Most states consider wild hogs to be nuisance animals, and Missouri is no exception. Like most states, you can shoot as many wild hogs as you want in Missouri. Most wild hogs are in southern states, but there are some wild hogs in Missouri. The Springfield area has them as they are mostly in the southern part of the state.
History
Wild boars were brought to the United States by the Spanish in the 1600s for food, and over time escaped and have developed and spread since then. The British later, in the 1800s, brought more boars for hunting and they joined the wild herd.
Colonists and settlers brought domestic pigs, and they often were allowed to roam free. These animals have also become wild and inhabit forests. These pigs are called Feral hogs.
Wild hogs are one of the two, or a combination of the two, as the two have interbred. Wild hogs in Missouri fall into the category of combination of the two, Missouri State Wildlife officials say.
Rules
The State of Missouri considers hogs nuisance animals, but also considers them game animals. The hog season is open year-round except during the fall deer and turkey seasons.
There is no limit to how many hogs you may kill. You must have a basic hunting license unless you are a property owner killing them on your own land.
The reason hogs are seen as a nuisance is that they multiply rapidly and have no natural predator. They destroy crops and wildlife habitat, kill small animals and spread disease to other animals. Whether they spread disease to humans is still being debated.
Public Land
The Mark Twain National Forest has 1.5 million acres, miles of trails, 14 streams and 16 lakes. The forest has developed campgrounds and primitive camping areas. Camping is allowed in designated areas in the wilderness.
Much of the land is remote wilderness, just the kind of place you might find a wild hog. Hunting is permitted following normal Missouri seasons and limits.
There are also public hunting areas to the south and in Arkansas, which is not far away. Missouri does not allow hunting in its state parks, but does in most nationally managed public areas.
Guided hunts
Hog hunting is not as popular in Missouri as other types of animal hunting, but it is catching on. More and more outfitters are offering boar hunts in their selection of hunting trips.
Guides will put you in the best position to make a kill, and will help you get your animal out of the woods. A boar can weigh 300 pounds, though most adults are around 250 pounds. Most guide services will also help with processing the meat.
Meals and lodging are often part of the services offered. Most guides in the area are based in or around the Mark Twain National Forest.
Methods
There are three basic ways to hunt hogs.
The easiest is to wait in a stand for a hog to come by and take your best shot. The area is often baited and in an area where hogs are known to be.
A second method is stalking, which is scouting and tracking down the animal. This is a bit more of a challenge. You have to find the animal in the woods and get into a position to have a good shot.
A third way is more exciting and more dangerous. This method uses dogs to find and chase down the animal. The dogs corner the animal and the hunter moves in to make a kill at close range. Hogs are very aggressive and will attack humans, so this method should be used with caution.
Tags: wild hogs, animal woods, down animal, hogs Missouri, hogs nuisance