In an interview from February 2019, Texas Senator Bryan Hughes of Mineola said that the existing law for the killing of feral hogs could be read to mean that there is a requirement of proof that they’re causing damage prior to killing them. However, a new bill—Senate Bill 317—which he has authored, states that they can be killed whether there has been damage or not, and a license won’t be required. The bill has since been approved by both houses and will move on to the desk of the governor for final review and signing into law.
Designed to give more freedom to those battling problems with the feral hog population in Texas, SB 317 received approval at the Texas Senate level on Tuesday, May 14, 2019. The state of Texas is presently home to one of the largest populations of feral hogs in America. There are an estimated 2-3 million of them in the Lone Star State. The majority of these appear to live in East Texas. They’re known for causing millions in damage to farm and ranch land and disrupting the natural patterns of native species. The state legislature has previously attempted to address the issue with legislation that allowed the hunting of feral hogs via hot air balloons and even helicopters. There have also been laws passed that would allow a landowner to kill them, as noted above, which appeared to be a bit ambiguous in its interpretation.
