Numbers matter in Missouri’s feral hog fight

MDC regional hog coordinator compares the past, present and future of the feral hog problem.

PIEDMONT, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and its partners can’t help but look at the numbers when it comes to feral hogs. Mark McLain is MDC’s feral hog team coordinator for the southeast region. When he added up the number of hogs trapped over the last two years, he realized those weren’t the only hogs that were taken off the land.

The southeast region hog team trapped 1,453 hogs in 2015 and 1,707 hogs so far in 2016. Add in the reproduction factor of feral hogs and the impact is huge.

“If half of those hogs were female, which is usually the case, and those females had two litters this year with an average of six piglets each, that’s almost 19,000 feral hogs that would’ve been destroying our southeast Missouri habitat and crops in 2016 if we hadn’t done anything,” McLain said.

“One hog can destroy an entire field in one night, so imagine what 19,000 hogs would’ve done,” he said.

McLain became the region’s feral hog coordinator in 2011, but the feral hog problem wasn’t new to him then. Feral hogs have roamed Missouri’s southeast region for more than 25 years, according to McLain, after misguided sportsmen illegally released hogs for hunting purposes in Wayne, Reynolds and Iron counties. MDC has locked arms with multiple agencies and partners in an organized effort to eradicate the hogs that have spread across the region and into other areas of the state. These cooperative efforts are paying off.

Partner government agencies include MDC, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of Agriculture – Wildlife Services (USDA), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service and Department of Natural Resources. Other organizations involved in Missouri’s feral hog fight are the Missouri Farm Bureau, National Wild Turkey Federation, Quail Forever, Quality Deer Management Association, Quail and Upland Wildlife Federation, Missouri Corn Growers Association, Missouri Soybean Association, Missouri Pork Association, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, Missouri Agribusiness Association, Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation, and Missouri Farmers Association.

“Our team is dedicated and determined to make a bad situation better,” McLain said.

One of the ways the situation has improved is in trapping technology. McLain said the first traps that were used were corral traps with three 16-foot long panels and a three-foot wide rooter gate. It worked well, but they’ve found what works better.  Corrals were enlarged to four or five panels and six-foot drop gates, which meant more hogs would enter the trap faster because of the larger opening. These larger traps obviously caught more hogs, meaning an entire sounder of hogs could be caught at one time. This was important because hogs are adaptive and would spread out to other areas and avoid the traps later if they weren’t caught the first time in the trap.

The latest trap design is even better, according to McLain. The BoarBuster and Falling Panel Trap are suspended in the air and very fast. The BoarBuster is wirelessly triggered with video surveillance. The trapper can watch the video from a cell phone and wait to drop the panels the moment the entire sounder is inside the trap.

“These are efficient and we can catch hogs sometimes as soon as four hours after we set it up,” McLain said. “Thirty-eight hogs in a trap at once is our record.”

Trapping as many hogs as possible at one time is important considering the amount of traps available versus the need. MDC and the USDA work with landowners to teach them how to tend hog traps on their own land, so the dedicated five hog-trapping employees can continue to trap on public lands and assist new landowners who call in with hog damage.

“Last year we helped 144 landowners,” McLain said. “This year, so far, we have helped more than 80 new landowners in our region who’ve reported hog damage. We tend to have around 100 new landowners each year who call for help and we have approximately 60 hog traps out over the southeast region.”

The amount of landowners reporting damage demonstrates improvements in another aspect of the feral hog fight – public awareness.

“People are hearing from the news and seeing billboards about how to get help removing feral hogs from their property,” McLain said. “We’re doing everything we can to inform the public not just about the problem of feral hogs, but what to do if they have damage or see hogs on their land – and that’s contact MDC.”

McLain said landowners should immediately report feral hog sightings to MDC online atmdc.mo.gov/feralhog [make link live in GovDelivery]or call their local MDC or USDA office. McLain also said word of mouth has been very effective in spreading the word about hogs.

