Warden Wire: Hunters: See or shoot a feral pig?
The DNR wants to hear from you if you see a feral pig during the upcoming nine-day gun deer season – or if you shoot a feral pig. But, before you shoot it, please make sure it is a feral pig and not someone’s domestic pig running loose. You may be liable for replacement costs if you shoot a domestic pig.
Feral pigs have been reported in about two-thirds of Wisconsin for roughly a dozen years. These are wild animals. They’re incredible rooters, known to be highly destructive to the land and crops as they search for food. They’re also efficient predators of deer fawns and nesting birds. And these pigs can carry diseases that may threaten humans and the domestic swine industry.
Feral pigs can be hunted year-round – EXCEPT on the Friday before the nine-day gun deer season starts. That’s November 16 this year. Feral pig hunting hours are the same as for deer during the nine-day gun deer season, November 17 – 25. During the rest of the year, there is no bag limit nor any hunting hour restriction for feral pigs.
Landowners may shoot feral pigs on their property without a license. If you are not on your land, you will need a valid small game license, sport license or a patron license to shoot a feral pig – and have the landowner permission if you want to shoot a feral pig on private property.
To see what a feral pig looks like, and learn how to report online, visit this DNR website: