Tag Archives: feral hogs

Time for another warfarin update

Posted on November 17, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Not much effect on the feral hog population yet, but it’s still early days. Nine months after the Texas Department of Agriculture approved a new toxicant to curb crop-destroying feral hogs, many farmers and ranchers are still leery or unaware … Continue reading →

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Bringing back black bears

Posted on April 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Cool. It’s difficult to visualize these days, what with the light pollution, overdevelopment and sprawl that have come to define the greater Houston area, but the ground we now stand on was once the domain of 5’ 6” black bears. … Continue reading →

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Warfarin update

Posted on November 20, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Warfarin is a toxicant that has shown promise in reducing the feral hog population. A few years ago the Lege asked for a study on its effects before it could be approved for more general use. We now have the … Continue reading →

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The porkchopping experience

Posted on July 31, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Ever wonder what it’s like to hunt feral hogs with a machine gun from a helicopter? Well, here you go. Feral hogs have terrorized Houston neighborhoods for years, tearing up grass and causing property damage in search of food. But did you … Continue reading →

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The UH wildlife cameras

Posted on April 18, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I love stories like this. A duck waddled between the trees of Glenwood Cemetery, not far from where four University of Houston students tied their camera to a trunk. If the bird came closer to the lens, the device would … Continue reading →

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Hunting hogs from hot air balloons

Posted on December 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Not as popular as hoped. Turns out, hunting feral hogs from a hot air balloon is not all that popular in Texas. Three years after state lawmakers approved the high-flying hunts, no balloon company has gotten a permit, according to … Continue reading →

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House approves budget, and other news

Posted on March 31, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Always a major milestone. In Dennis Bonnen’s first major test as speaker of the Texas House, the chamber he oversees resoundingly passed a $251 billion budget Wednesday after a long but largely civil debate — a departure from the dramatics … Continue reading →

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Hogs in the city

Posted on March 18, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Too close, y’all. Too close. If you have noticed more feral hogs in your Houston-area neighborhood recently, you are not alone. Neighbors across the Greater Houston report the wild animals are more frequently making their way into their subdivisions and … Continue reading →

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Warning labels, schmarning labels

Posted on May 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Sid Miller, ladies and gentlemen, addressing the concerns of rancher Bruce Hunnicutt about the use of poison to try to control the feral hog population. Hunnicutt, 58, operates a hog hunting business on 30,000 acres — he owns 600 and … Continue reading →

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No more feral hog poison

Posted on April 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It was not to be. The manufacturer of a controversial bait used to kill feral hogs withdrew its state registration for the poison, putting Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller’s plans for a Texas “Hog Apocalypse” on hold. “We have received tremendous … Continue reading →

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Hog apocalypse update

Posted on April 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The poison plan for controlling feral hogs is set to be put on pause by the Legislature. A bill poised to pass the Texas House would amend the Texas Agriculture Code to prohibit the Department of Agriculture from registering, approving … Continue reading →

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Let’s have a study of that hog apocalypse first

Posted on March 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe we should figure out what the effects of poisoning feral hogs might be before we start poisoning them. Two bills from Texas lawmakers — state Rep. Lynn Stucky, R-Denton, and state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin — would require state … Continue reading →

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If you can’t porkchop ’em, poison ’em

Posted on March 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The war on feral hogs enters a new phase. At a Feb. 21 news conference in Austin, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced the agency had issued a rule that would allow Kaput Feral Hog Bait, a pesticide containing the … Continue reading →

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One way to approach the feral hog problem

Posted on February 21, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This has some promise. The Caldwell County Feral Hog Task Force, a volunteer group [Nick] Dornak started two years ago, is now at the forefront of the state’s patchwork effort to control the wild swine population boom that is hurting … Continue reading →

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Another kind of feral hog to worry about

Posted on December 12, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Texas now has a warthog problem. Over its 46-year history, the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area has been the site of a long list of achievements that cemented its reputation as the premier state-owned wildlife and wildlife habitat research, education and … Continue reading →

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Update on Radack’s feral hog plan

Posted on October 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

So far, so good. More than 100 hogs have been caught since July in a new Harris County Precinct 3 mitigation program designed to protect waterways and feed the poor by donating the meat of trapped pigs to the Houston … Continue reading →

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A poison plan for feral hogs?

