District land managers plan to hold a series of hog hunts on District lands throughout the year to help reduce the feral hog population.
Prospective hunters can purchase permits for Phase I hunts beginning at 9 a.m. Oct. 3, on the District’s WaterMatters.org/HogHunts. Permits will be available on a first come, first serve basis until they are sold out. The cost is $75 for each permit. A complete list of hunts with locations and dates is also available online.
The District has a three-phased hunting system. The first two phases of hunts will have separate registration processes. The single top producer from each Phase 1 and Phase 2 hunt will be asked to participate in hog management activities for Phase 3.
All hunts will adhere to the hog-dog format. No still hunts will be available. The program works like this:
Phase 1 Hunts
- Registration will occur Oct. 3, 2023, at 9 a.m.
- Includes five hunts that occur October through November 2023.
- A $75 nonrefundable fee must be paid for each permit.
- Permits are transferable.
- The top producer on each Phase 1 hunt will be placed on the District’s ‘top producer’ list and will be awarded participation in our Phase 3 hunts, free of charge. We no longer award free admission into Phase 2 for our top two producers of the Phase 1 hunt.
- Failure to follow regulations or poor behavior issues will disqualify registrants for incentive consideration at the sole discretion of District staff. Participants will be provided the opportunity to refute the decision.
Phase 2 Hunts
- Registration will occur Dec. 5, 2023, at 9 a.m.
- Includes five hunts that occur January through February 2024.
- A $75 nonrefundable fee must be paid for each permit.
- Permits are transferable.
- The top producer on each Phase 2 hunt will be placed on the District’s ‘top producer’ list and will be awarded participation in our Phase 3 hunts, free of charge. We no longer award free admission into Phase 2 for our top two producers of the Phase 1 hunt.
- Failure to follow regulations or poor behavior issues will disqualify registrants for incentive consideration at the sole discretion of District staff. Participants will be provided the opportunity to refute the decision.
Phase 3 “As-Needed” Management Hunts
- Includes management hunts that can occur between March through October 2024.
- Only those registrants that qualify as top producers following the Phase 1 and 2 hunts will be contacted to take part in management hunts during this period.
- Management hunts offered to top producers will be free of charge and non-transferable.
- Phase 1 and Phase 2 top producers, without rule violations, will be offered participation on a minimum of four management hunts occurring March through October 2024.
The District-managed properties will be temporarily closed to the public during the hog hunts. Only permitted hunters will be allowed access.
Feral hogs, which are not native to Florida, can cause damage with their broad snouts and can leave an area looking like a plowed field. They also prey on native wildlife, compete with native species for food and transmit diseases to other wildlife, livestock and humans. Additionally, hogs may facilitate the spread of exotic plant species by transporting seeds and/or providing germination sites through rooting.
This is the 15th consecutive year for the hunts. Last year’s hunts removed 523 hogs on nine different tracts of land throughout the District.