USDA Says Feral Hog Issue Moving Closer To Suburbs

If you live in the suburbs, feral hogs could soon be in your backyard.

News 9 reported last week about the hogs that were tearing up an Edmond neighborhood. The corn maze out by Pops has also become a causality of the problem that’s authorities say is now moving closer to the city.

Hovering just above the tree tops out near lake Arcadia, agents with the USDA, on Wednesday, were hunting feral hogs by helicopter. Between this and trapping it's becoming nearly a full-time endeavor.

“The northeast corner of Oklahoma County we’ve removed about 600 head so far this year,” said Scott Alls, Assistant Director of USDA Wildlife Services for Oklahoma.

The USDA's Wildlife Services has stepped in at the request of landowners.

“He’s been helping us tremendously,” said JC Goyle, who has a farm right outside the city limits.

Goyle has been farming this land since 1957, but didn't have a problem like this until recently.

“They did damage where you can’t see so I had to re-drill the whole field. Most of it they just rooted plumb up,” said Goyle.

So far this fall Goyle has had to plant his wheat field three times and after the hogs came in again last night he'll have to do again.

“It’s just discouraging what it is, you work and work,” he said. “I had to work that field all summer to keep the weeds down. It’s just kind of discouraging.”

Goyle says the USDA is helping him build some traps. And he feels like the aerial hunting is doing some good. But as the hogs reproduce and move closer into the city controlling them may get more difficult.

“All of a sudden these have become quite suburban on us and that opens up a whole new host of problems,” said Alls. 

Wildlife Services says if you do have a wild hog problem you can call them. Their number is (405) 421-5039.