Hog Hunting NC: Feral Swine Rules & Wild Boar in North Carolina

Feral hogs in North Carolina: where they are

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) classifies feral swine as an invasive, nongame species with disjunct populations statewide. That means pockets rather than one continuous range. Pigs have a long history here. NCWRC says domestic swine were released in the 1500s as a walking food supply for European explorers. Later releases for "boar" hunting, plus protection as a game animal from 1979 to 2011, helped them spread. The Commission says illegal releases still add to the population.

The mountains have their own story. The National Park Service says a rancher in the early 1900s brought about two dozen pure European wild boar to a hunting preserve in western North Carolina. Some 60 to 100 eventually escaped and interbred with feral farm hogs, and their descendants spread through the mountain forests of western North Carolina and East Tennessee. Great Smoky Mountains National Park still removes about 275 hogs in a typical year, slightly more than half of them on the North Carolina side.

NCWRC reports that hog complaints and damage have increased over the past decade as numbers grew. Hogs root up plant communities, prey on ground-nesting birds and deer fawns, and carry at least 30 diseases and nearly 40 parasites. One of them is brucellosis, which can spread through handling or eating the meat, so wear gloves and cook thoroughly. Nationally, NCWRC cites about $1.5 billion a year in damage to crops, landscaping and cultural sites.

Feral swine status	Scattered populations statewide; invasive nongame species (NCWRC)
Hunting license	Required unless license-exempt (e.g., landowner on own land)
Season / bag limit on private land	No closed season, no bag limit
Night hunting	Private land only, with lights and electronic calls; no night permit needed
Game lands	Licensed hunters during open game seasons; night take requires a permit
Trapping	Free NCWRC Feral Swine Trapping Permit; hogs must be killed in the trap
Live transport / release	Illegal; fines up to $5,000 per animal

Hog hunting and trapping rules in North Carolina

As of 2026, NCWRC rules for feral swine are wide open on private land and tighter everywhere else.

Licensing. Anyone hunting feral swine needs a valid NC hunting license or must be license-exempt under G.S. 113-276. The most common exemption is a landowner hunting their own property. There's no closed season on private land and no bag limit.

Hog hunting at night. Since 2012, feral swine may be hunted at night on private land with artificial lights, night-vision equipment and electronic calls. The old feral swine night-hunting permit is retired and no longer needed. You still need permission. The Landowner Protection Act requires written permission to hunt posted property, and some counties have extra written-permission laws, listed in the local laws section of the Regulations Digest.

Game lands. Only licensed hunters may take hogs on game lands, during open seasons for game animals and with methods legal for that season. Taking feral swine on game lands between a half hour after sunset and a half hour before sunrise requires a permit. Dogs generally aren't allowed for hogs on game lands except where they're legal for deer or bear during those seasons.

Trapping. You need a free Feral Swine Trapping Permit from NCWRC, plus a hunting or trapping license unless you're exempt. Landowners who don't need a license still need the permit. Only box and corral traps are legal, and corral traps can't exceed 10,000 square feet. The permit number must be displayed on every trap, and non-target animals must be able to escape unharmed. Trapping on game lands needs written Commission permission.

Moving hogs. Feral swine must be euthanized in the trap. Removing a live hog from a trap, transporting it or releasing it is illegal, with fines of up to $5,000 per animal. NCWRC recommends whole-sounder corral trapping over shooting, because shooting mostly teaches the survivors to avoid people. Our trapping guide covers corral setups.

Cooking wild hog, North Carolina style

North Carolina's barbecue argument is old and loud. Eastern style cooks the whole hog and dresses it with a thin vinegar-and-red-pepper sauce. Lexington (Piedmont) style smokes only the shoulder, adds a little ketchup to the vinegar "dip" and serves red slaw on the side.

Wild boar works either way. For the Lexington route, smoke a shoulder roast over hickory past 160°F (71°C) until it chops easily, then mop it with dip. For an Eastern-style pig pickin', a skin-on whole wild boar is leaner than a farm hog, so baste it often and don't rush the fire. Our whole hog roasting guide has the timing. Chop, season with vinegar sauce and serve on soft buns with hushpuppies.

Wild boar meat delivery to North Carolina

We ship wild boar from our plant in Hubbard, Texas to every part of North Carolina — frozen, vacuum sealed and packed with dry ice. Estimated transit: 3–4 days by ground; 2-day air recommended (estimate), including Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Durham, Winston-Salem and Asheville. Orders over $199.00 ship free; smaller orders ship for a flat $39.95.

Estimate from Hubbard, TX. We ship Monday through Wednesday so boxes don't sit in a terminal over the weekend.

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 North Carolina: FAQ

Do you need a license to hunt hogs in NC?

Yes, unless you're license-exempt, for example a landowner hunting their own property. Trapping also needs the free NCWRC Feral Swine Trapping Permit, even for license-exempt landowners.

Can you hunt hogs at night in North Carolina?

Yes, on private land, with lights, night vision and electronic calls, and no separate night permit. On game lands, night take of feral swine requires a permit.

Are there wild boar in North Carolina?

Yes. European wild boar were brought to a western North Carolina preserve in the early 1900s, escaped and mixed with feral hogs. NCWRC treats all of them as the same invasive feral swine.

Can I keep a trapped hog alive in NC?

No. Feral swine must be euthanized in the trap. Moving or releasing live feral swine is illegal, with fines of up to $5,000 per animal.

Sources

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