Feral pigs have become a problem in certain areas of the United States. They are ferocious eaters, populate quickly and have a negative impact on most all animals as well as the local environment. The following list represents just some of the problems associated with this animal.

FERAL PIG PROBLEMS

1) They compete with most native animals for a limited food supply.

2) They will eat most animal young like turtles or ground dwelling birds.

3) They will readily forage on poultry and small cattle like lambs or goats.

4) When natural food isn’t available, feral pigs will forage on local gardens or crops. Their impact can be fast and extreme resulting in tremendous losses to any farmers harvest.

5) They love to feed on young plants, seedlings, trees, nuts and vital components significant to the way plants and trees replenish themselves in our landscape. Additionally, they will damage existing forests with their “rooting” and “rubbing” behaviors.

6) They love to “wallow” in local ponds, lakes or streams which in turn can lead to erosion as well as have detrimental effects on water quality which in turn will impact local aquatic life.

7) They carry all kinds of bacteria and germs and because of their normal behaviors pose a real contamination threat.

8) They can be dangerous. Though mostly shy, feral pigs have been known to attack people or domestic animals.

FERAL PIG CONTROL

Because of all the problems associated with wild Feral pig, farmers and land owners alike will many times have to do some Feral pig control. Feral pig can grow large and because of their size and shape, there aren’t many options available for managing local nuisance animals. There are no registered poisons or repellents and the only proven method of controlling this animal is with a trap.

FERAL PIG CONTROL LEGHOLD TRAPS

There are two kinds of traps commonly used for feral pigs. Known as “leg-holds”, these are styles that have long been used by traditional trappers who hunt beaver, mink, muskrat, etc. These devices work by “catching” target animals on their legs. Trap sets must be made where the feral pig are known to abe active and foraging. Depending on the size of the feral pig targeted, use either COIL #3 or COIL # 5 traps. These are the easiest to set and deploy.

The more traditional feral pig control leg hold trap is the Longspring. It’s a bit more difficult to deploy but works just as well. Again, animal size will determine the trap size needed. In most cases, a LONGSPRING # 3 or LONGSPRING # 5 will do the job.

In most cases there is no need to bait these sets but if you place some corn out along a pathway you know is being used, leghold traps can be set in line with the corn. This insures one will step into your set. But you can get success without bait if you’re confident of the trails being used. For a blind set, use camouflaging around them and place as many as possible out which will increase the odds of getting a hit.

Feral pig can grow large and are quite strong. For this reason leghold traps must be anchored to a big and secure tree to insure they aren’t taken away by animals getting caught. You can attempt to use a dead log but several cinder blocks will usually do the job even better if no tree is present.

FERAL PIG CONTROL SNARES

Another device used on feral pigs are SNARES. Get the largest ones used for lions and bears because feral pigs will test the strength of the cables like any large animal. Like the leghold traps, snares can be placed in pathways or trails where feral pig are active and no baiting is needed to make a set. Targeted animals can be caught by the leg but it is more common and easier to catch them around their head. Like the leghold traps, you must anchor your snare to a large, mature tree to insure the cable isn’t hauled away.

FERAL PIG CONTROL LIVE TRAPS

Lastly, the most effective method of catching feral pigs is with a live trap. THE PIG TRAP is one of the best traps on the market and can catch several feral pig with just one set. For small pigs, the PIG TRAP JUNIOR will do the job. But if you have an ATV and would like to transport your trap and catch, get the PIG TRAP WITH ATV HITCH AND WHEELS. Fill it with corn as the online video explains and you’ll be able to manage local populations efficiently.

Feral pigs have made a big impact on regions where they are now established. If you have nuisance feral pig that need to be removed, you’ll need to do some trapping. Leghold or snare type traps can work but The Pig Trap is probably your best option for long term maintenance and population control.