Don’t let the name The Woodlands fool you.
Yes, it is beautifully developed with plenty of trees and greenbelts but The Woodlands is part of the Houston area and it is usually bustling with human activity.
After Hurricane Harvey’s torrential rains hit the area last weekend, wildlife from the local forests started to invade the neighborhoods.
Jon Joslin captured this footage of a massive wild boar that came trotting through the yard as if it owned the place.
This is exactly what we warned would happen in an earlier entry explaining that the Houston area has a massive feral hog and coyote population that floodwaters would reveal.
Texas’ feral hog population estimates are in the three million range with some believing that is very conservative. Feral hogs have officially become the most harvested game animal in Texas with more than 750,000 taken by hunters and trappers. That is more than 150,000 above the state’s annual whitetail harvest and Texas has by far the largest deer harvest in the nation.
Feral hogs despite their reputation are not out to get people-well at least most of them aren’t.
Scientists have recently uncovered a profile of killer hogs-yes those that kill people and we reported on it here.
You might now want to read that one before going to bed-or a camping trip. Yeah, its kind of creepy.
Most hogs however want to be left alone but animals stressed by being displaced in a flood situation just might be more prone to lashing out than one you see while taking a stroll on your favorite hiking trail.
If you see a hog during these flooding conditions chances are it it not someone’s pet. Keep in mind not all feral hogs are black. Many are brown, some are white, others spotted and even blonde.
Even sows (females) can be aggressive. Sows with young are particularly testy.
By all means do not feed any hogs you see in the area. Habituating them to your property is a bad idea at every level. Even in the best case scenario your yard will look like someone plowed it for agriculture.
As the human tragedy of Hurricane Harvey continues to unfold, displaced wildlife will be encountered by thousands.
The best play is to stay a safe distance, especially in the case of hogs.
That way you and the hog can stay out of trouble.
Chester Moore, Jr.