North Carolina Has a Wild Pig Problem | Here's How to Hunt Them

North Carolina has a wild pig problem. In Episode 24, we sit down with NC Wildlife Resources Commission District 6 Wildlife Conservation Biologist Greg Queen and NC State graduate student William Mayfield to talk about wild pigs in North Carolina, feral hog hunting, pig behavior, wildlife impacts, current research and how hunters can actually find and hunt them. William is currently studying feral pigs using GPS tracking collars and trail cameras to better understand their movement and estimate population density. As he explains in the episode, one of the challenges is that nobody really knows exactly how many wild pigs are currently living across North Carolina. We get into just how widespread pigs have become, why they're so difficult to control, how they affect deer and turkey habitat, and why recreational hunting alone may not be enough to significantly reduce pig populations. Then Greg walks us through how he actually hunts wild pigs—including how to find public-land opportunities, what pig sign looks like, wallows, rooting, tracks, scouting techniques, wind direction, still-hunting tactics, shot placement and broadhead selection. Greg also explains that NCWRC personnel familiar with local game lands may be able to point hunters toward general areas with known pig populations—though, as he jokes, they're probably not going to tell you which tree the pigs are standing under. One of the biggest questions we tackle is simple: Can hunters actually control the wild pig population? Near the end of the conversation, William explains that roughly 70% of a population would need to be removed just to keep that population stable, while also pointing out the obvious problem: managers don't necessarily know the total population they're taking 70% of. The discussion ultimately turns to whole-sounder removal as a management strategy. Whether you're searching for wild pigs in North Carolina, NC hog hunting, public land hog hunting, feral pigs, wild boar hunting, NC game lands with pigs, how to hunt wild hogs, pig hunting tactics, or North Carolina wildlife management, this episode covers the problem from both the research and hunting perspectives. North Carolina has a pig problem. Now the question is what hunters and wildlife managers can actually do about it. TIme Line: 10:04 — Meet Greg Queen & William Mayfield 20:00 — Why Wild Pigs Are a Problem 21:30 — The Disease Problem Hunters Don't See 25:00 — Trapping & Studying Wild Pigs 31:48 — How Pigs Spread Across the State 34:57 — What Happens When Pigs Show Up 40:00 — How Serious Is NC's Pig Problem? 47:28 — What Diseases Are Researchers Testing For? 50:18 — How to Find Public-Land Pigs 58:45 — How to Actually Hunt Wild Pigs 1:05:00 — Hunting Pressure & Pig Behavior 1:12:00 — How Smart Are Wild Pigs? 1:16:17 — Fixed Blade vs. Mechanical Broadheads 1:25:00 — Trapping Wild Pigs 1:30:00 — How Pigs Learn & Adapt 1:36:00 — Final Pig-Hunting Advice 1:41:40 — Can Hunters Actually Control Wild Pigs? Discount Codes: In Store Purchases - Podcast15 Speed Broadheads - SSEP10 Upcoiming Events: Waterfowl Expo - 10/10 Veteran's Day Workout Event - 11/14