Today, Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson announced that the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC) will open applications for its Wild Hog Control Program (WHCP) on February 1. The application period will close on February 15, 2026, and is open to all counties in Mississippi.
Commissioner Gipson said, “Wild hogs remain a costly nuisance for Mississippi landowners, particularly in our rural and agricultural areas.” He emphasized the agency’s commitment to providing resources to help landowners manage these animals effectively. The WHCP offers “smart” traps to landowners and managers to control wild hog populations on private agricultural and forestry lands. Training and technical guidance are provided by MDAC for using these traps effectively.
Applications must be submitted online at www.mdac.ms.gov/whcp. They will be evaluated based on several criteria including the number of acres available for trapping, historical agricultural losses due to wild hogs, and current trapping efforts. Small acreage land managers are encouraged to submit cooperative applications. Traps are allocated for one-month intervals depending on use and success, with a recommendation of one trap per 500 acres.
For more information about the program guidelines or applications, visit www.mdac.ms.gov/whcp or contact Harold Leonard at HaroldL@mdac.ms.gov.
