Wild hogs in Cincinnati Area

Wkrc Channel 12 in Cincinnati report:

A nightmare on four-legs moves into our area and leaves an obvious path of destruction in its wake. "The most destructive wild animal" in North America is making it's way across the Tri-State. Wild hogs will destroy woodlands, farm fields and wildlife if not kept in check.

In a story you'll see only on Local 12 News, Rich Jaffe goes along on a hunting trip with state and federal officials trying to get a grip on a growing problem before more of our area becomes hog heaven.

Wild hogs are doing property damage in one of the most delicate and protected wildlife areas in the entire Tri-State. The edge of Appalachia is a 16,000 acre wildlife preserve in Adams County. Known for it's bio-diversity, the extraordinary plant life here is under attack by feral hogs and wild boars... insatiable eating machines capable of tremendous destruction. "With the breeding potential this thing has, it could really wreak havoc on some of the rare plant species we have in particular."

Because hogs use their tusks and snouts to tear up the ground, officials here are "Extremely worried, sites East of us that have these hogs have basically admitted they're just out of control they will not be able to eradicate the hogs. That's a huge problem to admit you're going to coexist with these animals that basically plow for a living through the forest."

In partnership with the Division of Wildlife, today a wild hog expert from the U.S. Department of Agriculture lead a team into the preserve to place bait and trail cameras in an effort to establish how big the population is. "Ashtabula County, Lucas County, Morrow County, Logan, Tuscarawas, so there's new populations it seems like every other week or so we're getting new calls. So I think now as we move forward we have higher numbers of hogs out there. They're going from more of your traditional wooded habitat into agricultural areas. We're gonna see a lot more complaints and a lot more damage in the future."

Once located experts will attempt to trap and remove the entire family unit called a sounder. "Everybody likes to see the tv shows where everybody's on hog hunts but they don't get to see how detrimental to the natural landscape and species that are there."

Wildlife officials say hunters and landowners must help control the hogs. "We need their help. There's only a few of us out there so we need their eyes and ears to help us out so we can get this problem stopped before it gets out of control.

The USDA tells us that in a period of eight years, just two wild hogs can easily produce 150,000 offspring. Ohio has no closed season or bag limit on wild hogs, but you must have a hunting license to hunt them.