CITIZEN STAFF REPORT
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is asking residents of Printer and surrounding areas in Floyd County to report sightings of wild pigs after the detection of a group in April.
In a press release issued Friday, the department emphasized the serious threat wild pigs pose to native wildlife, agriculture and ecosystems.
“Wild pigs displace game species like deer and turkey, negatively affecting hunter harvest,” the agency stated.
The pigs can cause significant agricultural damage.
“They destroy crops and food plots, and they consume an ample amount of acorns in the fall, which many wildlife species heavily rely on as a food source,” the department said.
Unlike other species that have expanded their range naturally, wild pigs in Kentucky are the product of illegal releases, according to the department.
“Misguided hunters have intentionally released them in the past in an effort to create new hunting opportunities,” the statement read.
Kentucky now prohibits hunting wild pigs. The department advised that shooting at groups of wild pigs—called sounders—scatters them, making eradication more difficult. Once scattered, the pigs tend to go nocturnal and may reproduce rapidly.
“By the time they are found again, their numbers have doubled or even tripled,” warned the department.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services, has previously eradicated several wild pig populations across the state. The agencies continue to work together to prevent the spread of the species.
“Free trapping services are available to anyone with a wild pig presence on their property,” the release stated. “Trapping is the recommended and best method to remove groups of wild pigs.”
Residents can report sightings, damage or illegal activity related to wild pigs through a variety of channels. Report online at squealonpigs.com, through the app (available on the Apple Store or Google Play), or at fw.ky.gov/wildpigs. Individuals may also contact wild pig biologist Terri Brunjes at 502-892-4548 or via email at terri.brunjes@ky.gov.
For general information on nuisance wildlife, visit fw.ky.gov or call 1-800-858-1549 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Did you know?
Wild pigs are an invasive species across the United States and Canada. Sometimes referred to as “ecosystem engineers,” they can transform landscapes through rooting and wallowing, leading to soil erosion, stream sedimentation and the spread of invasive plants. Their presence threatens biodiversity, damages crops and hayfields, and puts livestock at risk by spreading disease and contaminating feed. Their impact costs the U.S. billions of dollars annually in damages and control efforts.