BARLOW — Wallows, rooting and torn up vegetation filled a creek bottom in Copiah Wildlife Management Area this weekend. Signs of wild hogs are not uncommon in Mississippi as the population is estimated to be around 500,000.

Mississippians can trap the hogs to fight back against the feral pig invasion as trapping is more effective at removing sounders of 20 or so hogs from the population. Mississippi State Extension Service issued a report in 2009 which stated 50 percent of the hog population had to be killed each year just to keep populations from growing and 70 percent to eventually eradicate the wild hog.

Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce offers a program which installs traps and provides technical guidance through the Wild Hog Control Program.

Ag Commissioner Andy Gipson announced a round of applications for the Wild Hog Control Program opened today and would remain open until May 15. Wild Hog Control Program is open to all Mississippi Counties.

“I encourage farmers and landowners who have experienced property damage due to these nuisance animals to submit an application for this program,” Gipson said. “Those who have previously participated in the Wild Hog Control Program have seen positive results.”

In Mississippi alone, wild hogs cause more than $60 million in damages annually. Through the WHCP, MDAC provides “smart” wild hog traps to landowners and managers for the control of wild hogs on private agricultural and forestry lands in Mississippi.

MDAC provides the training necessary to use the “smart” traps and technical guidance regarding the most effective methods to trap and control wild hogs on private lands. Applications must be completed and submitted online at www.mdac.ms.gov/whcp.

Submitted applications will be evaluated based on the number of acres available for trapping, historical agricultural losses caused by wild hogs on the property and current trapping efforts on the property. A cooperative application is encouraged for small acreage (i.e., adjoining land managers of small parcels should work together to submit one application).

Traps will be available for one-month intervals, dependent upon use and success. One trap per 500 – 1,000 acres is recommended, depending on landscape and land use.