A collection of government agencies has plans to being a larger campaign, that will reduce the number of feral swine at Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.
Scheduled to begin January 21, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the USDA Forest Service will use aerial operations and bait trapping to euthanize the hogs.
According to several sources, feral swine are non-native and threaten visitor safety, cultural sites and native plant and wildlife species.
Officials noted the combined efforts this year will expand to include more helicopter flights and increased opportunities to search for and direct feral swine for wildlife specialists to shoot from the aircraft.
The technique is an additional tool necessary to curb the feral swine population, and APHIS works to trap the animals year-round with the help of sighting reports from visitors.
Jim McCoy, area supervisor for LBL, said feral hogs threaten so much that makes Land Between the Lakes such an asset for the area’s culture and tourism economy, and that there is a detailed plan paying close attention to safety and efficiency.
McCoy also said feral swine are an invasive, but highly adaptive, species, and can quickly outcompete native animals — similar to Asian carp.
APHIS began assisting the Forest Service with trapping in 2014 with success, but not at a rate that surpasses reproduction.
In 2018, 70 feral swine were euthanized by APHIS. In 2024, that number grew to 736.
Also in 2024, Kentucky prohibited wild pig hunting in an effort to stop the illegal release and spread of wild pigs. Feral swine can only be taken on designated public areas in Tennessee and are illegal to possess, transport and release.
Terri Brunjes, wildlife biologist with Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, said hunting wild pigs is “counterproductive to agency eradication efforts,” and that wild pigs that are hunted “disperse into new areas and become very difficult to find and remove.”
Feral swine are largely localized to the Tennessee portion of Land Between the Lakes, with some reported sightings north of the Kentucky border.
The location of swine will dictate the daily operation areas. Visitors recreating should be aware of additional official vehicles and aircraft in areas of Land Between the Lakes for the remainder of the winter.
Those who see feral hogs in Land Between the Lakes, please report them immediately using the form on our website: https://tinyurl.com/y5239k78
