Hog Hunting in Missouri: Why Feral Hog Hunting Is Restricted

Feral hogs in Missouri: where they are

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) says feral hogs are established in more than 30 Missouri counties, with most of the elimination work concentrated in the southern part of the state. Releasing hogs is illegal in Missouri, and MDC asks anyone who sees a release to report it to a conservation agent. Illegal releases are a big reason hogs show up in new places.

Missouri's answer is the Missouri Feral Hog Elimination Partnership, a coalition of MDC and other state and federal agencies with conservation and agriculture groups. Since 2020 it has run a unified incident command system to coordinate trapping, aerial removal and landowner help. The Houston Herald reported in March 2026 that the partnership removed 6,125 feral hogs in 2025, including 2,720 by aerial operations. It also worked with 484 landowners and scouted more than 3.5 million acres.

Why so strict about hunting? Hunting breaks up sounders, and the survivors scatter and get wary of traps. When the U.S. Forest Service closed the Mark Twain National Forest to hog hunting in December 2019, officials said hunters trying to help were actually interfering with trapping. MDC's own wording is that hunting hogs "is strongly discouraged." Missouri is the clearest example of a state that chose eradication over building a hog-hunting culture.

If you searched for "Missouri wild boar hunts," that's the context. And if you'd rather cook wild boar than chase it, scroll down.

Feral hog status	Established in 30+ counties; elimination underway (MDC)
MDC conservation areas	Take of feral hogs prohibited on all MDC-owned, leased or managed land
Mark Twain National Forest	Hog hunting closed since Dec. 2019; permitted deer/turkey hunters may shoot hogs incidentally
Private land	Legal with landowner consent (RSMo 270.400), but strongly discouraged by MDC
Lights / thermal	Only the landowner or the landowner's agent on that property
Firearms deer & turkey seasons	Wildlife Code rules apply to hog take
Releasing hogs	Illegal; report releases to a conservation agent
Report hogs	MDC 573-522-4115, ext. 3296

Hog hunting and trapping rules in Missouri

As of 2026, feral hog hunting in Missouri is restricted on purpose.

Public land. MDC rules say the take of feral hogs is prohibited on conservation areas and all other lands owned, leased or managed by MDC. On the Mark Twain National Forest, Forest Order 09-05-19-02 (December 7, 2019) closed hog hunting until rescinded. Hunters with the right deer or turkey permit may shoot a hog they run into while hunting those species, and people working under a Forest Service elimination agreement are exempt.

Private land. Under RSMo 270.400, any person may take or kill a feral hog on private land with the landowner's consent, and a landowner may kill hogs roaming free on their own land. During the firearms deer and turkey seasons, the Wildlife Code applies to hog take. Only the landowner or the landowner's agent may use artificial light or thermal imagery to take hogs on that property. Doing so without that standing is a class A misdemeanor, and each violation counts separately. MDC still strongly discourages hog hunting on private land and asks you to report hogs instead.

Trapping instead. If hogs are on your place, MDC or USDA technicians will help you build a removal plan, usually baiting first and then trapping the whole sounder. Around deer and turkey season, a section of the farm can be closed with a conservation agent's approval, or trapping can pause until hunters are out of the woods. Our trapping guide explains why whole-sounder traps beat shooting.

Commercial "wild boar hunts." Many Missouri boar-hunt listings are fenced operations. We can't speak to any particular outfit, so ask how its animals are sourced and confirm the rules with MDC before you book.

Report hogs (sightings, damage or anyone releasing hogs) to MDC at 573-522-4115, ext. 3296, or through the online form on MDC's feral hog page.

Cooking wild hog, Missouri style

Missouri has two barbecue capitals. St. Louis gave its name to the spare-rib trim, so start with our St. Louis ribs, and gave backyard grilling the pork steak: a slice of shoulder grilled, then simmered in a pan of sweet tomato sauce until tender. For wild boar, cut ¾-inch steaks from a partly thawed shoulder roast, sear them over coals, then let them braise in sauce on the cool side of the grill.

Kansas City is about sauce and burnt ends. Cube a smoked wild boar belly, toss it with rub and sauce, and return it to the smoker until it's sticky. Cook everything to 160°F (71°C).

Wild boar meat delivery to Missouri

We ship wild boar from our plant in Hubbard, Texas to every part of Missouri — frozen, vacuum sealed and packed with dry ice. Estimated transit: 2 days by ground (estimate), including Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, Columbia and Independence. Orders over $199.00 ship free; smaller orders ship for a flat $39.95.

Transit is an estimate from Hubbard, TX.

Best for pulled pork Wild Boar Shoulder Roast Boneless shoulder, rolled and tied — the cut for pulled wild boar, carnitas and braises. 3–4 lb boneless roast, rolled and tied$49.95 Wild Boar St. Louis Ribs Spare ribs trimmed square, St. Louis style. Smaller and meatier than you might expect. 2 slabs, about 2.5 lb$36.95 Best seller Ground Wild Boar Our most popular product — lean wild boar ground once, packed flat to thaw fast. 1 lb pack$13.95

Feral hogs in Missouri: FAQ

Is hog hunting legal in Missouri?

Not on MDC land, and it's closed in the Mark Twain National Forest except for hogs taken incidentally by permitted deer or turkey hunters. On private land it's legal with landowner consent, but MDC strongly discourages it and asks you to report hogs instead.

Why did Missouri ban hog hunting on public land?

Hunting scatters sounders and makes survivors trap-shy. Missouri's goal is total elimination, and the Forest Service said hunting was interfering with trapping when it closed the Mark Twain National Forest in 2019.

Where do I report feral hogs in Missouri?

Call MDC at 573-522-4115, ext. 3296, or use the online report form on MDC's feral hog page.

Can landowners use thermal to shoot hogs in Missouri?

Under RSMo 270.400, only the landowner or the landowner's agent may use artificial light or thermal imagery to take feral hogs on that property.

Sources

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