The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) says 9,365 feral hogs were eliminated from Missouri landscape from January through December 2018. In 2017, 6,561 feral hogs were removed.
A news release says MDC and partners have implemented a new strategy to feral-hog elimination, dividing the areas where feral hogs are present into elimination areas 1 through 6. Trapping currently is ongoing in each zone.
Mark McLain, MDC’s feral-hog elimination team leader, says MDC is partnering with many agricultural and conservation groups, as well as hundreds of private landowners, who are all committed to eliminating feral hogs from Missouri.
McLain says it’s important that the public understands why feral hogs must be eliminated. He says- “Feral hogs are a destructive, invasive species that don’t belong here; they’re not a native species. They out-compete native wildlife for habitat and food. For example, places with a lot of feral hogs will see their wild turkey and deer populations diminish.”
McLain said feral hogs also are known to carry diseases that possibly could spread to humans, pets and livestock.
To report feral-hog sightings or damage, go online to mdc.mo.gov/feralhog.

Photo provided by the Missouri Department of Conservation.