Feral hogs are a non-native, invasive species that pose serious risks to human and livestock health, agriculture, and natural resources. Found in roughly 38 states and three U.S. territories, they cause an estimated $1.5 billion in damage each year. More than half of these losses are directly tied to agricultural impacts.
In Arkansas alone, feral hog damage is estimated at $19 million each year, though more recent assessments suggest the true total may range from $30 to $41 million annually when factoring in ruined crops, destroyed fencing, and degraded pastureland.
Why Feral Hogs Are a Problem
Feral hogs are destructive, highly adaptive, and aggressive animals. They contribute to widespread ecological and economic damage by:
- Competing with native wildlife for food and habitat
- Destroying farmland, forests, and natural areas through rooting, wallowing, and trampling
- Preying on ground‑nesting birds, eggs, fawns, and young livestock
- Carrying more than 45 diseases and parasites that can infect humans, livestock, pets, and wildlife
Feral hogs are present in every Arkansas county. Their population grows rapidly, with one to two litters per year and four to twelve piglets per litter. Because they can reproduce as early as six to eight months of age, their numbers can double within just four months.
How Arkansas Is Responding
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture coordinates statewide efforts to combat feral hog populations through multiple programs and partnerships. These include:
- Administering airborne eradication permits
- Coordinating operations of the Arkansas Feral Hog Eradication Task Force
- Collaborating with federal, state, and local agencies through initiatives such as the USDA Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program
The Arkansas Feral Hog Eradication Task Force, created by Act 1010 of 2017, continues its collaborative work through a Memorandum of Understanding among partner agencies. Their shared mission is to reduce and ultimately eradicate feral hog populations across the state.
Arkansas is one of 14 states receiving five‑year federal funding, authorized under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, to support feral hog eradication and control efforts.
How You Can Help: Feral Hog Reporting
If you trap or shoot feral hogs on private property, your participation in the Arkansas Feral Hog Control Survey is vital.
Reporting your removal efforts helps state and federal agencies better understand feral hog activity across Arkansas. This information strengthens management decisions and improves strategies aimed at reducing feral hog populations statewide. Data from private landowners is just as important as information gathered by public agencies.
If you have questions about the survey, please contact:
Ryan Farney
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 501-912-9541
Resources
- Arkansas Gains Ground in the Battle Against Feral Hogs
- Human Brucellosis Risk From Feral Swine, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
- Controlling Feral Hogs in Arkansas, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
- VIDEO: Arkansas Feral Hog Problem; Narrative with Rancher Bruce Jackson, from Arkansas Farm Bureau
- Hog Hunting and Shooting Regulations, Arkansas Game & Fish Commission
- Coping with Feral Hogs, Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension
- Feral Hogs in Missouri, Missouri Department of Conservation
- Louisiana Feral Hog Resources, Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries
- Wild Hog Regulations and Control, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
- Wild Pig Info, Mississippi State University Extension
- Feral Hogs and Agricultural Crops, by National Extension Resources
- Feral Swine – Methods for Managing Damage, by USDA APHIS
- Unleashing a New Tool to Stop an Unexpected Invader, Blog by USDA