Feral hogs are an invasive pest species throughout the continental US, with over six million animals estimated to be running rampant. But how did this overwhelming problem with such a destructive, dangerous species begin? How did we arrive at today’s rules and recommendations for Texas hog hunting?
Hogs were first brought to the American southwest in the 1500s by Spaniard Hernando DeSoto. This initial mistake was made worse when Texas ranchers imported Russian boars, or more accurately European wild hogs, in the 1930s. These curious and clever creatures naturally escaped from the game ranches designed to hold them. Eventually, they bred with feral hogs, creating the hybrid hogs we see today.
The herds of wild boar that roam the state present serious problems for residents, farmers, and ranchers. Their natural behavior is upturning the topsoil in search of food, which leads them straight into the fields of our hard-working Texas farmers. Here, they destroy crops as well as the layers of topsoil required to nurture the replacement plants.
Unlike native game you likely hunt seasonally throughout the year, wild hogs are such a huge problem in Texas that the state has lifted virtually every limit and regulation governing hunting them. In fact, despite wild boar populations being spread over 35 states, over one-third of the wild hogs in the country are located here!
To preserve the natural landscapes and cultivated crops here in Texas, as well as protect the human and pet population from the mortally dangerous boar of the wild hog species, the state government encourages and indeed asks that hunters do their part to cull the population as much as possible. Total elimination would be ideal, but it is essentially impossible due to the hogs’ rapid reproduction and high litter numbers.
If you are hunting wild hogs on public land in Texas, you need a hunting license. However, there are no seasonal restrictions, bag limits, or guidelines regarding age or sex of the hunted animals. Texas wild hogs make for delicious eating, as well, which is a huge help to individuals and families in these challenging economic times.
Hunting Hogs on Nine Bar Ranch
The requirement for hunters to have a license to hunt hogs applies to public lands only. If you were to hunt them on private land, such as ours here at Nine Bar Ranch, there are zero state rules or restrictions to limit your hunting. We hunt at the times they are most active, waiting at feeding stations or near the trails they habitually take.
Once you have bagged your game, you can dress it yourself, but we recommend using our game dressing service. We can dress, divide, and package your game meat. We will keep it nice and chilly in our game storage until you’re ready to head home.
To schedule your hog hunt today, please contact us here at Nine Bar Ranch. We look forward to hunting with you soon!