Agriculture officials in Mississippi will soon accept a new wave of applications for the wild hog control program.
From Aug. 1-15, landowners and managers in all of the state’s 82 counties are eligible to request “smart” traps for the control of wild hogs on private agricultural and forestry properties. The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce will provide the training necessary to use these traps and technical guidance regarding the most effective methods to trap and control wild hogs on private lands.
According to Mississippi Ag Commissioner Andy Gipson, wild hogs are a non-native, nuisance animal that cause an estimated $60 million in damage to local agricultural lands each year. With that in mind, he encouraged landowners to take advantage of the control program.
“They destroy crops, damage pastures and personal property, and create problems for farmers and landowners across our state,” Gipson said. “Our Wild Hog Control Program gives landowners access to proven trapping equipment, training and technical support to control and reduce wild hog populations. I encourage all eligible landowners to apply and take advantage of this opportunity to better protect their property and livelihoods.”
Applications must be completed and submitted online. Officials said submitted applications will be evaluated based on the number of acres available for trapping, historical agricultural losses caused by wild hogs on the property, and current trapping efforts on the property.
