Agriculture officials in Mississippi will soon accept a new wave of applications for the wild hog control program.
From May 15-20, 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 in Mississippi. 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.
Applications must be completed and submitted online. Per officials, 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.
RELATED: MDWFP urges hunters not to mistake black bears for wild hogs
A cooperative application is encouraged for small acreage, meaning 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. One trap per 500 acres is recommended, depending on the landscape and land use.
In Mississippi, wild hogs are considered a nuisance species. According to state law, the animals can legally be killed by landowners or leaseholders at any time of day or night with no weapon restriction on private lands.
