The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will present the Big Bend Feral Hog Management Workshop on April 22 in Alpine.
The workshop will run from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at Kokernot Lodge at 1104 Loop Road. This program is made possible through funding provided by a County Feral Hog Abatement Grant through Texas Wildlife Services.
Three Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units – one integrated pest management and two general – will be offered for private, commercial and non-commercial applicators.
Onsite registration for the program will begin at 8 a.m., however an RSVP is needed by April 18 to the AgriLife Extension office for Brewster-Jeff Davis counties at 432-837-6207 to be included in the lunch sponsored by Capital Farm Credit.
“The Big Bend region of Texas is unique and differs geographically from the rest of the state,” said Luke Hendryx, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent, Brewster-Jeff Davis counties.
Feral hogs transmit disease as well as compete with native wildlife for limited and fragile natural resources. The goal of the program is to provide research-based information, alongside hands-on demonstrations, to better assist landowners in their efforts to control feral hog populations in the Big Bend area.
“Brewster and Jeff Davis counties lie at the heart of the region and like other portions of Texas they suffer from infestation of feral hogs,” he said. “This invasive species negatively impacts our valuable natural resources. Our thin and valuable topsoil, as well as sparse vegetation, can be severely damaged by wild hogs.”
Feral hog topics, presenters
Workshop topics and presenters will include:
- Feral Hog Biology – Mikayla Killam, AgriLife Extension wildlife damage management program specialist, Bryan-College Station.
- Damage, Disease and Necropsy of Local Specimen – John Tomecek, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension wildlife specialist, Thrall.
- Control Methods and Trapping Demonstration – Adam Henry, wildlife damage management biologist, Texas Wildlife Services, Fort Worth.
The program will conclude with information about the feral hog abatement program and a Q&A session with the AgriLife Extension and Texas Wildlife Services specialists.
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