Domel, J. (2020, April 01). Invasive wild pigs continue to threaten fields. Retrieved November 14, 2020, from https://texasfarmbureau.org/invasive-wild-pigs-continue-to-threaten-planted-fields/

Texan farmers are currently facing a farming crisis at the hands – or, perhaps, hooves – of invasive wild pigs. According to Dr. John Tomecek, a wildlife specialist at Texas AgriLife Extension Service, there’s estimated to be over 5 million feral hogs in Texas alone. Each sow can have potentially 3 litters a year, meaning the population is constantly growing if regulations are not put into place. These pigs have a largely negative impact on the farming community: they destroy freshly-planted seeds, degrade water quality of nearby rivers, introduce E.coli to these streams, and prey on livestock or other small creatures in the area. While there are some smaller-scale solutions for farmers that include traps and hunting, there are currently no toxicant options for eradicating these wild pigs on a large scale.

Dr. John Tomecek brought up many interesting points throughout the article. He mentioned some potential solutions, as well as how effective each might be for suffering farmers. One option is large corral style traps that catch the whole sounder (group of pigs) at once; however, if not all the feral hogs in the group are caught, the survivors will learn how to avoid these traps in the future. Another option is hunting the pigs using dogs, a practice that can help to drive out large groups, though GPS trackers indicate that the groups will eventually return overtime. A final option that has proven to be particularly effective is hunting the pigs from a helicopter; this bird-eye-view angle proves to be especially helpful in eradicating this invasive species. This emphasis on communal eradication – where every farmer does what they can to help drive out the wild pigs – seems heavily ingrained in Texas’ approach to managing this invasive species. I found it interesting to hear Tomecek specifically touch on the importance of perseverance when it comes to difficult species such as the hog in question, explaining, “Even when you think you’ve gotten all the pigs, I promise you these are still some there, and we need to keep that pressure on it we’re even going to make a difference.”