IL pigs

[GH1]

Has anyone seen or heard of wild pigs anywhere in IL?
GH1

[GRIMJIM]

I've heard rumors but never seen any.
 

[JBlk]

There was a bunch around Smithfield Ill.I attended a farm auction several years ago and the old farmer who was selling out said that he was afraid to send his Grandson down to feed the livestock because of the number of them.His land bordered spoon river and the guy who owned land on the other side of the river was going to start a hunting club and stocked it with some hogs.The river went down in the dry weather and the hogs crossed over.That country is hilly and brushy and it would take a army to catch those hogs.I also heard that when the bottom fell out of the price of hogs a few years ago that some of those hogs were bought for nothing and turned loose in the river bottoms down around Lewistown.I don't know if that's true or not, but there is some pretty rough ground South of Lewistown that could hold allot of pigs.

[cjclemens]

I've heard the rumors, too, but not from anyone who's actually seen them.  I can imagine there might be some in southern IL - there's a lot of places for 'em to hide there.  But there's certainly none around the east central part of the state.

[GeneRector]

   Howdy! A "few" hogs will turn into a "million" if given a few years. See what has happened in Texas, for example. Don't know what the hunting regs on hogs are in IL; however, they better move fast to permit a no closed season, all methods allowed. Here in Texas the hog population is so large that you can't kill enough hogs to make a major difference. I wish you all luck with your hog problems. Always, Gene
 
 

[cjclemens]

I just did a little more research on this.  According to the DNR, feral swine have been reported in 14 counties and have been sighted as far north as Canton.  Thus far, I dont think there is a large enough population to cause serious concern, but I agree-they should be dealt with before they do become a problem.  There are no specific regulations on feral hog hunting - the DNR is treating them as an invasive species, which means you dont need a hunting license to shoot them.  All you need is a FOID card, an appropriate firearm, and permission from the landowner.  Hopefully hogs dont become a problem here, too.

[GH1]

Thanks for the headqs up Cj, I'll search the DNR website and see if they specify which counties.
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[cjclemens]

Just a sidenote - I would love to shoot a wild pig sometime, but not so much that I want to see one on my property.  I guess I'll have to drive south if I want the opporunity, but I'm OK with that!