Despite Decades of Battle, Texas Is Still Losing The Hog War

If there is one animal more resilient than any other, it's the humble pig. First brought to this continent in 1539 by a Spanish pig farmer named Hernando de Soto. Spoiler alert... It's literally all that guys fault. Over the course of 477 years, Hernando's original thirteen pigs have turned into an estimated five million wild hogs in the USA alone.

And the hits just keep on coming. Not only are they growing and breeding at a staggering rate, there's no realistic way to slow them down. They will continue until the population can no longer sustain, then most likely we'll share in some of the fallout. That's how nature works.

The US Dept of Wildlife has stated that to control the current populations, hunters would need to kill 70% of the population each year. Keep in mind, that's not a 'solve the problem' statistic... that's a 'keep it as it is now' estimate.

While there are hogs across most Southern, Plains, and Western US states, Texas probably has the biggest problem with these vermin. They tear up the lands, leaving ruined crops in their wake. Think of them like 400 pound rabbits. They eat everything in sight and reproduce on some of the shortest gestation periods in all the animal world.

There is hope though, and it has everything to do with things like guns and helicopters... Or rather, shooting guns out of helicopters.

It looks like a bunch of fun and savagery. If you're pockets are that deep, be a part of the solution. I know everyone would want to.