WAYNEDALE OUTDOORS Q & A

Q – I hear a lot about wild boar in some surrounding states; do we have wild boar in Indiana?
A – Yes, and the wild hogs are posing an environmental threat in Indiana. By following the law we can help control them.

In order to help control and reduce environmentally destructive wild hog populations in Indiana, regulations were passed by the Indiana Natural Resource Commission in November 2010. The regulations include the following:
It is illegal for a person to import or possess a live wild hog in Indiana, except under stringent exemptions.

Resident landowners or other individuals with written permission can take (capture or shoot) wild hogs on the landowner’s property at any time without a permit.
The regulation removes the ability for giving economic or any other type of compensation for providing recreational opportunities to hunt wild hogs and requires captured wild hogs to be killed immediately or transported, in a container of sufficient strength preventing escape, to where they will be killed immediately.

“Wild hogs” are called many different names such as wild pigs, wild boar or feral pigs. The names all refer to non-native swine and various hybrids that have either been illegally released or were formerly domestic pigs that were allowed to become feral. They pose problems in many states, including Indiana.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources, in cooperation with the USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services and the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH), is working with landowners impacted by wild hogs by providing technical information to control wild hog populations.

The DNR, BOAH, and USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services; however, as policy, do not provide information on where to hunt wild hogs in Indiana. This practice is part of the DNR’s cooperative work with landowners.

To help control this environmental threat, if you see feral or wild hogs, report the approximate location and number of hogs observed by contacting one of the following:

•USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services, (765) 404-0382; joe.n.caudell@aphis.usda.gov
•DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife, dfw@dnr.IN.gov 
•BOAH at (877) 747-3038; animalhealth@boah.IN.gov
•Individuals observing the illegal possession, importation, or release of wild hogs should contact DNR Law Enforcement at 1-800-TIP-IDNR.

Wild hogs cause extensive damage to agricultural crops, are a source of disease for domestic livestock, and will prey on young livestock and small animals. Wild hogs may carry a number of diseases that can also infect people, and contaminate human food sources and water supplies. Wild hogs have also been known to destroyed residential lawns, landscaping, golf courses, and rural cemeteries.

Wild hogs also threaten native wildlife and their habitats.

•They eat the eggs and young of ground nesting animals, including many songbirds, quail, wild turkey, and rabbits.
•They destroy wetlands and water resources, including amphibian and reptile habitat.
•Their habit of rooting causes serious damage to habitat management practices to develop nesting cover and annual food plots.
•Their rooting and wallowing destroys native plants, flowers, and mushrooms.
A coordinated effort will help control this environmental threat.