Hog Hunting on Public Land in Texas

Hogs are nuisance animals that can grow up to 400 lbs. while they destroy crops, destroy animal habitat, kill small animals and spread disease to other animals. They also reproduce rapidly.

Wild hogs are not considered game animals and have no protection. The season is always open, and there is no limit on how many you may shoot or even what method you use. You must have a basic hunting license, however, to do any hunting in Texas.

The vast majority of hog hunting happens on private leased hunting land. Only 2 percent of the state is public land, and the state wildlife department manages only half of that, but that are still more than 1 million acres available.

There are more than 50 wildlife management areas in the state with more than 1 million acres of hunting land. Some state parks allow hunting, as do some national parks and wildlife areas.

A $48 permit gives you access to all the wildlife areas in the state for a year. There are also special hunts where permits are distributed by lottery in areas that would not normally be open to hunting.

The Texas Department of Wildlife publishes maps of all public hunting lands in the state (see "Walk-in Hunts" link in References). State officials are trying to expand hunting areas by working with landowners, and they will publish new maps as land becomes available.