Page 94 - South Mississippi Living - March, 2024

SPORTS & OUTDOORS
Wild Pigs Provide Challenging Sport All Year Long
story and photos by John N. Felsher
In Mississippi, hunting season doesn’t need to end just because deer, duck, and other traditional seasons closed. Sportsmen can continue hunting all year long for some species.
The state of Mississippi declared beavers, coyotes, foxes, nutria, skunks, and feral hogs as “nuisance animals.” That means people on private lands can shoot those animals throughout the year with no limit, even at night with no weapon restrictions.
When it comes to pure orneriness, nothing in Mississippi compares to a big wild boar. An adult boar can outweigh many Mississippi bears. Some boars weigh more than 400
pounds, but most feral pigs probably average between 100 and 250 pounds.
With razor-sharp tusks, a tough hide, a “shield” of gristle covering its vital organs combined with a mean disposition, a feral hog makes a formidable adversary. Bobcats and coyotes grab a few piglets. Large alligators snatch an occasional full-gown pig that gets too close to the water, but few other creatures want to tangle with a healthy adult boar.
Not native to North America, domestic pigs first
came to this country with early Spanish explorers. The Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto brought a herd
94 | March 2024
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Nuisance
Game