Dangerous Animal Encounters – Section 3.5.4 Hoofed Mamals: Feral Hogs
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I live in Texas and we have a serious feral hog problem down here. They are everywhere. I grew up hearing warnings from my father about just how dangerous they can be which is why I have decided to include them here.
Pest or threat?
As an adult I have mostly found the information that I was taught as a child about feral hogs to be false. I encounter feral hogs on my land relatively often. Sometimes single hogs and other times, groups of hogs. When I see them they always run from me, or perhaps if it’s a bold pig it’ll just get up and slowly amble off. I have never witnessed a feral hog acting aggressively toward a human. They are very intelligent creatures and are generally hunted or trapped heavily across their ranges, leading them to avoid humans.
Feral hogs are powerful and they certainly have the capability to injure humans if they wanted to. I’m sure there are scenarios where they act aggressively, but I can’t think of any, other than being wounded or protecting their piglets. Even so, in these scenarios I would still expect them to run off.
How to fend off a feral hog
If you come across a feral hog that doesn’t immediately run from you I recommend you use an old cowboy technique, raise your arms up over your head, clap loudly and yell at them. That should do it.
