Hog Trap Guide — How to Trap Feral Hogs (Corral, Box & Gates)

The most effective way to trap wild hogs is a large corral trap set where hogs already travel, pre-baited with the gate open until the entire sounder is feeding inside, then set to close behind them. Check it every morning, and move live hogs only to slaughter or an approved holding facility. Box traps, drop nets and remote-controlled gates all have their place, but the goal is always the same: catch the whole group at once.

We buy live trapped hogs year-round at our holding pen in Hubbard, Texas, and the trappers who bring the most hogs follow the same few rules. Here they are.

Why trapping beats hunting for control

Feral hogs live in family groups called sounders — usually two to 20 hogs, sometimes up to 40 or 50 in a drought (Texas A&M AgriLife). Shooting one or two hogs at a time scatters the rest, and Texas A&M notes that major disturbances can push hogs to shift their range several miles. Hogs that escape a small trap may also become trap-wary. A large corral trap can take the whole sounder at once (Texas A&M AgriLife, L-5524).

The numbers explain why that matters. Texas A&M estimates that about 66% of the state's hogs would have to be removed every year, for five years or more, just to hold the population steady (Texas A&M AgriLife, ESP-472).

A cornfield flattened and rooted up by feral hogs — One sounder can do this to a field in a night. Trapping the whole group stops it. Photo: USDA APHIS, public domain

Hunting alone rarely gets near that. Trapping works best as part of a plan that also uses hunting and dogs on hogs that avoid traps.

Types of hog traps

A trapper setting the gate of a corral-style feral hog trap in the woods — A corral trap built from livestock panels and T-posts, with a head gate. Photo: USDA Wildlife Services, public domain

Trap type	Best for	Pros	Cons
Corral trap	Whole sounders; long-term trap sites	Catches many hogs at once; a deer that gets in can jump out; can stay in a spot hogs keep using	Panels and gate cost more; takes time to build; not portable as a unit
Box trap	One to a few hogs; small areas	Easy to move by pickup or small trailer; quick to set	Often catches only one or two adults; can catch deer, calves and other non-targets
Drop trap	Trap-wary hogs	Falls around the whole group at once	Heavy to set up and anchor; bait must be in the center; hogs at the edge can be struck
Net trap	Remote sites with poor vehicle access	Large enough for a sounder; new hogs can keep entering	Needs soft ground for T-posts or trees to anchor
Remote (cellular) gate	Any large trap	You see on your phone how many hogs are inside before you close it	Costs more; needs cell service

Sources: Texas A&M AgriLife, L-5524; Texas A&M AgriLife, trapping.

Building a DIY corral trap

Most corral traps are built from 16- or 20-foot sheep and goat panels with 4-by-4-inch mesh — small enough to hold young pigs — and steel T-posts. Texas A&M's guide lists, for one trap, a head gate, 13 six-foot T-posts, four 16-foot panels, tie wire, a T-post driver and fencing pliers (L-5524). Key points:

No corners. Build a circle or teardrop. Hogs bunch in corners and can climb out.
T-posts about every 4 feet, with no gaps along the bottom.
Overlap and wire the panels securely. Trapped hogs test every weak point.
Make it big enough that hogs can back away from you as you approach.
A teardrop shape doubles as a loading chute for a trailer.

Hog trap gates, doors and triggers

The gate is the part most people buy rather than build. Texas A&M describes three main styles (L-5524; B-6149):

Saloon or swing gate. Spring-loaded doors that hogs push open to get in; they close behind them.
Drop (guillotine) gate. Held up and released by a trigger. Closes once.
Rooter or lifter gate. Hogs lift it with their snouts. After it closes, more hogs can still root their way in.

In a Texas study of box traps, rooter gates caught more juvenile hogs and more hogs overall than side-swing gates, while catch rates for adults were about the same (Long & Campbell, 2012).

Triggers matter as much as gates. In a large corral trap, put the trigger at the back, away from the door, so most of the sounder is inside before it closes. A trip wire from the gate prop to the bait works; Texas A&M notes that some trappers use picture-framing wire because it breaks if a hog gets tangled. Set triggers so only large animals fire them, or use pig-specific triggers such as a rooter stick (Texas A&M AgriLife). A shared gate can serve several traps, since it only needs to be in place when you set the trap.

Where to put a hog trap

On or next to active hog trails, near water, bedding and feeding areas. Look for fresh rooting, wallows, rubs and tracks.
Upwind of where hogs spend time.
In shade. Brush or trees inside the trap give cover and keep captured hogs cooler.
Out of the floodplain's worst spots, so rising water does not wreck the trap.
Where a truck and trailer can reach it in any weather if you plan to haul hogs alive.

