Like most states in the southeastern US, Tennessee is having trouble with the spread of feral hogs.  The damage to crop fields amounts to millions of dollars each year, and some farmers are claiming that it’s getting worse.  The state is relaxing various laws to enable hunters to kill more hogs, and creating special exemptions so farmers can invite hunters onto their land to kill additional animals.

The one tactic that has not been permitted, so far, is the use of dogs for hound hunting.  However, according to this piece from local news station WTVF NewsChannel 5, that issue may be back on the table for discussion.  From the report:

The one restriction that has mobilized hunters across this state: the TWRA won’t allow them to hunt the hogs with a hunting dog.

Senator Mike Bell, a Republican from Riceville, disagrees with the restriction. He has drafted a new piece of legislation.

“It would remove TWRA’s authority to regulate the taking or hunting of hogs on private land. Now TWRA has the authority to regulate that on state owned property,” said Sen. Bell.

TWRA officials said the use of hunting dogs makes the problem wild hog problem even worse. They believe hunters have taken the hogs from county to county to grow the sport.

I’m not well-versed on the entire situation with this, but on the surface I’d be a little concerned about taking away the TWRA’s authority to regulate hogs on private land.  From my point of view, it looks like that would really open the door for more hunters to transport and release hogs on private land, and could actually make the hog problem worse, rather than better.  If the only reason for Senator Bell’s legislation is to help farmers get the hogs off of their property, then it should probably focus on the dogging restrictions rather than removing authority from the State’s fish and game law enforcement agency.

Personally, I don’t know that dogs are the best tool for eradication, but they are an effective way to catch and kill hogs.  I’m not sure what the justification is for the prohibition on hog dogs, but in light of the hog problems TN and other states are seeing, I think it would definitely bear review and revision.

 

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