JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - In an effort to protect Mississippi’s agriculture from nuisance wild hogs, Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner Andy Gipson announced ‘The Commissioner’s Wild Hog Challenge'.
The Commissioner’s Wild Hog Challenge was initiated to raise awareness of wild hogs and their significant negative impact on agriculture.
Wild hogs cause more than $60 million in property damage in Mississippi each year damaging row crops, pastures, and forestlands. Wild hogs also carry harmful diseases and eat the eggs of many wildlife species.
“Wild hogs are destroying crops, pastures and forestlands all across the state. As part of the Wild Hog Challenge, I want the public to understand just how much these nuisance animals are costing our farmers and landowners,” said Commissioner Gipson.
Gipson invited the public to participate in the Challenge by uploading photos of wild hogs harvested and/or trapped between August 1 and September 30 to a new section of the department’s website. The harvest must take place on Mississippi agricultural lands such as row crops, pasture, and working timberland.
*Some of these images might be upsetting to some*
The following must be submitted to participate:
- Person’s name
- Date of harvest
- County of harvest
- Agriculture crop protected by harvest (corn, pasture, soybeans, peanuts, etc.)
- Acres of crops protected by harvest
- Number of wild hogs harvested
- High quality photo of harvest
- Photo of scale and wild hog showing weight of the animal (optional for entry into heaviest wild hog category)
Each participant in the challenge will be entered into a drawing for a wild hog trapping system donated by HogEye, a $6,000 value. In addition, the participant that provides evidence of the heaviest wild hog harvested will win his/her choice of a Ruger 350 Legend or a Diamondback 300 Blackout donated by Central Mississippi Friends of NRA, valued up to $775.
All rules and regulations pertaining to the take of nuisance animals in Mississippi must be followed.
Winners of the Commissioner’s Wild Hog Challenge will be announced during the Mississippi State Fair in October.
As of August 13, 138 hogs have been harvested and 25,422 acres of crops have been protected in 16 counties.