There are two kinds of ranches...

I recently heard a wise, old Hill Country dweller utter the statement, "There are two kinds of ranches in Texas. Those that have feral hogs. And those that soon will." Rockmoor, as far as I can tell, falls into the latter category. However, I won't be surprised when the day arrives that I find a set of hog tracks on the road or a recent mud wallow down near the creek. Feral hogs are essentially domesticated pigs 'gone wild'. Early Spanish explorers were probably the first to introduce hogs to Texas over 300 years ago. They most likely escaped captivity, or were released for hunting purposes, and have, over time, developed traits for survival in the wild.
The United States is home to more than 4 million feral hogs, also known as Sus Scrofa, their scientific name. Two million of those reside in Texas.
Texas is a big place, so why should we be concerned about a few million pigs? Well, for a whole lotta' reasons I've learned. First off, they are most certainly not a native species and disrupt the natural order of things. Yet, they are able to reproduce at a remarkably rapid rate, making them almost impossible to control by conventional methods. Sows average two litters a year, with 4-10 piglets, and living 6 to 8 years; breeding age is around 7 months. I've been told under ideal circumstances, with a constant food source, a group of hogs is able to double in size within 4 months. Essentially, if you did the numbers, a healthy pig could potentially be responsible for up to 1000 other pigs in a 5 year period. (!!!) Damage caused by wild hogs is destructive to habitat and agriculture. Their rooting and trampling activity for food can damage, extensively, agricultural crops and fields. They also destabilize wetland areas, springs and creeks by their excessive rooting and wallowing. As they root up the ground, they cause weeds to grow where grasses once were, thus shifting the the plant community structure. Not to mention, they compete for food with native animal species, particularly mast crops (acorns) and are quite fond of consuming eggs of native nesting birds. The estimated annual agricultural damage caused by hogs is upwards of up to 52 million dollars. Their increasing numbers have caused so much concern among authorities that the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA)is seeking participation in a county grant program for the abatement of feral hogs. In short, if you 'dispose' of the most hogs, you win $25,000! Feral hogs are an unprotected, exotic, non-game animal. They may be 'taken' any time of the year, by any method. There are no seasons for hunting them, no bag limits. Also, legislation is in the works at this very moment to make it legal to hunt them by helicopter.

But hunting these wild pigs is easier said than done. There is a good reason George Orwell, in his 1945 classic novel, Animal Farm, made the 'leaders' (however corrupt) of the Farm, pigs. Pigs are smart. Very smart. Hence, very difficult to hunt, much less trap. Pigs have a very heightened sense of smell, rivaling that of any other competing wildlife. They are able to smell, I'm told, up to 50 feet underground and over several miles away above. If they catch even the faintest unfamiliar scent they leave the area. A large round disc of cartilage is connected to muscle that gives their snout extra flexibility. And while most wildlife utilize the same game trails night after night, pigs often take different routes nightly, sometimes leaving an area for months only to return and stay for weeks. Their hearing is also highly developed, making them an extremely challenging prey. In fact, they have few natural predators. The coyote is probably the most successful, stealing a piglet now and again for an evening meal. So places with high coyote populations is a good means of keeping the feral hog numbers down. Rockmoor, without a doubt, is home to many a coyote. So we have that going for us. And hogs are mainly active only at night making that much more difficult to find them.

Wild hogs aren't necessarily known for aggressive and dangerous behavior, yet one needs to be cautious around a sow with piglets and a cornered or injured animal. Male hogs, boars, do have four continually growing tusks, that can reach up to 5 inches before breaking off, and sometimes even longer. These tusks can become quite sharp. As the two tusks on the top jaw rub against the two on the lower mandible they are constantly being sharpened. Yikes!

While hunting and tracking this savvy animal is challenging to say the least, trapping them, I've learned first hand, is also quite an obstacle for all the above mentioned reasons. As many of you know, I work at a county park in far western Travis County, not too terribly far away from Rockmoor. We have recently implemented an aggressive, or so we thought, trapping campaign of feral hogs since our Park has suffered extensive hog damage. We utilize a sizable pen with a trap door. The pen has been baited with soured corn mash (often with beer, diesel and even Gatorade) and potatoes (we use root vegetable since pigs like to 'root' around) We bury the bait and set up a thin trip wire that springs a heavy metal door that comes crashing down behind the unsuspecting animal. In the past month or so, after countless hours of perfecting our well thought out and researched trapping device, we have managed to outwit ZERO of these wild animals. Our high tech wildlife cameras have been the only things doing any 'catching' . That is, catching several deer feeding nonchalantly on the corn scattered about and one rather impressively sized raccoon, on film. No 'Hog-zillas'. Yet just two months ago, as I worked solo clearing cedar in a side canyon not even 300 yards away, I was run up a tree by a 'sounder' (as packs of wild hogs are known) of 14 hogs out on an early afternoon jaunt. They are definitely in the area. And definitely NOT going in our traps.

Feral hog meat is quite delectable if you can actually get hold of one. If you attended my New Year's party this year you know exactly what I'm talking about. It is much leaner than domesticated pig and not as greasy. And as I discovered, a 35lb. pig, feeds about the same number of hungry New Year's revelers. An average mature sow weighs in at about 100 lb, and it is not uncommon to hear reports of boars reaching upwards of 400 lbs. That would be one big New Year's party!

As much as I dislike killing any animal, I realize the necessity of controlling the numbers of feral hogs in the wild. If left unchecked, these animals will continue their expeditious proliferation and continue to disrupt the natural order of things. Their damage to habitat and agriculture will continue to increase. Rockmoor has been lucky thus far. Yet, the topography and landscape, are perfect habitat for feral hogs. I'm constantly looking for signs of them. Like the old timer said, "it's not IF you get hogs. It's WHEN you get 'em."