Craig Pearson is an avid hunter, outdoors-man, and adventurist. His main passions are hog hunting in Texas and writing about his many adventures. He currently blogs for nightvision 4 less, a supplier of high quality night vision equipment.
Texas is the prime state for hunting wild hogs, but that doesn’t mean that the Pacific Northwest is out of your scope sights completely. Thirty nine states so far have known populations of feral hog and those populations have been growing daily. If you are a Pacific Northwest hunter interested in hunting this tenacious game, then you may have plenty of opportunities to do so right in your own backyard.
There is a lot to gain from hunting these beasts and not a lot to lose. The meat is good and many meat packers will work with your wild hog meat. Feral hogs breed quickly and can gain a population foothold in about a year. Each sow can have about four to ten piglets per litter and up to two litters a year. These hogs have no natural predators and are very adaptable. Wild hogs are notorious for dealing damage to crops and wild flora and can be a danger to livestock and people alike.
Here’s a breakdown of the hunting opportunities for each state in the Pacific Northwest:
Oregon: Feral pigs have established a significant foothold in North and Central Oregon and trapping is allowed. Valid Oregon hunting license required. Your best bet for bagging some wild hogs in the Pacific Northwest.
Idaho: Small feral hog population in the Bruneau Valley. Open season and you only need a valid Idaho hunting license to hunt them. Idaho also allows trapping on public land. Your second best bet.
Washington: Small feral hog population, but has open season and few restrictions on hunting them.
Montana: Small feral hog population, but there are also few restrictions.
Now is the time to get out and hunt them in the Pacific Northwest since they haven’t become the widespread nuisance they are in states like Texas. They are a small threat in states like Idaho and Oregon now, but if left unchecked, it could become a huge problem. You can have a fun time bagging hogs while also doing your state a huge favor by keeping the population in check. Since there is no close to the wild hog season, you can keep your hunting skills sharp during the off-seasons of other game, or simply use hunting them to try out that new night vision equipment you’ve been wanting to use. Whatever the reason, you can hunt hogs around this neck of the woods with just as much gusto as you could in Texas, without having to travel all the way to the Lone Star state, although we would always be happy to have you visit.