By Gary McCoy
Two words best describe the feral problem that we are facing in Louisiana and the rest of the country: "Grave Threat"
In fact, the USDA says there are two types of landowners in Louisiana.
Those who have hogs
Those who will have hogs
It was about this time three years ago, in May of 2018, feral hogs were absolutely destroying the golf course at East Ridge Country Club in Southeast Shreveport.
That was just one example of the destruction these swine are capable of. In fact, according to an article from Mississippi Wildlife and Fisheries,
“According to a USDA study, wild hogs can be blamed for $1.5 billion in damages every year in the United States. The feeding habits of wild hogs make them particularly destructive to crops, woodland habitats, levees, moist soil units, golf courses, and right of ways.”
Did you grasp that? That's BILLION, with a B, $1.5 billion in damages every year. And it doesn't appear we're making any progress in lessening that at all.
In Louisiana alone, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, over $75 million in yearly damages are attributed to these "rooter tooters."