We’ve been asked over the years about how to cope when you run into a feral hog when hiking.
It’s rare that you see just one. It’s usually a whole swarm of piglets and a sow running away from you. But sometimes you may encounter a boar.
Sandra was hiking with her friend Gary in Eglin once when they thought there was a bear in the bushes. It turned out to be an enormous boar, perhaps a razorback. It stood its ground.
They backed away slowly, like you would with a bear, and the boar wandered off. But what should you do?
We put the question to the experts at the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, and Stan Kirkland was kind enough to provide an answer from the agency, quoted below.
Sandra,
I’ve worked for the agency for 35 years and I’ve never heard of anyone who has been attacked by a wild hog. Not to say that it can’t happen but I’ve never heard of it.
I have heard of injuries to hog hunters but these are usually injuries inflicted when the hunters pull their catch dogs off the hog and attempt to grab them by their back legs to control the animal. Of course, that’s not what you are talking about.
Sows with small piglets will sometimes run at people who walk too close to their bedding area but that’s the exception rather than the rule. Usually sows with piglets will away run at the sight of people.
You may know this already but wild hogs on private lands are considered trespass livestock, which means they are property of the landowner. In other words, they are like other livestock.
The landowner can allow their take (hunting) 365 days a year, if he or she chooses. And, no Florida hunting license is required of hog hunters on private lands.
On public lands (wildlife management areas), if a hiker or someone walking felt threatened or was attacked by a feral hog, they could certainly defend themselves.
If firearm possession was allowed at the time they were on the area, they could certainly use the firearm.
However, a FWC officer might look into the circumstances of shooting the hog (at a time when shooting hogs wasn’t legal) and make a determination whether charges were warranted or not.
I spoke to one of our captains this morning about this scenario and he agreed that if the shooter’s reported actions match the evidence, no one would be charged.
So, the take-away from this:
- You’re very unlikely to be harassed or chased by a wild hog.
- If you feel threatened, defend yourself.
Hope this helps those of you with hog concerns! To ask more in-depth questions of the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission on wildlife safety, call them at 850-488-4676
Learn more about Florida’s feral hogs from FWC
Learn more about Living with Wildlife and Preventing Wildlife Conflicts from FWC
We encounter hogs all the time when hiking in Withlacoochee or in Crystal River. We had a mother get a little frisky guy she ran off once .Then there were two BIG sows in Crystal River that almost ran over our feet. Yesterday there was a half dozen or so that just seemed curious one followed us to the car but I yelled at it and it took off. That was in Withlacoochee. They were very inquisitive and I had to yell at them to get them off the trail. They were moving slow. Usually they bolt. As for bear spray by the time you got it out and sprayed it at a moving hog it would be past the spray before you know it. We hike everyday usually 5 to 6 miles and have never had a problem with anything. I worry more about reptiles than hogs. Like them or not they have been a part of the e system for hundreds of years and they just do what hogs do. If you see a big boar However you might want to give it a little room and address it as you would any other wild animal. You are in their house.
Would bear spray work to ward off an attacking feral hog?
Good question! Since bear spray is generally pepper spray, you would think it would blind any oncoming animal you sprayed it at. However, I’ve been fortunate enough never to get THAT close to a feral hog to be able to spray it. If you have no other option, it would be worth trying.
Just came across this article and wonder what the suggested action is for those of us who are not armed with anything more than a trekking pole.
The advice here came from our Fish & Wildlife experts – they don’t think you’ll be charged by a hog. We’ve had them stand their ground, bluff charge, then run away. I just had an encounter with a bear the other day and all I had was a hiking pole! Fortunately it ran away when it finally noticed me. That’s what wildlife should do. If not, that’s another good reason to have a hiking pole with you, to fend off wildlife! That said, in my decades and 5,000+ miles of hiking, I’ve never been attacked by anything. Except ticks, mosquitoes, and other biting bugs.
Sandra, thank you VERY much for investigating this subject since I initiated the question on your facebook page. While it surprised me to hear Mr. Kirkland state that in 35 years as an FWC Officer he’s never heard of anyone who has been attacked by a wild hog, I still admit I have trepidation of encountering them on the trail. I will though, do my due diligence and apply wisdom, be more read up on their behavior and be as well prepared as possible on the trail for emergencies.