At the end of a week in which The Woodlands Township saw several dozen residents turn out to ask for action on feral hogs in area neighborhoods, Montgomery County Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack announced Jan. 17 he has contracted with a professional wildlife removal company to trap feral hogs in several areas on Spring Creek.
The three-month program will cost $14,500, and the traps were scheduled to be placed on the same day Jan. 17.
The traps will be placed on county property and relocated as necessary throughout the three months of the program, according to a statement from Noack.
“I have walked the trails that the hogs are using, witnessed the damage firsthand and have been working with officials to determine this prudent step," Noack said. "That is consistent with actions taken with other nuisance wildlife.”
A Precinct 3 news release stated Noack has been communicating with departments such as the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department to determine more long-term solutions.
"Commissioner Noack does not believe it is in the best interest of his constituents to wait for more meetings, consultants and bureaucracy before providing relief to Precinct 3 residents in areas along Spring Creek such as Grogan’s Point," the release said.
At the Jan. 14 The Woodlands Township meeting, Chair Gordy Bunch called on the county for a proactive approach to the problem.
According to Precinct 3 and information presented at The Woodlands Township meeting, there are more than 2.5 million feral hogs in Texas, and wildlife experts said about 70% of the population must be eliminated each year to manage the population.
Noack's office stated there are limited options to combat the problem, but the county will work with private and public entities on mitigation efforts.
