FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – Feral hogs are a problem across Florida, causing millions of dollars every year, but officials in Flagler County say special traps appear to be the solution.
The county is using two gateless corral traps on county lands. Officials say that in a typical year, the county catches 100 to 150 hogs per year.
With the corral traps, they’ve caught 424 hogs on county lands since the beginning of January.
“We’ve started gauging a specific type of a corral trap, which is a way to trap many hogs at once instead of one at once,” said Michael Lagasse, the county’s assistant director of general services.
Officials say the traps use net instead of metal, making them more humane, and they are able to trap continuously throughout the night, and keep them there for up to 12 hours.
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
The county wants to buy more of these traps, but officials are concerned about having enough volunteers. The traps cost $2,500.
The traps also cannot be used on private property, where the hogs are also a problem. In 2022, News 6 reported about a hog issue in the subdivision of Grand Haven in Palm Coast.
“I think it’s been a nightmare for a lot of people,” Hidden Lakes homeowner Jerry Matthews told News 6.
The county now has a plan for communities too. It’s launched a feral hog reporting website with a map.
The links are found on the Flagler County website, and residents can use it to report where, when and how many hogs were spotted.
After uploading a picture to the app, it will be directly emailed to the county.
The information goes to land management officials and creates an incident map for the public, which is also used to help coordinate a response from the county.
More information on the feral hog problem in Flagler County and what officials are trying to do is available on the Flagler County website.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: