Hog Hunting in AL

Feral hogs are designated a game animal by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, meaning the animals can be hunted throughout the year without limits on the amount of hogs killed. The spread of feral hogs that has taken place in Alabama since the 1980s has led to feral hogs being a major nuisance animal in the state.

  1. Hogs

    • Feral hogs are not native to Alabama. They were introduced by Spanish explorers soon after Europeans discovered North America. Throughout the history of Alabama feral hogs were limited in range to a small area of southwestern Alabama, the population of feral hogs exploded in the 1980s, leading to a spread of the animals into almost every county of the state by 2011. Feral hogs spread across Alabama because of the high breeding rates. Hogs can produce litters of around eight. Feral hogs have no natural predators in Alabama and are omnivorous, meaning they eat animals and plants depending on which are abundant during a season. When foraging for roots and grubs in winter, feral hogs can cause large amounts of damage to the land they inhabit.

    Hunting

    • To hunt feral hogs in Alabama, you need only a small game license or an all game license to hunt hogs throughout the year. There is no closed season for hunting hogs, however hogs can only be hunted during daylight hours, Horn Swamp Online reports. Options for hunting include bow and rifle hunting, trapping and hunting with dogs. When trapping takes place the Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources requires that feral hogs be euthanized at the trapping location to avoid release of the animals into other territories.

    Permits

    • A wildlife damage permit can be obtained by property owners who are affected by large feral hog populations causing damage to a property. A property owner must apply for a wildlife damage permit, followed by an investigation by the Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. If the feral hog population is deemed to be causing large amounts of damage to a property the property owner is awarded a wildlife damage permit, which allows the property owner to hunt hogs during the night and use bait for hunting. Bait hunting is not permitted in areas open to turkey and deer during hunting seasons.

    Types

    • Hunting with a bow requires that the hog be hunted with an arrow shot between the shoulder blades to ensure a humane kill. Shooting with a rifle requires a head shot to ensure the hog is killed humanely. Trapping is the most cost effective way to hunt feral hogs, according to the Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Hunting with traps can include different types of doors, which include guillotine style falling door and a swinging door with heavy springs to close the door.