In an effort to help control California's growing wild pig population, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 856 proposed by Senator Bill Dodd, D-Napa, that lifts all bag limit restrictions on feral hogs. The law aims to protect the environment, private properties, and agricultural operations from the ecological damage the feral pigs cause all over the state. The legislation passed by unanimous decision from the state legislature, but has received mixed responses from hunting organizations.
The bill not only lowers the tag prices for feral hog hunting but also legalizes pig hunting at night. "I commend the governor for bringing us a step closer to controlling our destructive wild pig population, which is exploding across California," Senator Dodd said in a press release. "These non-native, feral animals are endangering sensitive habitats, farms and wildlife. By increasing opportunities to hunt them we can reduce the threat to our state."
The California Fish and Game Commission supports the new law, with CDFW Commissioner Eric Sklar saying, "I am deeply grateful to Sen. Dodd for his tireless efforts to get SB 856 passed. The unanimous votes in both houses and the governor's signature are a testament to that effort. The bill will begin the process of reducing the extensive damage to habitat and property from feral pigs."
However, hunting organizations have been opposing the bill since it was introduced back in January 2022, including the California Houndsmen for Conservation, California Sportsman's Lobby, California Waterfowl, San Diego County Wildlife Federation, and Outdoor Sportsmen's Coalition of California. Their criticisms claim that more night hunting opportunities will cause an increase in poaching of other game animals; not requiring kill reports will affect science-based management of pig populations; the DFW will not have enough time to prepare management plans for other animals that are critically needed; opportunities for the public and those with disabilities to successfully hunt wild pigs will be reduced; and annual revenues deposited into the Big Game Management Account will most likely decrease, which impacts critical funding for programs and projects important to the health of all big game species.
A collective opposition letter states, "We believe the best pathway forward is for DFW to work with all interested stakeholders at the Commission WRC to seek mutually agreeable wild pig management provisions that would alleviate the above outlined concerns without changing the wild pigs game mammal status. Accordingly, we must continue to strongly oppose the extreme changes proposed by SB 856, as introduced."
The new law won't go into effect until July 1, 2024. Right now, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) estimates that the wild hog population is at about 400,000 and rising.
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