The Art and (Some) Science of Trapping Wild Pigs: From Traps to Gates to Triggers and More!

Abstract

Trapping remains the number one tool for landowners waging war on wild pigs. However, many beginning trappers soon become discouraged, which results in more damage and ultimately, more wild pigs. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has successfully utilized educational methods to assist landowners with efficient trapping methods to remove wild pigs from their properties. Trap size is largely dictated by the size of the wild pig sounder as confirmed visually or by the use of remote-sensing cameras. The landowner’s goal should be to remove the entire sounder in as few trapping attempts as possible; therefore larger traps generally are more efficient. The design or shape of the trap is dictated by the fate of the pigs: if pigs are to be euthanized within the trap, shape does not matter. However, if the pigs are destined to be loaded from the trap and trailered away from the capture site for slaughter or to a buying station for sale, the design of the trap is of utmost importance. Myriad gate designs have been successfully employed to trap wild pigs. Regardless of the design, many experienced pig trappers have come to realize that wider gates can reduce the “training time” necessary for pigs to accept and enter a trap. Trigger designs are as varied (if not more so) than gate designs. They range from traps that are “triggerless,” where pigs push through flexible panels, to highly sophisticated remote triggers that can release a gate by sending a signal from a computer or cell phone. However, as important as the trap size, design, gate, and trigger may be, landowners should follow a consistent protocol in order to win their war on wild pigs.