There’s more focus on wildlife control as we continue to encroach on remote areas. Much attention is given to elk, whitetail deer and other species. Yet, feral hogs are terribly invasive. They also pose a serious disease threat to domestic livestock operations, pets and people. A coordinated effort in Missouri seeks to eradicate feral hogs. New technology is promising too.
Source: Missouri Conservationist, September 2016.
The Foundation’s most recent innovation is The BoarBuster™. This is a round trap made of rigid corral panels that are supported by three legs. It comes with a camera that operates much like a basic trail camera except it is connected to a cellular network, which allows the trapper to monitor the site and trigger the trap remotely from a computer or portable electronic device. This real-time surveillance is critical to determine if all of the hogs in that sounder (family group) are under the trap so trappers can determine the best moment to drop the trap. Once the entire sounder is under the trap, the trapper clicks a button on the screen that drops the trap around the hogs. These drop-style traps have proven to be the most efficient and effective feral hog eradication tool used to date.