The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is reminding all individuals involved in private hunting leases that they must be listed as designees on a landowner’s wild hog exemption in order to assist with wild hog control after July 31.
Currently, individuals that are a part of leases established before Sept. 15, 2011 are allowed to assist landowners with wild hog control in addition to the designees listed on the landowner’s exemption.
The TWRA converted its wild hog management program from big game to nuisance control in 2011. The expiring exception was originally created to accomadate hunters who had entered lease agreements prior to the TWRA’s change in wild hog management.
Landowners are able to have 10 designees on tracts of less than 1,000 acres. For those individuals who own at least 1,000 acres, a designee may be added for every 100 acres. For example if a landowner has 2,000 acres, he or she may have 20 designees.
For persons who suspect they have wild hogs on their property, they can contact a wild hog expert at one of the four TWRA regional offices. The Region I (West Tennessee) office can be reached at 731 423-5725 or 800 372-3928, Region II (Middle Tennessee) 615 781-6622 or 800 624-7406, Region III (Cumberland Plateau) 931 484-9571 or 800 262-6704, and Region IV (East Tennessee) 423 587-7037 or 800 332-0900.