Missouri has made major progress in its battle against feral hogs, reporting an 84% reduction in feral hog occupancy across state watersheds since 2016. This milestone reflects the success of the Missouri Feral Hog Elimination Partnership, a coordinated effort of 18 state and federal agencies led by the Missouri Department of Conservation and funded through the USDA Farm Bill’s Feral Swine Control Program.
In 2024 alone, 5,105 feral hogs were removed from Missouri watersheds via aerial removal and ground trapping—down from 7,880 the year prior, marking a 35% decline in removals and signaling fewer hogs on the landscape.
Kevin Crider, cooperative feral hog outreach educator with the University of Missouri Extension, says, “The trajectory is totally in the direction we want to see things moving.”
The program’s success is largely due to the collaboration with private landowners. In 2024, 609 “cooperators” worked with 48 elimination specialists who scouted nearly 4 million acres, primarily south of Interstate 44. As hog numbers fall, so has the number of landowners needing assistance—evidence the strategy is working.
Still, feral hogs remain a serious threat to Missouri’s agriculture, ecosystems, and public health. They damage farmland, native habitats, and infrastructure while also posing disease risks to commercial livestock. Reproducing quickly—often with two or three litters per year—feral hogs are difficult to eliminate entirely. They also avoid capture, especially after being pressured.
The partnership uses advanced technology such as drones with thermal imaging, GPS-tracking, and real-time camera-monitored traps like the HogEye system. Helicopters fly targeted missions from December to March based on night scouting efforts. Farmers may also borrow recovery equipment like no-till drills and harrows to rehabilitate damaged land.
With Missouri ranking second nationally in total farm numbers, Crider emphasizes, “Feral hogs are a problem Missouri ag producers cannot afford.”
Producers can report sightings or damage and request assistance by calling the Missouri Department of Conservation at 573-522-4115, ext. 3296, or visiting muext.us/FeralHogProject.
