It’s time to get a little hog wild alongside some Central Texas bounty hunters. They’re not after people. Bosque County is one of several Texas counties that have put a bounty on each head (and tail) of invasive feral hogs. In this episode, two of those bounty hunters show me how to sniff out a pig and I learn that they’re not always cute like Wilbur in Charlotte’s Web.

Hosts:

• Morgan O’Hanlon is a senior staff writer at Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine.
• David Yoskowitz is the Executive Director of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Episode Guests (in order of appearance):

• Chelsea Dorward, Bosque County Extension Agent
• Ronny Liardon, Bosque County Commissioner, Precinct 4
• James Liardon, Bosque County hog hunter
• Tyler Chiles, Bosque County hog hunter
• Justin Foster, TPWD Research Coordinator at Kerr Wildlife Management Area

Show Highlights:

• Bosque County is one of several Texas counties that has placed a bounty on feral hogs.
• Hog hunting in Texas is allowed year-round in order to curb the population of this invasive species.
• Other states, including Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee, have outlawed feral hog hunting outright.
• Feral hogs in Texas are a crossbreed between domesticated swine and Eurasian wild boar.
• Researchers refer to the massive increase in population and geographic spread of feral hogs that occurred in the late 20th century as the “pig bomb.”
• Feral hogs cause significant physical, environmental and economic damage in Texas. They can be aggressive towards people, livestock and pets. They harm crucial habitats. They eat and destroy crops.

Read a related story about hog hunting in Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine. You can read more stories about the Texas outdoors at tpwmagazine.com. If you want to get copies of our beautiful, glossy magazine delivered straight to your mailbox, you can subscribe here for only $2.00 a month. And if you want to keep up on live events and behind-the-scenes takes, follow the magazine on Instagram at @tpwmagazine.

Learn more about current hunting regulations in the Texas Outdoor Annual.

Keep up with other agency news on Facebook or Instagram at @texasparkswildlife.

Did you know Texas Parks and Wildlife has a TV show? Watch this episode on trapping feral hogs.

Our theme music is by Walker Lukens and Grant Eppley. And, if you like our song, you might also like the album Walker produced for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation. Sales from the album benefit TPWD's conservation work. Listen to it here.

Better Outside’s artwork is by Aaron Zachary. Follow him on Instagram at @filmnfish.