January 18, 2024 By Katie Roundtree

Feral hogs have been in Florida since the 1500s, when they were initially brought to North America by European explorers and settlers who sailed here looking for gold and a western passage to China.  They were brought with the settlers on ships as a food source in the New World.  Over the years, some domesticated hogs got loose and became wild/feral.  Additionally, Russian boars were introduced to the U.S. in the 1900s for sport hunting.  Interbreeding between escaped domestic pigs and boars has created hybrids with the most robust characteristics of each.  Wild hogs are found in all 67 Florida counties and at least 35 states today.  Over one-half million are estimated in Florida, with approximately six million nationwide.

The wild hog population continues to expand as they become used to different climates.  They are found in various habitats but prefer oak-cabbage palm hammocks, freshwater marshes and sloughs, pine flatwoods, and open agricultural areas.    In addition, they have few natural predators.  Bobcats, coyotes and panthers can prey on smaller hogs, but man is the most significant predator of wild hogs.

They are a destructive, invasive species, called by many names, including wild hogs, wild boars, feral swine, or razorbacks.  Wild hogs grow to about three to five feet long and weigh seventy-five to two hundred fifty pounds, but some can be twice as large.  Living in groups called sounders, they damage crops, commercial and personal property and environmentally sensitive land.  They have litters of four to eight young and can reproduce twice yearly.  Feral swine are muscular and strong and can run up to 30 miles per hour.  Like deer and domestic pigs, feral swine have cloven hooves.  Although wild swine tracks look similar to deer tracks, they have a blunter tipped toe, and their tracks have a square shape compared to the pointed heart-shaped tracks of deer.

Hogs are omnivores, meaning they feed on plants and animals.  To feed, they root up the earth with their snouts and feet to find plants, grubs and small animals.  If the soil is soft, depending on the size of the group of hogs, they can dig down almost two feet and clear one to two acres per night.  Because they are usually active at night, feral swine are less frequently seen during daylight hours, particularly in hot, humid climates.  It may be easiest to identify feral swine in your area by looking for signs of damage.

Wild hogs can destroy environmentally sensitive land and prey on native wildlife, competing with native species for food and resources.  Severe hog-rooting can cause erosion along lakes and canals, leading to sediment buildup and increased nutrients that deteriorate water quality and increase algae growth.  They assist in spreading invasive plant species with their droppings and providing germination sites through rooting.

Feral pigs are known to be dangerous to people, particularly when they travel in herds with their young.  They have also been known to be aggressive toward dogs and other pets.

The enormous tusks that protrude from the boar’s lower jaw are the trademark of the wild boar.  Boars use these tusks—which are actually canine teeth—to dig and root for food, but they also can and will use them for defense.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture also writes that feral swine can carry diseases and parasites that may affect people, pets, livestock and wildlife.  Some diseases, such as pseudorabies, are fatal to cats and dogs that may be exposed to direct contact with a feral swine carcass.

The only way to control the population of wild hogs is through trapping and hunting.  Adequate fencing will keep them out of yards and gardens.  Wild Hog Scram can be spread on the ground to repel hogs and minimize property damage in areas that cannot be fenced.  If you have a problem with feral hogs near your property, you will want to contact a wildlife trapper for immediate removal.