LBL cracking down on feral bacon this winter

USDA PHOTO

LAND BETWEEN THE LAKES – The U.S. Forest Service and its partners will begin their annual effort to remove feral swine from Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area starting Jan. 12, using professional wildlife control methods rather than public hunting.

The removal work will be carried out by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, known as APHIS, in coordination with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Operations will continue through February.

APHIS wildlife specialists will euthanize feral swine using aerial operations and baited trapping. Helicopters equipped with Forward Looking Infrared, or FLIR, technology will be used to locate hogs, allowing trained personnel to direct removal efforts more efficiently. Trapping also occurs year-round, aided by hog sighting reports from visitors.

Feral swine are not native wildlife and are considered invasive. Officials say they pose safety risks to visitors, damage cultural and natural resources, threaten agriculture and harm native plant and animal species, including white-tailed deer and wild turkey.

“Feral hogs have become a challenge for all of us who care about Land Between the Lakes,” said Jim McCoy, area supervisor at Land Between the Lakes. “They can harm the land and wildlife we enjoy, so we’re working together with our partners to manage the problem in a responsible way.”

Visitors may notice increased official vehicle and aircraft activity in parts of Land Between the Lakes during the winter removal period. Officials emphasized that safety plans are in place for both staff and the public.

Most feral swine activity remains concentrated on the Tennessee side of the recreation area, though some sightings have been reported north of the state line. Daily operations will be based on confirmed hog locations.

APHIS has assisted with trapping at Land Between the Lakes since 2014, but earlier efforts did not remove hogs fast enough to stop population growth. In 2018, 70 feral swine were euthanized. With a longer and more intensive operational window, 1,445 hogs were removed in 2025.

Public hunting of feral hogs is illegal at Land Between the Lakes and is not considered an effective control method. Kentucky banned wild pig hunting in 2024 to prevent illegal releases and the spread of hog populations. In Tennessee, feral swine may only be taken on designated public lands under strict regulations, and it is illegal to possess, transport or release them.

Wildlife managers say recreational hog hunting often worsens the problem by dispersing animals, increasing nocturnal behavior and undermining coordinated removal efforts. Instead, agencies are pursuing intensive trapping and professional removal aimed at full eradication.

While hunting remains an important part of the region’s culture and conservation tradition, officials say eliminating feral swine is necessary to protect native wildlife, forests and agricultural resources across Land Between the Lakes and surrounding areas.

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