Source: Texas A&M AgriLife, L-5524.

Pre-baiting and conditioning

"Trapping is a process, not an event," as Texas A&M's corral trap guide puts it. Skip this step and you catch one or two hogs and educate the rest.

Bait with the gate wired open. Put bait around the entrance and inside the trap.
Wait for the whole sounder. Keep baiting until hogs are feeding inside consistently. A game camera tells you how many hogs are coming and when.
Move the bait to the back. Before setting, run the bait to the trigger area, but not on the trip wire itself.
Set the trap.
Keep baiting after a catch for a short time. If new hogs show up, another sounder is using the area.

Whole corn is the standard bait. Soured corn — corn soaked in water until it ferments — is popular because Texas A&M notes souring helps avoid attracting deer. Put out only what hogs eat each day, keep most bait inside the trap, and switch baits if interest drops (L-5524; Texas A&M AgriLife). Our guide to what wild hogs eat shows what draws them in each season.

Checking traps and humane handling

Texas A&M says traps "absolutely need to be checked within 24 hours and before the day heats up," and recommends daily checks in hot weather (Texas A&M AgriLife). Texas summer heat is hard on trapped hogs, so the morning check matters most from late spring to early fall.

Check early in the morning, in person or with a cellular camera.
Approach quietly and keep your distance; trapped hogs are stressed and can hurt you.
Release non-target animals right away. Accidentally caught native wildlife must be handled within game laws.
Wear gloves when handling hogs or carcasses. Feral hogs can carry brucellosis.
Do not leave hogs standing in a hot trap or trailer. Haul early in the day.

Texas rules for trapped hogs

Laws change. These points are current as of 2026 — confirm with the agency before you rely on them.

License. A resident landowner, or anyone with the landowner's consent, may take feral hogs on that land without a hunting license (Tex. Parks & Wild. Code §42.002). On public land you need one, and if you charge others for access you need a hunting lease license. Check with Texas Parks and Wildlife.
Moving live hogs. The Texas Animal Health Commission prohibits moving live feral hogs unless authorized. From the trap they may go directly to a recognized slaughter facility, a TAHC-approved holding facility, or — boars and barrows only — an authorized hunting preserve. Trapped hogs may be held in an escape-proof trailer for up to seven days (4 TAC §55.9; TAHC). Releasing hogs elsewhere is illegal.
Toxicants. A warfarin bait (Kaput Feral Hog Bait) was registered in Texas as a state-limited-use pesticide in February 2024. It may be bought only with a valid pesticide applicator license and must be used exactly as the label directs, in hog-specific feeders (Texas Department of Agriculture; Texas A&M AgriLife). Check the current registration with TDA before using it. Hogs that may have eaten toxicant bait are not food: our field-dressing rules refuse hogs from areas where poison or toxicant baits are used, so tell us before you haul if bait has been used near your traps.

What to do with trapped hogs

You have three practical options: dispatch them on site, haul them to an approved holding facility, or sell them alive to a buyer that sends them to slaughter. Selling turns a cost into income and the hogs into food.

We buy live trapped hogs at the Rockin M Pig Pen, 115 PR 336, Hubbard, TX. Live hogs are the only source of the meat we sell for people, because each one is inspected alive before slaughter. We pay by the pound, and prices change, so call 254-707-1043 before you load up. Bring healthy hogs that can walk, haul them straight from the trap, and travel early on hot days. Details are on sell your hogs.

Not trapping yourself? Our landowner signup connects property owners with trappers who work with our plant.

Sources

Do I need a license to trap feral hogs in Texas?

As of 2026, Texas law lets a landowner, or anyone with the landowner's consent, take feral hogs on private land without a hunting license. You need a license on public land, and charging others for access requires a hunting lease license. Check current rules with Texas Parks and Wildlife.

What is the best bait for a hog trap?

Whole corn is the standard, and soured corn (corn soaked in water until it ferments) is popular because it is less attractive to deer. Livestock cubes and commercial attractants also work. Alternate baits if hogs lose interest.

How often should I check a hog trap?

At least once every 24 hours, and early in the morning before the day heats up. Texas A&M recommends daily checks in hot weather. A cellular camera lets you check from a distance.

Can I sell the hogs I trap?

Yes. In Texas live feral hogs may be moved only to a recognized slaughter facility, an approved holding facility or, for boars and barrows, an authorized hunting preserve. We buy live trapped hogs at the Rockin M Pig Pen in Hubbard — call ahead for today's price.