Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, s-byrns@tamu.edu
Contact: Mark Tyson, 979-845-4698, Mark.Tyson@ag.tamu.edu
COLLEGE STATION – For many farmers and ranchers, it may seem as though feral hogs are well on their way to taking over the country. But now at least, the new app, Feral Hog Management, developed by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, is here to help landowners learn the legal strategies available to impede this apparently unending flow of unwanted porcine invaders.
“Feral hogs are fast becoming the number one single most destructive invasive species threatening agriculture and wildlife in the U.S.,” said Mark Tyson, AgriLife Extension wildlife and fisheries associate at College Station. “They contribute to poor water quality issues, disturb native ecosystems, and wreak havoc on landscapes and gardens. Their growing numbers are now making them a menace on our roadways, with collision damage often exceeding several thousands of dollars per incident.
“Even as they become ‘public enemy No. 1,’ their population relentlessly continues to explode. In Texas alone, their numbers are now estimated at a conservative 2.6 million head, with $52 million in damages chalked-up to them annually. And, with an estimated 134 million acres of suitable habitat in Texas for feral hogs, their skyrocketing numbers are ripe for some major expansion.”
For 99 cents, Tyson said the AgriLife Extension app, available at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/feral-hog-management/id784847089?mt=8, provides landowners with the key to a wealth of the very best information now available on various control measures.
“This app, which is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch, gathers years of science-based information and field experience from a host of sources into a single easy-to-use format right at your fingertips,” Tyson said. “The app provides valuable features, notably control methods like snare-building and strategic shooting, as well as bait recipes and trap design. The visuals are outstanding, with the vivid photographs providing users with the detailed examples many of us need to help us further understand the management practices outlined.
“With the information in this app alone, a landowner could conceivably identify, plan, and implement a highly effective feral hog management plan to rid his property of feral hogs and, with vigilance, keep it hog-free.”
For more information, contact Tyson at 979-845-4698, or Mark.Tyson@ag.tamu.edu .
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