MARQUETTE, MI – (Great Lakes Radio News) – State officials are urging deer hunters to shoot feral swine while they are in the woods during the firearm season.
Feral swine are defined as free-ranging wild pigs, not owned by any person. State Veterinarian Dr. Steven Halstead says the animals may transmit disease to domestic pigs and cause extensive crop damage for Michigan’s farming families.
According to Department of Natural Resources Deputy Director Bill Moritz, in Michigan, hunters with a valid hunting license of any type can kill the pigs any time of the year, not just during deer season.
He adds that feral swine are a significant risk to Michigan’s wildlife, ecosystems and agricultural resources, and they are a serious threat to humans and wildlife.
The greatest concentration of sightings in the U.P. are in Houghton, Marquette and Baraga counties.
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