San Antonio – After a recent deadly feral hog attack in the Houston area, KSAT decided to look into how often these attacks happen.
According to Texas A&M AgriLife, physical attacks by wild pigs are rare.
However, Texas Parks and Wildlife warns that any wild animal has “the potential of being dangerous, especially when wounded or cornered.” TPW said feral hogs’ speed and razor-sharp tusks can cause serious injury.
Wyatt Walton, owner of Lone Star Trapping, said his company catches thousands of hogs a year, and they can become aggressive if you put them in a corner or trap them.
“When they’re trapped for the first time in their lives, they’re mad. They’re trying to come through metal cages to get us,” Walton said.
Walton said if you find yourself in front of a feral hog, treat it like a bear.
“I wouldn’t try to run at them and scare them,” Walton said. “They’ve got to fight or flight, and if you run right up and just try to scare a big boar, he’s territorial. He’s going to defend his ground.”
Feral hogs are no strangers to our area, especially in newly developed neighborhoods.
Clifford Porter lives near Culebra Road and Grissom Pass on the West Side. He said in August, a group of hogs destroyed his front yard. Since then, he’s invested in technology to keep them away.
“I put up some sirens. I put up some motion detectors,” Porter said.
Porter said the community has also stepped up. The HOA has hired a trapper.
"From what I’ve seen over the last week or so, they’ve trapped about seven of them,” Porter said.
Feral hogs run wild in far NW side neighborhood
When he heard the news of the woman who was killed by wild hogs in Chambers County, Porter couldn’t believe it.
“It was sad to hear that,” Porter said.
Signs that feral hogs have been in your yard include markings on trees, fences and rocks with mud and hair and when the soil has been plowed.