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Feral Hogs
Feral Hog

Feral Hogs are Pests

Feral hogs are not native to the United States. They are an invasive species, a public nuisance and a threat to Arkansas. They compete for food resources, destroy habitat by rooting and wallowing and will eat ground-nesting birds, eggs, fawns and young domestic livestock. They also carry up to 45 bacteria, diseases and parasites, including Trichinellosis, Brucellosis and swine herpes virus.

Hunting and shooting feral pigs has been implemented for the last few decades. It can chase feral hogs away from crops or food plots temporarily, but they soon return or become a problem for a neighboring landowner. Studies show at least 66 percent of a hog population must be removed each year just to prevent it from growing. Hunting has shown to reduce hog populations by only 8 to 50 percent.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission recognizes large-scale trapping as the most efficient and economical means currently available to reduce feral hog populations.

Sport hunting of feral hogs has been more hindrance to hog removal than benefit. Illegal relocation of hogs for hunting purposes has spread the problem to new areas. The shooting of individual hogs also thwarts large-scale trapping efforts by agencies because increased disturbance makes it nearly impossible to catch the whole sounder, or family group, at once.

Feral Hog

2015 Southeastern States Feral Hog Working Group ReportRead the 2015 Southeastern States Feral Hog Working Group Report

Landowner's Guide to Wild Pig ManagementRead Landowner's Guide to Wild Pig Management

 

Hog Transportation Regulations

Arkansas law prohibits the sale and transport of live feral hogs.

Visit the following links for more information regarding hog transport :

Hog Hunting and Shooting Regulations

On Private Land
Feral hogs may be killed or trapped year-round, by a landowner or anyone with the landowner’s permission.

On Public Land

  • Dogs are not allowed for hunting feral hogs on WMAs.
  • Feral hogs may be killed by hunters who are hunting bear, deer or elk during a firearm season with weapons legal for those seasons, except on the areas listed below.
  • Hogs may be taken incidentally with archery tackle from Nov. 1-Dec. 31, during open bear, deer and elk seasons, except on the areas listed below.
  • Feral Hogs may NOT be taken on the following WMAs and National Wildlife Refuges
  • Bayou Des Arc
  • Bell Slough
  • Benson Creek Natural Area
  • Big Creek
  • Brewer Lake/Cypress Creek
  • Brushy Creek
  • Cattail Marsh
  • Cedar Creek
  • Cherokee Prairie Natural Area
  • Cove Creek Natural Area
  • Cypress Bayou
  • Dave Donaldson Black River
  • Earl Buss Bayou DeView
  • Electric Island
  • Ethel
  • Falcon Bottoms Natural Area
  • Foushee Cave Natural Area
  • Frierson
  • Frog Bayou
  • Garrett Hollow Natural Area
  • Hall Creek Barrens Natural Area
  • Harris Brake
  • H.E. Flanagan Prairie Natural Area
  • Hobbs State Park Conservation Area
  • Holland Bottoms
  • Howard Hensley – Searcy Co.
  • Iron Mountain Natural Area
  • Kingsland Prairie Natural Area
  • Lake Overcup
  • Lee County
  • Longview Saline Natural Area
  • Maumelle River
  • Mike Freeze Wattensaw
  • Nacatoch Ravines Natural Area
  • Palmetto Flats Natural Area
  • Pine City Natural Area
  • Prairie Bayou
  • Railroad Prairie Natural Area
  • Rex Hancock Black Swamp
  • Rick Evans Grandview Prairie
  • Ring Slough
  • River Bend
  • Robert L. Hankins Mud Creek
  • Roth Prairie Natural Area
  • Sandhills Natural Area
  • Sheffield Nelson Dagmar
  • Slippery Hollow Natural Area
  • Smoke Hole Natural Area
  • Stateline Sand Ponds Natural Area
  • Stone Prairie
  • Sweden Creek Natural Area
  • Terre Noire Natural Area
  • Two Bayou Creek
  • Warren Prairie Natural Area
  • W.E. Brewer Scatter Creek
  • White Cliffs Natural Area
  • Whitehall
  • Wittsburg Natural Area
  • Big Lake NWR
  • Holla Bend NWR