Trapping
Cage traps are the most effective and commonly used method to trap feral hogs. This method is not only effective at trapping feral hogs, it is the best way to control hog populations. Feral hogs are probably more susceptible to trapping during winter or early spring than at other times of the year due to a shortage of food. There are several designs that can be used. The primary differences between them are door configuration, portability, flooring, roofing or size.

The corral trap can be built just about any size or shape as long as the bait is placed toward the rear of the trap. The top should be covered if hogs are to be removed alive. If a top is not used, hogs can be dispatched at a safe distance with a rifle.

The corral trap (see photo) is probably the most popular trap used. There are several door designs that can be used with this trap but the most common are probably the slide door (drop gate), spring gate and the lift gate. Depending on the method of removal, panels can be placed across the top to keep a hog from jumping or climbing over. Bait should be placed near the rear of the trap. A trip wire is used to trigger the spring door or slide door while the lift door is propped up and triggered with a stick. A rolled up piece of net or mesh wire attached to the underside of the lift door provides a cushion when the hogs lift the door with their snout. The primary disadvantage of the lift door is that once inside the hogs can learn to raise the doors with their snout. The trap can be built large enough to hold several hogs, and a decoy hog can help as well. This trap can be constructed from steel panels with 4 inch by 4 inch or smaller mesh and T-posts.

The circular trap should be baited at the funnel and on the inside of the trap. Bait placed on the inside will entice the hog to push on the bottom inside portion of the funnel for entry. The trap can hold up to eight hogs and a decoy can be used.

Note the trough at the rear of the cage and the trip stick holding the door up. A trip wire is tied across the rear of the trap just above and in front of the trough. Another wire is tied to this one and to the trip stick. As the hogs attempt to get the bait, the wire is pushed, triggering the tripstick.

The circular trap (see photo) is a very simple trap to construct and does not require a door. This trap consists of two steel panels each at least 16 feet long and 5 feet tall with 4 inch by 4 inch or smaller mesh and eight steel T-posts. The 4 inch by 4 inch or smaller mesh keeps young hogs from escaping. One panel forms a stretched out C. The other panel forms a tight C with the ends touching the stretched out C panel. Steel T-posts are driven around the outside of the panels for extra support. A steel post should also be placed at each end where the panels touch, wired only at the top of the tight C panel. This configuration forms a funnel on each of the sides. Again, panels placed over the top are optional. Both the inside of the trap and the inside of the funnel should be baited. As a hog tries to get the bait inside the funnel, it pushes on the bottom of the tight C panel allowing it access inside the trap. Once inside the hogs find themselves in a circle and are unable to push out of the entrance due to the resistance exerted by the outside panel. This trap can hold up to eight hogs, and is also secure enough to leave one inside as a decoy.

The portable hog trap (see photo) equipped with a drop door, drop gate, or spring gate, is also an effective trap design where hog numbers are low. This trap's best feature is that it is highly mobile but has the disadvantage of trapping only a few hogs at a time and no decoys can be used.

All of these traps should be placed in areas that feral hogs frequent or currently use. Feral hogs are highly mobile and finding these ideal locations may be difficult at times. A trap should be prebaited for at least a couple of days to get the feral hogs accustomed to entering the trap. Bait can include whole corn, livestock cubes, carrion or sour grain. Traps should be checked daily and caution should be used when approaching traps.