Location
Orange Beach, AL
Start Date
1-3-2017 11:30 AM
Description
Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are an invasive nonnative species brought to the United States in the 1500s by Spanish explorers. Because wild pigs are habitat generalists and in combination with high fecundity rates, translocation by humans, dispersal from shooting preserves, and movement through populations, wild pigs can be found in 42 of the 50 states. They are considered the most abundant free-ranging exotic ungulate in the United States. Because wild pigs are expanding throughout the United States each year, there are more opportunities for landowners/outfitters to sell wild pig hunts on their property. The southeast holds the largest continuous distribution of wild pigs is the US. Because of this distribution in the southeast, our objective was to quantify the number of outfitters offering wild pig hunts in the southeastern states and to contact outfitters to learn how effective their operations are in controlling wild pig populations. To determine the number of guided and non-guided wild pig hunting outfitters in 12 Southeastern states (Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi) and 2 northern states (Ohio and Pennsylvania), we conducted internet searches to locate contact information for advertised outfitters. Data collection included county and state in which they operate, hunters served, hunter success, outfitters fees, pig sightings and other information. Data on the number of wild pig hunting outfitters in the southeast will give us a better understanding as to how many outfitters offer wild pig hunting opportunities and information on their operation and possible impacts (biological and economic).
Recommended Citation
Todd, Charles T. and Mengak, Michael T., "Wild Pig Hunting Outfitters in the Southeast" (2017). Wildlife Damage Management Conference. 1.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/wdmconference/2017/posters/1
Wild Pig Hunting Outfitters in the Southeast
Orange Beach, AL
Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are an invasive nonnative species brought to the United States in the 1500s by Spanish explorers. Because wild pigs are habitat generalists and in combination with high fecundity rates, translocation by humans, dispersal from shooting preserves, and movement through populations, wild pigs can be found in 42 of the 50 states. They are considered the most abundant free-ranging exotic ungulate in the United States. Because wild pigs are expanding throughout the United States each year, there are more opportunities for landowners/outfitters to sell wild pig hunts on their property. The southeast holds the largest continuous distribution of wild pigs is the US. Because of this distribution in the southeast, our objective was to quantify the number of outfitters offering wild pig hunts in the southeastern states and to contact outfitters to learn how effective their operations are in controlling wild pig populations. To determine the number of guided and non-guided wild pig hunting outfitters in 12 Southeastern states (Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi) and 2 northern states (Ohio and Pennsylvania), we conducted internet searches to locate contact information for advertised outfitters. Data collection included county and state in which they operate, hunters served, hunter success, outfitters fees, pig sightings and other information. Data on the number of wild pig hunting outfitters in the southeast will give us a better understanding as to how many outfitters offer wild pig hunting opportunities and information on their operation and possible impacts (biological and economic).