USDA to give GA $1.5 million to fight wild hogs

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Wildlife officials said it’s a big task tackling Georgia’s wild hog population.

A $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to do just that.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said there are hogs in just about every county in Georiga. On average, wildlife experts said they cause $150 million in damages every year in the state. That’s ranging from crops to roads.

WALB News 10 spoke with a wildlife biologist on the USDA's decision.

“What the USDA is doing does seem very effective. They’re having an effect on the pig populations where they’ve tried these very concentrated, and you have to get a lot of people on the ground to do this, its a lot of manpower but it is effective,” said Brent Howze, a senior wildlife biologist with the DNR.

With a large breeding capacity, he said he can’t say if their plans will last forever.

We are told some of the funding will also go towards restoration efforts.

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