Feral hogs by state · LA
Feral hogs and hog hunting in Louisiana
Louisiana has feral hogs in all 64 parishes, an estimated 700,000 to 900,000 of them. They're classed as outlaw quadrupeds, so licensed hunters can take them year-round, and landowners can authorize night hunting on private property.
Feral hogs in Louisiana: where they are
Feral hogs are found in all 64 Louisiana parishes, according to the LSU AgCenter, and state wildlife officials estimate 700,000 to 900,000 of them. From the Atchafalaya Basin swamps to the rice and sugarcane country of Acadiana and the pine and hardwood bottoms of north Louisiana, there's no parish without hogs.
The LSU AgCenter put a price on it. Its study, based on a 2021 survey of 952 landowners, estimated $91.1 million a year in damage to Louisiana agricultural and timber land: $66.2 million in crop losses and $24.9 million in other expenses. Nearly 70% of respondents said hogs had interfered with their farming in the past year, and about a quarter reported pasture damage. An earlier AgCenter study had put 2013 losses at more than $74 million, so the trend isn't going the right way.
Louisiana's legal answer is to make hogs easy to kill. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) classifies feral hogs as outlaw quadrupeds, alongside coyotes and armadillos, so licensed hunters can take them year-round. The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) controls the other end of the problem: who may haul a live hog, and where. Illegal transport is how hogs get to new ground, and LDWF agents write citations for it.
If you've wondered whether Louisiana's "wild boar" and "wild hog" are different, they aren't. See our wild boar vs. feral hog guide.
| Feral hog status | All 64 parishes; est. 700,000–900,000 (state wildlife officials via LSU AgCenter) |
|---|---|
| Legal class | Outlaw quadruped (LDWF) |
| Daytime | Year-round during legal shooting hours with a Basic Hunting License |
| Night take on private land | Landowner, lessee or agent with written permission; notify the parish sheriff |
| Trapping | Cage or corral traps year-round with a basic hunting license; snares need a trapping license |
| WMAs | Check each WMA's rules with LDWF |
| Live transport | Only by a feral swine authorized transporter registered with LDAF |
Hog hunting and trapping rules in Louisiana
As of 2026, Louisiana hog hunting rules come from LDWF (taking hogs) and LDAF (moving them alive).
Daytime
Holders of a valid Louisiana Basic Hunting License may take feral hogs year-round during legal daylight shooting hours, wherever hog hunting is legal.
Night take on private property
Feral hogs, along with coyotes, nutria and beaver, may be taken at night on private property, year-round, by the landowner or the landowner's lessee or agent. You must carry the landowner's written permission and contact information. Night means a half hour after official sunset to a half hour before official sunrise. You must notify the sheriff's office of the parish where the property is located either 24 hours before the hunt or immediately after taking a hog. Legal methods include any legal firearm, with or without artificial light, infrared or laser sights, or night-vision devices. A 2024 bill to drop the license and sheriff-notice requirements didn't become law as far as we can tell, so plan on making that call.
Wildlife management areas
WMA hog rules are set area by area, and we couldn't confirm the current WMA night rules for hogs. Check the WMA's regulations or call LDWF before you go.
Trapping
Hogs may be trapped year-round in cage or corral traps by anyone with a valid basic hunting license. Snares require a valid trapping license.
Moving live hogs
Feral hogs shall not be transported alive unless the hauler is a feral swine authorized transporter registered with the Board of Animal Health of LDAF. Our own hog-buying program covers Central Texas only. If you're trapping in Louisiana, our trapping guide covers corral traps that catch the whole sounder.
Cooking wild hog, Louisiana style
No state has a deeper pork tradition than Louisiana. Cajun families still hold the boucherie, a communal hog butchering that turns one pig into boudin, andouille, tasso, cracklins and a big pot of backbone stew. Cochon de lait, a whole young pig roasted slowly over a wood fire, is a festival in its own right.
Wild boar fits that kitchen naturally. Brown cubes of stew meat hard in a black iron pot, then build a sauce piquante with a dark roux, the trinity, tomatoes and cayenne, and simmer until tender. Serve it over rice. Smoked wild boar sausage goes straight into jambalaya or gumbo. For a backyard cochon de lait, a skin-on whole wild boar roasted over oak takes a long afternoon. Cook it to 160°F (71°C) in the shoulder.
Wild boar meat delivery to Louisiana
We ship wild boar from our plant in Hubbard, Texas to every part of Louisiana — frozen, vacuum sealed and packed with dry ice. Estimated transit: 1–2 days by ground (estimate), including New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette and Lake Charles. Orders over $199.00 ship free; smaller orders ship for a flat $39.95.
Transit is an estimate from Hubbard, TX; Shreveport and northwest Louisiana are usually the quickest.
Feral hogs in Louisiana: FAQ
Do you need a license to hunt hogs in Louisiana?
Yes. LDWF says holders of a valid Louisiana Basic Hunting License may take feral hogs year-round during legal daylight shooting hours. Night take on private land has extra rules.
Can you hunt hogs at night in Louisiana?
On private property, yes. The landowner or a lessee or agent can hunt at night with the landowner's written permission and contact information, after notifying the parish sheriff 24 hours before or immediately after taking a hog.
How many feral hogs are in Louisiana?
State wildlife officials estimate 700,000 to 900,000, in all 64 parishes. The LSU AgCenter puts the damage at about $91 million a year.
Can I haul live hogs in Louisiana?
Only if you're a feral swine authorized transporter registered with the Board of Animal Health at the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.
Sources
- LDWF — Outlaw quadrupeds (feral hogs)
- LDWF — New regulation on nighttime take of outlaw quadrupeds, nutria and beaver
- LSU AgCenter — Feral hogs cost Louisiana farmers $91 million annually (2022)
- LSU AgCenter — Feral hog damage to Louisiana farms now estimated at $74 million (2015)
- Louisiana Administrative Code — Feral swine transport (LAC 7:XXI.1312)
- WBRZ — People to be cited for illegal transportation of feral hogs
- USDA APHIS — Feral swine distribution maps
Other states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas · all states