Texas town residents are frustrated by the feral hog infestation: 'I can't go out there and start blasting'
Eric Mendez, a homeowner, stated that he cannot simply venture outside and begin firing.
The city of Irving, Texas, has been plagued by a group of wild pigs, causing damage to residents' properties and sparking frustration.
According to WFAA, as many as 10 hogs have been causing damage in yards and rummaging through trash left for garbage collectors.
The hogs have been causing damage to local yards, and the residents are becoming increasingly frustrated with the repeated destruction.
Eric Mendez, a homeowner, noticed some digging on the ground a few weeks ago and set up a camera on a tree to catch the perpetrator, as he told WFAA.
He exclaimed, "I was taken aback to see a pig on the camera."
As many as 10 pigs were digging up the property, some of them being quite large.
Others, including Mendez's neighbor and Barbara Bush Middle School, have also reported destruction by the pigs.
Garbage has also been scattered across several properties.
The wildlife contractor hired by the City of Irving is working to address the hog issue, which officials believe is originating from a wooded area near Grapevine Creek.
In Texas, feral hogs cause an estimated $400 million in damage yearly, as per the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, while nationwide costs are estimated at approximately $1.5 billion annually.
Hunting pigs on private land without a license is legal for farmers and ranchers who frequently experience their destruction, but a standard hunting license is required to hunt them on public land, according to WFAA.
Initially, homeowners in Irving proposed to shoot and kill the pigs, but later they recognized that it was not appropriate to fire a gun at animals in a suburban area.
""My initial reaction was to shoot them, but I realized I was in a neighborhood and couldn't just start firing," Mendez stated."
Mendez discovered the solution of employing slingshots and clapping two pieces of wood to frighten the hogs while searching for alternatives.
He said, "I was wondering if there's anything I can do here."
Pigs are notorious for attacking pets and humans when they feel threatened. Additionally, they reproduce quickly, with a single sow giving birth to two litters of six to eight piglets annually.
Mendez said that he did not anticipate something so large to begin emerging from the creek.
"It's a hassle," he added.
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