Status of Wild Pigs in South Carolina Charles Ruth a , Noel Myers b - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

status of wild pigs in south carolina
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Status of Wild Pigs in South Carolina Charles Ruth a , Noel Myers b - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Lifes Better Outdoors dnr.sc.gov Status of Wild Pigs in South Carolina Charles Ruth a , Noel Myers b , Cory Heaton c , and Jack Mayer d a South Carolina Department of Natural Resources b USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services South Carolina c Clemson


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SLIDE 1

Status of Wild Pigs in South Carolina

Life’s Better Outdoors – dnr.sc.gov

Charles Rutha, Noel Myersb, Cory Heatonc, and Jack Mayerd

a South Carolina Department of Natural Resources

b USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services South Carolina c Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service d Savannah River National Laboratory

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SLIDE 2

Status of Wild Pigs in SC

 Present in SC since the 1500s  Recent Status:  In 2019, wild pigs continued to

be found in all 46 South Carolina counties

 In 2018, the statewide wild pig

population was estimated to be approximately 162,591 animals

 This represents the highest

population estimate ever documented in the state

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SLIDE 3

Harvest of Wild Pigs in SC

 Recreational sporthunters

harvested a total of 39,347 wild pigs in 2018, representing a 4 percent increase from the 2017 harvest

 In 2019, USDA Wildlife

Services (WS) continued to conduct targeted removals of wild pigs around the state to reduce damage or augment existing control programs

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SLIDE 4

WS Wild Pig Projects in SC

 With 2018 Farm Bill funding,

WS began two cooperative 3- year pilot projects for wild pig management that will begin in the state in 2020 in:

 Hampton County  Newberry County

 WS has completely eliminated

pigs from North Island and a second island project is being monitored with no pigs being

  • bserved for 6 months

USDA WS SCDNR USDA NRCS Newberry SWCD

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SLIDE 5

WS Wild Pig Projects in SC

 With 2018 Farm Bill funding,

WS began two cooperative 3- year pilot projects for wild pig management that will begin in the state in 2020 in:

 Hampton County  Newberry County

 WS has completely eliminated

pigs from North Island and a second island project is being monitored with no pigs being

  • bserved for 6 months

USDA WS SCDNR USDA NRCS Newberry SWCD

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SLIDE 6

WS Wild Pig Projects in SC

 Collected damage

assessment data on Congaree National Park to contribute to ongoing research project

 Begun using UASs/drones

to assess wild pig damage

  • ver large tracts of land

 Assisted in the research

trials of a new toxicant for wild pigs

 Continued cost-sharing

partnerships with the:

 US Forest Service  National Park Service  SC DNR  SC State Parks  USFWS  Department of Defense

to reduce wild pig problems or augment existing programs in SC

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SLIDE 7

SC Cooperative Efforts

 Formed the multi-agency

South Carolina Wild Hog Task Force in 2010

 Met annually since the

formation of the SCWHTF

 Maintain a website through the

Clemson Extension Service

https://www.clemson.edu/extension/wi ldlife/wildhogs/

 Continuing to conduct public

and agency workshops and seminars around the state

  • SC USDA Wildlife Services
  • SCDNR and SCDHEC
  • Clemson University
  • Savannah River National Laboratory
  • SC State Veterinarian
  • SC USDA/APHIS Veterinary Services
  • SC Farm Bureau
  • SC Pork Board & SC Pork Producers
  • NPS/Congaree National Park

SC USDA NRCS

  • US Forest Service

SC Soil & Water Conservation Districts SC Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism

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SLIDE 8

SC Cooperative Efforts

 Formed the multi-agency

South Carolina Wild Hog Task Force in 2010

 Met annually since the

formation of the SCWHTF

 Maintain a website through the

Clemson Extension Service

https://www.clemson.edu/extension/wi ldlife/wildhogs/

 Continuing to conduct public

and agency workshops and seminars around the state

  • SC USDA Wildlife Services
  • SCDNR and SCDHEC
  • Clemson University
  • Savannah River National Laboratory
  • SC State Veterinarian
  • SC USDA/APHIS Veterinary Services
  • SC Farm Bureau
  • SC Pork Board & SC Pork Producers
  • NPS/Congaree National Park

SC USDA NRCS

  • US Forest Service

SC Soil & Water Conservation Districts SC Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism

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SLIDE 9

Questions?