Feral Hog Management Project November 20, 2015 Sus scrofa 2 Feral - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Feral Hog Management Project

November 20, 2015

Sus scrofa

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Feral Hogs in Texas

• Current estimates at 2.6 million hogs in Texas
• Cause $500 million dollars worth of damage

per year throughout Texas

• Cause $52 million dollars worth of damage to

Texas agriculture

• Cost landowners $7 million a year to control

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Feral Hogs in Texas

• 29% of the population is harvested

annually

• 60% of population would have to be

removed annually to remain at current population levels

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Distribution

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Feral Hog Biology

• First Introduced by Spanish Explorers as a source
• f lard and meat
• Mixture of Eurasian Wild Boar and Domestic Pigs
• Coat comes in a variety of colors
• Shoulder height of 36 inches
• Average size is between 150-400 pounds
• Average age is 4 to 5 years, but can live up to 8

years

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CiboloCreek

Feral Hog Biology

• Have four continuously

growing tusks with the lower two being constantly sharpened by the opening and closing of the jaws

• Omnivorous –
• pportunistic feeders,

eating whatever is seasonally available

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Feral Hog Reproduction

• Sows

– Pregnant at three months – Gestation cycle is 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days – Three litters every two years of 8-12 piglets

• Polyestrous
• Multiple Paternity

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Feral Hog Disease

• Psuedorabies
• Swine Brucellosis
• Classic Swine Fever
• African Swine Fever
• Bovine Tuberculosis
• Influenza
• Tularemia
• West Nile Virus
• E. coli
• Anthrax
• Porcine Reproductive and

Respiratory Syndrome

• Salmonella
• Trichinosis
• Streptococcus
• Vesicular Disease – Foot &

Mouth Disease

• Ticks, Fleas, & Lice
• Internal Parasites

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Feral Hog Behavior

• Found everywhere; forests, swamps,

brush lands, and deserts

• Diurnal in the winter months; nocturnal

during summer

• Cause damage to agriculture crops and

predation of livestock

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Feral Hog Behavior

• Compete with local

wildlife for resources.

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Feral Hog Behavior

• Rooting

– Damage native plants – Crop damage

• Wallow

– Increases turbidity in streams and rivers – Increases bacteria by depositing feces

• Tree scratching
• Trampling Vegetation

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Rooting along Clifton Branch

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Rooting along Leon Creek Bed

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Wallow along Leon Creek

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Wallow along Medina River

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Tree Scratch along Medina River

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Bacteria

• E. coli is an indicator organism for fecal

contamination

• Will die fairly quick in grass, but can live

for months in water and sediment

• Children, elderly, and

immunocompromised are most susceptible

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Bacterial Source Tracking

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Bacterial Source Tracking

Results Runs 1-8 (n=486)

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51 48 47 34 33 32 28 25 23 23 10 20 30 40 50 60 Feral Hog Opossum Cattle Human Coyote Chicken Goat Duck Raccoon Dog

10 Most Common Isolate Origins

SAR Impairment: Bacteria

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Results

• Results are reported

in the 2013 Basin Summary Report.

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Natural Management: Predators

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Management of Feral Hogs

• Can manage at any time with a valid

Texas Hunting License, unless they are causing depredation on your property

• Landowners permission

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Four Methods for Management Shooting

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Four Methods for Management Snaring

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Four Methods for Management Trapping

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Four Methods for Management Hunting with Trained Dogs

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Feral Hog Management Project

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Texas A&M AgriLife

• Workshops for

landowners

– Developing Best Management Practices (BMPs) – Tips on increasing the amount of hogs captured – Designing more efficient traps – New technology – Landowners can share their own experiences

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Texas A&M AgriLife

• Informative

Brochures

• Online assistance

– Newspaper and online write-ups – Youtube videos

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USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services

• Wildlife Technicians

were hired October 15, 2015

– Bexar and Wilson – Karnes and Goliad

• Landowners will be

identified

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USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services

• Direct removal of

feral swine

– Aerial gunning – Trapping – Snaring – Trained Dogs

• Equipment loan

program

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Questions?

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