HAYS COUNTY, Texas – Wednesday marked the beginning of Hays County's feral hog bounty program, which was developed to curb the growing hog problem in the county.
Hunters can receive $5 for every feral hog they kill with a maximum payment of $500. The program will run through Aug. 22.
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The tails must be of hogs that were harvested in Hays County.
People can submit tails and forms to the Hays County AgriLife Extension Office at 220 Stillwater Drive on Wednesdays. Business hours are from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Paperwork that must be completed before payment is dispersed can be found on the Central Texas Feral Hog Task Force website.
The feral hog bounty is made possible through a grant from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Wildlife Services.
Hays County officials will hold a feral hog workshop on Aug. 15 at the Dunbar Recreation Center at 801 W. MLK St. in San Marcos from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Residents can learn more about efforts to control the hog population in Hays County during the workshop.
Why are feral hogs a problem?
"Feral hogs are a problem in Texas that impact water quality in our creeks and rivers, as well as cause financial loss to agricultural production. Texas is home to an estimated 3 million feral hogs. Lacking sweat glands, hogs seek out shelter along Texas creeks and rivers, which can result in contamination of those waterways, such as Cypress Creek. Also, hog rooting and feeding behaviors impact agricultural production across the State and nation," Texas State University's Meadows Center for Water and the Environment says.