“Hearing that a neighbor has hog damage motivates landowners to action,” McLain said. “Thoughtful neighbors will warn each other and do what they can to help each other avoid the experience of hog damage.”

Overall, McLain said he knows there is a lot of work ahead in the fight against feral hogs. However, the high numbers caught by improved traps, the number of partners working together and the number of cooperative landowners point towards a hopeful future of eradicating feral hogs in Missouri.

Grant funds, hog hunting ban make gains in feral hog fight

MDC, partner agencies are committed to ridding Missouri of this invasive species.

PIEDMONT, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and its partners are already seeing the benefits of grant funds designated to help fight the invasive feral hog population. Paired with recent banning of hog hunting on conservation areas, this marks progress in the fight against feral hogs according to John Burk, a regional wildlife biologist with the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF).

Burk and a group of representatives of the organizations partnered in the feral hog fight had the chance to watch new trapping equipment in action recently.

“A frustrated landowner, who’d experienced significant damage to his bean and hay fields, was able to benefit from a new remotely operated Boar Buster feral hog trap,” Burk said. “The trap was deployed and within four hours, 11 hogs were captured and removed from his land.”

Tony Jaco, MDC’s private lands regional supervisor for the southeast region, said the partnership with other agencies in the feral hog fight, and the assistance available to private landowners is key to success.

“Over 90 percent of Missouri land is privately owned, which is why it’s vital we work with private landowners, as well as other wildlife organizations, to help get hogs off the whole landscape,” Jaco said. “Win or lose, we’re in this together and we have to win for the sake of our native wildlife resources.”

Feral hogs are a destructive invasive species that has expanded its range into Missouri in recent years. According to Burk, this expansion is partially due to the behavior and biology of the animal and the rugged and remote nature of the Ozark landscape. However, expansion has also come about as a result of the misguided efforts of those wanting hog populations to grow and assisting their dispersal and expansion by trapping and relocating them. 

Organizations that have partnered together in Missouri’s fight against feral hogs include MDC, NWTF, Quail Forever, Quality Deer Management Association, Quail and Upland Wildlife Federation, Missouri Corn Growers Association, Missouri Soybean Association, Missouri Pork Association, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, Missouri Agribusiness Association, Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation, and Missouri Farmers Association. The contributions of this group are improving MDC’s capability of reducing feral hog populations to manageable levels.

“However, it is also our responsibility as conservationists to educate as many as we can about the real threat that feral hogs pose to our natural systems and native plants and animals,” Burk said. “The recent regulations to ban hog hunting on MDC owned lands is a necessary step in trying to get feral hog populations under control before it is too late.”

At its meeting on June 24, the Missouri Conservation Commission approved changes to the Wildlife Code of Missouri that would prohibit the hunting of feral hogs on conservation areas and other lands owned, leased, or managed by MDC. The new regulation prohibiting hog hunting on MDC areas does not apply to private property. The effective date of the regulation change is Sept. 30.

Burk added that these regulations are based on sound science and a desire to facilitate and provide opportunity for all citizens to use, enjoy, and learn about their natural resources.

“The goal is not to manage feral hog populations, it’s to eliminate them,” Burk said. “To have the greatest chance of accomplishing this goal, a variety of nontraditional techniques need to be implemented.”

Different kinds of traps and trapping techniques combined with night vision technology, aerial gunning, and others are necessary to have a measurable impact on the growing menace, he said.

“Hunting feral hogs gets a few here and there but hogs respond quickly and negatively to hunting pressure and this often gets in the way of trapping,” Burk explained. “Trapping is better because it removes entire sounders, not just one or two hogs.”

Burk asks for the community to join in the fight against feral hogs.

“If you know of folks that are moving pigs around or interfering with trapping efforts, or are sympathetic to those that are, try to educate them,” he said. “This is a real threat to our precious native plants and wildlife and it should not be tolerated any more than poaching.”

Jaco added MDC is committed to the eradication of feral hogs in Missouri.

“The bottom line is that feral hogs are destructive to everything in their path and we’re committed to ridding Missouri of this invasive species,” Jaco said.

