Identification
Feral or “wild” hogs come in all shapes and sizes. The majority of feral hogs in Missouri are mutts with genetic combinations that include Russian or Eurasian wild boar (razorbacks), an assortment of domestic varieties such as Yorkshire, Hampshire or Duroc, and even pot-bellied pigs.
Feral hog
The resulting offspring exhibit an astounding variety of shapes and colors including gray, red, black, blond, spotted and belted. Some look like domestic pigs, others resemble wild boars. All have small eyes, large, triangular ears and a long snout ending in a large, round nose.
Feral hogs have a thick coat of coarse, bristly fur, which they can erect along their spine, lending them the common name “razorback.” Most feral hogs have longer bristles than their domestic ancestors', but shorter hair than those of purebred Russian boars. Boars develop a thick, tough layer of cartilage (sometimes called a shield) over the shoulder.
Feral hogs can reach 3 feet in height, 5 feet in length and weigh over 400 pounds. However, most sows average 110 pounds and most boars average 130 pounds. Boars have four sharp tusks that grow continuously, often reaching 5 inches before they break or become worn from use. The bottom tusks make formidable weapons. Boars use them for defense and to establish dominance during breeding.
Sign
Besides seeing a 300-pound boar wallowing in your feedlot or getting chased up a tree by a sow defending her piglets, you can find a number of signs that indicate the presence of feral hogs.
Feral hog damage from rooting.
Rubs are usually found near wallows. The hogs revisit comfortable scratching
trees or logs to rub off hair, mud and parasites.
Feral hogs have been compared to rotary tillers with tails. In pursuit of their favorite foods—roots, acorns and earthworms—hogs root around, plowing the soil to depths of 2 to 8 inches. If several hogs are involved, these rooted areas can stretch over many acres. If you see a forested area that looks like it has been plowed, chances are feral hogs were the cause.
Because they lack sweat glands, hogs cool themselves by wallowing in the mud of seeps, springs, ponds and streams. Here they leave their tracks and the imprint of their coarse hair in the mud. After wallowing, they rub on nearby trees, leaving mud and hair on the bark. Both rooting and wallowing are incredibly destructive to native plant communities and landscaped areas, such as parks and golf courses.
Feral hog scat looks something like deer scat, but the pellets are larger and more variable in shape and content. Hog scat can contain acorns, grain and the hair, scales or feathers of whatever they have eaten. In some cases the scat resembles the shape and consistency of dog droppings.
Tracks of feral hogs are similar to those of deer, but with rounded toes. Hog tracks are wider than they are long and shorter than a deer track of the same width. Overall, hog tracks appear more rounded than deer tracks.
