Feral Hogs Are Still Wreaking Havoc Across Texas

Feral hogs have become one of the most destructive invasive species in Texas, creating widespread problems for landowners, farmers, and rural communities. Nationwide, wild pigs are responsible for an estimated $2.1 billion each year in damage and population control costs, with Texas bearing a significant portion of that burden.

And their numbers keep growing.

From torn-up farmland and broken irrigation systems to contaminated water sources and destroyed fencing, the impact is both economic and environmental. While Texans are allowed to kill feral hogs on their own property without a hunting license, trapping and relocation efforts are governed by specific state rules.

Read More: Texans Hate Feral Hogs (With Good Reason) But This Fact Is Cute

Why Feral Hogs Are So Hard to Control

Feral hogs are opportunistic omnivores that consume nearly anything they encounter, including crops, livestock feed, and even the young of wildlife. They also carry diseases that can spread to domestic animals and livestock operations.

What makes them especially dangerous is how quickly they reproduce. With few natural predators and the ability to produce multiple litters each year, hog populations can explode faster than most control efforts can keep up. As a result, wildlife officials often describe the situation as an ongoing uphill battle.

Are Feral Hogs Dangerous to People?

While attacks on humans are uncommon, feral hogs can be deadly under the right circumstances. Texas leads the nation in reported hog attacks, followed by Florida and South Carolina. Most encounters do not result in fatalities, but there have been tragic exceptions.

In 2019, Christine Rollins was killed by a group of feral hogs outside her rural home in Anahuac, Texas. Her death was officially attributed to massive blood loss caused by the attack. Another fatal incident occurred in 1996, when a wounded hog killed a hunter during an encounter.

Only a handful of deaths linked to feral hogs have been documented in the last two centuries, but experts warn that encounters could increase as development pushes farther into rural areas and hogs become more aggressive while searching for food and water.

Read More: Would You Rather Run Into A Man, Bear, Or Feral Hog?

The Overlooked Danger: Feral Hogs on Texas Roads

Beyond direct attacks, feral hogs pose a serious threat on Texas highways. Collisions between vehicles and wild pigs are far from rare, and the consequences can be deadly.

Adult feral hogs commonly weigh between 100 and 400 pounds, making them extremely dangerous obstacles at highway speeds. Vehicle collisions involving wild pigs are estimated to cause $36 million in damage each year, not including injuries or fatalities. Many Texans have personal stories of serious accidents caused by these animals.

What Can Be Done to Reduce Feral Hog Numbers?

There is no single solution to the feral hog problem, and experts agree that controlling populations will require a combination of strategies. Commonly used methods include:

• Large-scale trapping and humane dispatch

• Ground-based hunting

• Aerial gunning in rural areas

• The use of tracking dogs in dense brush and hard-to-reach terrain

Unfortunately, some past efforts have had unintended consequences. In certain cases, hogs were intentionally moved to new areas to support hunting opportunities, allowing populations to spread even further.

Selective or “trophy” hunting has also proven ineffective, as removing only large animals does little to slow reproduction. Supplemental feeding and baiting can actually increase hog populations by providing additional food sources.

A Long-Term Problem That Requires Long-Term Action

Reducing the feral hog population in Texas will require consistent, coordinated, and science-based management. Without sustained efforts, the damage to agriculture, ecosystems, and public safety will continue to grow.

The hope is that increased awareness and responsible control measures can prevent future tragedies and ensure that no more Texans lose their lives to a problem that continues to escalate.