Hunting Tips and Regulations
Hunting tips
- Missouri feral hog populations are relatively small and thinly scattered. Because hunting is difficult and the chance of success is limited, special trips from out-of-state to hunt feral hogs in Missouri are not recommended.
- Overall, private landowners are taking care of their property. Help is needed to control hogs on public land.
- Because feral hogs have a large home range and move in response to hunting pressure and food availability, conservation agents are generally unable to give specific locations where you might find hogs.
- For similar reasons, the Conservation Department does not keep a list of private land where feral hogs have been reported.
- Common courtesy and state law require that you obtain permission from a landowner before hunting on private property.
- Hunter orange is required during fall firearms deer and turkey seasons. Consider wearing it whenever you hunt feral hogs.
- For hunter safety, multi-shot, high-powered rifles are recommended. From ground positions, muzzleloaders, single-shot rifles and bows are not recommended due to increased down time between shots. If you plan to hunt from the ground and use a muzzleloader, bow or single-shot rifle, it is recommended that you have a backup firearm.
- When scouting for feral hogs, search grown-up, clear-cut areas first. Being primarily nocturnal, feral hogs use these areas to sleep in during the day. For even greater success, consider scouting the areas around these clear-cut areas as well.
- Hunting in groups is one of the most successful hog-hunting strategies. Here’s one way to do it: one or more hunters take a stand on the down-hill side of a clear-cut where sign indicates hogs have been traveling to and from cover. Other hunters slowly walk through the clear-cut to drive the animals toward the shooters in the stands. Keep in mind that these clear-cuts are often covered with new oak-tree growth, which severely limits hunter visibility. Hunter orange clothing is highly recommended. And, as always, identify your target before you pull the trigger.
- Also highly successful, but controversial, is the use of “hog dogs.” Hog dogs are used to locate the hog’s scent trail, follow the trail to the hog population and bay (hold in place) individual members of the herd until hunters are able to arrive. Some hunters ride horses and/or mules to follow the dogs. Remember that hog dogs are legal only for hogs and not for deer or turkey.
- U.S. Forest Service roads serve as easy access to a large portion of the feral hog territory, but hogs often get savvy to hunting pressure near these roads and move off into more remote territory. For increased hunting success try hunting Forest Service land that is not as accessible from roads.
- Whatever your hunting plans, keep in mind that taking a feral hog is not a sure thing.
Hunting regulations
Feral hogs (see legal definition below) may be taken in any number throughout the year. During most of the year, no permit is required and any method, including baiting and the use of dogs, is allowed. However, special restrictions apply during the fall firearms deer and turkey hunting seasons. Please refer to the current Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations Information brochure.
Make sure feral hogs are truly feral and not someone’s livestock. Hunters who kill marked domestic raised hogs can be held liable for damages.
All Missouri Department of Natural Resources state park property is deemed a wildlife refuge and is off limits to all hunting and vehicle traffic.
It is illegal to hunt on private property without the landowner’s permission. First-degree trespass offenses carry a $500 fine. If you wish to hunt on private land, always ask permission first. Landowners often post or define the land boundaries of their property by marking trees, fence posts and other perimeter objects with purple paint. In a court of law, such marked properties are deemed posted against all activities.
Other legal considerations
Missouri Revised Statute 270.260.
Any person who knowingly releases any swine to live in a wild or feral state
upon any public land or private land not completely enclosed by a fence capable
of containing such animals is guilty of a class A misdemeanor. Each swine so
released shall be a separate offense.
Missouri Revised Statute 270.400. Killing of feral hogs is permitted when:
- For purposes of this section, the term "feral hog" means any hog, including Russian and European wild boar, that is not conspicuously identified by ear tags or other forms of identification and is roaming freely upon public or private lands without permission.
- A person may kill a feral hog roaming freely upon such person's land and shall not be liable to the owner of the hog for the loss of the hog.
- Any person may take or kill a feral hog on public land or private land with the consent of the landowner; except that, during the firearms deer and turkey hunting season the regulations of the Missouri wildlife code shall apply. Such person shall not be liable to the owner of the hog for the loss of such hog.
- No person except a landowner or such landowner's agent on such landowner's property shall take or kill a feral hog with the use of an artificial light.
(Feral hog hunters may legally harvest any number, size and/or sex of feral hog.)
