Houston Chronicle: The ins and outs of feral hog hunting in Texas
The ins and outs of feral hog hunting in Texas
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Take a look at the gallery above what you need to know about hunting one of Texas' most hated and edible creatures...
Texas is home to the largest feral hog population in the United States, with an estimated 4 million hogs statewide.
These creatures wreak havoc on the land of hard-working farmers and land owners and disrupt the natural patterns of better and much more beautiful animals.
It’s safe to say that hogs are one of the most-hated animals in Texas along with mosquitoes, fire ants, bed bug, snakes and rats.
The progeny of domestic hogs that quickly turned feral or hybrids between domestic feral pigs and European wild hogs, feral hogs are omnivores with a nondiscriminatory palate. They will eat anything, which is good news for hunters.
They are ridiculously prolific at reproducing, leading some to joke that they are “born pregnant.” Feral hogs that we know today are sometimes confused with javelinas.
They are usually solidblack with some brown and red tinges in the coat. You will know them when you see them as they are also quite ugly.
For further details be sure to check out the feral hogs section on Texas Parks and Wildlife's website.
They have a top notch primer on Texas’ frustrating piggy nuisance. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s wild pig website is also an extensive resource for both hunters and those interested in the hog problem in general.
Craig Hlavaty is a reporter for Chron.com and HoustonChronicle.com.