Feral hogs and wild hog hunting in Alabama

Feral hogs in Alabama: where they are

Alabama's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) says nuisance feral swine populations are found in all 67 counties. The worst damage is in the Black Belt, the Wiregrass and the Coastal Plain, and hogs are most common where farmers plant peanuts, cotton and corn. Hogs and row crops go together here, which is exactly the problem.

The cost is significant. ADCNR and the state's congressional delegation both use an estimate of about $50 million a year in agricultural and ecological damage in Alabama. In August 2026, USDA made $35 million available through the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program, which Congress extended for five more years, for partnerships with states like Alabama.

The state is spending its own money too. In November 2023, the Forever Wild Land Trust board committed up to $1 million in stewardship funds to feral hog control on its lands, and ADCNR began adding contractors to its trapping program. From fiscal 2019 through 2023, ADCNR and Forever Wild staff removed more than 5,800 feral swine, while hunters reported harvesting more than 465 on those lands in the same period. An ADCNR biologist summed up the lesson: trapping the whole sounder "is about the only effective method."

Landowners with hog damage can also ask USDA NRCS about EQIP cost-share for trapping equipment. For the "wild boar vs. wild hog" question in Alabama, see our wild boar vs. feral hog guide.

Feral hog status	Nuisance populations in all 67 counties (ADCNR)
Daytime season / bag limit	No closed season, no bag limit
Hunting license	Check with ADCNR
Night hunting	Private or leased land only, in set seasons, with a nighttime feral swine and coyote license
Live hogs	Illegal to release, or to transport alive
Damage	About $50 million a year in Alabama

Hog hunting and trapping rules in Alabama

As of 2026, Alabama runs separate rules for daytime and nighttime hog hunting, plus a strict ban on moving live hogs.

Daytime

Feral swine fall under the same daytime season as bobcat, coyote and fox: no closed season and no bag limit, during daylight hours only. On open-permit lands, dogs may not be run in daytime, or after 3:00 a.m., during spring turkey season. Wildlife management areas have their own rules, so read the WMA map and regulations before you go. Whether you need a standard hunting license depends on where you hunt and whether you're license-exempt, so check with ADCNR.

Night hunting

Since 2021, Alabama has sold a nighttime feral swine and coyote hunting license (it cost $15 for residents and $51 for nonresidents at launch). It lets anyone with permission hunt hogs and coyotes at night on privately owned or leased land. Before 2021, night hunting was limited to landowners holding a special permit. Landowners can still get depredation permits.

The main night season for hogs and coyotes on private and leased land begins at 12:00 a.m. the day after gun deer season ends in your zone and ends 30 minutes before sunrise on the opening day of archery deer season. There's no bag limit. ADCNR also sets a special nighttime season in summer that is dogs only, no firearms, so check the current dates. During legal night seasons you may use night-vision or thermal optics and lights mounted on firearms. Know property lines and identify your target before every shot.

Live hogs

Under ADCNR rules, it's unlawful to release a feral hog alive or to transport one alive after taking or capturing it. Hogs caught in traps or by dogs must be killed on site. A 2026 House bill to loosen the transport ban (HB 414) died in committee. Our trapping guide covers whole-sounder corral traps, the method ADCNR biologists recommend.

Cooking wild hog, Alabama style

Alabama put its own color on barbecue sauce: white sauce, a peppery mix of mayonnaise and vinegar that was born on smoked chicken in Decatur. It turns out to be great on wild boar too, because the tang cuts through the richer flavor of wild pork.

Smoke a shoulder roast low and slow until it's past 160°F (71°C) and pulls easily, then drizzle white sauce over it on soft buns with pickles. For a quicker weeknight meal, grill wild boar burgers to 160°F and dress them with the same sauce and sliced tomato. Leftover white sauce makes a good dip for grilled loin chops.

Wild boar meat delivery to Alabama

We ship wild boar from our plant in Hubbard, Texas to every part of Alabama — frozen, vacuum sealed and packed with dry ice. Estimated transit: 2–3 days by ground; 2-day air recommended (estimate), including Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile and Tuscaloosa. Orders over $199.00 ship free; smaller orders ship for a flat $39.95.

Transit is an estimate from Hubbard, TX. We ship Monday through Wednesday so boxes don't sit over a weekend.

Feral hogs in Alabama: FAQ

Sources

1. ADCNR (Outdoor Alabama) — Forever Wild board commits to feral hog mitigation (Jan. 2024)
2. ADCNR (Outdoor Alabama) — New license allows hunting feral swine, coyotes at night (2021)
3. Alabama Hunting Regulations (eRegulations) — Other seasons & limits (feral swine)
4. Ala. Admin. Code r. 220-2-.86 — Feral swine (release and live transport)
5. Alabama Political Reporter — USDA $35M to combat feral swine (Aug. 7, 2026)
6. LegiScan — Alabama HB 414 (2026)
7. USDA APHIS — Feral swine distribution maps

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