Another round of applications for Mississippi’s Wild Hog Control Program (WHCP) is now available.
Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson announced that the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce will be accepting applications from now until Wednesday, May 15. Landowners and property managers in all Mississippi counties are eligible to apply.
“Wild hogs continue to be a huge nuisance to farmers and landowners across the state and nation, causing severe property damage and large economic losses,” Gipson said. “I encourage anyone experiencing problems with wild hogs on private agricultural or forestry lands in Mississippi to apply for the use of Wild Hog Control Program traps.”
In Mississippi alone, wild hogs cause more than an estimated $60 million in damages annually. Through the WHCP, MDAC provides wild hog traps to landowners and managers to control the pesky animals on the state’s private agricultural and forestry lands.
MDAC also offers the training necessary for individuals to use the traps and technical guidance regarding the most effective methods to trap and control wild hogs on private lands.
Applications must be completed and submitted online. 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.
A cooperative application is encouraged for small acreage (i.e., adjoining land managers of small parcels should work together to submit one application). Traps will be available for one-month intervals, dependent upon use and success. Depending on landscape and land use, one trap per 500 to 1,000 acres is recommended.
