SEAFWA 2017

AUTHORS: Andrew L. Smith, Bronson K. Strickland, Bruce D. Leopold - College of Forest Resources, Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Aquaculture, Mississippi State University; James L. Cummins - Wildlife Mississippi

ABSTRACT: The legislative procedures regarding wild pigs in the United States are expanding in scope and priority. However, state by state legislation is inconsistent, and the proximate and/or ultimate success of policy efforts has never been examined. Due to the complexity of the wild pig invasion and its manifesting nature, state and federal governments are racing to address and control the issue. This has resulted in an assortment of policies that are often unique to each state, some of which are aggressive and designed to manage or eradicate populations, while others are more passive and lack enforcement capabilities. Each state addresses the issues of wild pigs incompatibly and treatment is based on a priority of resource concerns. An investigation was conducted at the national level of federal, state, and local policy with regards to the wild pig invasion. In addition, successful and unsuccessful legislation was evaluated to determine commonalities in the social, cultural, demographic, economic, and ecological factors contributing to the success or failure of legislation. Information collected provides state legislatures with definitive model legislation that can be passed with the support of stakeholders and the citizenry, as well as help guide states into a more uniform and/or regionalized system of policy. Furthermore, it provides states without or with low populations of pigs, a proactive suite of legislation to prevent introduction or further proliferation and facilitate eradication of localized populations.