Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Feral hogs cost Georgia farmers an estimated $150 million every year — destroying row crops, tearing up the ground, and damaging equipment across the state. And with populations continuing to grow, the problem isn't going away anytime soon.
Reporting from Social Circle, Damon Jones sits down with Georgia DNR Wildlife Biologist Charlie Killmaster to break down why feral hogs are so difficult to control, what's being done about it, and what new legislation means for farmers and landowners on the front lines.
Killmaster explains that feral hogs reproduce at a staggering rate — dropping multiple litters per year with high survival rates — meaning harvest efforts simply can't keep pace with population growth. It's a problem that has persisted for centuries, and one that demands a coordinated, ongoing response.
That response now includes newly passed House Bill 946, which cuts through regulatory red tape to give landowners more tools than ever before. The legislation legalizes the use of drones to locate feral hogs, allows hunting from vehicles on private roads and property without a permit, and removes the licensing requirement for trapping feral hogs on private land.
Combined with existing programs like the trap rental program and the Hogs Down Awards — which rewards active trappers with high-efficiency hog traps — Georgia is mounting one of its most aggressive efforts yet against this destructive invasive species.
With peanuts and corn now in the ground, Killmaster says growers need to stay vigilant. And if problems arise, the best time to act is before next season — when winter conditions make trapping far more effective.
🌾 Subscribe for weekly Georgia agriculture news and farm policy updates — only on The Farm Monitor.
Feral hogs cost Georgia farmers an estimated $150 million every year — destroying row crops, tearing up the ground, and damaging equipment across the state. And with populations continuing to grow, the problem isn't going away anytime soon.
Reporting from Social Circle, Damon Jones sits down with Georgia DNR Wildlife Biologist Charlie Killmaster to break down why feral hogs are so difficult to control, what's being done about it, and what new legislation means for farmers and landowners on the front lines.
Killmaster explains that feral hogs reproduce at a staggering rate — dropping multiple litters per year with high survival rates — meaning harvest efforts simply can't keep pace with population growth. It's a problem that has persisted for centuries, and one that demands a coordinated, ongoing response.
That response now includes newly passed House Bill 946, which cuts through regulatory red tape to give landowners more tools than ever before. The legislation legalizes the use of drones to locate feral hogs, allows hunting from vehicles on private roads and property without a permit, and removes the licensing requirement for trapping feral hogs on private land.
Combined with existing programs like the trap rental program and the Hogs Down Awards — which rewards active trappers with high-efficiency hog traps — Georgia is mounting one of its most aggressive efforts yet against this destructive invasive species.
With peanuts and corn now in the ground, Killmaster says growers need to stay vigilant. And if problems arise, the best time to act is before next season — when winter conditions make trapping far more effective.
🌾 Subscribe for weekly Georgia agriculture news and farm policy updates — only on The Farm Monitor.
