Wild Pigs

Wild pigs in the Glade! So what are these things and what the heck are they doing here? It is an interesting story (at least to me).

What are these things? All of the wild pigs today are either 1-Eurasian (Russian) wild boars, 2-domestic pigs that have become feral, or 3-hybrids of the two. Russian boars, wild pigs, razorbacks, feral hogs….they are all the same species. In this article I may call them any these things, but remember they are basically all the same animal. They can be black, brown, red, white, spotted or striped. They can grow to several hundred pounds, but most average just a little over a hundred pounds and stand up to 3 feet tall at the shoulder. Most experts agree that there are probably few, if any, pure Russian wild boars left…they have all interbred with feral hogs. The majority of the bloodlines are from domestic pigs gone wild. But make no mistake about it…they don’t resemble the fat pink pig you saw at the county fair. These wild guys have adapted to a life on the run. I encountered two in Arkansas once while fly fishing and when they saw me they ran away and jumped logs as gracefully as a deer. By the way, I took the picture here of a stuffed wild pig at the Tennessee Wildlife Management Agency (TWMA) office in Crossville.

How did wild pigs get to Fairfield Glade? Pigs are not native to North America. Like House Sparrows and Starlings they are imports. They were probably first brought to America by the Spanish explorer DeSoto in about 1539. Later, in the early 1900’s, Eurasian Wild Boars were imported into North Carolina and some other states for hunting in fenced hunting preserves. In the many years since then both domestic pigs and Russian Boars either escaped or were allowed to run wild and they established free-ranging wild populations. Early settlers allowed their pigs to forage freely in the woods and then they rounded them up from time to time to ear mark them or to butcher them. Not all returned to the farm on cue. According to Jim Zimmerman at the TWRA, wild pigs were released in Catoosa Wildlife Management Area for hunting years ago, but probably not since the 1950’s. It is interesting that in Tennessee there is a technical difference (not a physical difference) between a wild boar and a feral hog. Officially, a “wild boar” is any pig on Catoosa or one of a couple of other Wildlife Management Areas (WMA). If that same “wild boar” steps over the line onto private property it is now technically considered a “feral hog” with an open hunting season and no limits on the number that you may shoot. Theoretically, with a little corn and a little “here piggy piggy” you could entice one out of Catoosa and have him for lunch. I hear that they are very tasty.

Are they dangerous? I went to some experts for this question. I talked to Jim Zimmerman and Mark Lipner at TWRA as well as a ranger in the GSMNP. All said that wild pigs will run from humans; they will not attack. Now if you pick up a piglet or corner an adult pig with no way to escape you could get bitten or slashed with their razor sharp tusks. But then the same might happen with your neighbor’s poodle. So don’t be worried about any crazy stories of wild boar attacks.

Are there many around? Wild pig populations are growing…quickly. Fifteen years ago it was estimated that there were 1-2 million in the U.S. Now the estimate is over 4 million. They are found in 40 states and expanding. In Tennessee they are especially a big problem in the Smokies where they compete with native deer and bear for available food. There are plenty on the Cumberland Plateau, particularly in and surrounding Catoosa WMA.

What do they eat? Pigs are omnivorous; they will eat anything, including acorns, berries, fruit, roots, worms, grubs, beetles, and agricultural crops. They love corn and cause tremendous damage where crops are grown. They will even eat ground nesting birds and fawns. Golfers in Fairfield Glade have seen the traps for pigs on Heatherhurst. Steve Kraft, FFG head golf pro, said the pigs sometimes tear up the fairways rooting for grubs. They recently have done some damage on the Brae course on holes 15 & 16.

How can you spot some? You will have a difficult time seeing any wild pigs because they avoid humans and they often come out only at dusk, dawn, or at night. Although their eyesight isn’t great, their hearing, and especially their sense of smell, is excellent. Wild pigs almost always sense you and are gone without you even knowing that they were anywhere near. Your best chances to spot wild pigs is in wet areas around creeks. Mark Lipner at TWRA said that the Otter Creek drainage area is as good an area as any to look for pigs or pig signs.

What does all of this mean to you? Unless wild pigs tear up your lawn or dine on your favorite hole on Heatherhurst you probably won’t run into any pig issues. Although it hasn’t been a problem yet, a bigger threat could be the transmission of a couple of diseases to domestic livestock. Going forward, more effective wild pig control methods will be needed or we will begin to see effects. I am sure you will hear more about feral hogs in the future. In the meantime wild pigs are just another part of the nature around us here in Fairfield Glade. Enjoy it!