Feral Hog Control: How To Get Rid of Feral Hogs

This page is a general feral/wild hog control guide. Using the products and methods suggested, you will get control of wild hogs. Follow this guide and use the recommended products; we guarantee 100% control of feral hogs. Consult your local and state guidelines to see if the feral hog is a protected species in your location before applying control, and proceed with extreme caution when applying control, as wild hogs can be extremely dangerous.

Feral hogs are an invasive species that has become a major problem in recent years, costing the entire country significant damages ($1.5 billion dollars a year, to be exact). If these destructive invaders venture upon your home, it’s pretty safe to expect that your turf or field will be uprooted and whatever plant life or crops you have around will be devoured if the right measures are not taken to control them.

Feral Hogs are wild animals that need food, shelter, and water. Often, this means crossing over to farms, crops, and fields. They can trample and uproot crops, springs, and creeks, and many times, this means going over homes and businesses close to humans, livestock, or water facilities.

Despite being known as “wild” hogs, feral hogs are deceptively intelligent and able to adapt to nearly any type of climate or condition. Feral hogs are also prolific in their breeding, which has caused their population to skyrocket to large numbers. Along with the destruction they bring to any land they wander on, they also have a high potential for disease.

Wild hogs have become so devastating to whatever land they inhabit, and their populations have exploded to such unmanageable proportions that different states have allowed landowners to try to eliminate them in whatever way they wish.

If you encounter feral hogs on your property and want them gone, this guide can help. Follow our expert-made DIY feral hog treatment guide to learn how to get rid of wild hogs permanently.

Identification

Before you can treat, you must ensure you're dealing with feral or wild hogs and not some other creature. Misidentification can lead to using the wrong treatment approach, resulting in a waste of time and money. Thankfully, feral hogs are easy to identify. Below, you can see the common characteristics that set them apart. 

• Feral hogs are an invasive species and can range in size from 36 inches in size. They weigh about 100 to 400 pounds and are sometimes even bigger. 
• They have four tusks that don't stop growing, and their color could vary from hog to hog but is usually dark brown to black.
• Their bodies are covered with grizzly hairs, and they have tails.
• Young feral hogs are reddish to black.

Use the image and description above to properly identify feral hogs on your property. If you are unsure, contact us, and we will help you identify the problem.

Inspection

Once you have confirmed that you are dealing with feral hogs, you can move on to inspection. During this phase, you will focus on finding these areas where feral hogs are found. This will help you to determine which areas you need to treat for removal.

Where To Inspect

Inspect your property, especially areas close to water sources such as rivers and creeks. Wild hogs enjoy rolling around muddy areas. Also, inspect close to crops, fields, and livestock, especially close to trees that produce nuts or fruits.

What To Look For

You're looking for signs of feral hog activity. This means looking for their droppings (or scat), signs of rolling around on the mud (or wallowing), the trails they make, and signs of their rubbing on trees that, combined with the mud, leaves behind hairs and mud stuck to trees and posts, and finally plowing or rooting of crops or vegetables, these holes will usually be extremely deep often more than 2 feet. Once you have confirmed feral hog activity, it is time to begin treatment.

Treatment

Once you have confirmed feral hog activity, it is time to begin treatment. Remember to read all product labels, follow the application instructions on these labels, and stay safe by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).

Step 1: Outdoor Treatment with Wild Hog Scram

Begin treatment outdoors. You will use one product, Wild Hog Scram. This non-toxic, environmentally safe product can be used around your property to repel and drive Wild Hogs away. It can be used in homes, commercial buildings, and farms. 

To use this product, you will need a rotary spreader. Apply at the rate of one pound per 600 square feet. Apply in the areas where you have noticed wild hog activity or found signs of Feral Hog activity. Extend the coverage by about 30 feet around or beyond the damaged area. Use the scoop provided with this product to cover the entire area for gardens, fields, or crops.

Step 2: Trap Wild Hogs with a Live Trap

Trapping persistent feral hogs may be the best option. For this, we recommend using a large Solutions Humane Live Trap. Bait the trap with some food that the hog may enjoy and set it up in a common area where they have been active.

Set up the trigger and monitor the trap for the next couple of days. Before long, the Feral Hog will be captured, and you can dispose of it at animal control.

Prevention

After you have treated the area or removed the feral hogs, you will want to prevent their return to your property. Here are some preventative measures to take.

• Start by building fences around your crops, vegetables, and gardens. The fences should be made of metal mesh wiring (often called swine or hog panels) and taller than 34 inches (taller can also be good).
• Reapply Hog Scram as a preventative to repel Hogs from the area.
• Keep your yard clear of litter and debris that may attract wild hogs.

Key Takeaways

What are Feral or Wild Hogs?

• Wild hogs are an invasive species that ranks among the most destructive pests in the United States. They cost the entire country about $1.5 billion, with a large portion of that burden being billed to Texas, as they cost the state alone up to $400 million dollars a year in damage.
• Wild hogs have spread to as many as 39 states, becoming infamous for tearing up recreational areas, golf courses, and state parks.

How To Get Rid of Wild Hogs

• To get rid of wild hogs from your property, we recommend repelling them with Hog Scram or trapping them with the Solutions Humane Live Trap.

Preventing Wild Hog Reinvasion

• Prevent wild hog invasions by keeping your property clear of potential food sources, building protective fencing, and applying Hog Scram preventatively.