Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

Wild pigs arrived on the Bankhead Ranger District in the late 1980s and ‘90s. They proliferated and control efforts began in the early 2000s. In 2011, intensive efforts began, centered around whole sounder removal. By 2020, pigs were controlled at low densities throughout the District except for the rugged and remote Sipsey Wilderness Area. The area is 25,810 acres and surrounding environs remained off limits until a minimum resource analysis was completed, allowing for active management. The Sipsey Pig Project was born. An interagency team was formed, comprised of United States Forest Service (USFS), Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), and Animal and Plant Health Inspection (APHIS) Wildlife Services personnel. Crucial funding and volunteer support was provided by several local organizations including the wilderness advocacy group. The project began in 2021, when ADCNR agreed to eliminate two special hog hunts on the District. Four technicians from the three agencies began control efforts focused primarily on trapping and whole sounder removal. Other techniques were utilized including aerial gunning and Judas pig with varying levels of success. The first year concluded with approximately 50% of the wilderness receiving control efforts and a record 421 pigs removed from the District, a three-fold increase over the previous year. The next year, 2022, saw the entirety of the wilderness receive control efforts and a marked decrease in pig densities. The initial battle is won but the war remains undecided. Initial control was achieved faster than expected, yet much work remains with four years left in the project. The Sipsey Pig Project is the most aggressive action to date undertaken against wild pigs in a USFS wilderness area east of the Mississippi River. The strategic application of management techniques combined with strong partnerships can achieve wild pig control in the remote regions of our country.