Kansas one of several US states with a destructive and costly problem — feral hogs

Rooting, hoof tracks, wallows and nests may be indicators your Kansas property is being visited by a destructive and costly visitor — the invasive feral hog.

A recent analysis found feral hogs have been spotted in 29 Kansas counties. Thankfully, the state has a group focused specifically on the eradication of wild swine in the state.

The report, conducted by Captain Experiences, a platform that connects visitors with hunting and fishing booking, analyzed data from University of Georgia’s Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health. Researchers calculated the number of feral hog sightings in each state, and when states tied, they took the percentage of counties with a sighting into account.

The study named Texas as the state with the biggest wild hog problem, with more than 2,000 sightings and 99.6% of counties with swine spotting. In comparison, Kansas was No. 16 on the list, with 101 sightings.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports the species cause $2.5 billion in damages every year, mainly due to rooting and trampling land, eating crops and more.

Not only do the pigs pose a risk to landscapes, they are also known to carry certain diseases. According to the USDA, feral swine can spread diseases such as salmonella, hepatitis and brucellosis to humans. They’re also a threat to native plants, which can see population decline due to feral hog activity.

What is Kansas doing about feral hogs?

Curran Salter works with the USDA’s wildlife services focusing on wild swine management. The program first began in 2006 with state funding, but since then has received some federal funding, according to Salter.

The program has successfully removed 13 feral pig populations since its inception.

“We’re probably at our best point we’ve ever been in terms of feral pig numbers in the state,” said Salter, who is based in Kansas. “We’re in really good shape.”

Kansas has three contractors focused on identifying, investigating and eradicating wild pig populations. Right now, Salter said the state is focusing on eradication and control efforts for a population in Bourbon County, as well as working at the state line in southeast Kansas.

“We’re neighbors with a state with a lot of pigs,” Salter said of Oklahoma.

What to know about feral hogs in the US and Kansas

The swine are an invasive species, and the biggest reason for their presence is their release by humans for sport hunting.

“The Kansas Department of Agriculture pushed through a law that made it illegal to sport hunt feral pigs, so we’re trying to take that incentive away from people sport hunting,” Salter said.

The hogs are usually between 75 and 250 pounds, and can run up to 30 miles per hour, according to the USDA. Pigs are also known to reproduce rapidly, as females can give birth up to two times a year, with four to 12 piglets in each litter.

Furthermore, feral pigs are omnivores and will eat most anything, particularly plants, as well as insects and worms.

What to do if you see a feral pig in Kansas

If you think you may have a feral pig problem on your Kansas property, the best thing to do is report it the USDA state office at 785-537-6855, so officials can potentially remove them.

“Give us a call, we’ll either try to get them trapped, get the whole group trapped or we have access to a helicopter and we can get them with the helicopter,” Salter said.

Salter said the program uses USDA agency helicopters out of Oklahoma for their aerial gunning program. This program runs one week each month during January, February and March, after deer season is ends.

“The goal of the helicopter is to push them out of the brush of trees into the nearest open field or pasture or whatever and work on them out in the open,” Salter said.

Salter said they usually respond to calls a day or two after they are made.

As for prevention measures, Salter said there’s not much you can do to ensure feral pigs don’t enter your property, as they’re very adaptable creatures. If you do see pigs on your property, while you have a right to shoot them, Salter does not recommend you take that course of action.

“If you have a group of 15 to 20 pigs, and you shoot one or two, you’re not doing yourself any favors,” Salter said. “When we’re doing control efforts, we don’t want one of them gone, we want all of them gone.”

Feral pigs can be found any time of year, but Salter said it tends to be easier to catch the swine in the colder months.

“Generally we do better when it’s colder out this time of year, they’re just more apt to come to the corn pile,” Salter said.