Feral Swine Population Research: Challenges in Data Collection and Reporting

Lack of standardization is causing researchers to miss opportunities, and data gathered about feral hogs is not always useful. For example, Texas has a high number of sightings, and a large population. The data does not adjust for the fact that Texas is the largest state.

1. The Arkansas Department of Agriculture records "removal" data on the number of feral hogs that are killed, but other states refer to killing hogs with different labels, such as "harvesting," or do not track deaths at all.[5]
2. How population data is formatted is also important, especially if we are comparing results from one state to another: Texas reports "about 2.6 million" feral swine[6] Georgia estimates "200,000 to 600,000"[7] Florida indicates "over one-half million."[8]
   If some report the high data, some the low, others what is observed, and still others the estimated number or a range for the population data, then it is much harder for researchers to compile existing data and come to conclusions.
3. Some of the most interesting materials that I found online were charts and graphs from hunting sites. While such sources may provide valuable insights, they often lack rigorous scientific documentation and verifiability. Comparative analysis of multiple sources, including specialized hunting websites and state-level reports, reveals significant differences, while also showing the challenges and potential in feral swine population tracking.

The proliferation of hunting-focused websites has contributed significantly to public knowledge about feral swine populations. While sites such as those maintained by recreational hunting organizations [9, 10] provide accessible and well-organized data presentations, their utility for academic research is limited by inconsistent source attribution. This limitation is particularly noteworthy given that at least one of these resources was cited by a news media outlet, potentially propagating unverified data.[20] The graph below presents a compilation of feral swine population estimates derived from publicly available sources, with particular attention to documentation provided to the public by state and federal agencies. While this approach prioritizes accessibility and transparency, it necessarily excludes potentially valuable data sources hidden behind paywalls, which would be available to students and professional researchers.