Landowner Trust, Experience Key in Feral Hog Control

Studies find trust and prior experience shape landowners' willingness to manage destructive feral hogs

Published on Mar. 7, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Two studies have found that trust in others and prior experience with feral hogs were significant factors in whether landowners would commit effort and dollars to controlling the destructive animals. Feral hogs cause an estimated $2.5 billion in damage and control costs each year in the U.S., with populations concentrated in the southeastern states. The studies aimed to help shape education and outreach efforts on feral hog control, as landowners from different regions do not view control methods the same way.

Why it matters

Feral hogs are a major problem across the U.S., causing billions in damage annually. Understanding landowners' perspectives and attitudes toward feral hogs is crucial for developing effective management plans and outreach programs to address this issue.

The details

The studies found that trust is an important factor in the decisions landowners make in management methods. Landowners with higher trust in their community were more likely to rely on their own initiatives rather than government-led programs. The studies also looked at landowners' willingness to pay for state-sponsored feral hog management, finding that land use was a driving factor - with agricultural cropland owners showing higher willingness to pay than timberland/forestland or pastureland owners.

  • The studies were published in 2026.

The players

Nana Tian

A forest economics researcher for the Arkansas Forest Resources Center who studies human dimensions and economic issues in natural resource management.

Jianbang Gan

A professor in the department of ecology and conservation biology with Texas A&M AgriLife.

Junyeong Choi

The lead author of the willingness to pay study, a former Ph.D. student at Texas A&M University and a former researcher with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

Michael Blazier

The dean of the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Arkansas at Monticello and director of the Arkansas Forest Resources Center.

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Has listed "Protecting the Integrity of American Agriculture from Invasive Species" as one of its research priorities.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Understanding their perspectives and attitudes toward feral hogs is very important for us to make management plans.”

— Nana Tian, forest economics researcher (miragenews.com)

“Feral hogs are migratory. As a result, cooperation among stakeholders is imperative to effectively manage feral hogs, and individuals who do not contribute to feral hog management could benefit from control efforts made by others. Thus, to enhance cooperation and avoid 'free-riding,' trust is important.”

— Jianbang Gan, professor (miragenews.com)

“With a higher level of trust in their community, landowners tended to believe that their own initiatives, including cooperation with other landowners in their community, would be more effective than government-led programs.”

— Jianbang Gan, professor (miragenews.com)

“Feral hogs are an ever-present destructive force on our native wildlife and farms. Dr. Tian and her team have gained better understanding of the control strategies favored by different types of landowners through their work, which will help natural resources professionals connect landowners with the tools and practices they need for reducing feral hogs on their property.”

— Michael Blazier, dean (miragenews.com)

What’s next

The studies aim to help shape education and outreach efforts on feral hog control, as the researchers found that a one-size-fits-all approach is not effective and outreach programs need to be tailored for the state and local context.

The takeaway

These studies provide valuable insights into the factors that shape landowners' willingness to manage the destructive feral hog problem, highlighting the importance of trust, prior experience, and land use in developing effective control strategies and outreach programs.