Feral hogs in Montana? It sounds farfetched but it is a real worry for some. To the north, in Canada, residents of the prairie provinces have been dealing with these feral hogs for over 35 years. Despite all of the Canadians efforts, there seems to have been no progress made in containing them. Likewise, Texas and other southern states have millions of wild hogs roaming the countryside and destroying crops as they go.
Hogs in Montana
The main concern is that if the hogs were able to take root in Montana they would wreak havoc on the ecosystem and native wildlife. They destroy croplands, wetlands, and swamps, even golf courses are not safe from the hog’s never-ending quest for food. The feral hogs are also known to carry upwards of 80 different diseases and parasites that can be transmitted to other animals. As a result, Montana keeps a close eye on its northern border and takes feral pig reports seriously. Last year we at ehuntr covered a similar story about the hogs making a push for Montana. You can check out that article here.
Canadian Wild Hog Problems
Canada’s pig problem started back in the 1980s when Russian boars and European pigs escaped, mingled, and spread. Since then, little has stopped the numbers from growing. Feral hogs are nothing if not adaptable. Handling the heat of the southern states and the frigid Canadian winters with almost ease. On top of that, most predators don’t seem to be willing to attack them consistently. Now, a hungry grizzly will surely attack a feral hog if hungry enough, but there is always an easier food source as well. Despite the USDA and Montana state officials working more closely with Canada on the issue, Canada’s program to control them seems to be lacking.
A few states have had success controlling the hog’s expansion into new areas. Both Oregon and Colorado have had to deal with feral pigs in the last decade. Both of these states took a very aggressive approach and were quick to deal with them before they got out of control. However, even with the aggressive tactics it still took Colorado almost 15 years and Oregon 10 to get them controlled. If you let the pigs have free range for too long you will most likely end up in a situation similar to Canada. Herds of feral hogs running wild over the landscape.
Montana currently participates in the Squeal on Pigs program. Anyone who sees a free-ranging swine is encouraged to call 406-444-2976. Readers can also find more information by checking out the Squeal on Pigs website by clicking here.