Posted on June 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It could work, though probably not any time soon. A preservative used to cure bacon is being tested as poison for the nation’s estimated 5 million feral hogs. […] The USDA program that began in April includes $1.5 million for … Continue reading →

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Feral hogs cross the border

Posted on June 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

You can’t stop them, and hoping to contain them is not looking so likely, too. If nothing else, the voracious wild hogs that years ago destroyed the lucrative melon and cantaloupe harvests in this isolated border city — and are … Continue reading →

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Eat ’em all up

Posted on May 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It sure would be nice to think that we could solve our invasive species problems by eating them all, but we probably can’t. It seems like a simple proposition: American lakes, rivers and offshore waters are filling up with destructive … Continue reading →

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The feral hogs of Montgomery County

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Because three blog posts about feral hogs are better than two. Feral hogs – which some find more pesky than mosquitoes and more invasive than fire ants – are alive and well in Montgomery County. Officials in The Woodlands say … Continue reading →

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Friedman for feral hogs

Posted on April 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

As the man once said, Why the hell not? As meat prices rise, a candidate for agriculture commissioner is proposing beefing up the state’s program to harvest and market wild hog meat in a way he says will create jobs … Continue reading →

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Radack finally gets to implement his feral hog plan

Posted on April 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I can’t wait to see how well this works out. Locally sourced pork finally may be on the menu for needy Houston-area families as Harris County Precinct 3 launches its most ambitious effort yet to eradicate feral hogs damaging parkland … Continue reading →

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The feral hogs of Kingwood

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

They’re everywhere. Kingwood communities that are battling feral hogs could be in it for the long haul, experts say. The huge, fearless cousins of domestic pigs have been roaming through the affluent northern suburb for at least a month, said … Continue reading →

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The hogs keep winning

Posted on August 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Same old story. More than two decades into Texas’ ever escalating war against feral hogs, the wild swine continue gaining ground while Texas and the state’s native wildlife, plants and ecosystems lose it. Despite taking millions of casualties – an … Continue reading →

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We’re exporting feral hogs

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

You’re welcome, neighboring states. Feral pigs have already taken over Texas and are expanding their numbers in other states, but federal and state land managers think they have a chance to tip the balance in New Mexico. They’re willing to … Continue reading →

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Hog killin’ update

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Because I know you like to know about this sort of thing. After a competition to kill feral hogs left more than 1,000 of the destructive animals dead in Hays and Caldwell counties, plans are emerging to further control the … Continue reading →

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“Please don’t mow down the wildlife”

Posted on November 11, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, the new 85 MPH toll road is now open, and while it is largely free of traffic, there are other obstacles to watch out for. “That is a known pig route,” said Caldwell County Precinct 1 Constable … Continue reading →

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The hogs are winning

Posted on October 7, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

So many feral hogs. So much more needed to deal with them. Texas upped the ante in its battle with feral hogs a year ago when it passed a “pork choppers” law that allows recreational shooters to blast wild pigs … Continue reading →

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More porkchopping, please

Posted on September 3, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Apparently, shooting feral hogs from a helicopter isn’t as popular a pastime as you might think. “Number one, the cost is kind of limiting,” said Steve Lightfoot, a spokesman for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, explaining that interest has … Continue reading →

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If you can’t beat ’em, eat ’em

Posted on May 12, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Monthly proposes a way to deal with those bothersome invasive species. Keep your invasive species sweet; you may have to eat them. Late last week StateImpact Texasput together a list of the “Top Ten Invasive Species in Texas.” But what’s the best … Continue reading →

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Let the porkchopping begin!

Posted on September 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Are you ready for some death from above? “Pork choppers,” Texas’ newest weapon in the war on feral hogs, will take to the skies Thursday when it [became] legal for hunters to buy seats on hog-hunting helicopters and gun down … Continue reading →

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It’s pork-choppin’ time

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

At least one Texas industry is looking forward to better times. New legislation aimed at reducing Texas’ massive feral hog population also is expected to put some sizzle in the state’s helicopter services sector and create a new breed of … Continue reading →

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Death from above, Senate version

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Senate has approved the “pork chopper” bill, with some amendments. State Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, said there are more than 2 million feral hogs across the state. They used to be mostly a problem for rural landowners, but … Continue reading →

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Outdoors legislative update

Posted on April 14, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This is about the time of year when Shannon Thompkins, the Chron’s outdoor sports writer, devotes a column to what’s going on in the Legislature with bills that are about outdoor activities. I always look for them because he writes … Continue reading →

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