For more information on feral hogs in Missouri, or to report sightings, go tomdc.mo.gov/feralhog.

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MDC partners with Lincoln University on Poplar Bluff Feral Hog Workshop

Free workshop addresses feral hog concerns and assistance available to landowners.

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has partnered with Lincoln University to present a free Feral Hog Workshop for landowners at Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff. The workshop is July 12 at 6 p.m.

The workshop is cooperation between Lincoln University Small Farm Program, University of Missouri Extension, MDC and USDA APHIS Wildlife Services.

Presentations will address feral hog concerns, proper control and identification of damage, appropriate removal and public health concerns.

MDC and APHIS Wildlife Services will highlight assistance available to farmers, ranchers and landowners.  The workshop will also feature a trapping display.

The workshop will begin with a meal at 6 p.m. with the program to follow.  Registration is required and attendance is limited to 40 people.

To register, contact Erin Brindisi at Brindisie@lincolnu.edu, or (573)681-5312. For more information, contact David Middleton at Middletond@lincolnu.edu or (417)466-8056. Learn more about feral hogs at mdc.mo.gov/feralhog.

Conservation and agriculture groups partner against feral hogs

Ten groups work with MDC and Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation to fund feral hog trapping equipment.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has partnered with other conservation groups, agriculture organizations, and the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation (MCHF) to provide the state’s feral hog strike team with more trapping equipment and increase feral hog communications to the public.

“The number of requests MDC gets asking for help with feral hogs continues to increase as landowners become aware of the problem with feral hogs and hog hunting,” said MDC Agriculture Liaison Brent Vandeloecht. “By collaborating with non-government organizations, MDC can increase funding to provide more traps for use on private and public land and also educate the public on the need to eradicate feral hogs.”

The total amount of funds raised equals $53,600 in cash and $23,000 in-kind, which includes costs incurred for the organizations to produce feral hog media efforts for public education.

“This is an excellent opportunity to work in collaboration with MDC and its partners to address a serious threat to agricultural and conservation resources,” said Chief Administrative Officer for the Missouri Farm Bureau Federation Dan Cassidy.

MDC currently works with private landowners to set traps to catch feral hogs. With the current equipment available, traps are moved from one private property to another after a successful trapping. However, MDC employees have noticed that once a trap is active on a property, there are usually opportunities to trap hogs in that area again. It will be more efficient to leave traps in place on private land for longer periods of time until all hogs have been trapped. This will be possible with the addition of more trapping equipment.

The following organizations have partnered with MDC and MCHF to provide resources for 65 traps and drop gates to be used by MDC for trapping efforts on private and public land, and to fund public education efforts on the dangers of feral hogs:

• Missouri Farm Bureau
• Missouri Corn Growers Association
• Missouri Soybean Association
• Missouri Cattlemen’s Association
• MFA
• Missouri Pork Association
• Missouri Agribusiness
• National Wild Turkey Federation
• Quality Deer Management Association
• Quail Forever

“Quail Forever understands the value of conserving our natural resources and we further understand the degradation that occurs when feral hogs are present,” said Elsa Gallagher, Missouri State Quail Coordinator for Quail Forever. “We fully support the Department’s efforts to eradicate feral hogs.”

Feral hogs are not wildlife and are a serious threat. Feral hogs have expanded their range in the U.S. from 17 to 38 states over the past 30 years, according to Vandeloecht. Their populations grow rapidly because feral hogs can breed any time of year and produce two litters of one to seven piglets every 12 to 15 months. Feral hogs are also known to carry diseases such as swine brucellosis, pseudorabies, trichinosis and leptospirosis, which are a threat to Missouri agriculture and human health.

“Research shows that about 70 percent of the feral hog population needs to be removed yearly to keep populations of feral hogs from increasing,” Vandeloecht said. “We cannot achieve that without this partnership to increase equipment availability and we won’t achieve that without continued education and cooperation with the public.”

