For several years, the damage caused by coyotes and feral hogs has steadily increased. Coyotes attack livestock, causing death and panic in herds. Wild hogs root through fields, eating whole crops before harvest.
Every year, experts estimate that Alabama farmers lose about $50 million to feral hog damage. While the Auburn’s School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences has commenced a study into hog removal and hog prevention, funded by a $450,000 grant, it could take them several years to find effective solutions.
To help reduce the problem and damages, Alabama has created a new hunting regulation that allows hunters night licenses for coyotes and feral hogs. While the night hunting license is only available from July to October, hunters can go after hogs every day of the year. Additionally, there are no limits on the number of hogs hunters can bag yearly. However, if hunters wish to stalk or stand hunt feral hogs on an Alabama Wildlife Management Area, they must have a management area permit, a hunting license, and a management area license.
Feral hogs are an invasive species, likely introduced by European settlers hundreds of years ago. This fast-breeding species has spread across at least 35 states throughout the centuries, with their range expanding regularly. Each swine has around two litters of up to 14 babies twice a year.
Although they prefer wooded areas, they can live in a wide range of habits, including farmland, marshes, swamps, and hardwood forests. Because these invasive species have no natural predators, it’s challenging to control their population. Additionally, they can eat an enormous variety of foods, which causes damage to agricultural crops and reduces the food supply for native species.
While coyotes cause significantly less damage yearly than feral hogs, they can still cause problems for local farmers and Alabama residents. Coyotes have been known to attack and eat livestock, and they also reduce the whitetail deer population. If small dogs or cats are left outdoors unsupervised around dawn or dusk, they could risk a deadly attack from a coyote. However, coyote attacks on humans are rare.
The new regulations allowing the hunting of coyotes and feral hogs at night won’t remove the problems caused by these predators, particularly those created by the hogs. However, the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries hope that these regulations, in tandem with the research projects undertaken at Auburn University, reduce the damages and help farmers protect their crops and livestock more effectively.
