Hunters sought to kill wild hogs on Georgia farms

Wild hogs can wreak havoc on a farm.

They tear up roots, trample crops, devour the yield and eat away at the growers’ earnings.

“Feral hogs are known for causing extensive damage,” Mark Williams, Georgia Department of Natural Resources commissioner, said in a news release.

Georgia is launching a new Hunters Helping Farmers program to allow for hunting of wild hogs on private land.

Packs of boars and feral pigs often destroy fields of rice, sorghum, wheat, corn, soybeans, peanuts, potatoes, watermelon and cantaloupe.

Environmentalists have concerns about bacterial contamination of waterways and sedimentation problems from the hogs that can also carry disease, including brucellosis and pseudo rabies.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture is partnering with the Department of Natural Resources to match farmers having hog problems with licensed hunters who can go after the animals year-round.

“It is a natural fit to connect hunters and farmers together to try and help solve this growing problem,” Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black said in the release. “In no way will this be a silver bullet but hopefully one small way we can help assist in this huge issue for our farmers.”

The program invites farmers and growers to register at www.agr.georgia.gov.

“By matching a hunter who is looking for additional hunting opportunities, with a landowner who needs help dispatching feral hogs, we hope to provide some relief to those who are suffering from this problem,” Williams said.

Farmers will be given contact information for hunters in their area and will call to schedule hunts.

The landowner can set guidelines for the type of weapons or traps that will be permitted on the property. Rights also may be granted to hunt other wildlife on the land, but hunters must abide by regulations and declared hunting seasons.

Anyone with a valid hunting license can kill an unlimited number of wild hogs all year long under the program. People born after Jan. 1, 1961, must take a hunter’s education course to get a license.

The hogs can be processed at a facility licensed by the Department of Agriculture, but the meat cannot be sold or donated.

To contact writer Liz Fabian, call 744-4303.

This story was originally published October 17, 2014 at 12:28 PM with the headline "Hunters sought to kill wild hogs on Georgia farms ."