people enjoy hunting them. Wild hog trapping and prevention are generally considered more effective, however, so we don't recommend DIY wild hog trapping—instead, call the professionals at Wildlife X Team®! We have many years of experience trapping these intelligent and dangerous creatures, so trust us to get wild hogs off your property for good! Call (817) 431-3007 today!
To learn more about getting rid of wild hogs, check out our blog post!