In the fall of 2016, part of Nantucket south of Nantucket Drive, was hit by feral hogs. In response we developed a network of volunteers to monitor and respond as necessary to future attacks. At the last (January 2017) Annual NPA Board Meeting, you were kind enough to ask me to report on this issue. At that meeting I summarized the attacks, our response, sent out 3 emails with attachments to those impacted impacted/interested. Feral hogs are wild and dangerous animals that hunt at night in groups (sounders) of 20 – 50 that search of food typically roots family sources that tear up yards and public areas. This past January, our NPA Board arranged a meeting with the State of Texas that was interesting and educational. They shared that hogs are a huge agricultural menace causing millions of dollars of crop damage each year, but unfortunately they have no acceptable answers to stopping them. This year has been a strange weather year and likely hogs were driven to forage again from their wetland habitat. Fortunately we have not had another attack. Hogs are very smart and we think part of the credit for them not returning – besides weather is due to a sharp shooter whose acreage is south of Indian Lakes, that was also hit. Our sharpshooter has in protecting his own acreage has quite possibly changed the hogs habits in taking out dozens of hogs over the months.
We again thank outstanding volunteer for their efforts.