• Feral hogs in Texas may be hunted all year long.Wild boar with small one image by piotrmarkiewicz from Fotolia.com
  
  Feral hogs are present in most of the state of Texas. Eurasian wild boars, feral hogs and hog hybrids are considered invasive exotic species that are allowed to be hunted all year long with appropriate hunting permits. There is no catch limit. Hunted on state, federal and private land, hunters have long used dog packs to assist in the hunt.
  
  

Dogs as Hunting Partners

• The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department sets the state of Texas rules and regulations for hunting seasons, means and methods. In Texas when it comes to using dogs to hunt, the only animal that is singled out as not being allowed to be hunted with dogs are deer. Hunters caught using dogs to track or catch deer can be fined $500 to $4,000 and a year in jail. Dogs are legal to use in the tracking and catching of feral hogs in the state.
  
  

Use of Tracking and Catch Dogs

• According to the Texas Extension Service, individuals or packs of dogs are typically used to locate and catch feral hogs. Dogs can be used to seek out individual hogs or small groups. Most successful hunters that use this method typically have some dogs trained to track and bay and others trained to catch and hold. The tracking dogs that are used are generally strong, well-trained large breeds with tracking and baying tendencies. The Catahoula Leopard Dog is used to track hogs in many states in the South. Catch dogs tend to be pit bulls or applicable mixes that can withstand the physical aspect of the task.
  
  

Dog Safety

• Using dogs in the pursuit and capture of feral hogs is not without danger. Many dogs have been killed while participating in the hunt. For this reason, vests were manufactured to cover the essential organs of the dog while it is engaging in the hunt. Several manufacturers make and supply these vests. Properly sized and fitted vests are advised to keep hog-hunting dogs as safe as possible.