Two Texas House committees recently met on controlling Texas’ feral hog population, which is estimated at 2.6 million—the largest feral hog population in the nation. Feral hogs cause agricultural losses of more than $52 million a year, reports the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
In recent years, the Texas Legislature has passed or tried to pass legislation aimed at reducing the rapidly growing feral hog population, including the 2011 bill that allows shooting wild pigs from helicopters. The commonly called “chopper law” has not worked as intended.
“We need to focus on selective control rather than eradication because it’s not going to work,” said Dee Ellis, executive director and state veterinarian at the Texas Animal and Health Commission.
Rep. Drew Springer, a member of the Agriculture & Livestock Committee, said he hopes either or both panels draft workable recommendations for the Legislature because feral hogs are a serious problem.