LITTLE ROCK, AR – Feral hogs have an estimated population of between four and five million across the United States and are responsible for millions of dollars in damage each year to agriculture and other property. It is estimated that feral hogs are now in every county in Arkansas. The Arkansas Feral Hog Eradication Task Force was established by the Arkansas General Assembly in 2017 for the purpose of creating a plan for the eradication of feral hogs in Arkansas. Task force members include a broad range of stakeholders that have an interest in eradicating feral hogs. A full list of task force members can be found, here.
An anonymous reporting system has also been established help measure feral hog removal efforts currently taking place in Arkansas and to help better estimate the state’s feral hog population. These easily accessible reporting forms are available to report wild hogs killed, here, or wild hogs sighted, here, and can be completed within minutes whenever feral hogs are removed or seen within the state.
A feral hog eradication awareness campaign is also planned for the coming months, to include fact sheets and resources specific to different groups of landowners affected by the feral hog problem. This campaign will eventually be assisted with the release of a Feral Hog Control Handbook that will provide information about feral hogs, assistance programs, regulations, contact information for hunters and trappers, and other resources to help landowners control hogs on private land.
“Eradication of feral hogs in Arkansas will require the hard work of a broad range of stakeholders and the Arkansas Feral Hog Eradication Task Force has been working diligently over the past year to address problems and find solutions for the growing threat that feral hogs pose to our state,” says Arkansas Agriculture Secretary and Task Force Chairman Wes Ward.
Task force members and partners are also in the process of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to ensure that eradication efforts continue.
Find additional information about the task force as well as information about feral hogs and other resources, here. To receive updates or request information from the task force please contact Adriane Barnes at Adriane.barnes@arkansas.gov.
The Arkansas Agriculture Department (AAD) is a member agency of the Arkansas Feral Hog Eradication Task Force. The AAD is dedicated to the development and implementation of policies and programs for Arkansas agriculture and forestry to keep its farmers and ranchers competitive in national and international markets while ensuring safe food, fiber, and forest products for the citizens of the state and nation. Visit www.agriculture.arkansas.gov