For more information on feral hogs in Missouri, or to report a sighting, go online tomdc.mo.gov/feralhog.

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MDC proposes banning hog hunting on conservation areas

New regulation would help end disturbance by hog hunters of MDC hog-trapping efforts and help end illegal releases of feral hogs for hunting.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – At its meeting on Jan. 22, the Missouri Conservation Commission voiced initial approval for recommended changes to the Wildlife Code of Missouri that would prohibit the hunting of feral hogs on lands owned, leased, or managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).

The next step in the rulemaking process includes a 30-day public comment period on the proposed regulation changes, which will run from April 2 through May 1. Public comments can be submitted by mail to: Missouri Department of Conservation, Regulations Committee, PO Box 180, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102-0180. Comments can also be submitted by email to Regulations@mdc.mo.gov, or online at mdc.mo.gov/node/24141.

Following final Conservation Commission consideration of citizen input and staff recommendations this summer, the anticipated effective date of the regulation changes will be Sept. 30, 2016. Potential penalties for illegal hog hunting could include fines and the loss of hunting privileges.

Hog Hunting Causes Headaches

The Conservation Department discourages hunting specifically for feral hogs in Missouri. Research from other states shows that hog hunting actually increases feral hog numbers and locations because of illegal releases of more animals into the wild for future hunting opportunities.

According to MDC Wildlife Division Chief Jason Sumners, hog hunting on conservation areas ruins efforts by MDC staff to trap and kill entire groups of feral hogs, called sounders. Groups can consist of several dozen animals.

“The proposed ban on hog hunting on conservation lands is a direct result of misguided hunters disrupting trapping efforts by MDC staff,” Sumners explained. “MDC staff set large, corral-type traps on areas where there are known feral hogs. They then bait the area with corn for several days or weeks to attract the targeted group of hogs, get them used to the surroundings, and get them concentrated in the trap before triggering it. This work takes weeks, with the goal to trap the entire group of hogs.”

He added, “After weeks of work to catch the sounder of hogs, we then get an individual hunter who finds out about the site and shows up at some point and shoots a hog or two. The rest of the group then scatters and moves to a new location. As a result, weeks of work have been wasted and new areas now have feral hogs.”

Instead of hunting hogs to help reduce their numbers, MDC encourages hunters and others to report feral hog sightings to their local conservation agents or MDC offices. Staff can then confirm local numbers and locations, and determine how best to capture and kill the entire group of feral hogs.

MDC owns or manages about 1,000 conservation areas around the state with nearly 30 known to have feral hogs, mostly in southern Missouri. One goal of the new regulation is to prevent the illegal, intentional release of feral hogs on other conservation areas.

Releasing Hogs is Illegal

Releasing hogs to non-enclosed areas or to the wild is illegal in Missouri. MDC encourages the public to report these types of illegal activities to local conservation agents or to call its Operation Game Thief hotline at 800-392-1111.

In the future, the Department will also recommend to the Conservation Commission to revoke the hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges of any individuals found guilty of intentionally releasing feral hogs.

The Department is also working with elected officials, conservation groups, and agricultural organizations to raise awareness of the problem with feral hogs and hog hunting.

Threats to Native Species

Feral hogs are an invasive, nuisance species in Missouri. They are not naturally found in the wild in Missouri and the growing populations and numbers of locations are a result of people illegally releasing them to run wild – often to later hunt them.

Feral hogs cause significant damage to wildlife habitats, compete with native wildlife such as deer and turkey for food, prey upon native wildlife such as turkey and quail, destroy natural areas along with agricultural lands, pollute ponds and streams, and spread diseases to domestic livestock and people.

Diseases spread by feral hogs include swine brucellosis, pseudorabies, trichinosis, and leptospirosis. The Centers for Disease Control has confirmed several cases of hunters contracting potentially life-threatening bacterial infections from field-dressing feral hogs.

For more information on feral hogs, visit the MDC website at mdc.mo.gov/your-property/problem-plants-and-animals/invasive-animals/feral-hog-control.

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