Feral swine have become a concern across Oklahoma because of their expanding numbers and the damage they inflict to the landscape. Feral swine have been detected in 70 of the state's 77 counties, but they are most prevalent across the southern parts of Oklahoma. They are also most active at night.
Feral hogs congregate in "sounders," as the large groups are called. Each sounder can tear up several acres every night looking for food, which can include cropland, pastures, golf courses, and even residential lawns. They will eat about 4 percent of their body weight daily.
Besides the destruction of property, other concerns about feral swine are:
- Population growth: Feral swine have high reproductive potential, and piglets become sexually active at about 6 months old. An estimated 600,000 to 1.5 million feral swine are in Oklahoma.
- Disease transmission: Feral swine can be infected with brucellosis and leptospirosis, which can be passed to people. Pseudorabies are found in about one-third of the feral swine population. This disease can spread to dogs, cattle, goats, and sheep. Feral hogs also can carry and transmit many other diseases.
- Threat to wildlife: Native species are being stressed by the activities of feral swine. They compete for food resources that also support deer, raccoons, black bears, and opossums. Wildlife can contract many diseases from feral swine. Feral swine have few natural predators, and in some cases, the feral swine have begun pursuing wild animals as prey items.
Resources
For more information on the feral hog in Oklahoma, please check out the link below from Russell Stevens of the Noble Research Institute.
The Oklahoma Department of Ag, Food, and Forestry (ODAFF) regulates feral hogs in Oklahoma except for hunting and trapping.
Trapping Information
- Feral Hog Corral Trap from Texas A&M Agrilife
- Mississippi State's Landowner Guide for Wild Pig Management
Night Shooting Exemptions
- Only a deed-holding landowner (or a designee with written landowner permission) can register a property for a night-shooting exemption. The exemption procedure provides immediate approval for a landowner (or a designee with written landowner permission) to shoot feral hogs on the property at night.
- A landowner shooting feral swine on his property at night must carry his exemption number. Anyone else shooting feral swine at night is required to carry the property's exemption number and written permission from the landowner or the landowner's single designee. Rules are more stringent during the 16-day deer gun season. During this time, only the landowner or their written designee can night shoot on the property listed on their exemption, and he or she is required to provide some type of advanced notification to the local game warden. The advanced notification can be by text message, voicemail, or email. Family members (parents, children, grandchildren, sons-in-law, and daughters-in-law) can assist an exemption holder. At least one person in the group must have a copy of the exemption while night shooting.
- Feral hog night-shooting exemptions are available online.
Obtaining your Exemption
- Visit our online licensing system to obtain a hog permit.
- You will need to log in to your customer account, click purchase licenses, and select "Specialty".
- Game Warden Directory for Private Land Night Hunting Exemption
- For questions, or concerns relating to a night hunting exemption use our online contact form.