Missouri’s Feral Hog Crisis: 7 Shocking Reasons Landowners Can’t Ignore It

Have You Seen These Signs on Your Land?

Fields ripped open overnight. Muddy wallows along creeks. Trails rooted like a plowed garden. Food plots flattened beyond repair.

If you’ve noticed these destructive signs on your Missouri property, it’s not deer or turkeys. It’s feral hogs — one of the fastest-growing and most destructive threats to Missouri’s landowners, hunters, and wildlife managers.

Once thought of as a “Texas problem,” feral hogs are now taking hold across Missouri, spreading from the Ozarks to private farms and conservation lands. And unless action is taken now, Missouri could soon face the same devastation Texas suffers — over $500 million in damages every year.

7 Reasons Missouri’s Feral Hog Problem Is Exploding

1. They Destroy Everything in Their Path

Feral hogs act like rototillers on legs.

  • A single sounder (group of hogs) can destroy 10–20 acres in one night.

  • They uproot crops, pastures, and even forest seedlings.

  • Food plots for deer and turkey are trampled, seeds eaten, and soil structure ruined.

👉 Many landowners use fast-spreading seed blends from Amazon to reclaim rooted food plots quickly after hog damage.

2. They Spread Dangerous Diseases

Feral hogs aren’t just destructive — they’re a public health risk. They carry over 30 diseases and 40 parasites, many harmful to livestock, pets, and even humans.

Some of the worst include:

  • Brucellosis (infectious to cattle and people)

  • Pseudorabies (deadly to domestic swine)

  • Swine influenza (zoonotic potential)

  • Leptospirosis (human health risk)

👉 According to the USDA Feral Swine Program, disease transmission is one of the main reasons eradication is a national priority.

3. They Reproduce at Alarming Rates

  • A sow can have 2–3 litters per year.

  • Each litter produces 4–12 piglets.

  • Piglets can reproduce at 6 months old.

This means feral hog populations can double in less than a year. Even removing 70% of the population annually may not stop growth.

👉 Casual hog hunting won’t solve the problem. Only trapping whole sounders and coordinated removal programs work.

4. They Outcompete Missouri’s Native Wildlife

Feral hogs are aggressive omnivores. They eat:

  • Acorns (critical food for deer and turkey)

  • Insects, reptiles, and small mammals

  • Eggs and chicks of ground-nesting birds (quail, turkey, waterfowl)

By consuming food sources and flattening habitats, hogs are forcing Missouri’s native wildlife into direct competition for survival.

5. The Cost to Landowners Is Skyrocketing

Nationwide, feral hogs cause $1.5 billion in annual agricultural losses. Missouri’s share grows larger every year.

Damage includes:

  • Torn-up food plots and crop fields

  • Ruined soybean and corn stands

  • Pasture destruction

  • Fence damage requiring constant repair

👉 Landowners often invest in heavy-duty gloves and game drags for cleanup after trapping — inexpensive but essential tools for hog management.

6. They Threaten Missouri’s Water Quality

Hogs wallow in streams, ponds, and wetlands, causing:

  • Erosion of streambanks

  • Siltation of ponds

  • Bacterial contamination from feces

This doesn’t just harm wildlife — it also threatens livestock watering systems and even human water supplies.

👉 Setting up trail cameras near creeks and ponds can help landowners monitor hog wallows and activity before water quality becomes compromised.

7. Missouri Is Running Out of Time

Here’s the hard truth:

  • Texas has 3 million+ hogs and no hope of eradication.

  • Missouri is still at a tipping point where eradication is possible.

👉 The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and USDA are actively trapping sounders across the state, but they need landowner cooperation.

MDC urges hunters and landowners to report sightings and avoid casual hog hunting, since scattering sounders makes the problem worse.

📌 Report feral hog sightings: MDC Official Feral Hog Page

Recommended Gear for Missouri Landowners

If you’re noticing feral hog activity on your land, these tools can help you detect, monitor, and repair damage while waiting for MDC trappers:

What Missouri Landowners Can Do

  • Report sightings to MDC immediately.

  • Allow professional trappers access to your land.

  • Educate neighbors about why hog hunting often spreads the problem.

  • Stay vigilant for signs of rooting, wallowing, or crop destruction.

For national guidance, visit the USDA Feral Swine Program.

Final Thoughts

Feral hogs are more than a nuisance — they’re an ecological, agricultural, and public health crisis. Missouri still has a chance to avoid the fate of Texas, but only if hunters, farmers, and landowners take action now.

👀 Have you seen feral hogs on your land?
Drop a comment below and share your experience. Your report could help protect Missouri’s farms, forests, and wildlife.