State feral hog program offers rewards to successful trappers

Feral pigs are going hog wild across Georgia causing millions in damage each year Georgia DNR says feral hogs cause more than $150 million in damage to crops and farms each year. They also carry many diseases. (WSBTV.com News Staff)

By WSBTV.com News Staff

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. — The state needs the help of trappers to put a dent in the feral hog population.

Trapping feral hogs requires a big expense but could gain you a big reward through the Hog Down Awards Program.

This pilot program will award 20 hog traps randomly to those who submit a successful entry.

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Whole sounder trapping, or removal of an entire group, is the most effective way of removing hogs. But the traps are expensive, $3,500 per trap or more.

Program details include:

  • Participants must lawfully kill at least 10 feral hogs during the quarter.
  • Photos of hogs are required for submission. (Photos must be taken with a smart phone or camera capable of including location and with time/date enabled).
  • Random drawings for five traps will be held at the end of each quarter, (July-September, October-December, January-March, April-June).
  • Only Georgia residents may enter.

The hogs costs the state more than $150 million a year in damage to agriculture, forestry and wildlife habitat, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said.

Feral hogs can destroy a field overnight. They also carry diseases that can spread to other animals, including livestock and pets.

“If you talk to almost any landowner, regardless of acreage size, I bet they can tell you a story about the destructive nature of feral hogs on their property and how they regret not taking action sooner and more often against them,” said DNR Wildlife Resources Division Director Ted Will. “And, while hunting is an effective way to remove small numbers of hogs, whole sounder trapping is your best bet to make a dent in the actual population on your property. You can remove much greater numbers of animals at a time, and at less effort.”

For program rules, further details and an entry link, visit GeorgiaWildlife.com/HogDownAwardsProgram. Rules and details are subject to change.

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